A Guide to JEJU ISLAND!

Following my rather successful (self-acclaimed lol) GUIDE TO BANGKOK blogpost which received quite abit of positive feedback and also the number of blog hits I had from that post.. I've decided to do a GUIDE TO JEJU ISLAND POST! Researching on Jeju was quite a chore for me because there were not alot of blog reviews on Jeju Island and there are simply TOO MANY attractions in Jeju that I didn't know which are the ones worth going to and which are not. So I hope this post will be useful to those who will be heading to Jeju Island in Korea! Let's get the balls rolling~

{ FLIGHTS }
There are alot of carriers that fly to Jeju such as Jeju Air, Eastar Jet, AirBusan, Korean Airline etc. Prices start from about SGD$100 and flights usually depart from Gimpo Airport instead of Incheon Airport! The flight journey takes only about an hour.
Other options available are bus, train and ferry rides which I reckon would take up half a day.


Got this colourful kueykuey to eat in the plane cuz I thought they are the Korean version of Japanese Mochis. Sadly, they don't taste as great :(


{ HOTELS }

I chose December Hotel because:1. Located at Jeju City means there are things for you to do if you're bored at night like shopping/eating/clubbing2. Only $60/night?? (If I remembered correctly, cheapcheap!)3. THERE IS A COMPUTER WITH INTERNET INSIDE THE ROOM. Nuff' said4. Receptionists speak gooooooood english = no communication barrier!
I know that most people would usually stay at like family guesthouse in Jeju but when I was researching on them, especially the popular ones.. I thought it was rather expensive. I am someone who don't really mind staying in say a 2-star hotel kind as long as there's a bed for me to rest and the toilet is clean. I mean why pay so much when you're out spending most of your time... right!?!?

{ TRANSPORT }
1. Rent a cab with an English-speaking driver. It would cost you $150 for 8 hours. Seems costly but if there are 4 of you, then it's pretty reasonable. Otherwise, you can get a Korean-speaking driver at $100.
We were really SOOO LUCKY to have met Mr Kim and he was our driver/tour guide/uncle/friend for the rest of the trip. He was so nice to us I cannot believe it. Okay let me elaborate further. He would always buy us breakfast in the morning for us to eat inside the cab. Not something fanciful but it's the thought that counts. I remember once he bought for us their local BREAD but it tasted so awesome. Yknow how much I hate breads so if I say it's good, ITS GOTTA BE AWESOME. Y'know its like the little things he did for us that makes it so heartwarming and that he didn't treat us like typical 'tourists' - send us to our destination and he can balek-kampong liao. Also like I mentioned, we paid for his 8 hours of service only but EVERY SINGLE DAY, we extended to about 10 hours and he didn't even additionally charge us. He even have a little note book for all of his clients to write in so that he could keep as memories :)
Sad to say, I lost his namecard accidentally but nvm!! This is his email address if I'm not wrong:kimnj0424@naver.com (hope he checks his email!!)
Sorry for the long story above okay so back to transport choices, the next is, 2. Rent a car with a local GPS and drive around yourself! 3. BICYCLE?? But mehh I wouldn't recommend this unless you have ALOT of time to spare.

{ ATTRACTIONS }These are the places we visited in the 3 days. You may use my pictures as a reference if the place is worth going or not! 
DAY 1:MYSTERIOUS ROAD



Hahaha I look at this picture and I am now like "DAFUQQQQ AM I DOING!?!?"
Okay so basically, I think this road you're supposed to walk backwards then QUICKLY turn yourself around and walk forward(or is it the reverse way? lol) and you should experience something... weird?? I cannot describe how's the feeling like la because I FELT NO SHIT AT ALL no matter how many times I tried. But I think the rest of them felt something lol. All of us (other tourists included) just looked so stupid and retarded doing this la and a few of them will go like "EHHH EHHHH *astonished face* OEIIIIII"




CHINESE LUNCH

Seems stupid to be eating chinese food in Jeju but trust me!!! If Mr Kim is your driver, ASK HIM TO BRING YOU HERE! I love the chapchai-rice. It's so good I ignored most of the other dishes lol.We would usually let Mr Kim do the ordering and we'll eat whatever that's served!


