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Top 6 activities on Korea’s tropical island

With easy to access dormant volcanoes, hearty seaside fare and a panoply of hiking trails that redefine contemporary notions of exploration, Jeju Island has much to offer the modern day adventurer seeking challenge, delight and cause to reflect.

02/06/2017 10:46

There’s an array of choices, thanks to a bounty of natural treasures and a seemingly unstoppable train of commercial development, so making a checklist of priorities can seem overwhelming.
Here is our list of recommended destinations and local food that deliver the essential Jeju-do experience.

1. Climb a volcano

Wake up 90 minutes before dawn and follow the path to the peak of Seongsan Ilchul-bong, a dormant volcano on the east coast of Jeju.
Most people complete the steep 182-metre hike in about 25 minutes. Once at the top, grab a seat on the crater ridge, watch the sunrise and ponder the majesty of nature.

2. Walk Olle

Perhaps the best way to explore rural Jeju is to walk any of the Olle trails. In traditional Jeju dialect, Olle is the narrow path running from one’s front door to the street. Today, Olle refers to an integrated network of 26 well-marked hiking paths that spider across the island.
Trail lengths vary between seven and 23 kilometres long, each offering an up-close connection with the land and people. Stroll farm roads trimmed by tangerine orchards, zigzag through narrow alleys passing humble homes with straw-thatched roofs and traverse rocky coastlines carved out of black lava rock.

3. Take the Halla Mountain challenge

Visible from every corner of the island when skies are clear, majestic Halla Mountain beckons.
Though not everyone might be equipped to challenge the 1950m summit via a 9km (five hours one-way) hike, there are less demanding trail options (ranging from 30 minutes to 3.5 hours) that deliver the Halla experience. Expect magnificent foliage, awe inspiring rock formations and hordes of fashionable hikers sporting the absolute latest in alpine gear.

4. Savour the simple fare

Jeju's food is mightily influenced by flavours from the sea, like haemul tang, a humble hot pot filled with shrimp, crab, clams and a host of delicious fish in a semi-clear seafood broth.
Local variations supplement the colour and taste with scrumptious specialties like squash or seaweed. Served with seasonal vegetables and a bowl of rice, it’s eaten for lunch or dinner but even makes a hearty breakfast.

5. Meet Buddha in a cave in Sagae

Enlightenment doesn’t come easy. That’s the lesson to learn on a trip to Sanbang-gul-sa, a tiny but thoroughly intriguing Buddhist temple in the town of Sagye-ri on the island’s southwest corner.
From the town centre, it’s a 2km walk to the base of Sanbang-san, an enormous rock formation jutting out of the earth, and another 150m up steep stairs that eventually lead to a cave housing a Buddha statue. Up top, fetch a drink from the pool of water, light a stick of incense and admire the view from this very special place.

6. Time travel at Seongup Folk Village

Traditional architectural designs are alive and open for exploration at Seongeup Folk Village, about an hour outside Jeju City.
Weave your way through narrow lanes and peek inside restaurants and shops amidst plumes of smoke from wood burning stoves. If time permits, set aside an hour for dinner at Gwandangnae Sikdang, a tiny restaurant outside the main gate; cramped, crowded and convivial, it’s the ultimate rustic Jeju barbecued meat experience.

Source Lonelyplanet

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