Adventures on Jeju

Jeju Island is 45 miles long and 26 miles across. So, it’s not huge by any standards, but there is plenty to do and see on this little island. Because of flight times, we ended up spending a night on the front end and on the back end in Jeju City. Our hotel, the Whistlelark Hotel, was fine, I would just prefer to be away from the city. The rest of our time was split between the southeast corner at a lovely seaside condo called Turning Point. It was here that we watched dolphins play one morning and could wander along the black, rocky coastline and watch for tiny crabs. In the northwest corner, we stayed in a gorgeous Airbnb, where these two single girls, for the first time in a month got to have not only their own room, but our own floor! We also thoroughly enjoyed the rooftop, side-by-side mini hot tubs in the

While, you can get from one end of the island to the other in just a a couple of hours, I think splitting our time in two places was smart. It meant that we didn’t have to drive as far to do the things that we wanted to. I’m not sure if we needed a full week on the island, but taking that time meant that we could move a little slower and enjoy the little things. I think if the weather had been a little different, we would’ve enjoyed some time lounging in the sun as well.

Research on the internet told us that renting a car was the best way to get around here. I am so glad that we did! Driving here really hasn’t been so bad. Well, for me it’s been great, because Jess has been our driver! She has done a fantastic job. But I must say, the roads are wider and in much better shape than what I anticipated. Rules on the road are very similar to home, and they drive on the right side of the road. Of course, there are a few things that have been a little tricky where people seem to make up their own rules about things like which lane to drive in or what areas seem to be appropriate to park in. Navigating has been a little tricky. We were told ahead of time that Google maps did not work here. I am most accustomed to using Apple Maps. Apple Maps has worked well, although the time expected for our journeys has always been about 2/3 of the actual time. The problem is, that not everything shows up on Apple Maps. So, we use Google maps to find a place, or sometimes the Internet, but Google will not create a route, so we have to go back into Apple Maps to do that and search for the same spot. Siri has been a great guide in the car, however, just like us, he struggles with the language. Often times he will tell us to “turn left toward” and that is the last thing he says. Like he’s not even going to try to pronounce where we are headed. If you’re planning to come here, I would highly recommend renting a car as the cost was very reasonable, and the driving has not been too difficult. 

June and July are the rainy season on this island, and unfortunately, we experienced a lot of that. We did get lucky toward the end of our stay with some more sunshine that helped to make the turquoise waters glisten, but our time was certainly dominated by clouds and rain. This certainly impacted our choices of activities and limited hiking possibilities.

Soon upon arrival, it was easy to see some of the most popular parts of the island. The island is particularly known for their hallabong tangerines, and so all of the gift shops are full of bright orange colored trinkets. There are tangerine bucket hats, and raincoats as well as, keychains, and chocolates. Also, throughout the island, there are Stone guardians known as grandfather‘s that guard the entranceways to homes and businesses. These adorable little guys can be found just about everywhere, and it is quite obvious that Jeju loves them! Jeju also is home to half of the horses of all of South Korea, so horses are common, and there are often opportunities for horseback riding throughout the island as well. 

I wanted to share a few things that we did enjoy doing on this island in case you ever come this direction perhaps it can be a guide for you!

• Jeju Peace Park - This vast expanse works to honor all of those that were killed in the 1940s and 50s. It is overwhelming and difficult, but well worth the visit.
• Jeju Stone Park - We thought from the brief descriptions online that it was mostly a park full of stone figures that this island is well known for, like the small guardians, but instead this huge complex is a history of rocks, the formation of this island, and how the people of this island have used rocks for generations. 
• Snoopy Garden -This was sort of a random stop for us, but it had rave reviews online, and I must admit that it was very enjoyable. There was a small sort of museum on Peanuts and why they are so beloved. Outside, there was an expensive and well manicure garden with statues of all of the characters scattered throughout. 
• Seopjikoji - A peninsula with great views, a lighthouse and a giant swing.
• Haenyeo - Jeju Haenyeo Museum and demonstration at Seongsan Ilchulbong - both were meaningful and well worth it! 
• Seongsan Ilchulbong - A climb on a peninsula to see the view. We enjoyed it, but I hope you don’t have to do it with an umbrella! 
• A Day Trip to Edo - A ten minute ferry ride to an adorable little island with scooters to rent. 
• Manjanggul Cave - This is one of the longest and largest lava tubes in the world. We loved being able to wander the kilometer back in its vastness. 
• Waterfalls - This island is known for waterfalls, and with all the rain, they were spilling over full force. We enjoyed several along our route. 
• Maeil Olle Market - The town of Seogwipo is home to a large market where we enjoyed eating and shopping our way through. 
• Daepo Jusangjeolli - The rocky cliff line where volcanic material cooled into hexagonal columns, just like the Giants’ Causeway in Northern Ireland. 
• Sinchang Windmill Coastal Road - Much of the coastline here is dotted with windmills. At this little walkway that jets out into the ocean, you can walk amongst them. 
• Sanbang Mountain - At the side of this small mountain is a giant temple with a huge golden Buddha. Up a steep climb, there is another magical temple inside the mountain where if you drink the water, you will live for six more years than you were supposed to. 
• O’Sulloc Tea Museum - While it wasn’t exactly what we were anticipating, this huge estate offers tea samples, and a large café, as well as beautiful grounds and lots of skin care. 
• Iho Tewoo Horse Lighthouses - This isn’t a place that requires a lot of time, but these lighthouses in the shape of Jeju’s famous ponies are a great little photo spot! 

This little island is packed with adventures to be had plus lots of natural beauty to explore. It’s no wonder the Seoul to Jeju flight route is the busiest route in the world!