May, 2011: Jeju-do (제주도)

Two years ago this week I found myself with some time off thanks to one famous fat man's reputed birthday, Labour Day and Children's Day all coming together in one brilliant weekend stretch.  A four day weekend meant we couldn't go too far, but a four day weekend meant we had to go somewhere!  So my friends Pauline and Oliver and I decided to take a run down to Jeju-do, or "The Hawaii of Korea."  

Honeymooners, deep-sea diving grandmothers, volcanic mountains, empty beaches, a glass castle, penis statues and warm weather were all waiting to greet us on Jeju.  This motley crew of attractions - both natural and not - could go on and on; Jeju markets itself as Korea's number one travel destination.  A circular-shaped volcanic island south of the Korean mainland, Jeju is dominated by Hallasan in the middle.  Hallasan (Mt. Halla) is a volcanic mountain and the highest point in all of South Korea.  Climbers come by the bus-load and beautiful beaches and coastline ring the island with the mountain in the middle.  Though it's temperate climate and unique ecology have drawn travelers for decades, it hasn't been until recently that Jeju has taken off as Korea's top holiday spot.  In tow, bizarre museums and attractions have appeared: there is Loveland, a sculpture park depicting the, ahem, "behind closed doors" activity in lucid detail, Kimyoung Maze, a massive evergreen labyrinth, the Teddy Bear Museum and the Green Tea Museum.  Clearly we would have to make some tough choices on our 4 day itinerary!  

We decided to circle the island, landing at the northern city of Jeju-si and heading west.  Oliver had just dislocated his shoulder so Pauline and I were carrying our gear and half of his on our backs, freeing up Oliver to become our unofficial photographer (full disclosure: all of these pictures are his).  On the second day we had made it to Seogwipo-si, Jeju's other city on the southern coast.  Seogwipo was the home of some of Pauline's friends who were willing to host us, and with their help and their wheels, we got to cross off most of the southern half of the island.  

On our second day, we walked out to a small town looking for a ferry boat.  There wasn't much to read about, but apparently there was a boat that would take us to Mara-do, a tiny volcanic rock in the middle of the East China Sea, and the southernmost point of South Korea.  And what a boat ride it was!  Massive dips and drops in the churning sea had passengers wailing and sprays of cold sea water over the deck had everyone on the lookout for the next splash.  When we finally reached little Mara-do, everyone felt like imminently ralphing (and some did!). 

It took about thirty minutes to walk around the stone path that circled Mara-do, taking in the lonely lighthouse and the few restaurants catering to day-trippers like us.  I even had a chance to play keep-up on possibly the most remote football pitch I've ever seen.  When it was time to leave the spectacular black cliffs of volcanic rock behind, we made our way to the ferry.  There, floating in the water next to the ferry, was a gaggle of grandmothers!  Grandmothers!  Jeju-do has a matriarchal family structure with one unique detail: as the breadwinners of the family, women known as Haenyo (해녀) earn their living by diving for seafood.  Free diving in cold water with no scuba gear, purportedly to depths of 20 meters, to find conch and abalone.  Oh, and they can hold their breath for up to two minutes.  Picture your grandmother.  Now picture her 20 meters deep sawing off shellfish with a rusty knife!

Dinners of island pork from black haired pigs and snacks of Jeju's prize fruit, the clementine's cousin Hallabong, helped keep our energy up and pack our days full.  A night spent at Gecko's, an out-of-place western bar on the island gave us a chance to eat pizza - a rarity in my corner of Korea - and a free quart of tequila (but that's a story for another day...).  With our host's help and advice, we were able to move through southern Jeju, checking off all the sites.

It felt like there was something beautiful to see for every hour of the day.  We stopped at Ju-moon beach and Cheonjiyeon waterfall, both beautiful examples of Jeju's rugged range of sights.  We rented ATV's on another small island just off the coast of Jeju. Rampaging around, tearing through farmland and quiet country lanes, there was something in it that captured Jeju's scene.  A beautiful island with a grab-bag of touristy experiences scattered around, not yet over-crowded with kitschy attractions but getting close.

We spent one afternoon at Yakcheonsa Temple (약천사), just outside of Seogwipo.  An elegant temple with sprawling grounds and beautiful palms, Yakcheonsa was in full regalia for the approaching anniversary of Buddha's birthday.  Colourful lanterns decorated the temple complex and spring flowers livened up the grounds.  Though it seemed busy from afar, the temple was quiet and serene as we ambled through, with no one to stop and barely a sound.

On our final morning, we woke up in a minbak (민박) on the east coast of Jeju near the famous Seongsan-Ilchulbong.  Seongsan-Ilchulbong, or "Sunrise Peak," is a massive volcanic tuff cone that rises out of the sea like an ancient citadel.  It is a mountainous plateau with a crater on the top that is blanketed with lush green meadows, making it one of the crown jewels of Jeju's tourist industry.  We rose with the dawn and climbed the pulse-pounding 182 meters to the top to take in the beautiful sight... ...of grey fog.  We kept thinking that it would lift at the top, but it just never did.  I'll have to keep wondering what is in that crater!        

Looking back on Jeju, it has to be one of my favorite weekend trips that I've taken.  Foggy crater aside, it was great friends and great memories: we managed to hike cliffs and mountains, see caves and waterfalls, explore three islands and a lava tube, amble through beautifully decorated temples and of course, eat great food.  

Miss you guys!