Escape to Jeju Island

Seoul is a concrete jungle full of neon lights, loud noises, and huge crowds of people – and I absolutely love it. That being said, there comes a point where you just need a break! Luckily for all of you, Korea has many natural escapes to offer. Jeju Island (제주도) is definitely high (if not at the top) of the list of domestic destinations to visit in order to decompress from the hustle and bustle of one of the world’s largest metropolitan centers. Jeju Island has so much to offer that it would take many posts to cover them all, so I will stick to my personal favorites.

Jeju Pork & Café Maybe

After doing some research, my friends and I decided to stay in Seogwipo (서귀포) due to its proximity to some of the natural wonders we wanted to explore. Arriving late Thursday night, we soon began to wander the streets in search of Jeju pork and a drink. Wandering aimlessly wasn’t working until we were approached by a very friendly, and helpful woman named Hyan (spelling help please…pronounce “hi-ann”). Seeing the looks of hunger and confusion on out faces, she was quick to suggest her personal favorite restaurant and was even kind enough to walk us over and order a selection of her favorite cuts of pork! I don’t think pork in any other part of the world will ever taste the same now that I’ve tried the pork on Jeju!

Though I don’t recall the name of the restaurant I do remember that it was directly across the street from Café Maybe, which just so happened to be owned by our new friend Hyan! After finishing our dinner, we waddled across the street to enjoy a beer or two before bed. Café Maybe was an excellent little spot to spend the night, make some new friends, and the best part was how helpful and welcoming Hyan was to newcomers to her island home!

Café Maybe’s Facebook page offers a map that includes many sights and attractions on Jeju and is a great resource for the unprepared traveller!

https://m.facebook.com/cafemaybe

Jeongbang Falls (정방폭포)

Located right outside Seogwipo is this cascade of water, spilling from high cliffs directly into the ocean. It’s a beautiful sight and definitely worth the trek, if you are walking from Seogwipo as we did, but I recommend taking a taxi as the drive is short and you don’t want to end up getting lost like we did. The “beach” surrounding the base of the falls is not really a beach at all but a collection of rocks of varying sizes. Watching many visitors struggle to find their footing in flip-flops made me vary glad that I was wearing shoes; I suggest you do the same!

Jungmun Beach (중문해수욕장)

After a long day of wandering the city and its surroundings, we made our way over to Jungmun beach. A popular spot for families and sunbathers, Jungmun is also known as an ideal surfing beach on Jeju due to its considerable waves. Arriving a couple hours before sunset gave us enough time to lie in the sun, swim around in the ocean, and enjoy the atmosphere of the busy beach. As it got later in the day, the beachgoers all around us began to pack up and leave but we decided to stick around for a while longer; I highly recommend staying to watch the beautiful sunset over the quite, emptying beach.