1 - 8 Dec '23

This is the final part of our holiday in Jeju blog. It continues on days 6 and 7 of our trip (6-7 December)

Day 6

Our 6th day in Jeju was spent walking along the coastal areas of Seogwipo city. It had bays, cliffs and waterfalls which lined the coast, making it another area of attraction for nature lovers. We visited the areas seen in the map above. Our first stop was at Sojeongbang waterfall, which is not seen in the map. It's just slightly to the right of Jeongbang waterfall. It is a small waterfall of about 5 metres high located at a secluded corner of the coastal trail. We didn't encounter any visitors at Sojeongbang aside from the locals who were hiking the trail. The trail was beautifully paved and lined with trees, which made the walk enjoyable.

After a 15-minute walk, we reached the second waterfall, Jeongbang waterfall. The waterfall is higher than Sojeongbang at 23 metres. There were large rocks surrounding the waterfall below which we could stand on to capture beautiful photographs.

After visiting Jeongbang, we had lunch at the nearby Chilsimni food street. We settled for standard Korean fare instead of the seafood which it is famous for. After lunch, we walked along Jaguri Park to our next destination, Cheonjiyeon. Jaguri Park had beautiful boardwalks and vast green fields, which made our stroll very enjoyable.

Before reaching Cheonjiyeon waterfall, we realised that there were two other attractions nearby, the Saeyeongyo Bridge and Saeseom Island, which the bridge leads to. Saeyeongyo Bridge had a column design which looked like a sail. There were strong winds when we walked up the bridge, such that it seemed like we could be blown away by it any minute. It created a howling sound that frightened us to some extent. After braving the strong winds and howling sound for a minute, we reached Saeseom Island.

Saeseom Island was a small island which has a nice trail along its coast. The breeze and picket fences which have become ubiquitous along Jeju's coasts made the walk extremely enjoyable and refreshing. As the trip to Saeseom Island was a detour, we picked up our pace and were back at Saeyongyo bridge in fifteen minutes.

Cheonjiyeon waterfall is an inland waterfall known for its diverse plant and animal life (Wikipedia). Near the visitor booth, there were mandarin ducks at the river. Crowds of people gathered to take photographs of the birds,presumably because they were a rare sight. We walked inland for 15 minutes before reaching the Cheonjiyeon waterfall. After having seen a few waterfalls on the same day, it seemed just like another waterfall. Nonetheless, I guess each place has its own heritage and uniqueness.

After our visit to Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, it was already 5 pm. With the sun having set, we strolled through Seogwipo's bustling commercial district and enjoyed dinner at BHC, a renowned Korean fried chicken chain. This marked the end of our sixth day in Jeju.

Day 7

It is considered our final day in Jeju as we are flying back to Singapore tomorrow afternoon. We were slightly worn out from our marathon travels the past few days. In addition, I realised we had not really gotten to know the town area in Jeju city. So, we dedicated this day to our understanding Jeju's 'people' heritage a bit more.

We visited the Jeju Folklore and Natural History Museum. It was located at the Jeju old district. The skeleton of a dinosaur greeted us at the entrance. I couldn't whether it was a replica or real.

The museum displays mainly natural historical items such as marine life, rocks, and fauna and flora of Jeju, giving visitors a better understanding of Jeju’s unique nature and culture. Many of the fauna and flora centred on those which inhabited Hallasan National Park.

The folklore gallery on display showcased the daily lives of Jeju people over the cycle of the four seasons, and from birth to death. I noticed a striking similarity with the Chinese culture, such as the celebration of Lunar New Year. I also learnt something new on that day, and that is the Lunar New Year celebrates the end of winter and the start of spring.

An intriguing gallery showcased the rich history of Jeju City, vividly narrating the evolution of both the old and new districts. It delved into the fascinating stories that shaped the unique character of Jeju, highlighting the seamless blend of tradition and modernity in the development of these districts.

The final gallery which we visited was the maritime gallery. There were many interesting sea creatures which caught my attention. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise as Jeju is surrounded by the ocean. Again, I couldn't tell whether they were real or just replicas.

After exiting the museum, we walked into a neighbourhood park called Shinsan park. There were many people at the park, many of whom were exercising. There was also a group of pre-schoolers having picnic with their teachers. There was a war memorial near to where the children were sitting down. It was built to honour soldiers who had fallen during the Korean War.

After the educational trip to the museum and walk in the park, we ate lunch at a cafe near the park. After lunch, we walked along the roads and came across Jeju City Hall complex. We took a few photographs before continuing. Well, this is almost the end of our Jeju trip. We spent the rest of the time walking around in town and settled at Tom N Toms to have coffee. It was the first place that we visited on our first day, albeit a different outlet.

After our educational trip to the museum and a leisurely walk in the park, we decided to have lunch at a cafe located near the park. Following that, we walked along the roads and came across the Jeju City Hall complex. We took a few photographs before continuing our exploration. Well, this is almost the end of our Jeju trip. We spent the remaining time strolling around town, soaking in the local atmosphere. Our final stop was at Tom N Toms for coffee, a fitting end to our journey. It was the same cafe chain we visited on our first day, albeit a different outlet. This closed the curtain on our memorable trip in Jeju. Thank you for the restful week and cherished memories in this beautiful island.