HYEOPJAE BEACH

Let me whine because the 3 days when we were in Jeju, THE WEATHER WAS CRAY. It was RAINING LIKE IT HAS NEVER EVER RAINED BEFORE IN JEJU. Madness.
My picture does no justice to this beautiful beach!! Just go google and you'll see! :(




*why weather why....*


{ HALLIM PARK }



A park with lots of flora and fauna.
This park also leads you to a couple of caves!Hyeopjae Cave:


Ssangyong Cave:

It was kinda cold inside!!



Emerged from the cave to more flora and fauna..





Lol Zhihao feeding the birds

MINIATURE PARK

Pictures also turned out miniature LOL. Sorry la too many pictures so collaging them is the best!


I think Jj really resemblences alot like the superman. Or is it just me? lolAnd I like this artistic shot of Jj trying to climb up the Eiffel Tower!!



Some random place we stopped by while driving~





ANDEOK VALLEY



GAETKKAK JUSANGJEOLLIDAE

Ignore the weird long name but I LOVE THIS PLACE!!The view is sooo magnificant la and if the weather is good, it'll be double awesomeness! We were here for barely 5 minutes before it started pouring again :'(



CHEONGJIYEON WATERFALL



JEONGBANG WATERFALL

I forgot why we did not enter this place, maybe cuz it was closed already? So this picture was taken from afar!

Random farm we saw while otw back to the hotel! Such scenic sights you'll never ever get to see in SG :(

SO CUTEEEEEE!

KOREAN BBQ DINNER

Dinner for the night was eating at a Korean BBQ stall right opposite our hotel. I love that there's beef brisket here!


Walked around Jeju City (pretty much like typical Seoul eh?) before turning in for the night!


DAY 2MANJANGGUL CAVE



It was SUPER DUPER ULTRA MEGA COLD INSIDE THE CAVE! You'll feel the cold air instantly when you're standing at the entrance of the cave! And it doesn't help it when it was RAINING :(


The poor boy's pants got soooo dirty as a result!! Cuz the cave was kinda leaking water and the ground was muddy.. and since we were in slippers. Yknow right when you walk in slippers the water will splash to the back of your legs!! Damn suay.

MAZE PARK

Challenge with your friends and see who finds the way out first!


finding finding...

AND YAY FINALLY WE FOUND IT!!! Jj and I managed to find the exit first lol. Cheryl and Zh gave up halfway especially so when there were so many little cute kittens around that they got distracted!






And Mr Kim said we took way TOOOO long to find our way out! Think we took like 15-20mins?? Long meh!!


HAENYEO MUSEUM

Haenyeo refers to female divers who dive into the ocean water to gather various shellfish, seaweed, etc without using any underwater diving equipment! However, there are very few of them left today already :(



Mr Kim bought us Bbq Cuttlefish and the boys fell in love with it ever since. I didn't like it that much though~


ABALONE PORRIDGE LUNCH

Mr Kim told us this restaurant is managed by the female divers themselves who dive to collect these abalones we are eating! Super fresh but I thought the porridge was a little bland.. Actually I can't really remember la although Jj recalled it to be mega tasty. LOL. Anyway, this is a MUST TRY dish whenever you're in Jeju so please do not miss it out! It's even better when there is this compliementary big pancake as part of your many side dishes!!


SEONGSAN ILCHUBONG

In fugs raincoat lol

And if you don't already know, Jeju is the NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE :DSo happy to be able to add another 7 wonders to my list! More to be conquered!




Such pretty scenery but I am in a.... YELLOW RAINCOAT @.@



So anyway, the purpose of visiting this place is to hike up & you're supposed to see this when you're at the peak:
WHICH WE DIDN'T MANAGE TO SEE DUE TO THE SUCKY WEATHER.It was way tooooo cloudy when we were at the top and visibility was ZERO. lol. How sad





Whoa we can haz messy hair.And an artistic shot for this Ahma! LOL






Yea and that's me concussing inside the car. ALWAYS HAPPEN whenever I am travelling lol.


SANGUMBURI

Again, you should be able to see an extinct volcanic crater here but.... WE SAW NOTHING AGAIN MEHHH. The picture on the left is me attempting to take a picture of it but visibility was way too bad!!! :( I still can't believe how suay we can be. IT WAS RAINING FOR ALL THE 3 DAYS :(


GREEN TEA MUSUEM

Ended up buying all sorts of Green Tea products back. Lol


DOGLAND

Not sure if it's called Dogland actually but we came across this while walking down from the Green Tea Museum!


