Seopjikoji 섭지코지 & Seongsan Ilchulbong 성산 일출봉: East Jeju highlights

I attempted to discover as a lot of Jeju as I might on my first journey there, in Aewol and Seogwipo but it surely actually was unimaginable to cowl all the pieces! My east aspect adventures largely consisted of climbing Seongsan Ilchulbong and testing Seopjikoji which I’ll element on this submit – I additionally spend 2 nights on Udo Island so take a look at that separate submit should you plan to go to.

Seongsan Ilchulbong

성산 일출봉

Except for the long-lasting Hallasan within the centre of Jeju, certainly one of its extra well-known volcanic peaks or oreum is the Dawn Peak or Seongsan Ilchulbong. Situated on the jap tip of Jeju, this picturesque tuff cone is the place Koreans head to within the morning to catch the proper dawn, and particularly standard exercise over the New 12 months.

Climbing to the height

Seongsan Ilchulbong isn’t notably tall for a mountain in South Korea. Rising 180m above, it’s only a tad taller than Singapore’s personal highest peak Bukit Timah Hill (165m), however this oreum was created over 5,000 years in the past and has an enormous crater at its peak.

Climbing to the height of Seongsan Ilchulbong requires you to purchase a ticket. I really managed to go to it one the sooner or later in a month that it closes (GAH) so I got here again the next day to make the climb. On the plus aspect it was cloudy and cooler, however the images positively weren’t as picturesque as when the solar is out.

There are 2 paths that lead as much as the height, most individuals climb up a method and down the opposite. Each routes contain a lot of stair climbing, however the paths are usually properly maintained. It took me about 25 minutes to make the climb up, so funds roughly an hour to go up, snap some pictures and are available again down once more.

The height space has a pleasant lengthy picket boardwalk of types the place you may sit round and admire the view of the inexperienced crater and sea from. Naturally it could get crowded, however the individuals come and go so you may get pleasure from quick moments of serenity in between the crowds.

Opening hours: 7am – 8pm day by day (730am – 73ppm in winter), closed on first Monday of the month.

Consuming freshly caught seafood on the Haenyeo Home

For the reason that peak was closed on the primary day that I visited, I took the steps all the way down to the black sand seaside on the base of Seongsan Ilchulbong. There was lots of exercise right here – boat rides in addition to somewhat Haenyeo Home the place you may eat a number of the freshly caught seafood.

This restaurant is money solely, and the platter I picked price 30,000 KRW. The women put together the seafood proper there after which for you, and it’s nonetheless a tad wiggly even when it’s served as much as you on a tray…

Haenyeo efficiency

The Haenyeo may even carry out reveals at 130pm and 3pm on most days. Once I visited, the present consisted of the haenyeo dancing and singing to a standard people music, which is a pre-diving ritual. They didn’t appear like they have been diving anymore that day although so we mainly simply watched the music and dance.

Haeyneo efficiency usually takes place at 1pm and 330pm

Boat experience across the tuff cone

If you’d like a distinct view of the Seongsan Ilchulbong, you may take a ship that brings you across the tuff cone on the water.

I didn’t take the boat as I did find yourself seeing it from the water after I headed to Udo Island, however there are 2 programs you may take: Course A takes you about midway round and again for 10,000 KRW whereas Course B takes you all the way in which round to the opposite shoreline and again for 20,000 KRW.

Tips on how to get to Seongsan Ilchulbong

From Seogwipo Metropolis, I needed to take a bus out to the primary freeway space to catch Blue Bus 201 that serves the east aspect of Jeju and stopped on the Seongsan Ilchubong Entrance cease [naver maps]. It was a fairly lengthy bus experience up the southeast coast of Jeju!

I took a taxi the next day after I went from my Seogwipo guesthouse (Gudeok Guesthouse) on to Seongsan Port (I used to be headed to Udo island) as a result of I had baggage. That price me about 46,000 KRW.

