Summer Vacation on Jeju Island

Summer vacation options were limited this year. The corona-virus made going abroad impossible, and the shortened time-off made travelling far away impractical. Still, after playing it pretty safe and staying in Busan for the whole semester, I decided I needed to have some sort of holiday, even if it was a short one.

Jeju is an island off the southern coast of Korea famous for its warm weather, natural beauty, and is popular for vacationers and honeymooners from Korea, China, and Japan. Only a one-hour flight from Busan, I made Jeju my destination for a 4-day getaway in late-August.

With all the craziness of the end of term and the summer camps, I didn't have much time to plan my vacation. I made myself familiar with a few key sights and activities, and finally reserved my flight on Korean Air and booked a hotel room at the Ramada in Jeju City. 

The rise in corona-virus cases in Korea threatened my vacation and made me a little nervous about travelling, and my co-teacher dropped a few hints about cancelling the vacation. I decided to follow through with my plans and I'm glad that I did.

But things didn't start out very smoothly. I navigated to Gimhae International Airport by public bus well in advance of my domestic flight. And just sat there for hours. My one-hour flight was delayed by 2 hours due to a mechanical issue with the plane. They actually found an alternate plane for us. At least no one was sitting next to me on the flight. But by the time we were up in the air, we started our landing approach.

After landing in Jeju and passing through the corona-virus and security checks, an unfriendly taxi driver took me to my hotel in Jeju City. The Ramada was modern, comfortable, air-conditioned and supplied with soft pillows and blankets. I was really happy with the hotel and the view from my 9th-floor window.

Jeju is a relatively small island but the attractions are spread out. Everyone I spoke to recommended that I rent a car. That wasn't an option for me, so I took the bus everywhere. As a result, I couldn't see everything I would've liked to, but I did get a nice view of Jeju's countryside and a chance to mingle with the locals on the bus. It takes a certain amount of courage to get onto a bus you're not 100% sure is going where you need it to go, and not have the language skills to confirm.

My first outing took me to the Manjanggeul Cave, a mere 1.5 hours away by bus. The Manjanggeul Cave is a really cool cave and underground tunnel cut through by lava years ago. It's about 23 meters wide, 30 meters high, and 8 km long and is exceptionally cool. It was 14°C in the tunnel and +30° above ground. There was water dripping down from the rocks and puddles everywhere. You can see the markings on the wall indicating the various levels of the lava flow. At the end of the tunnel is a large column of hardened lava that flowed down from the ceiling and set in place. 

On day 2 of my vacation, I attempted to climb the highest peak in South Korea, Mt. Hallasan, a volcano in the center of Jeju Island. Standing 1947 metres tall, I was quite unsure about making the attempt, especially after looking at myself in the mirror. I think the exact thought that went through my mind was, "Are you serious?"

A 40-minute bus ride at 6:30AM took me to the start of the Seongpanak Trail. Described as the longest but easiest ascent trail, my goal was to climb to the summit and then descend on another trail that had better views of the mountain and surrounding area. Seongpanak trail winds through a forested area on the mountain until near the top.

The trail started easily enough with boardwalks, rope carpet and plenty of flat sections. I worked my way up the mountain and the air became hotter, and the steps steeper. There were markers showing your progress and noting how many meters in elevation you had attained. There were a few shelters along the way for a washroom break and a rest. However, it was not possible to buy water or snacks. You had to carry everything.

I brought a bunch of sweet snacks, beef jerky, and 3 litres of water which I thought was way too heavy at the start but was grateful for every last drop by the end of the hike. As a matter of fact, I saw Korean hikers begging for water at the shelters because they didn't bring enough.

I climbed for 5 hours and literally everyone passed me. I moved slow and steady but was becoming exhausted. I was a mere 2 kilometres from the summit but that final stretch was in the open sun and was steep and uneven. I had to take a break after every few meters. I stopped for a while to assess my situation and my water reserve. The choice was to push on to the summit and be in real danger on the way down, or turn back and ensure my safe return.

Disappointed that I wouldn't make the summit, I made the prudent choice to walk down the trail. It took 4 hours to descend. I was euphoric finally having gravity working in my favour. At first, I quickly moved down the mountain. But eventually, I was experiencing discomfort in my feet and legs. Going up produced sore muscles, burning lungs, and a light head. Going down ruined my feet and calves. I absolutely could not walk the next day, and I'm still feeling it a few days later. In total, it was a hike of 9 hours and 15 kilometres.

The Korean hikers were supportive and encouraging. Those who spoke English told me to "Fight!" and that I was "Almost there."  I got a lot of "Thank yous" when I stepped aside to let the faster hikers pass by. Something was lost in translation when a man told me "Nice steps. It's elemental. Have a good time. Hahaha!" 

That evening and the next day was all about recovery. I barely left the hotel to eat and get a latte. Walking would be painful for the next several days. Fun hike but I paid the price.

On my last day in Jeju, I decided to check out the Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) for a nice ocean view. I wasn't really expecting to have to climb again, but it was 180 metres up to the top and put my weary legs to the test. Bad idea but a nice view. Seongsan Ilchulbong supposedly brings good luck when you view the sunrise from its peak. I arrived shortly after 9am, so I missed out on the lucky sunrise. I was, however, completely soaked in sweat, and needed to make my way to the airport for my flight back to Busan.

I purchased some Jeju orange-flavoured chocolates for my coworkers and then landed safely in Busan. Ready for semester 2 of my life as an English teacher in South Korea. 

My timing for this holiday was perfect because the next week a typhoon would hit parts of Jeju and several flights were cancelled or delayed. 

Jeju is a beautiful island getaway and is well worth the visit. I would eagerly return given the chance.