Beautiful Jeju Part 1

No write up about Korea will be complete without the inclusion of beautiful Jeju Island. I have already touched a bit on it when I was telling you about the filming locations in my earlier post. But today I’m only going to talk about Jeju-du and nothing else.
Jeju goes by many names, the most common being the “Hawaii of Korea.” But that doesn’t do her justice; Jeju is more beautiful than Hawaii! Jeju is blessed with the best of everything nature can give her. It boasts of some magnificent and spectacular scenery in her beautiful beaches, her naturally fashioned rocks, her tranquil lakes, her splendid waterfalls, her wonderful climate and her rare plants and animals. Jeju is truly the ‘Island of the Gods,’ a paradise on earth. Jeju is a land of mystic and enchantment.

Jeju is a riot of color in spring, when the horizon turns a bright yellow with the rape-seed flowers in full bloom. In summer, the golden beaches and the clear blue skies take over the scene, in autumn, the landscape changes with the red and gold autumn leaves and in winter, there’s nothing like the sight of the lovely snow flowers on snow-capped Hallasan. In fact, Jeju is beautiful anytime of the year! Its beauty is unparalleled. Jeju is more than a tourist destination; it’s an island paradise just waiting to be explored and discovered. And that is exactly what we are going to do today.
There are many different types of accommodations available in Jeju, from super deluxe hotels and traditional Korean hanok houses to homestays and camping grounds. Generally, hotels offer western-style rooms, however some may offer traditional Korean-style ondol rooms. As certain motels and yeogwans may only offer ondol rooms, it is always better to check beforehand.
The mild weather in Jeju makes it an even more ideal tourist destination. Jeju has a mild oceanic climate throughout the year with the smallest annual temperature range in the country. The island, 73km wide and 41km long, is also the largest island in South Korea, Relatively isolated from the rest of the world; the island’s natural environment has been well preserved. Especially now that the Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes have been designated UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites, it has drawn even more tourists to its shores. This is the first Natural Heritage for Korea, the other eight being Cultural Heritages. The most visited of the Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes are Hallasan Mountain, Seongsan Ilchulbong, and Manjanggul Cave.



Seongsan Ilchulbong is well-known for its beautiful sunrises. A visit to these three sites is possible. One can either start from Hallasan Mountain, or Manjanggul Cave but one has to sleep over in Seongsan Ilchulbong if one wants to enjoy the sunrise, as it means getting up very early in the morning. Don’t forget to bring your hiking clothes and shoes, jacket, hat/cap. You’ll also need to pack some snacks like biscuits or energy bars, sunscreen, maybe an insect repellent or antiseptic cream, torchlight and of course water in your backpack. We are going to play Indiana Jones. As the sites are far apart from each other, travelling time may be extended, but then we can always do a bit of sightseeing along the way. So be prepared to stay at least 2days/1night in Jeju if you want to do this. But I think that once you’ve seen all three of them you’ll have no regrets. And you can be proud to say that you’ve seen one of the UNESCO World Natural Heritages which not everybody has the privilege of doing so. And what about the other UNESCO World Cultural Heritages you’ve seen back in Seoul and elsewhere in S.Korea. So you can safely say that your trip to Korea has been quite a fruitful one. You’ve had some fantastic sightseeing, wonderful food tasting, great shopping and even got to learn a few Korean cultural arts along the way. Not bad huh? Lucky you!
And now to tell you something about the Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes.
Manjanggul Cave, 9 meters in length, is one of the finest lava tunnels in the world, and is a designated natural monument. A lava tunnel is formed when the lava that was deep in the ground spouts from the peak and flows to the surface. Manjanggul Cave has a variety of interesting structures inside including 70cm lava stalagmites and the lava tube tunnels.
Only 1km of the 13,422m Manjanggul Cave is open to tourists.. There are rare animals such as bats living in the tunnel, which makes this tunnel valuable for researchers as well. The stone pillars and stalactites are widely spread and the tunnels show off the cave’s topographical features. The Stone Turtle is especially eye-catching because it is shaped like Jeju-do Island.
