A trip to Jeju

As a college student, the opportunities to travel are few and far between. A never-ending mountain of assignments to complete, internship work, and the constant anxiety and dread that comes along with thinking about your future that is always just sort of lurking in the background…well that’s enough to keep your mind busy enough to mostly forget about travel.

Luckily enough for me, I was presented with an almost ideal opportunity to get out of my house and go and see the world, which came in the form of a graduation trip to Jeju. I, along with six other students from the United States and five of our Korean language instructors, would be spending just a little less than three days on the island paradise as a sort of way to celebrate almost an entire year of non-stop Korean language study.

My burned out self was certainly looking forward to a bit of rest and relaxation.

This trip was to be more of a guided tour than anything, with our daily schedules planned out down to the very second starting from 8 AM and ending at 7 PM. While this may not be the sort of relaxing travel that comes to mind for some, I must be quite honest and say that I very much enjoyed having my day planned out for me. Everything from meals to activities to transportation were figured out far in advance, and all I was tasked with was showing up, eating delicious food, and enjoying the sights of Jeju to my heart’s content. Even though I came back needing a few days to recover from the fatigue after such a busy three days, I was so incredibly satisfied with how much I was able to see and experience in such a short period of time, and left feeling that I truly had been able to experience Jeju for everything it was.

This piece is simply an honest review of my trip to Jeju, which I hope can be of some help to anyone who is interested in traveling to the Republic of Korea and taking a trip to Jeju. Of course, I wasn’t able to experience everything on the island, but the things I did get to see and experience really left an impression, and I hope that my sincere feelings come across well in this article.

To begin, here is some quick background information about Jeju:

Jeju is a volcanic island located off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. It is one of the official provinces of the Republic of Korea and is home to around 600,000 residents. Jeju is a popular travel destination not only for foreign tourists but also for Kroeans as well, its sandy beaches and lively city proving to be the perfect travel spots for a summer excursion. In 2021, after travel restrictions due to COVID-19 were somewhat eased, the Jeju Tourism Organization reported that the number of tourists that year reached nearly ten million.

Jeju is well known for many things. Its large and sweet hallabong (한라봉), a type of orange, is a must try delicacy, along with the island’s renowned black pork (흑돼지), matcha, green tea, peanuts, and of course, freshly caught seafood. Suffice it to say, you will most certainly not have to worry about a shortage of food during your stay in Jeju. There are also countless natural wonders to see, from the low sandy beaches to the top of Hallasan Mountain (한라산), the tallest mountain in Korea, and everything in between.

I experienced a good mix of everything on this graduation trip, starting from the trendy tourist spots and then going on to explore Jeju’s natural beauty.

So let’s start from the very beginning, on Friday, April 29th when our little group first arrived at Jeju International Airport to embark on our adventure.

 

Day 1

 

Arte Museum (아르떼 뮤지엄)

This spot was, in my opinion, the epitome of the word “Gen Z tourist attraction.” If you have ever heard of the WNDR Museum in Chicago, it is much the same concept. This museum consists of multiple rooms that are filled from floor to ceiling with alluring and fantastical projections, transporting you from the beach, to the forest, to outer space, and inside the most abstract of paintings. There are mirrors strategically placed to make it seem like you have stepped into a boundless void, the sounds of crashing waves, singing birds, and the twinkling of stars making it so incredibly easy to lose yourself in this magical realm.

To put it simply, the Arte Museum is one large and extensive photozone, a space created to be the crème de la crème of aesthetic backdrops. I must be honest, as someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy having their picture taken, it would be hard to put this particular spot into my top three in terms of favorite courses, but I can admit that it was certainly an experience completely unique from anything I have ever done. Unless you are a photography lover or just really into things like this, I think I can confidently say that you can see everything that needs to be seen in under an hour. Perfect if you have lots on your schedule!

 

Osulloc (오설록)

To all my green tea and matcha lovers, Osulloc is going to be your heaven on earth. With a massive green tea field behind it to stand as proof, Osulloc is your one-stop shop for everything that can include Jeju’s very best green tea flavor. There is an entire museum here dedicated to Jeju’s tea, though our group was a bit more interested in how much green-tea-flavored delicacies we could consume within our limited time there. Our menu included green tea ice cream, an iced green tea latte and a slice of matcha cake. What might seem like green tea overload to some was just perfect, and I left feeling that my green tea craving had been satisfactorily satiated.

