VISIT JEJU

The first stop on any trip around the east coast should be Hamdeok Seoubong Beach. This is a stretch of white sand and turquoise sea a 40-minute drive from the city. It’s the perfect place to take a rest and enjoy cool fall weather. When you want to take a break from relaxing, head to Seoubong Peak. This is a volcanic hill on the eastern edge of the beach. There is a path that goes around the hill, providing panoramic views of the sand on one side and the eastern region of Jeju on the other. Finish off your stop at one of the many cafés and restaurants that line the beach and sell everything from kimbap to burgers.

Travel a little further along the coast and you’ll hit Woljeong-ri Beach, a narrow but long strip of pristine sand known for its beachfront cafés. It’s the perfect place to grab a coffee and admire the beach’s shallow, emerald water. Outcrops of black volcanic rock that contrast with the white sand complete the distinctive view. The beach is also a short drive from Manjanggul Cave, the best place to see Jeju’s famous lava tubes.

Next up is one of Jeju’s most famous attractions: Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak. The peak is a 182-meter high volcanic tuff cone. Its cliffs rise out of the ocean, creating some of Jeju’s most dramatic views. Despite its seeming inaccessibility, there is a steep but manageable path that you can take to the summit. Here you’ll see the large crater at the center of the tuff cone, as well as views out over the entire east side of the island. On the way down, be sure to stop off at one of the viewpoints and look south, where you’ll see a small cape jutting out from the land. This is the next stop on our journey.

Seopjikoji is a cape at the easternmost point of Jeju. It’s a great place to take a relaxing stroll on the path that circles the area. The most notable attraction is the lighthouse at the top of a small hill on the eastern part of the cape. You also pass plenty of scenic coastline and black stone cliffs as you walk around the circumference. The cape is home to buildings designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando such as Glass House and the Genius Loci Yumin Art Gallery. At around 3.5 km, the path is the perfect length for a short stroll before you move onto the next attraction. 

The water around Jeju is home to many species of fish. Aqua Planet Jeju is a great way to see them, as well as plenty of other forms of sea life. The aquarium is the largest in Korea, and it’s home to 48,000 animals and 500 different species. The highlight of the attraction is the vast main tank viewing zone. The wall-to-ceiling glass panel offers a complete view of the species inside, including manta rays and whale sharks. Here you can also see the Haenyeo Performance, a diving show performed by the island's freediving women. The aquarium also has plenty of other tanks showcasing different species of sea life. Aqua Planet Jeju puts on shows and programs that showcase animals such as penguins and otters.

A little further inland from Aquaplanet Jeju is Bunker de Lumières, the final stop on our trip around the east of Jeju. The attraction is a multimedia art gallery that showcases the works of famous artists by projecting them across the surfaces of the gallery. The projections add subtle movement to bring the paintings alive. This is combined with music that helps tell the stories. The current exhibition displays the works of Monet, Renoir, and Chagall. It shows the journey art took from the impressionism of Monet through to Chagall’s modernism. It will run until February 28, 2022.