If you want vibrant city life, visit Seoul. If you prefer a more leisurely, laid-back nature retreat, visit Jeju Island. Just a short flight from the capital city, South Korea’s largest island offers plenty of fun things to do and ecological wonders to behold that will help you unwind from the stresses of urban life.
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In fact, we visited Jeju earlier this year, and it was such a revitalising experience! Here are our top 7 reasons to make this idyllic and ancient island your next travel destination:
Songaksan Mountain is perfect for a bit of light trekking and fresh air. The rejuvenating climb offers breath-taking vistas with panoramic views of the Yellow Sea, a jagged coastline and an undulating landscape. An hour of leisurely walking will take you to the end point of the Olle trail, with plenty of photo ops along the way.
You may even be able to get up close with some of the mountain’s furry residents – horses!
Beautiful stretches of sand line Jeju’s shoreline, each with its own unique features. Hyeopjae beach is famous for its powdery white sand, crystal clear emerald seawater and a floating island on the horizon – perfect for a romantic stroll or dip!
Formed by cooling lava thousands of years ago, the dark Manjanggul Cave is a natural wonder to behold. Also a UNESCO world heritage site, you can walk one kilometre of the cave’s eight, where temperatures can reach a low of 14 degrees celcius! Make sure to wear a poncho and sturdy, waterproof shoes as it can get quite wet in there.
Jeju Island is also a green tea paradise, boasting one of the largest plantations in all of South Korea. Be sure to visit the O’Sulloc Tea House, a themed cafe that offers an airy, comfortable place to relax and enjoy traditional tea. Then, drop by the innisfree Jeju House which sits upon a beautifully-manicured lawn beside an expansive green tea garden where their green tea range is sourced from.
You may not know this, but the pristine waters surrounding Jeju is chock full with a rare natural resource that’s only found in two places on Earth – the other being Hawaii. Aptly named “lava seawater”, this is water that’s been naturally filtered through the basalt layers of Jeju’s volcanic bedrock over thousands of years.
Lava seawater contains rare minerals like vanadium, germanium and selenium that aren’t found in normal ocean water, and are easily absorbed by the skin, providing anti-ageing benefits (so it’s no wonder that innisfree newest anti-ageing line is sourced from this rare type of seawater!).
Foodies will be glad to know that cafe culture is alive and thriving on the island, with dozens of food gems hidden all over. Visit Zen Hideaway (pictured above), where you can enjoy gorgeously-plated meals beside equally stunning views of the sea.
Also check out: Nilmori Dong Dong Culture Cafe for delectable bingsoo, cotton candy affogato and more!
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There’s no lack of a unique local heritage as well. The island is renowned for its haenyeos, or “sea women”, who in order to make a living, dive for up to 20 metres without any breathing apparatus! Although it’s a culture that’s slowly dying out, it’s still something deeply ingrained into the island’s history. You can visit restaurants and cafes that pay tribute to these women, and support their livelihoods by buying a souvenir or two from the gift shops.
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Text: Elizabeth Liew