 

Hyeopjae Beach (협재해수욕장)

Leaving behind the indoor wonders, we next made our way to our first outdoor excursion at Hyeopjae Beach. While the wind was blowing somewhat fiercely that day and the skies were a bit cloudier than what would have been preferable, none of that was enough to take away from the breathtaking sight we were met with as soon as we stepped down from the bus. It was as though we had stepped into a painting of the most vivid colors. The blue of the ocean reaching out towards the horizon for as far as the eye could see made the most picturesque of backdrops, on top of which was layered the black of rough volcanic rocks and the many shades of green of the moss and grass that grew between the cracks of this volcanic rock field. While walking around on this bed of cooled magma was a bit more treacherous than I had expected, the pictures I managed to take are definitely computer desktop background worthy. Of course, no picture could ever hold a candle to the actual sights and sounds and smells of this place. Looking at such a beautiful scene while listening to the distant sounds of the waves crashing on tehs hore, feeling the wind whipping around your body, and breathing in the scent of the sea and something that I can only describe as the scent of “nature” is truly something that cannot ever be hoped to be replicated by your smartphone.

 

Day 2

 

Prepare yourself for all of the outdoor adventures from here on out. When in a place as lush and tropical as Jeju, spending as much time outside surrounded by nature and absorbing as much vitamin D as possible doesn’t seem too bad a way to go, in my humble opinion.

 

Soesokkak (쇠소깍)

Right off the bat, I am going to say that this was my absolute favorite place out of this entire trip. To any onlooker, Soesokkak might appear just to be another beach among many, but to me there was something different about this particular stretch of sand and water, something that I had not even realized I had been searching for for quite a while now.

Peace.

It was probably just sheer luck that we came on such a calm and perfect day, because I’m sure that in the height of travel season, this particular beach would be packed with tourists from end to end.. But as luck would have it, we came at a time where hardly anybody else could be seen walking along the shoreline, just the welcoming sounds of the ocean to greet us instead of the bustling clamor and chatter of people. The weather had been perfect that day as well. The clouds that had hung heavy and low in the sky just the previous day had lightened up, even allowing the sun to peek through every now and then and keeping the temperature at a level that was cool enough to be considered refreshing rather than freezing. And of course the sights were nothing short of breathtaking. At Seosokkak, the volcanic rocks had been weathered away and ground to such a fine degree that they became sand, creating a black shoreline that contrasted beautifully with the crystal blue ocean, such a different sight from the golden beaches we are used to imagining.

With no particular activities planned at this location, I took this time to simply enjoy myself, letting myself just move freely and do whatever came to mind, letting my thoughts go for a little while. I stacked rocks and made a wish, I skipped rocks with friends (a sport I have absolutely no skill in, but at least I tried?), took more pictures than I knew what to do with, and hunted for sea glass along the shore. It was an experience reminiscent of the traveling I did with my family as a child, simply letting myself get lost in the moment and doing whatever my mind tells me to without a second thought. As an adult who is constantly second-guessing their every move and who always needs a backup plan “just in case”, my time at Soesokkak was freeing beyond what words can describe. Maybe it won’t have the same effect for everyone, but I definitely think it is a stop that you can consider adding if you’re in search of even just a few minutes of healing.

 

Jeongbang Waterfall (정방폭포)

A tropical island wouldn’t be complete without a waterfall, right? Luckily, Jeju has just that to add to its list of must-see spots. While Jeongbang Waterfall is certainly no Niagara Falls (Really, what is? Besides, well, Niagara Falls, of course), it’s another scene that seems to come straight out of a travel brochure. The waterfall is tucked away in a little cove, its water first falling into a small pond that then opens up to the grander ocean. You would do well to watch your step on the way down, though, for the ground consists of nothing but large and uneven boulders that could lead to more than a few injuries if you’re not careful as to mind where you place your feet.

But once you have trekked your way down, you will be rewarded with the sight of the powerful stream of water right before your eyes, the roar of the waterfall all that can be heard, the refreshing mist being sprayed in the air are nice rewards for all of your troubles getting to that point (It’s really not that bad. I just like to exaggerate).

After you have taken all of your pictures, you can find some vendors selling fresh seafood just a little ways away. Honestly, what’s more perfect than sitting on the rocks by the ocean with the sound of the waterfall as background music while you enjoy some freshly caught fish and other seafood delicacies?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sebyeol Oreum (새별오름)

 The phrase “Life’s a climb, but the view is worth it” has never been more accurate than when you find yourself scaling this absolutely massive hill. I really don’t know how else to describe it. It’s certainly not tall enough to be considered a mountain, but you also should not fool yourself into thinking that this will be a quick five minute walk up a gentle incline. The beginning of this hike would have you believing so, starting off relatively flat and with plenty of pretty sights to distract you, luring you into a false sense of security before your real trial begins. After about three minutes of calm, it’s then a straight sixty-degree climb to the top, a distance that could not possibly be more than a hundred yards at most, but feels like you’ve just run a half marathon.