Seongsan Ilchulbong is designated on Korea’s list of preserved sites as Natural Monument 420. Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak rose from under the sea in a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago. Located on the eastern end of Jejudo Island, there is a huge crater at the top of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak. As you climb to the 182-meter summit, you can have a superb panoramic view of the crater as it juts out to the plain The crater is about 600m in diameter and 90m high. With the 99 sharp rocks surrounding the crater, it looks like a gigantic crown. Now that we are here at Seongsan Ilchulbong, we must do what we purposely came here for and that is to look at the magnificent view of the sunrise. Get your cameras out and get ready to take some shots. While the southeast and north sides are cliffs, the northwest side is a verdant grassy hill that is connected to Seongsan Village. The ridge provides an ideal spot for walks and for horse riding as well. In the spring, the Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak surrounded by bright yellow colored rapeseed flowers is really awesome.
At 1,950 meters, Hallasan Mountain or Mt.Yeongjusan, is a dormant volcano formed by volcanic activities. This mountain, shaped like a bamboo hat, is located in the center of Jeju Island. There are 368 parasitic mountains called "Ohreum (peaks)" around Mt. Hallasan, the largest number in the world for a single volcanic mountain. In 1966, it was designated as Natural Monument 182 and has been protected as a National Park since 1970. On top of Hallasan Mountain is Baekrokdam Lake, 108 meters deep and 1,720 meters in circumference. The waters are so crystal clear that you can actually see a reflection of your face in it. From its warm climate to the cooler areas, Mt.Hallasan is famous for its vertical ecosystem of plants. Over 1,800 kinds of plants and 4,000 species of animals (3,300 species of insects) are known to exist here. Mt.Hallasan is a short hike up, (less than 10 km.) but the weather conditions often change and there is a lot of wind, so one should be well prepared before going up the mountain.


Perhaps we could take a look at the Green Tea Museum and the tea plantation since we are already in the vicinity. Jeju Island is blessed with optimal climatic and topographical conditions for producing green tea, and Seogwangdawon, a green tea farm, produces the popular seollok green tea of Taepyeongyang. At the farm entrance is the O’sulloc Tea House Museum (opened since September 2001) offering visitors a dual treat: an educational experience at the green tea museum as well as a culinary experience at the green tea farm. The museum building itself looks like a green tea cup making it a nature-friendly spot to relax. It features Korean tea cups used in common homes and palaces, some dating back to the 4th century. A special exhibit provides a look at the works of current ceramic artists. Visitors can also enjoy refreshments such as green tea cake and green tea ice cream. The observatory atop the building offers a view of the green tea farm. You are sure to love the breathtaking view of the green tea farm set against Mt. Hallasan.


Another place we can visit around here is the Halla Arboretum which was established for the study and the preservation of natural environment. Opened in December 1993, Gwangioreum there are 909 kinds of native trees and subtropical plants exhibited here. In the gardens there are 506 kinds of trees and 90 kinds of plants, and in the greenhouse there is the Subtropical Plant Hall (105 kinds) and the Native Plant Hall (103 kinds) with a total of 208 types of plants. There are 2,722 stumps of endangered and rare plants such as the Michelia Compressa and Euchresta Japonica, and the Chloranthus Glaber that only grows at Cheonjiyeon. At Halla Arboretum you can meet the four-season flower forest, colorful forests, and the beautiful seasons of mother nature at Halla. It's so beautiful, I don’t think I want to leave, can I apply to be a gardener here?


Located at the foot of Mt. Halla, Seongeup Folk Village has perfectly preserved its Korean tradition. With its vast amount of cultural property, this place is designated as a Folk Village. Seongeup Folk Village, Jeju, a dwelling of inumerous cultural treasures, is an example of a typical mountain village. Remnants of cultural properties like residential houses, Confucian shrines and schools, ancient government offices, stone statues, millstones, fortress ruins, stone monuments, folk plays, native foods, local folk craftsmanship, and local dialects could be found in ample in Seongeup Folk Village of Jeju. During the Koryo period, Seongeup Folk Village was the capital city of Cheju. You could see here beautiful thatched houses having stone and clay walls inhabited by the villagers. Zelkova trees and nettle trees, which are a few hundred years old, are regarded as natural monuments. Time spent here would give you a feeling of having travelled through the pages of Korean history.Hyangkyo, Tolharubang, an old government building, and tomb stones are some of the attractions of Seongeup Folk Village, Jeju. The rich cultural heritage of the village is carried forward by the folk songs, traditional foods, craftsmanship, and the Cheju provincial dialects. You can find some of the hand crafted items like tiny harubang and key chains in the souvenir shop. There is no entry fee required to visit Seongeup Folk Village, Jeju.
