VISIT JEJU

“Wonderful”. It’s a bombastic word, but sometimes, there are no other words to describe the sight of dolphins swimming in an emerald sea. If you’re really lucky, you may see the dolphins swimming in the sea right away, but more often than not, it takes a lot of patience to actually see the dolphins in the wild. Perhaps it is this waiting that makes every encounter with dolphins so welcome, so moving, so miraculous. The dolphins appear here irregularly, depending on the weather and other conditions. If you are lucky, you may see the dolphins right away. 

There are so many dolphin spots in Jeju, but the Daejeong-eup area is the most famous among them.  The TV show “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” brought the dolphins to the public’s attention, and since then, more and more people have visited this spot. 

Yeongnak-ri Breakwater in Mureung-ri, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si is one such dolphin spot.  Mureung-ri is a small and peaceful village, so the walk to the breakwater is quite pleasant. You can see Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins here, and they are actually an endangered species. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are quite intelligent and friendly to humans, and in Korea, they are only seen off the coast of Jeju. Perhaps because of this, every encounter with these beautiful creatures seems miraculous. 

Once you get to the coastal road near Daejeong-eup, you will find some spots with crowds of people or cars parked near the sea. These spots are most likely well-known dolphin spots, which can help increase your chances of seeing the dolphins. 

Due to its location on the Daejeong-eup’s coastal road, Yeongnak-ri Breakwater is famous as a sunset spot. If you miss the dolphins, you can take a slow walk along the shore instead. The village is quite peaceful, so it is nice to walk along the beach, and the view of the endless sea often puts your worldly troubles into perspective. If you manage to find a group of dolphins and watch the sunset on the same day, then you can count yourself quite lucky.  Whether you go alone, with family, friends, or a significant other, you will always find peace here.  Whatever the weather, the area is quite beautiful, so don’t let the weather put you off. 

Yeongnak-ri Breakwater is also famous among fishermen. You can catch mackerel and jack mackerel by fishing on the rocks by the sea. There are many seaside cafés along the coastal road, and you are quite close to various tourist sites, so take this into consideration when planning your visit.