Sunny's Jeju Travel Guide

The jagged volcanic ridgeline of Hallasan — beautiful from below, humbling up close I've been reading a lot of travel reviews and Reddit threads lately, and one thing keeps coming up — foreign hikers making the same avoidable mistakes on Hallasan, over and over again. Not because they didn't prepare, but because the standard travel sites simply don't mention these things. So here's the honest list. Read this before you go. 1. There Are Zero Shops on the Mountain — Pack Everything 🎒 This one catches people off guard every single time. Hallasan is a strictly protected national park, which means there are absolutely no shops, vending machines, or shelters selling food or water anywhere on the trail. Once you pass the entrance gate, you're on your own. And if you're doing Seongpanak or Gwaneumsa, you're looking at 8 to 9 hours of hiking. The checkpoint shelters have toilets — that's it. No running water, no snack bars, nothing. ...

Hallasan on a clear morning — the kind of day you want to see on the CCTV before you leave the house So you've decided to hike Hallasan — amazing choice. But now you're staring at a list of trail names you can't quite pronounce, wondering which one is actually right for you, and whether the mountain is even going to be visible when you get there. Don't worry, I've got you. Let me walk you through everything a first-timer needs to know before lacing up those boots. First, a Quick Reality Check About Hallasan 🏔️ Hallasan is 1,947 meters tall — the highest mountain in South Korea. That sounds intimidating, but here's the thing: the trails are incredibly well-maintained, with wooden boardwalks and clearly marked paths the whole way. You don't need to be an experienced mountaineer. What you do need is the right trail, a reasonably early start, and a quick weather check before you go. There are five main trails, and they feel completely differe...

The walking trail through Bijarim — green and quiet on a drizzly morning I walked through Bijarim Forest on a drizzly day. The forest felt deeper and quieter than usual — the greens were more vivid, the air smelled of damp earth and leaves, and in the height of summer, there was a scent I didn't expect at all. Here's why a rainy day at Bijarim might actually be the better visit for your Jeju itinerary. The entrance trail of Bijarim on a drizzly morning Jeju Island has no shortage of beautiful forests — Saryeoni Forest Road, Jeolmul Natural Recreation Forest, and Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest are all famous. But the one I keep coming back to is Bijarim . Located in Pyeongdae-ri, Gujwa-eup, it's home to around 10,000 bija trees (Japanese nutmeg-yew), many of them hundreds of years old. The entire grove is a designated Natural Monument — making it one of the largest single-species bija tree forests in Korea. It's beautiful on a clear day. But on...

Dodu Peak's Donnaamu flower tunnel in May / Worth every step of the climb Five minutes from Jeju Airport sits a small 63.5m peak that's taken social media by storm. The reason? The filming location from Welcome to Samdalri, the famous Kisses Zone, and a breathtaking white flower tunnel that only blooms in May. I went to see it for myself. Every bit of the hype was real. What is Dodu Peak? Dodu Peak (도두봉) is a small volcanic crater sitting right on the coast of Dodu-dong, just north of Jeju International Airport. At only 63.5m above sea level, it's one of Jeju's most accessible oreum — but don't let the size fool you. From the observatory, you get an unobstructed view of planes taking off and landing at Jeju Airport, the Dodu Port lighthouse, Jeju city center, and Hallasan mountain — all in one panorama. The trail from the parking lot to the summit takes around 15–20 minutes , with a few steeper sections along the way. Comfortable shoes are a must. ...