Jeju-do
Jeju –do is Korea’s largest island. The island is famous for lacking 3 things- theives, beggars & gates. Jeju –do is the premier tourist destination in Korea and is renowned for its scenic beaches, waterfalls, cliffs and caves that lie in harmony. The lava landscape of Jeju-do, blending odd shaped rocks and caves and ponds, volcanic craters, with dry lands and fields of grass, is dotted with rare flora and fauna.
Attractions in Jeju - do
- Mt. Hallasan National Park: Mt.Hallasan stands tall in the middle of Jeju Island. Mt.Hallasan is widely acknowledged by scholars for its research values. Designated as a National Park in 1970, there are 368 parasitic mountains called "Ohreum (peaks)" around Mt. Hallasan. From its warm climate to the cooler areas, Mt.Hallasan is famous for its vertical ecosystem of plants. Over 1,800 kinds of plants and 4,000 species of animals (3,300 species of insects) are known to exist here, and due to the well-developed climbing course, you can carefully observe the surroundings. Mt.Hallasan is a short climbing course. Less than 10km in length, it is possible to reach the peak and come back down in one day.
- Mt. Sanbansan & Sanbanggulsa Grotto: Oddly shaped volcanic rocks decorate the slopes of Mt. Sanbangsan. Halfway up the mountain is a natural grotto which offers spectacular views of the coast and the offshore islands.
- Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak: Also known as the Sunrise Peak, it juts out into the sea. From a birds –eye view, it looks like a moss-grown, crenelated castle, as its volcanis crater is surrounded by 99 crags. A spectacular view awaits at the end of the steep flight of split log steps, especially at sunrise.
- Jungmun Beach & Jusangjeolli Cliff: This a beautiful creascent shaped beach nestled by lava cliffs called the Jusangjeolli. A number of movies and TV dramas use these scenic locales. The Jungmun Resort nearby offers a range of facilities like hotels, golf courses, museums etc
- Cheonjeyeon Falls: Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, is also called 'The pond of God', Around the falls, a variety of plant life thrives, such as the rare ‘solipnan’ reeds. To the east, there is a cave where cold water pours from the ceiling to create a waterfall. In Cheonjeyeon Valley, there is the “Seonimgyo Bridge” – an arched bridge that has 7 nymphs carved on the side- and the octagonal “Cheonjeru tower”.
- Jeju Glass Castle: Jeju Glass Castle’ is a glass art theme park featuring an exhibition hall, garden and models all made entirely out of glass. These include the world’s very first all-glass labyrinth, the world’s largest glass ball and largest glass diamond, a glass stonewall, a mirror lake, and a glass bridge. There are also glass art masterpieces by internationally famous artists from Italy, the Czech Republic, Japan, and more. Visitors to ‘Jeju Glass Castle’ can even experience making glass artwork firsthand.
- Manjanggul Cave: At 13.4 kms, Manjanggul is the longest lava cave in the world, displaying a bizzare underground world crafted by the hands of nature.
- The Spirited Garden(Bonsai Garden): The only park in Korea to specialize in potted and garden plants, the Spirited Garden(Bonsai Garden) is located on Jeju Island and is the largest park of its kind in the world. The tranquil island retreat, which features a harmonious blend of waterfalls, ponds and scenic pathways, contains more than 1,000 rotating plant specimens and displays more than 700 of them on a daily basis. Built on a former “wasteland of thorny trees and shrubs,” owner Bum-Young Sung opened this garden in July 30, 1992 so that he could revive the disappearing 700-year-old Korean Bunjae(Bonsai) culture.
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