VISIT JEJU

A black dragon lives in a village where the Myeongwol Sanctuary is in Dongmyeong-ri, Hallim-eup. It is actually batdam (field walls). This village has been proud of its clear and abundant water since ancient times. But now it is proud of its batdam, which were selected as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). Follow the story of a black dragon protecting the village while motionless, flat on its stomach, during a 50-minute tour on the Suryuchon Batdamgil Trail. You can rest your tired legs at the Dongmyeong Bus Stop. Agricultural products of the village and Jeju-style souvenirs can be found at a café in a renovated village hall. You can experience more things in Hallim Sea Village nearby in Hansu-ri. Happiness waits for the whole family, from traditional fishing to bareutjabi (catching top shells, crabs, etc. in the shallow sea) and sea crafts.

‣ Suryuchon Batdamgil Trail Tour, Dongmyeong-ri: 3.3 km, approx. 50 mins.

‣ Dongmyeong Bus Stop: 26, Dongmyeong 7-gil, Hallim-eup, Jeju-si

‣ Hallim Sea Village: 200, Hallimhaean-ro, Hallim-eup, Jeju-si

Samdasu Forest Trail, which was formed using an old forest trail, is basically different from nearby Saryeoni Forest Trail. It has natural rather than artificial charms, and received the Harmonious Award in the Millenary Forest division of the Country-wide Beautiful Forest Contest. It is not difficult to walk in, and the quietness and tranquility of the forest, which is almost primeval, is fantastic! If you are lucky, you may see mountain hydrangea and falling snowbell petals. The trail starts after you pass a farm road you get to by following the signpost opposite the Gyorae-ri Social Service Center. It takes 1.5 and 2.5 hours to walk Courses 1 and 2, respectively. There are no restrooms on the trail, so don’t forget to go to the one in the Social Service Center. 

‣Samdasu Forest Trail: 98, Gyorae 3-gil, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si (Gyorae-ri Social Service Center)

‣Duration Time: Course 1: approx. 5.2 km, 1.5 hrs; Course 2: approx. 8.2 km, 2.5 hrs 

Iseungi Volcanic Cone, located at the waist of Hallasan Mountain, is already very popular among hikers who come for Hallasan Trail. The pastoral scenery suddenly changes to a primitive forest, and it even feels divine at “Haegeumeuniso Pond.” The rocks and trees that merged over many years, and the volcanic ash layers that gave birth to the island, are so mysterious! If you reach the top and see Hallasan Mountain, containing clusters of volcanic cones, you cannot just pass by the charcoal pit sites, where the warmth of ancient people permeates, and the cave fortification which is a sad reminder of imperial Japan’s legacy on the island. Whether it be a 20-minute climbing course or a 40-minute circulation course, it is sufficient to fully enjoy the mystical volcanic cones.

You came all the way to Jeju thinking about the sea, but you are faced with a predicament because they say it is too early to jump in. But don’t be too disappointed. There are plenty of water activities to enjoy. Start your summer earlier than others by letting your body feel the temperature and the sea breeze of June. Your wish to float in the water comes true with parasailing. It is even better that everybody can have fun without any special preparations. Choose paddleboarding if you are confident about your sense of balance! Yoga on a paddleboard floating on the sea helps you to balance your scattered mind and body. Don’t be scared and give it a try since there is a course for beginners. (Flexible schedule depending on weather conditions. Booking in advance is a must!)

‣Jeju Jet & Parasailing: 172-5, Daepo-ro, Seogwipo-si

‣ Jeju Sea Leisure: 2658, Jungmun-dong, Seogwipo-si

‣ Noriter Paddleboard: 21, Gwakji 5-gil, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si

‣ Bajeul Surf & Paddleboard Club: 47, Woljeong 3-gil, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si

‣ LoLo Paddleboard Yoga Club: 1656, Beonyeong-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si 

Baengdeui Goeungil Trail connects neighboring villages with Pyeongdae-ri, Gujwa-eup at the center. The word “baengdeui,” which means a flat, wide field, and “pyeongdae,” which means flat, seem similar in some ways, and it turns out that elders have called pyeongdae baengdeui from ancient times. If you see a small breakwater with a small red lighthouse while walking towards Handong-ri along the coastal road of Baengdeui Goeungil Trail, that is Yeomnani Kojigil Trail. Come here early in the morning to fully enjoy the sky at daybreak behind the lighthouse. The lives of haenyeo (women divers) who make a living from the sea are depicted on murals on the buildings in Pyeongdae-ri Fishing Village. This feels like a quiet and subtle cheer as the wonders of their lives are added to your heart moved by the morning sun.

‣Yeomnani Kojigil Trail and Baengdeui Goeungil Trail: A part of Olle Course 20, Pyeongdae-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si

The downtown of Jeju, where the old and new coexist, is preparing for a new leap. That is, the Simkung (“Heart Pounding”) Downtown Tour is an opportunity to visit the downtown for both residents of Jeju and tourists alike. It includes Course 1, which starts from the Jeju Folk Museum and passes Dongmun Market, and Course 2, which goes from Gwandeokjeong Pavilion to Tap-dong Tourist Information Center, passing the Jungang Cathedral. It also includes the latest hip clothes stores, bookstores and restaurants in between. Get a prize after collecting stamps from the places you visit for added fun! The City Tour Bus and Tourist Shuttle Bus are both suitable for a broader look at Jeju. The convenience of going to various tourist attractions at a cheap price is incomparable in cost-effectiveness to driving. The City Tour Bus acts as a friendly guide for touring the downtown area and the Tourist Shuttle Bus for the hilly and mountainous areas.

