Blogs from Jeju-si , Jeju, South Korea, Asia

Monday, 14th October 2019 I took an early flight out from Busan for my 4 days 3 nights excursion to Jeju Island. Given the regular flight service between the two destinations, it did not come as a surprise that the fares for the one hour journey were very reasonably priced. My Asiana flight landed at Jeju Airport sometime after 8.30am this morning. Finding my way around the Arrivals for the public buses to my hotel in old Jeju Town proved to be relatively straight forward with the handy Naver App. I soon boarded a bus which would drop me at Gwandeokjeong Pavilion where the Staz Hotel Jeju Robero that I would be staying was right across the bus stand. The whole commute took less than 20 minutes. The thing that I really liked about my hotel ... read more

Thank you MERS! I got to start my long weekend a day earlier! I flew from Gimpo around lunchtime and landed in Jeju an hour later. The flight was a little turbulent. The views were gorgeous as we headed south and I could see all the islands that are dotted around the south coast. I took the bus from the airport to my hostel. It didn't take too long, maybe half an hour. I got checked in, got some info booklets and maps and planned what to do with my day. I had spotted a palace, when I had been on the bus, so decided to head there, as it's ages since I had been to one. I obviously thought that the palace was much further away, as I was surprised we got there so quickly. ... read more

Pig Huts, Dragons & Divers 8:30 and we’re off for a tour of Jeju City, South Korea. This island, located to the south of mainland Korea has 10 million visitors a year. To put this into perspective, Hawaii has about 6 M visitors a year and Bali about 3 M a year. Jeju City is a two hour flight from Shanghai and a 2 hour flight from Seoul so lots of Chinese and Korean tourists. Jeju is a volcanic island and the volcanic rock is used for everything from steps, to walls to artwork and homes. 15 minutes by bus to the Natural History Museum where we learned about the women divers of Jeju. The women dive for fish as an occupation. They are “fish divers”. They go down to 40 feet without breathing apparatus. They ... read more

The final trip around Korea began with my jet-lagged father arriving in Seoul around midnight, followed by an hour of searching for the Sunshine Guesthouse in the busiest district of the city. There wasn't a lack of people willing to help us find the illustrious guesthouse, the problem was- all their directions were inaccurate. Finally, we somehow weaved our way down a back alley and saw the glowing fluorescent lights of SUNSHINE in tacky green and yellow hues. We were thrilled. I don't think my dad's head even touched the pillow before he was out like a light. The following two weeks were a whirlwind. We spent the first few days in Seoul, then a few days in a UNESCO town called Gyeongju, then a day in Busan, followed by three days on Jeju Island, then ... read more

Fifty miles off the southern tip of the Korean peninsula exists its largest island, Jeju-do. It’s often billed as “the Hawaii of Korea”, which I think is a bit of an exaggeration, but nevertheless, it is a remarkably beautiful and charming getaway from the hustle and bustle of urban Korean life. Arriving on Jeju-do after a few days spent exploring Seoul, Jenn and I were looking for simple R&R with some nice scenery and a few memorable adventures. Because the island is volcanic, most of the beaches are quite rocky. In a few places you can find narrow strips of white sand to lounge, but the real beauty is found in the island’s numerous waterfalls and stunning views afforded atop steep cliffs which overlook the valleys or the ocean. And while, as you'd imagine, the seafood ... read more