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| Hamdoek Beach |
So, I decided on a second year of teaching in South Korea; this time, Jeju
Island. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. I arrived in
Jeju on August 26, 2013 with 25+ expats who decided to teach with EPIK, most of
whom were in Korea for the very first time. I could tell that they were
excited about learning Korean culture and making the very best of their one
year as an English teacher. And so was I. I had heard of the many
things to do on Jeju Island and of the many people I had spoken to before I got
here, no one had anything bad to say about Jeju-do. I so, I came planning
to make the most of my one year teaching elementary school and uncovering the
gems that make Jeju-do a perfect destination for honeymooners, vacationers and
expats wanting to experience life in Korea surrounded by aesthetic qualities
and views that make up Jeju-do.
Here's my Jeju Island Bucket List
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| Sunrise Peak, Nov. 2013 |
Seongsan Ilchulbong (182 meters high) rose
from the sea in a series of volcanic eruptions beginning over 100,000 years
ago. The site resembles an old fortress on a coastal cliff and was
originally a volcanic island but was later connected as sand and gravel
accumulated in between. The sunrise seen from the peak is considered one
of the most fascinating scenic views in Jeju.
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| Manjangul Caves, Jan. 2014 |
Manjanggul Cave is the longest lava tube in the world. It is 5 meters
wide, between 5 to 10 meters high and is over 13 km long. The lava tube, which
formed about 2.5 million years ago, has been well preserved, revealing a
splendid interior that is out of this world. Only one kilometer of its total
length is open to tourists.
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| Cheonjeyeon Falls May 2014 |
3.Cheonjeyeon/ Cheonjiyeon
Falls
Cheonjiyeon Falls create a splendid view of water falling from a steep
cliff with a sound thatdrowns out all others. Cheonjiyeon, meaning “God’s pond,” derives its name from the legend that the seven fairies serving the
King of Heaven came down to the pond on stairs of cloud and bathed in its clean
waters. The waterfall is 22m high, 12m wide and 20m in depth. The clear
and deep water of Cheonjiyeon Falls is renowned as a habitat for Mutae eels.
Also, the annual Seven Fairies Festival is held every May.
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| Hallasan Mountain Oct. 2013 |
Situated in the heart of Jeju Island, Mount Hallasan (1,950 meters) is the
highest mountain in Korea and a dormant basalt volcano. About 360
parasitic cones, or oreum in the Jeju dialect, are found on the volcano’s flanks, creating a remarkable landscape. On top of the
mountain is a crater lake called Baengnokdam, which is 3 kilometers in
circumference and 500 meters in diameter. The landscape is beautiful
throughout the year and a diverse and rare ecosystem can be found at different
altitudes. As such, Mount Hallasan is a Natural Conservation Area.
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| Teddy Bear Museum, July 2014 |
If you love Teddy Bears, then this is a MUST VISIT place. The Teddy Bear
Museum lives up to its name, boasting quite an impressive variety that have
been loved for more than a hundred years the world over. There are two
galleries that boast teddy bears from various countries. You can also enjoy
yourself at the museum shop, café, restaurant or the outdoor park where you can
view the spectacular Jungmun Sea.
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| Yeomiji Botanic Gardens, July 2014 |
Yeomiji Botanical Garden at Jungmun Tourist Complex is the largest
botanical garden in Asia, the magnificent glass Yeomiji Conservatory has
collected and displayed 1,200 species of subtropical and tropical plants.
Yeomiji is a Chinese word consisting of three letters with “yeo” meaning “such,” “mi” “beauty” and “ji” “land,” which combines to mean a “garden paradise”. In Yeomiji Garden, there are several greenhouses with
different theme - flower garden, an aquatic plant garden, cactus and
succulents garden, jungle garden & tropical fruits garden.
.JPG) |
| Jeongbang Falls, June 2014 |
Jeongbang Falls (정방폭포) is only water fall in
Asia that falls directly into the ocean. On the wall of the water fall,
there is an inscription written “Seobulgwacha”, referring to Seobul passing by this place. Seobul was a servant of
the Chinese Emperor Jin (BC 259~210) who was ordered by the Emperor to find the
substance that would make him immortal. Seogwipo is also said to have
gotten its name to mean Seobul headed back west.
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| Jeju Folk Village Museum, July 2014 |
With a total of 117 houses and facilities, Jeju Folk Village Museum has
restored the scenes of the village to that of the 1890’s. Among them are Mountain Village, Hill-Country
Village, Fishing Village and Shamanism Village. On land of more than 40
acres it has been reconstructed following long-term research and analysis of
experts. Some of the extensive range of folk items on display are 1,627
woodenware, 1,046 bamboo ware, 1,699 earthenware, 1,544 porcelain ware, 765 wax
candles, 921 ironware and 579 other items. The Jeju Folk Village Museum
is the island’s main tourist attraction where customs
of the old days can be explored.
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| Seonimgyo Bridge, May 2014 |
Seonimgyo Bridge is an arch bridge on Jeju Island over Cheonjeyeon
Waterfall that has seven nymphs carved on both sides. The bridge is also
called Chilseonyeogyo (칠선녀교) or Seven Nymphs
Bridge. The nymphs symbolize the Korean legend of the descent of seven
beautiful nymphs from heaven at night. Seonimgyo Bridge is the first arch
bridge or Ojakgyo (오작교) design in the region.
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| Jungmun Beach, Sept. 2013 |
Jungmun Beach (중문해수욕장) has a sandy shore so
fine that it is called Jinmosal. The white sand beach is 560m long and the
water has an average depth of 1.2m. Different shades of black, red, and
grey are beautifully mixed into the white sand of the beach. This helps to
accentuate Jeju-do Island’s black Hyeonmuam stones. To
the right side of the beach is a natural sea cave called Haesikgul Cave.
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| Love Land, Sept. 2013 |
Jeju Loveland (제주러브랜드) (also known as Love
Land) is an outdoor sculpture park which opened in 2004 on Jeju Island in South
Korea.The park is focused on a theme of sex,
running sex education films, and featuring 140 sculptures representing
humans in various sexual positions. It also has other elements such as
large phallus statues, stone labia, and hands-on exhibits such as a “masturbation-cycle.” The
park’s website describes the location as, “a place where love oriented art and eroticism meet.”
Beautiful beaches, sweeping cliffs, woven
back streets and rural country charm… it’s all worth a day trip. Udo Island is a tiny, romantic island with a
Scottish/Irish feel, modest B&B pensions, a lighthouse and it’s navigable by scooter, ATV, bus and car. I’ve
heard you can wisk around the island in under an hour by scooter! If I
didn’t explore the inland veins of the neighborhood
streets, it’s possible I would’ve
made it within that time frame.
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| Udo Island, June 2014 |
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