One of the best ways to take a tour of Jeju Island, is to rent a car. Jeju has numerous idyllic ocean roads with picturesque scenery and a well-developed highway system. Traffic is usually light in this island except in Jeju City and Seogwipo, and even there it is not really congested. The best drive course is arguably the Ilju Road (Road 12), which goes around Jeju Island along the coast. This highway connects with coastal roads right down to the shore where you can see perfect sandy beaches and rocky inlets, and feed the seagulls.
The coastal highway of Jeju extends from Yongdu-am to the airport. This road is perfect for driving, hiking or biking. As you drive on the coastal highway you can practically smell salty air of the ocean and hear the echoes of the waves.During spring, the highway is lined with bright yellow rapeseed flowers in full bloom. Summers too are pleasant with the sea birds hovering about the sea. The coastal highway is a very popular tourist area in Jeju throughout the year and with good reason to be so.
These days many quaint little cafes seem to have sprung up all along this highway. You can drink your warm coffee while looking out of the window, watching the cars go by. There are covered carts called poch'ang mach'a, that often pass by on the highway. You can also get soju, beer, and simple but tasty side dishes along this highway. This area is also very popular at night. As the sun sets, these carts seem to livelier and you can also sample fresh sea food at affordable prices.
The Jungmun Resort is an integrated tourism and recreation complex. The Jungmun Resort Complex is not only a major tourism center in Jeju, it is also the largest in Korea.
Situated in the stunning natural setting of the Jungmun coast, the complex features a variety of places to visit and things to enjoy right on the premises; Jungmun Beach, Pacific Land, Teddy Bear Museum, Sori Island Museum, Museum of African Arts, Jeju Convention Center, Jungmun Golf Club, and Jusangjeolli Cliff. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries conducted a survey on the status of operation, water quality management, scenery, and safety among beaches across the nation. Jungmun Beach has been selected to be the best, ranking first in the above-mentioned categories The resort is very popular with the rich and famous of the world as it boasts of a quite a number of internationally renowned hotels like Shilla Hotel, Lotte Hotel, and the Hyatt Hotel
The obvious place to be in the Jeju Jungmun Resort is the seashore of the Jungmun Tourist Complex (Jungmun Resort) that is quite famous for its pristine and exotic beach. This beautiful beach is a popular shooting location ofmany movies, dramas and commercials.
For people with comparatively lighter pockets there are a few yogwans up the main road. The area is a lively place to spend your holiday as it has quite a number of restaurants, parks and other tourist attractions. The Royal Marine Park has a huge aquarium and conducts daily animal shows. The Yeomiji Botanical garden which is said to be Asia’s largest Botanical garden and the Ch'eonjeyeon Waterfall are some the places in this area that you could visit. The Jungmun Folk Village is also a short distance away.


