Korean Job Discussion Forums

[highdials5]

Hi,

I'm going to Jeju next week, friday - monday.

I plan on hiring a car at the airport on arrival, and just wondered if anybody had any suggested itineraries for me to follow? I'll be with my girlfriend so language won't be an issue.

I was thinking of bypassing Jeju City as we are both into quiet, peaceful places and we want to see as much of the scenery as possible in a short amount of time.

I'm going to be reading up about it this weekend, but in the meantime I'd like to get some ideas about mustsees etc...

Thanks!

Rich

[Tobias]

Take your passport and ARC. I went last year via ferry without those and had to use my US driver's license for ID for the return. I was allowed on the ship on the mainland, but needed the passport/ARC for the return leg. I'm sure I would have needed those for the airport as well. To get on the ship to go back, I had to show my US license to the big boss of the terminal. Good thing he was in. If he hadn't been, I may have been asking somebody to fax me a copy of my ARC after an overnight stay on a terminal bench.

As far as destinations go, there is an arboreal park on the west side. I didn't go in when I went, but it looked like a cool place. If you want a peaceful town, the one on the south side of the island is nice and quiet. I forget the name of it, but it's the second largest. There is also some sort of sex museum with phallic symbols out front down near this town. Another one I missed, as it was closed when I went. There's also the Africa museum and the mountain in the middle of the mass. Oh yeah, I almost forgot...there is also one of those mystery spots on Jeju. This is one of those places that will (supposedly) pull your car uphill after you stop or allow you stand at a 45 degree angle. If you've ever been to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, California, you know what I'm talking about. If not, do a Wiki for 'magnetic hill'.

[Enigma]

I took my Dad down there last October for about 6 days and we had a great time. You say you like quiet, peaceful places, but I'm sure that Jeju will be very busy this time of year, so I'd be prepared for a lot of other tourists.
I would definitely recommend Seongsan Ilchulbong (spelling?) on the east coast, and taking the ferry from there to Udo Island. On Udo you can rent mountain bikes for 5-10,000 won and just ride around the island for a few hours. There are a few nice, sandy beaches there as well.
Near that area is Mangjanggul (again spelling?) which is a huge cave, I think about a kilometer long. We went there because my Dad wanted to check it out, but I'm not really into caves, but if they interest you it's worth checking out.
As for the cities, I liked the feel of Seogwipo much better than Jeju city if you're looking for a base.

[newinseoul]

I don't blame you for not staying in Jeju city. You can catch a bus that goes around the island by the coast. I'd suggest going East bound, and stopping in Seongsan. There is not much to see/do in the little village, but you can climb sunrise peak. The climb is worth it, and the views from the top are spectacular. You can also take a boat ride to Cow Island across the way, and walk around.
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264207

I'd also recommend heading after that to Seogwipo. Here you can easily find a love motel for 30,000-40,000 won, and walk to four or five waterfalls. The nicest one is Jeongbang waterfall, as it flows into the sea.
http://english.tour2jeju.net/main/list.php?menu_id=15

If you're into Buddhist temples, I'd suggest going to Yakcheonsa temple. You will walk through a road full of orange groves, and come out onto the grounds.

http://www.inmagine.com/pts0706/WE021065-photo

[sapeoblast]

I could imagine Jeju being incredibly crowded this time of year but there has to be plenty of less populated places. If you have the LP Korea, it recommends a handful of beaches to visit that aren't listed on the majority of Korean tourist maps and therefore should be much, well, calmer. Woljeong Beach is a great one that's kinda off the beaten path but well worth finding, just use your rental's navi!

Definitely do the east cost and check out Seongsan Ilchulbong but save time to ferry over to Udo Island. When I went with gf in May it was all but deserted and the beaches were at least as nice as Jejus. Renting a scooter was a great way to see the island and highly recommended!

http://adamsgoingtoasia.blogspot.com/2009/05/jeju-pt-2-seongsan-ri-to-seogwipo-si.html

If you're only there for the weekend don't worry about climbing Hallasan as, to be honest, it's not all that spectacular. Seoul has equally beautiful mountains that are more interesting to climb. Not worth the half day trek.

Jungmun is definitely worth seeing but hardly worth staying at. The beach is small and far from pristine. It's interesting to wander through the upscale resorts, Lotte, Shilla, but I'm guessing out of your, or my, budget!

Plenty of things to do and all the maps are fantastic, just enjoy!

Oh, and don't forget to stop by Jeju's sex themed park, Love Land!

[highdials5]

Thanks for the replies! The weather forecast isn't exactly great for the weekend, so just wondering if anybody can recommend some indoor activities as well?