[Travel] Enjoying Exotic Jeju Island

Chuseok holidays were good to take a family trip to Jeju Island.
It was more than 10 years since I had traveled to Jeju for business. So when my son and his wife suggested that we go to Jeju Island to celebrate my wife's seventieth birthday (칠순기념), we all agreed.

We decided to use some of the family travel funds we had saved up for six years, and booked flights and accommodation several months in advance, taking advantage of the Chuseok holidays. Since it would be a three-generation trip together, I let my son decide on the itinerary and destinations.
As the trip was a special family event, we were happy to have the luxury of the trip.

 

* Check-in counters at Gimpo Airport

 

* Parnas Hotel lobby in Jeju Joongmun

 

Even though Jeju Island is a volcanic island, the sun came out in the morning, clouds were prevalent in the afternoon, and the winds picked up in the evening. In the second evening, however, we were surprised to see an unexpectedly amazing evening glow while staying at poolside.
When we drove across Hallasan, we also explored the parasitic volcano Oreum in the Hallasan National Park.
The Hallasan area is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, and we were able to see grasses, trees, and insects on the unusual terrain.

 

* Dark clouds over Jeju International Airport, the next morning

* Dragon Head Rock, Jeju City beach

 

 

* The road to the Hallasan National Pakr is well paved for drivers as well as hikers.

* Hallasan National Park UNESCO World Natural Heritage

* 1100 Wet Highland under the Ramsar Convention

 

For accommodations, we decided one night in Jeju City for a family arriving in the evening.

Two nights were reserved at a duplex suite in a luxury hotel in Joongmun.

My grandson loves to swim, so we wanted a relatively long pool, preferably an infinity pool with one side of the pool touching the ocean or sky.   
Even though the beach season was over, the beachfront location would be good for a scenic walk.

 

* Inside of Parnas Hotel Jeju

 

 

Nowadays, there appears a must-go place on Jeju Island. It's the naturalistic garden called Veke in Seogwipo.
'Veke' is a Jeju dialect word that refers to a pile of stones left over from plowing the fields.

However, you need to make a reservation on Naver in advance to enjoy the calmness of the garden.
Jeju Island has a shorter winter than the mainland, but it is windy and rainy. So, it's hard to imagine how the grass and trees could grow so abundantly here in this open land. 

 

* Naturalism-based Veke Garden at Seogwipo

 

Jeju Island also offers food we can't find anywhere else.

Five-layed pork belly, grilled whole cutlassfish,[1] stewed cutlassfish, grilled mackerel, and Omegi rice cakes are famous among others.

 

* Grilled cutlassfish is being served by a restaurant employee for guests at Jeju Oseong Restaurant.

 

Jeju Island is not only exotic because we have to take an airplane to get there.
Most of all, we'll see palm trees and volcanic rocks here and there, everywhere. 
Also, unlike the mainland, the weather changes a lot in a single day.

There are many luxury hotels that are as good as those in famous foreign resorts.

 

* Sinchang-ri wind generation farm, Jeju Island

 

When we returned to Seoul, the airport was very crowded.

Extraordinarily, we had to take a bus to the plane and climb the trap.

It was an unforgettable trip to an exotic island with family.

 

2024 Summer in Jeju left
Three words - exotic, joyful and
Unforgettable.

 

⇒ See "Harmony of Nature" in Korean.

 

Note

1] 제주도에 가서 인원이 3~4인이면 통갈치구이를 시켜 먹어볼 만하다. 제주산 갈치구이 맛이야 어디서나 비슷하겠지만 제주도에서 통갈치구이를 시키면 종업원이 수저 2개를 가지고 현란한 솜씨로 먹기 좋게 가시를 발라주는 것이 좋은 구경거리다.

3대가 갈치구이를 맛있게 먹는 동안 세대 차이가 드러났다. 누군가의 말이 생각났다. 요즘 10대 이하는 선진국 시민이고 20-40대는 중진국 시민, 50대 이상은 개도국 시민이라고 한다. 우리 세대는 없는 살림에 식구는 많고 어쩌다 고기국이나 갈치구이라도 밥상에 오를 때면 내 몫이 줄어들새라 다들 수저 놀림이 빨라지지 않을 수 없었다.

오늘도 통갈치구이가 마지막에 꼬리와 머리 부분만 남았다. 내가 기꺼이 머리 토막을 손에 들고 뼈를 발라 먹기 시작했다. 소싯적에 갈치 머리에서 살점이라도 건지고 눈알 부분까지도 눈이 밝아질 거라며 오독오독 씹어 먹었던 일이 생각났다. 아들 내외는 송구해 어쩔 줄 몰라 했고, 손자는 할아버지가 먹방을 한다고 깔깔거리며 웃었다.

먹다 보니까 큰 바늘이 아가미 쪽에 박혀 있었다. 어부와 생선 사이의 처절한 생존경쟁의 흔적이었다.