Let’s go to the Teddy Bear Museum. It’s been a long time since I played with teddy bears.The Teddy Bear Museum boasts of some very rare teddy bears from around the world dating back 100 years. Visitors can enjoy taking a look at beautiful, cute dolls along with teddy bears displayed in a variety of unique themes. The Teddy Bear Museum lives up to its name, boasting quite an impressive variety that have been loved for over a century, the world over. Inside the two galleries you can view the teddy bears from various countries. There is also a beautifully charming outdoor garden replete with teddy bears to create a fairy tale look. Makes me feel young again! The outdoor exhibition showcased in the gardens allows guests to actually touch the teddy bears and take pictures with them. The gallery is grouped into three sections: the History Hall, the Art Hall and the Project Exhibition Hall. In the History Hall, you can witness the 100-year history of teddy bears including famous scenes, popular teddy bears of different eras, and antique teddy bears. The Mona Lisa teddy bear and the teddy bears of the “The Last Supper” (Leonardo Da Vinci) will especially catch your eyes. In the Art Hall are the latest artworks of world’s famous designers, and you will also find animation characters beloved by children. A section not to miss is where you can find the smallest Teddy Bear in the world at the size of 4.5mm. In the project exhibit hall you can meet teddy bears grouped to suit the theme of each exhibition. You can dine or drink coffee at the museum cafe or bar while appreciating the beautiful landscape of Jejudo Island. The museum bar is a luxurious space only for adults, which is open in the summer.
The Museum of African Art, newly opened in 2005, is designed after an Islamic Mosque in Djenn’e, Malli in West Africa. From its exotic exterior design to its interesting exhibits, one can see why this recently opened museum is so full of visitors.
You may think Jejudo is one of the most unlikely places to have a museum exclusively devoted to the African arts. Nonetheless, the museum presents an impressive collection, representing art from many different parts of Africa. It features a variety of wooden, stone and clay tools and weapons and a large number of masks, including some really awesome ones from the people of Côte d'Ivoire. Go in and have a look.


Just east of Jungmun Tourism Complex on the seashore is Jusangjeolli Cliff, a must-see tourist spot in Jeju. Here stands the spectacular basalt columns which were formed when cooling basaltic lava from Mt.Hallasan contracted and cracked, when erupted and the lava flowed into the sea, forming perfect hexagonal columns. The Jusangjeolli is a designated cultural monument of Jejudo Island. The columnar joint is a pillar-shaped joint that can be commonly seen in basalt-covered areas. The rocks are hexagonal polygons. The Daepo Columnar Joint is 30-40 m high and has a width of 1 km. It is the largest of its kind in Korea. The sound of the waves splashing upon the rocks is remarkably refreshing. During high tides, the waves splashing upon the side of the cliff provide a breathtaking view of the ocean surrounding the pillars.
After sightseeing around the cliff, we can come back to the restaurant district near the entrance of the Jungmun Resort Complex and have dinner at one of the restaurants. I hear that one of the restaurants serve very delicious haemul ttukbaegi (spicy seafood stew served in an earthenware bowl) for 8,000 – 10,000 won.
Then perhaps after dinner we can catch the Volcano Fountain Show at the Lotte Hotel around eight (performance lasts 15 minutes / admission is free). Built on a budget of 200 billion won, the Lotte Hotel is a super deluxe hotel famous for its romantic landscape and atmosphere. Its outdoor space features the Lake of Love and a tall windmill set right in front of a cliff. This windmill, built in a typical Dutch style, was the most frequently appearing background for the mini-series All in. The hotel’s Volcano Fountain Show, which was also seen in the mini-series, provides great entertainment for both hotel guests and outside visitors. After the show we can relax, have a few drinks and enjoy ourselves before we call it a night.
Tell you what, why don’t we go out shopping tomorrow. We are going to shop till we drop!
Shopping in Jeju is perhaps the best form of entertainment for tourists visiting this exotic island. Looking through the wide array of artefacts and local crafts of Jeju is a treat in itself and if you take any of them home, you surely can treasure it for a long time. You could choose from some of the items exclusive to this island. The hot favorite items are the mementos which comprise of traditional art and craft. Two of the island’s long-standing symbols are the dolharubang and the haenyeo. Dolharubang (“stonegrandfather”) can be seen everywhere. Dolharubang is a black lava statue of a kindly old man. In the olden days, they were considered guardian deities, but now they are objects for visitors’ cameras. Replicas are sold in souvenir shops and are available in various sizes ranging from one inch to bigger than life size. The stone statues are usually sold in pairs, and are for protection. Many places sell small stone replicas of them made of Jeju volcanic stone. Yes, I think I’ll get a pair of these for myself, something to remind me of Jeju, you might say. Two more items on my list are the tangerines and persimmons which my parents love so much and that’s it.