But as I said, the view at the top is more than worth those five or so minutes of hardship. It was like seeing the Windows default background in person, nothing but rolling green hills and a clear blue sky for as far as the eye could see. After being in Seoul for the last eight months with its towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, the unobstructed view of so much greenery was more than a welcome sight. And at the bottom we were each rewarded with a large, refreshing cup of hallabong juice for our hard work. What more could one ask for?

 

Day 3

 

Manjanggul Cave (만장굴)

If you’re someone who is claustrophobic, maybe it would be best to leave this one off the itinerary. But if you’re someone who is up for a new kind of adventure and are curious about exploring not only Jeju’s surface-level beauties, but also its underground treasures, then Manjanggul Cave will most definitely not disappoint.

This cave is the 12th longest lava tube in the entire world, and the second longest amongst the ones in Jeju. You can see all sorts of things created from the lava that once rushed through the passage, including lots of stalagmites and stalactites, as well as the world’s largest lava column that stands at 7.6 meters in height.

Again, not sure if I would be able to put this on my list of top destinations since I was definitely feeling those telltale signs of claustrophobia near the end (I will never take sunlight and fresh air for granted ever again), but again, it was more about the novelty of the experience. Sadly, it was quite dark so I did not manage to take too many pictures, but I stand by the notion that this is another thing that you simply must experience in person to get the real feeling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeju Starbucks

I already know what you’re thinking. What’s so special about a Starbucks? Can you not find those on almost every street corner in Seoul? And yes, you would be correct in such questioning. But if you know anything about Jeju, you would know that its Starbucks locations are some of the most anticipated destinations on many tourists’ schedules. Why? The special menu of course! And the limited edition tumblers and other merch are a welcome bonus as well.

Some Jeju-exclusive fan favorites include:

• Jeju Hallabong Matcha Blended
• Jeju Matcha Shot Cream Frappuccino
• Jeju Black Sesame Latte
• Jeju Mugwort Latte and Cream Frappuccino

And the list goes on and on.

So if you happen to find yourself in need of a refreshing drink during your stay, I would recommend a stop by your local Starbucks to pick up one of these Jeju specialties.

 

Food

Moving along onto a very similar topic, and probably what most people are most anticipating during any travel adventure, I can’t possibly not talk about the food in Jeju.

Luckily, our program was very thoughtful when planning out how exactly we would be filling our breakfast, lunch and dinner times, and we were able to experience a wide range of cuisines, spanning from freshly caught seafood to pizza.

Some of the highlights include a Korean-style barbeque featuring Jeju’s black pork, a five (six? It was a lot of food, that’s all I can tell you) course seafood meal, black pork cutlet, and pizza topped with, you might have guessed it, more black pork and shrimp. In between all of that, we got to enjoy lots of snacks as well, feasting on as many hallabong as we could manage, drinking hallabong juice, and snacking on a very popular treat made from rice cake and Jeju peanuts that was covered in chocolate. I might have gained more than a few pounds after this trip, but it was more than worth it.

 

Overall Thoughts

Through this trip to Jeju, I’ve come to realize that there is more than one way to travel. There are those who enjoy simply arriving at a destination and moving as they please, letting their instincts and interests guide them as they simply flit from place to place depending on what looks most appealing in that moment. Then there are the people who prefer to plan things down to the very last detail, making a detailed itinerary to ensure that they hit every place they want to see during their limited time. And of course there are all types of people in the middle. There is no right way to travel, with the most important thing being that you enjoy this time and use it in a way that will leave you feeling satisfied and just a little more well-rested than you may have been before.

As for me, I’ve come to realize that traveling is great so long as someone takes me with them and I can simply sit back and leave the planning to them. I’ve never done a guided tour when traveling, like one of those package tour deals, but this was what I imagine it to be like. My only responsibility was to show up and enjoy whatever was planned, and that was honestly quite freeing after having to “adult” for the last eight months and do everything on my own. In a foreign country and in a foreign language, might I add.

After spending so much time in the big city of Seoul, I think Jeju was a perfect getaway. While the city is great in that it offers almost everything you can imagine and want in one convenient location, I can’t deny that it does get a bit overwhelming at times. There is just so much to see and so much to do that the pressure to do as much as possible within a year can become a bit too much. Jeju, while definitely a busy tourist spot, just seems like a place that is worlds away from the bustling city life of Seoul. Constantly being surrounded by nature and so much open space was something I didn’t realize I was in need of until we touched down on the island. Ironically, I was quite exhausted after returning from such an activity-filled trip, but I can’t deny how much lighter and stress-free I felt just after three days in this island paradise.

So to anyone who is in need of a break from reality for even just a few days, why not take a trip to Jeju?

 

 

Written and photos taken by : Allison Garbacz

From Illinois, United States. Current 5th-year undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A. Candidate for Linguistics, B.A. Candidate for Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, Exchange student at Korea University, Intern at VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea)