Jeju Island is the Republic of Korea’s largest island, located southwest of the Korean Peninsula. Jeju is a world-famous volcanic island that is covered in basalt for more than 90% of its total area. This resort island offers breathtaking views of nature as well as its people because of their Traditional Korean fashion and a variety of fun activities for solo travelers, families, and couples. Jeju is a small island with the famous Hallasan Mountain in the center, measuring only 73 kilometers east and west and 31 kilometers north and south. Jeju Province encompasses the entire island. Among other animals, Jeju Island is home to 77 different types of mammals and 198 different bird species. There are 2,001 different types of distributed sub-tropical, temperate, and polar vegetation on the island. Jeju is a world-famous treasure island deserving of global attention. The Amazon Rainforest, Komodo Island, Table Mountain, and other wonders of the world were added to The New Seven Wonders of the World in November 2011.
History
The island was “created roughly 2 million years ago by the explosion of an undersea volcano.” The Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes are a natural world heritage site. Jeju Island has a temperate climate, with temperatures rarely falling below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter. Jeju is a major tourist destination, and tourism and economic activity account for a significant amount of the island’s GDP. The kingdom of Tamna was the first known state on the island. Following Mongol invasions of Korea, the Mongol Empire constructed a garrison on Jeju Island and converted a portion of the island into a grazing facility for their troops. Jeju Island was subjected to the Joseon dynasty’s highly centralized rule at the beginning of the 15th century. For nearly 200 years, a travel ban was imposed, and various Jeju Island uprisings were suppressed.
The South Korean government waged an anti-communist campaign from 3 April 1948 to May 1949 to put down an attempted rebellion on the island. The main catalyst for the uprising was an election planned by the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) on May 10, 1948, to establish a new administration for all of Korea. Only the elections in the south of the country, the portion of the peninsula under the UNTCOK administration, were planned. Fearing that the elections would exacerbate divisions, the Workers’ Party of South Korea (WPSK) guerilla fighters retaliated violently, targeting local police and right-wing youth organizations stationed on Jeju Island. The bodies of massacre victims were unearthed in a mass grave at Jeju International Airport in 2008.
In 2018, 500 migrants escaping Yemen’s civil conflict arrived on Jeju Island, sparking concern among the island’s people. On November 11, 2018, it was announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un would pay a visit to Jeju during his forthcoming tour to South Korea. Kim will be flown to Jeju on a chopper. Following the September 2018 inter-Korean summit, 200 tonnes of tangerines harvested in Jeju were sent to North Korea as a token of gratitude for approximately 2 tonnes of North Korean mushrooms Kim provided to South Korea as a gift.
Explore Jeju Island’s Attractions
Mount Hallasan
Hallasan is a volcanic island on South Korea’s Jeju Island. It is the country’s highest point and the second-highest mountain in Korea, after Paektu Mountain. The Hallasan National Park, which encompasses the territory surrounding the mountain, has been recognized as a national park. Along with Jirisan and Seoraksan, Hallasan is often regarded as one of South Korea’s three great mountains. It is a dormant volcano that is recognized as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. It’s 6,398′ high. Despite its high altitude, it’s rather an easy hike; most people can make it to the peak and back down within a day. From its peak, trekkers are greeted with a vast gorgeous crater lake in addition to its stunning views of Jeju. Even if you’re not interested in trekking to the peak, Mount Hallasan provides seven gorgeous pathways, each less than six miles. It surely is a top destination in South Korea. For nature lovers, there are nearly 6,000 types of plants and animals in the area.
Cheonjeyeon Waterfall
Cheonjeyeon Waterfall is located in Cheonjeyeon, South Korea. Jeju is a nature lover’s paradise, with stunning beaches, intricate rock formations, and breathtaking waterfalls. Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, also known as the Pond of God, begins on the cave ceiling and divides into three sections. The first waterfall portions give rise to the second and third, which all pour into the sea together. Unique flora and flowers flourish in the vicinity of these magnificent falls.
Seonimgyo Bridge
Seonimgyo Bridge spans the Cheonjeyeon Waterfall and features seven carved nymphs on both sides. The seven beautiful and legendary nymphs who would descend from heaven at night are represented by these nymphs. Tourists can bathe in the falls during the Chilseonyeo Festival in May, which celebrates the arrival of the nymphs. The bridge is also the region’s first arch bridge.
Jeongbang Falls
Jeongbang Falls is Asia’s only waterfall that plunges directly into the sea. One of the most famous waterfalls to visit on Jeju Island is located on a high cliff by the sea.
Seongsan Ilchulbong
Seongsan Ilchulbong, often known as Sunrise Peak by non-Korean-speaking tourists, is famous for its beautiful sunrise scenic views. The UNESCO World Heritage Site looks like a gigantic fortress with 99 rocks around it at the top.
Jungmun Beach
Jungmun Beach is most renowned for its massive waves, making it a popular surfing site in Korea. The Jeju International Surfing Competition brings together surfers at Jungmun Beach once a year.
Jusangjeolli Cliff
When Mount Hallasan erupted into the Jungmun Sea, the lava abruptly cooled, diminishing in mass and generating the Jusangjeolli Cliff’s many cube-like blackish rock pillars. It took hundreds of thousands of years to create. The formation resembles a work of art that has been delicately molded with a keen tool. This place is a natural miracle, with hexagonal granite pillars precisely stacked on top of one another.
Manjanggul Cave
Many tourists from near and far explore the Manjanggul cave, one of the best and longest lava tunnels in the world. Formed more than 2.5 million years ago, Manjanggul Cave has a range of natural structures such as 70 cm long lava stalagmites and the lava tube tunnels, made all the more eerily magical by the soft colored lights that illuminate them.