Jejudo ( 제주도 )
From September 10th to 13th I went to Jejudo with a Korean friend I know from Munich.
Jejudo is Korea's largest island, south of the peninsula. It is a very popular spot especially for Koreans due to its moderate climate and beautiful scenery. The Korean Airlines KAL and ASIANA serve that island during peak season almost more frequently than the Munich S-Bahn runs... No kidding.
After arriving, we were driving towards the east part, looking for food. After a rather unsuccessful search in a small town we ended up at the ocean - rare that there is no food place in a Korean town - so when I just wanted to make a u-turn and head back to the main road I saw a small place crowded with people. That place turned out to be a restaurant serving fresh raw fish - it can't get any fresher... you can watch the men catch the fish, bring it, kill it and then hand it to their wives who prepare it as sashimi...
After that delicious food we drove to Manjanggul - a huge lava cave/tunnel. From there we headed to Bijarim Forest - the largest bija forest in the world and home to an 800 year old nutmeg tree. Besides to all the trees that forest is also home to the largest amount of mosquitos on Jejudo :-(
We spent the night in Seongsan at a minbak that turned out to have warm water only during night (after midnight till sunrise). However it was just a short walk to Seongsan Ilchulbong (engl.: Sunrise Peak). so early next morning we got up to watch the sunrise... but it rained :-( Nevertheless we hiked up the peak (~ 30 minutes) just passing by an old halmoni (engl. grandmother) before the peak. She hikes up there every morning, selling hot coffee (instant one... but...). First we refused the coffee, saying we wait till the "sunrise", with still rain pouring down on us, and we had no rain coats or similar equipment. After 25 minutes we decided to take a cup of coffee each before hiking back down - and then this charming halmoni asked us if we want to buy some rain coat!!! "@#%&!!!" ... And as I said before: our minbak had no warm water!!!
Due to the unfavorable weather conditions we cancelled the trip to Udo Island and drove along the beautiful coast south to Seogwipo (largest city in the south, and home to the World Cup Stadium that saw the match Germany vs. Paraguay), visiting Jeongbang Falls (only waterfall in Asia that drops directly into the ocean - according to KTNO),Cheonjiyeon Falls(located in a scenic valley), Wedolgae Rock.
In the afternoon we drove back to Jeju-si (Jeju City) to pick up my friends cousin at the airport, before continuing our trip along the west coast - enjoying a beautiful scenery and sunset - back to Jungmun (a resort town next to Seogwipo).
The next day we hiked in Hallasan National Park. Hallasan- an extinct volcano (from the peak you can look into the crater and spot a small crater lake: Baeknodam)- is Korea's highest peak (~ 1950m). The hike up to the top along the Seongpanak Trail (~10 km) was not very steep and led through a forest. It is supposed to take 4-5 hours, but we did it in 3 - mainly because we were late, as you are only allowed to hike to the top before 12:30. For the descent we chose the Gwaneumsa Trail (~ 9 km), which is much steeper but offers spectacular views. Exhausted from the hike we went into a Sauna-Spa Complex to heal our aching body and then enjoyed a delicious raw fish/seafood dinner.
On our last day I went with my friend to see the Jungmun sights: Jusangjeolli Cliff (hexagonal lava pillars/rocks formed by lava from Hallasan flowing into the ocean), Cheonjeyeon Falls (consisted of three parts, surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna). A few minutes away from Jungmun is Sanbanggulsa (a Buddhist temple in a cave) and Yongmeori Coast. From Yongmeori we drove back eastward to Sangumburi Crater. Strolling along this flat crater with beautiful vegetation we went to Seongsan to see Ilchulbong again (this time with sunshine) before driving back to the airport...
Jejudo ( 제주도 )
From September 10th to 13th I went to Jejudo with a Korean friend I know from Munich.
Jejudo is Korea's largest island, south of the peninsula. It is a very popular spot especially for Koreans due to its moderate climate and beautiful scenery. The Korean Airlines KAL and ASIANA serve that island during peak season almost more frequently than the Munich S-Bahn runs... No kidding.
After arriving, we were driving towards the east part, looking for food. After a rather unsuccessful search in a small town we ended up at the ocean - rare that there is no food place in a Korean town - so when I just wanted to make a u-turn and head back to the main road I saw a small place crowded with people. That place turned out to be a restaurant serving fresh raw fish - it can't get any fresher... you can watch the men catch the fish, bring it, kill it and then hand it to their wives who prepare it as sashimi...
After that delicious food we drove to Manjanggul - a huge lava cave/tunnel. From there we headed to Bijarim Forest - the largest bija forest in the world and home to an 800 year old nutmeg tree. Besides to all the trees that forest is also home to the largest amount of mosquitos on Jejudo :-(
We spent the night in Seongsan at a minbak that turned out to have warm water only during night (after midnight till sunrise). However it was just a short walk to Seongsan Ilchulbong (engl.: Sunrise Peak). so early next morning we got up to watch the sunrise... but it rained :-( Nevertheless we hiked up the peak (~ 30 minutes) just passing by an old halmoni (engl. grandmother) before the peak. She hikes up there every morning, selling hot coffee (instant one... but...). First we refused the coffee, saying we wait till the "sunrise", with still rain pouring down on us, and we had no rain coats or similar equipment. After 25 minutes we decided to take a cup of coffee each before hiking back down - and then this charming halmoni asked us if we want to buy some rain coat!!! "@#%&!!!" ... And as I said before: our minbak had no warm water!!!
Due to the unfavorable weather conditions we cancelled the trip to Udo Island and drove along the beautiful coast south to Seogwipo (largest city in the south, and home to the World Cup Stadium that saw the match Germany vs. Paraguay), visiting Jeongbang Falls (only waterfall in Asia that drops directly into the ocean - according to KTNO),Cheonjiyeon Falls(located in a scenic valley), Wedolgae Rock.
In the afternoon we drove back to Jeju-si (Jeju City) to pick up my friends cousin at the airport, before continuing our trip along the west coast - enjoying a beautiful scenery and sunset - back to Jungmun (a resort town next to Seogwipo).
The next day we hiked in Hallasan National Park. Hallasan- an extinct volcano (from the peak you can look into the crater and spot a small crater lake: Baeknodam)- is Korea's highest peak (~ 1950m). The hike up to the top along the Seongpanak Trail (~10 km) was not very steep and led through a forest. It is supposed to take 4-5 hours, but we did it in 3 - mainly because we were late, as you are only allowed to hike to the top before 12:30. For the descent we chose the Gwaneumsa Trail (~ 9 km), which is much steeper but offers spectacular views. Exhausted from the hike we went into a Sauna-Spa Complex to heal our aching body and then enjoyed a delicious raw fish/seafood dinner.
On our last day I went with my friend to see the Jungmun sights: Jusangjeolli Cliff (hexagonal lava pillars/rocks formed by lava from Hallasan flowing into the ocean), Cheonjeyeon Falls (consisted of three parts, surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna). A few minutes away from Jungmun is Sanbanggulsa (a Buddhist temple in a cave) and Yongmeori Coast. From Yongmeori we drove back eastward to Sangumburi Crater. Strolling along this flat crater with beautiful vegetation we went to Seongsan to see Ilchulbong again (this time with sunshine) before driving back to the airport...
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