Volcanic Island Jejudo - South Korea (July 2008)

[belgarathc]

Motorcycle: Hyosung RX125SM from Mr Lee's Bike Shop at US$80 or 80,000 Won for 72 hours

Distance Covered: ~400KM

Reference: Lonely Planet South Korea and free local maps

Remarks: This ride is part of a longer trip to China, South Korea and Japan. While Jejudo is touristy, I was pleasantly surprised by its interesting sights and beautiful sceneries.

 

Route

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/01Jeju_map_route.jpg

Map of Jejudo and route taken

 

Day 0 (Arrival at Jejudo)

 

Wanted to start my ride today but the bike shops were not opened on Sunday. Spent much of my time visiting the markets at Jeju-si. It's tough finding a dorm bed at the guesthouses and I had to settle for a 30,000W motel. But it's a nice motel and I stayed there for 2 days.

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/02kimchi_dongmum_market.jpg

Kimchi and more kimchi at Dongmum market

 

Day 1 (Western and Southern Jejudo loop)

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/03mrlee_bike_shop.jpg

Mr Lee's Bike Shop rents out scooters mostly. I requested for a normal motorcycle and he said he had just the right bike for me if I can wait. I spent the next hour at his shop surfing internet.

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/07Hyosung_RX125SM.jpg

Hyosung RX125SM. The bike is just a few months old and its meter reads 2023KM. Mr Lee requires you to show your International Driving Permit when renting a motorcycle from him.

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/06Yongduam_Rock.jpg

Yongduam Rock (Dragon's Head Rock) - Basalt lava rocks

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/08_Mysterious_Road.jpg

Mysterious Road - Put your motor vehicle on neutral and it will appear to roll uphill

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/09Cute_Statues.jpg

Cute

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/11OSulloc_Tea_Museum.jpg

O'Sulloc Tea Museum - I like its 3,000W green tea ice-cream

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/13Cheonjeyeong_Pokpo_Waterfall.jpg

Cheonjeyeong Pokpo - Pokpo means waterfall

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/15Jusangjeolli_Rocks.jpg

Jusangjeolli Rocks - More lava rocks

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/16Oedolgae_Lonely_Rock.jpg

Oedolgae which means Lonely Rock - Doesn't look very interesting..

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/17DaChangJin.jpg

but Da Chang Jin was filmed here!

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/18Tight_Turns.jpg

Some tight turns

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/19To_Jeongbang_Pokpo_Waterfall.jpg

En route to Jeongbang Pokpo

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/20Jeongbang_Pokpo_Waterfall.jpg

Jeongbang Pokpo - Said to be the only waterfall in Asia that falls directly into the sea

Edited March 5, 2009 by belgarathc

[belgarathc]

Day 2 (Jeju-si to Seongsan)

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/21Squeezing_through_Traffic.jpg

Squeezing between cars

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/22Samseonghyeol_Shrine.jpg

Samseonghyeol Shrine - Three brothers came out of the three holes in the ground and founded the Tamna kindgom. There's a video on the legend at the exhibition hall. The Folklore and Natural History Museum nearby is also worth a visit.

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/24Road.jpg

Pretty Roads

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/26Manjanggul_Lava_Tubes.jpg

Manjanggul - World's longest system of lava tube caves

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/27Haenyeo_Female_Divers.jpg

Not on the guidebooks but the Haenyeo Museum is definitely worth visiting

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/28Ilchulbong.jpg

When you see Ilchulbong, you would know where Seongsan town is

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/29Yonggung_Minbak_Ilchulbong.jpg

Minbak is a private home with rooms for rent. For 25,000W, Yonggung Minbak provides you with a view of Ilchulbong and a mini kitchen.

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/31Sunset_Seongsan.jpg

Beautiful cloud formations

[belgarathc]

Day 3 (A day full of craters - Ilchulbong, Hallasan and Sangumburi)

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/32Night_Seongsan.jpg

Woke up very early and climbed Ilchulbong aka Sunrise Peak. View of Seongsan from Ilchulbong.

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/34Ilchulbong_Sunrise.jpg

Ilchulbong volcano crater

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/33Ilchulbong_Sunrise.jpg

Ilchulbong sunrise

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/35Ilchulbong_Sunrise.jpg

Ilchulbong sunrise

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/36cheap700w_meal.jpg

Cheap and quick bite before I headed for the tallest mountain in South Korea - Mount Hallasan

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/39Seongpanak.jpg

Took the 9.6Km Seongpanak trail to Mount Hallasan's peak

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/37Hallasan_Peak.jpg

Hallasan crater lake

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/40Sangumburi_Volcanic_Crater.jpg

Green volcanic crater at Sangumburi

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/41_Dinner.jpg

My dinner

 

Day 4 (Seongsan - Jeju-si, Departure from Jejudo)

 

http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200805-08/Jejudo_Riding/43Ilchulbong_Sunrise.jpg

Woke up early for sunrise view of Ilchulbong

 

 

Well, this is the end of my Jejudo trip. Thanks for looking!

[YuaN_]

nice scenery... how long will u be staying there??

 

wat is the currency like?

[belgarathc]

nice scenery... how long will u be staying there??

 

wat is the currency like?

I'm back in Singapore. I was in Jejudo for 5 days 4 nights, it's part of a 47-day overseas trip.

 

South Korean currency is Won. 10,000 Won is about US$10 or SG$13.5.

[LanceR-Evo]

wow, the place looks great with nice scenery along the way. Btw, where to apply for the international driving permit from ? thanks

[belgarathc]

wow, the place looks great with nice scenery along the way. Btw, where to apply for the international driving permit from ? thanks

I got mine at AAS Kung Chong branch office.

IDP Info: http://www.aas.com.sg/services/permit.htm

Locations: http://www.aas.com.sg/aboutus/locate.htm