In case you’re coming from Jeju Metropolis within the north, Bus 211 takes you from the primary bus station to Seongsan Ilchulbong [naver maps]

Seopjikoji

섭지코지

Since I used to be thwarted on my fantastic climate day from climbing up Seongsan Ilchulbong, I made a decision to discover one other scenic spot across the east coast of Jeju referred to as Seopjikoji 섭지코지 which is on the opposite aspect of the seaside from Seongsan Ilchulbong.

This peninsula can be the place the Jeju Aqua Planet 아쿠아플라넷 제주 is situated, however I didn’t go to that, as an alternative I made a decision to take an anticlockwise stroll round this little cape.

Kitesurfing and windsurfing at Shinyang Seopji Seaside

The primary seaside I handed was Shinyang Seopji Seaside 신양섭지해수욕장 and it was a windy day and there have been tons of kitesurfers out on the water. I stayed and watched them float and fly round for a bit.

Additional down the seaside have been the windsurfers, additionally loads of them have been out on the water. There have been a lot of benches alongside the waterfront so I sat down right here to look at them go at it.

There are some resorts within the inland space. I adopted the coast and the automobile highway that ends on the tip of the cape (about midway across the cape) the place there’s a carpark. From there, the boardwalk begins as I headed again up northwards.

See the stays of Haenyeo Shelters

Alongside the way in which I handed by the stays of a stone construction alongside the seaside with an indication. Referred to as Keunyeo Bultok 큰여불턱, that is really an instance of one of many stone buildings by the ocean that the haenyeo ladies divers would used to relaxation, change and chill out in between dives. It doesn’t have a roof so I assume it’s largely simply to dam the wind?

In line with the signal, this is without doubt one of the bigger shelters that they used within the Seopjikoji space.

Stroll alongside Seopjikoji boardwalk

Seopjikoji was fairly after I visited in October, but it surely’s speculated to be at its peak in April when fields of yellow canola flowers cowl the small oreum right here often known as Bulgeun Oreum 붉은오름 the place a hearth beacon station was as soon as situated.

There are a few viewpoints alongside the trail, somewhat stair climbing is concerned however nothing too loopy.

Snap pictures on the All In Home

This cute little home that appears somewhat like Hansel and Gretel come to life is also referred to as the All In Home 올인하우스, named for a well-liked Korean drama in 2003 referred to as All In about playing that includes Lee Byung Hun and Track Hye Kyo.

You apparently used to have the ability to go in for a payment but it surely appears to be completely closed these days. The candy theme can be one thing new – it regarded extra like a standard chapel however after storm harm it was rebuilt with this candy look.

Climb as much as Bangdupo Lighthouse

Courageous some stairs to climb as much as Bangdupo Lighthouse 방두포등대 the place there are extra beautiful sea views to soak up.

I might have walked in direction of Jeju Glass Home however I used to be fairly drained so I made a decision to name it a day and head again to the bus cease. After this part, it was extra coastal views – Seongsan Ilchulbong pops up once more and Aqua Planet is on the left.

Tips on how to get to Seopjikoji

I obtained round Jeju by public transport. From Seongsan Ilchulbong, I took Blue Bus 295 all the way down to Seopjikoji Seaside [naver maps].

To get from Seopjikoji Seaside again to Seogwipo the place I used to be staying, I wanted to take the 295 bus out to the primary highway [naver maps], however there was a really lengthy interval for the bus so I made a decision to catch a cab from Seopjikoji Seaside out to the primary freeway for 3,400 KRW as an alternative. I opted to take Blue Bus 201 again to Seogwipo as an alternative of the cab as a result of it was night rush hour and I knew I used to be going to run into site visitors jams. Taking the bus price simply 1,200 KRW vs roughly 40,000 KRW if I used to be in a taxi, and the estimated journey time was simply 10 minutes longer within the bus.

In case you’re in search of extra of my Jeju posts, take a look at Udo Island which is simply off the shore from Seongsan Ilchulbong, or see my different guides to Aewol and Hallim in northwest Jeju, or Seogwipo and southwest Jeju.

Have you ever been to Seongsan Ilchulbong or Seopjikoji? Share your expertise within the feedback or take a look at the opposite Jeju posts that I’ve right here.