It is a land made from volcanic activity, peaking through the ocean surface. It is a lush and fertile soil that allows growth of trees and fruits and tea plants. It is where domestic tourists and foreigners alike spend their vacations on beaches and parks, looking for peace and nature. It is Jeju-do, the largest island south of the Korean peninsula.

Away from traffic lights and angry office workers, Jeju-do is a short hour flight from Seoul. Many airlines offer this flight, at almost any hour of the day. Some international flights also connect Singapore, Thailand and Japan to Jeju’s main airport. I took Asiana from the capital and the roundtrip cost about 100 USD.

For my 4 nights-5 days trip, I based myself in Seogwipo, the second largest town on the island. It is located on the south coast, a relatively good place to visit the main attractions that were on my list. I would strongly recommend renting a car if you’re short on time. The public transport system is not at all convenient and you would lose a lot of time just waiting for the buses to come. The company we used is AJ rental car. Their shuttle bus picked us up directly outside of the arrival terminal and dropped us off two minutes later at their office. We took the most economical category of car and loved the Kia Morning we were given! For a cheap car, it was loaded with technology like back-up camera, self-folding mirrors, bluetooth media connection and even has a sunroof!

Navigation

Google maps does not work for directions in South Korea! A GPS came along with the rental car. Although the directions were spoken in English, all the buttons were written in Korean…we ended up just downloading an app on the iPhone, which worked pretty well. South Koreans drive on the left side, which is the same as Canadians, relief! But the road signs were very confusing at times. Some drivers didn’t stop at all at a flashing red light, others would make a full stop at a yellow light… We managed by driving fairly slowly and making partial stops at all the odd traffic light, but it would have been safer to study their road signs beforehand.

Hiking Halla-san

Our main mission for visiting Jeju-do was to hike Halla-san, the highest summit in South Korea. It is a dormant volcano, which last erupted some 5000 years ago. The summit is located 1950 meters above sea level, which you can reach by either the Gwaneumsa (8.7km) or Seongpanak (9.6km) trails. A few other trails are available to hike but do not reach the summit. We took the Seongpanak road, having been told it was scenic and slightly less demanding, although longer.

We live a fairly sedentary lifestyle back in Montreal, so I would consider ourselves on the mediocre side for physical fitness. Nevertheless, the hike was manageable but very very long. We arrived at the base of the trail around 7h30 am and reached the summit in 4 hours including a 30 minutes lunch break at the checkpoint. This checkpoint shelter is about an hour from the top and offers some food and snacks for purchase. We had bought a cup noodle for 1000 won. There are also several dry washrooms if you need to go, but beware: the stench is horrifying. We could smell it from far far away!

After the checkpoint, the hike gets steeper, but the treeline breaks out to incredible views. Although many say that Halla-san is often amidst clouds, we were very lucky that day. A dazzling blue sky punctuated by the occasional white fluffy cloud make for a great backdrop for pictures…and believe me, we took tons of them. However, the crater lake Baengnokdam resembled more of a green puddle that day. Its appearance will change depending on the amount of precipitations each season, and October isn’t usually a very wet month. Anyway, we were so exhausted and ecstatic about finally getting to the top that it didn’t matter very much anymore.

Unlike our Fuji-san hike, where we felt like we were alone at the top of the world (we went off season), there was no shortage of tourists and hikers at the summit this time. There was even a considerable line-up to take a picture with the rock marking the mountain’s summit…not exactly the zen experience we were expecting. The way down felt considerably longer once the summit attained, although it took just short of 4 hours. My legs were molten for a few days after.

Olle trails

Jeju island has a unique system of walking trails that allows visitors to explore different attractions and admire the landscape  of the region by foot. A total of 26 trails connect the perimeter of the island and are easy to follow via coloured ribbons attached here and there along the route (more info on their official website). We chose Olle 7, a scenic seaside walk that starts at Oedolgae Rock. It features many beautiful flower plants and rock formation, but the trail also sprinkled with huge spiders building their nets in the trees above your head. They’re supposedly not dangerous but can certainly give you a scare!

Manjanggul Cave

A UNESCO world-heritage site, this lava cave system is one of most famous in the world, although only 1km is open to the public. Inside the tube, we can see how lava flowed thousands of years ago, leaving its own marks and patterns inside the walls and the floors. It is when being amidst these types of natural wonders that we realize how alive our planet really is.

Be careful because the floor is very uneven and wet all the time. It was also quite chilly and humid when we visited in October, so bring a vest and good walking shoes.

 

Birds Island

One of my favourite spots in Jeju is Saeseom island, connected to the port of Seogwipo via the Saeyeongyo Bridge. There is a 1.2 km trail that goes around the tiny island…I would jog every day here! We got there around 5h30 am to watch the sunrise, but it was a cloudy day. Instead, we have encountered many amateur fishermen wedged in between the rocks of the shore, waiting for their prizes to come. If you’re thinking of spending some time in Jeju, definitely grab a coffee and drive down to the southern tip of Seogwipo (there is a parking lot before the pedestrian bridge). Go early as I suspect there will be a large number of tourist buses at peak hours.

O’Sulloc tea museum

Acres of bright green bushes, clean and fresh air while tasting different tea aromas. This is what is offered at O’sulloc tea museum. Visitors can learn the interesting details of tea making and admire the landscape of tea fields.

Udo island

Named as such because it looks like a lying cow on the sea, Udo is a short ferry ride from the ferry terminal of Seongsan (5500 won pax roundtrip). It feels like being in the countryside, with countless scenic spots and good eats. The best way to explore the island is via bike or motorbike. We rented a scooter for two and a half hour (25000 won) and it was just enough to have a good glimpse of the place. In October, the weather was too chilly to spend time on the beach. However, in the summer, I recommend prolonging the rent time to enjoy the sand and sea. Note that you will need an international driver licence to rent a motorized vehicle.

 

If South Korea is on your list, I would certainly recommend spending a few days in Jeju, to enjoy the Korean countryside a little. A few extra days would have been a great opportunity to hike a few more Olle trails or explore Jeju City to the north of the island.

One thing that desolates me most is how much the natural beauty of such places is taken for granted. We are blessed with a beautiful planet, full of wonders and mysterious creatures. Their existence is incredibly fragile and we must make it our duty to preserve it for generations to come. For tourists as well as for locals, please let us grant a little more thought to Mother Nature, for the sake of the delicate ecosystems we and other animals share.

 

Visited October 2016