‣Simkung Downtown Tour: www.jejusi.go.kr, Jeju-si Tourism Promotion Division, tel. 064-728-2752

‣Jeju City Bus Tour: www.jejucitybus.com, refer to the courses and routes  

‣Tourist Shuttle Bus: www.jejutouristshuttle.com, refer to the courses and routes, Instagram event until June

Mountain hydrangeas are abundant in Jeju in June. Although they are not fancy, the subtle and patient charms resemble a “softie,” that is: cold on the outside and with a warm personality on the inside. How can you describe the gladness you feel when you see mountain hydrangeas spread as if escorting you, somewhere on the stairway to heaven on Yeongjusan Mountain, at Samuiak Volcanic Cone and on the Saryeoni Forest Trail? How about sunflowers behind the mountain hydrangeas with delicate attractions? Be careful not to fall into the cheerful sunflowers first before learning about the history of the Sambyeolcho Army at the Hangpaduri Hangmong (Anti-Mongolian) Historic Site! For your information, there is a farm in Jeju that grows and shows sunflowers. The trip begins now, when you are fixated on the flowers of June that will be recorded as a vivid memory on a bright and dreamlike day wet with fog.

Can only beautiful scenery fill traveler’s senses? The cultural spaces throughout Jeju tells people that life is art by showing the small stories of us and our neighbors with exhibitions and performances. Read about the culture and daily lives of haenyeo (women divers), the mothers of Jeju, at Sanjicheon Gallery, and concentrate on your inner voice and yourself with plum flowers made of beeswax titled “Yunhoemae” at Seogwipo Cultural Battery Station. Cultural Space Yang approaches the April 3rd Incident through the unconscious of young artists, while Art Space IAa, an old hospital building turned into an art space, connects art with life with hands-on programs. Be aware that Dongmun Motel I and II in Arario Museum, which have work by famous domestic and foreign artists, are changing to a docent tour system. 

‣ Sanjicheon Gallery: 36, Jungang-ro 3-gil, Jeju-si

‣ Seogwipo Cultural Battery Station: Jungjeong-ro 76beon-gil, Seogwipo-si (B1)

‣ Cultural Space Yang: 13, Georonam 6-gil, Jeju-si 

‣ Art Space IAa: 21, Jungang-ro 14-gil, Jeju-si

‣ Arario Museum: 14, Tapdong-ro, Jeju-si; 23, Sanji-ro, Jeju-si; 37-5, Sanji-ro, Jeju-si

If you are a traveler who stresses quality over quantity, search for distilleries found only in Jeju to taste something you can’t experience anywhere else. The traditional Jeju liquor and fermented drink making experience in Jeju Suligneunjijp (Jeju Island Brewery), where the traditional method has been handed down for four generations, is getting good reviews not only from Koreans, but also foreigners. You can find fresh beer made in Seogwipo at Tamna Ale, a brewery in the southernmost part of the country. A personal tour of the brewery where various microbrews are made is offered. Become intoxicated with the fragrance and sweetness of Korea’s only citrus melomel (a mead containing fruit) made with ingredients from Jeju at JeJu HoneyWine, or make your own omegitteok (rice cakes made with millet), traditional liquor cocktails or swindari (a drink made with rice and malt) at Jeju Saemju. Travelling in Jeju in June is more unique and meaningful when you taste and make things others did not. However, don’t forget to make reservations for the experiences.

‣ Jeju Suligneunjijp: 4726, Jungsangandong-ro Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo-si

‣Tamna Ale: 20-9, Sinseo-ro 48beon-gil, Seogwipo-si　

‣JeJu HoneyWine: 42, Yongha-gil, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si

‣ Jeju Saemju: 283, Aewon-ro, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si

Sometimes, the cost of food in famous restaurants is a burden for travelers who come all the way to Jeju. It is alright to eat a couple of simple meals during the trip. Try a restaurant with a faded sign along the road and sit at a humble table. If that is difficult to understand, here is a hint. You will get impatient while waiting for the stir-fried pork being cooked in front of your eyes. Maintaining dignity will be a waste in front of the glossy meat included in a set menu with boiled meat slices. In a twist, soft tofu stew, instead of noodles, is the main dish in a noodle restaurant which boasts splendid side dishes. Fill your stomach with the humble and dignified generosity of good restaurants certified by the residents of Jeju and skim the cream of the crop. 

‣Teumsae Restaurant: 6, Cheonjeyeon-ro 207beon-gil, Seogwipo-si

‣Daoljeong Restaurant: 34, Donggwang-ro 16-gil, Jeju-si

‣Seoul Gukssugage: 30-2, Sehwa 3-gil, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si

‣Dabok Restaurant: 74, Hamwa-ro Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si