By the way did any of you buy the specially grown green tea in Mount Halla when we went to the tea museum? It’s going to make some green tea lover very happy, I’m sure, and I hear green tea is good for health too. Another Jeju specialty is brown colored clothing. These have been dyed with juice from the persimmon fruit, which is the traditional way of dying clothes here. Jeju shopping would also be incomplete without buying some of the items that are normally bought by tourists, items like clothes, shoes, handbags, and accessories. Other shopping suggestions include silk, leather goods; wood carvings, jewellery, fans, dolls, toys, paintings, masks, cutwork paper crafts, bamboo ware and musical instruments. Sometimes shopping can be a very pocket-pinching thing, but not so in Jeju. The low price of the goods in the island is a very big incentive for all shoppers. You can shop in Jeju without any worries about your budget.
For a good bargain in shopping the most essential thing is to know where to shop in Jeju. There are numerous Jeju Shopping Complexes, conventional open-air markets and fascinating night shops. Some of the major shopping areas of Jeju are the Jeju Folk Arts Complex and the Tap-dong area. They bring together the best of shopping and local culture to the tourists. Here’s a tip I would like to pass on to you all. A friend has advised me to shop at the Jeju Folk Arts Complex. This place is practically a big gift shop of beautiful traditional art. Prices of items at the Jeju Folk Arts Complex are cheaper than those you find elsewhere. Here you can also have the chance of seeing the skilled artisans of Jeju at work, preparing the amazing artworks and antiques.
Another major hub for Jeju shopping is the Tap-dong, Jeju. Located at the center at the city, here you can also experience night shopping. The huge marketplace of Tap-dong houses some of the most exclusive shops in Jeju selling all sorts of wares. At the Tap-dong in Jeju you can accompany shopping with some other pleasure activities like clubbing and eating
Apart from these major shopping places in Jeju there are some other sites offering great wares like the Ildo District, in the streets in Jungjeong-ro, Seogwipo-si Hanaro Mart and many more. Thus knowing where to shop in Jeju and to have an idea about the right shops is actually half the shopping done.
Apart from the mesmerizing natural beauty another draw of Jeju is its unique shopping experience. The goods sold in Jeju reflect the island’s rich culture and exclusive handwork. Delightful artifacts, intricate little trinkets, wonderful handicrafts and absolutely fantastic traditional art are some of the hot sellers in Jeju. Thus for Shopping in Jeju, and especially for some typical Jeju stuff, the place you should head straight for is the Jeju Folk Arts Complex, Jeju.
While at the Jeju Folk Arts Complex in Jeju, South Korea you will come across another fascinating experience. Here you can actually have the opportunity to see the skilled artisans at work, preparing the amazing Jeju crafts. The indigenous items sold in the Jeju Shopping Areas make absolutely great souvenirs to take back home. These keepsakes are such that they can be treasured all through ones life, taking you back to the memories of an incredible holiday in the Isle of Jeju.
The Tap-dong, Jeju is the major hub for tourism in the island. It houses everything from small and large hotels, to restaurants of various ranges and cuisines, amusement parks, theaters, performance centers to night club. However the popularity of Tap-dong comes from the fact that it is a major shopping area of Jeju. It houses the largest marketplace in the whole of Jeju, selling everything from small souvenirs to something very expensive. The Jeju Shopping scene however focuses greatly on traditional art and goods sold here reflect the island’s rich culture. Exquisite works of art, curious little trinkets and eye-catching handicrafts are some of the hot favorites which are in high demand among the tourists. Equally fascinating is the concept of night street vendors in Tap-dong, Jeju. This goes down well with the visitors as they can utilize every moment of their vacation by sight-seeing during the daytime and shopping at night. Shopping at Tap-dong could be accompanied by a late night meal at the any of the restaurants serving fresh fish. A quick drink at the local pubs or partying at the happening nightclubs of the area is also a fun idea. At the Tap-dong in Jeju, South Korea you can shop till you drop till the crack of dawn since most of the stores are open till 4 in the morning.
There’s still so much to write about Jeju, looks like I have to continue with another post.