LOVELAND



WHERE YOUR IMAGINATION CAN RUN WILD. LOL




YEA SEE WHAT I MEAN... The centre picture this Zh really last warnz bahahaha




Posing and acting along with the statues~




Love this picture!!!

And then we came to the gift shop of Loveland which sells alot alot of kinky stuff!


OKAI THAT'S THE END OF DAY 2.Think it was pretty late like 10++pm when we ended??


DAY 3Sat a short 30mins ferry ride to Udo Island!

Very unlike typical ferries because they do not have seats inside!


So cool one!! All the cars parked at the deck of the ferry so that means Mr Kim went along with us to Udo Island!

UDO ISLAND







Good weather in the morning before it started pouring again :'(


Trying to show how strong the wind was!! Our raincoat like tearing apart la!


CHEEESEEEE!


A hike up to the peak, which was actually pretty tiring because we were going against the direction of the wind!! So there's like this resistance force. And Mr Kim is so sweet to walk with us despite the crazy weather. Yknow he didn't just alight us at the venue and let us roam around ourselves but instead led the way and brought us around!! And he's SOOO FIT okay for his age! He was already at the peak waiting for us while we were still so far behind him!


WAH WAH WAH GOT MORE COOLIOS ANOT ^.^


Breathtaking views!




Wind is blowing me away~~ Hahaha we damn act can omg!!

So while climbing halfway to this white tower, it started pouring RIDICULOUSLY CRAZY. And I really mean it like the rain was just so heavy!!! We were soaked and drenched to the max la booooo.



SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!


Such pretty views of cuz I must be inside the picture right. But omg LOOK AT THIS CUI FACE AND CUI HAIR. The makeup like all genna washed away by the rain + wind. Mehhh :(



Udo Island is also famous for their white sandy beaches! Sadly we were just not there at the right season!





Love this group shot together with Mr Kim!!




And then another ferry back to the main Jeju Island!




SEAFOOD LUNCH

We told Mr Kim we wanted to have seafood for lunch and he brought us to this restaurant which was INSANELY HEAVENLY. It's like the equivalent of the Noryangjin Fish Market or even better!! And the abalones were still alive yknow when the soup was boiling, the abalones were still moving like opening and closing. Eeeww I feel so bad but it's SO DAMN FRESH & GOOD. Totally slurped the soup up to the last drip man!


Jj looks like he can't wait to start eating!!


He and his cuttlefish~


And girls with our Melon Icecream!!


MOUNT HALLA

A famous hike in Jeju!
But sadly there's actually a closing time to the hike and we reached a tad too late. Nonetheless, they allowed us to hike like 1/4 of it just to get a feel and look of it! Ohwell better than nothing!!






GREEN TEA MUSEUM

Yet another Green Tea Musuem and bagging home more Green Tea products lol.


GLASS CASTLE

This was kinda impromptu because we didn't have much time left and could only visit one more place near the vicinity of where we were!


A museum filled with glass related stuff!




This picture makes me wanna laugh cuz WE CLIMBED OUR WAY INTO THE EXHIBIT to sit down and pose! LOL.So afraid that we'll be caught and get shoo-ed out of the attraction!




I wanna sit inside a carriage too on the day I get married. Doubt I'll ever get my dream come true in SG! Bahahah


#likkaboss




Jj just same throughout all 4 shots. Simi...


And a group GIF!


CHINESE DINNER

Because of the fantastic chinese lunch we had on Day 1, we requested for a chinese dinner in another similar restaurant. SADLY... the chapchai-rice here was no way comparable to the one we had on Day 1. I know chapchai-rice just look so ordinary but I absolutely love the taste of it!!CAN'T FIND IT IN SINGAPORE.. HELP!!!!

Back to the airport~

One last shot with Mr Kim!


Cheryl crying because she misses Mr Kim already & she loves Jeju Island so much she doesn't want to return back to Seoul. Aiyo this girl ah... And that's Jeju Airport with NO CHAIRS inside the terminal. Everyone just lepak sit on floor kind again.

Flight back home to Seoul!!!!
Other than these attractions, there's also the famous Teddy Bear Museum and Tricked Art Museum in Jeju which we skipped because they have it in Seoul as well!! The only regret I have was not being able to visit the filming venue for DaChangJin cuz it was kinda out of the way from the rest of the attractions. :(
Alright. Hope this GUIDE TO JEJU ISLAND comes in handy for those who will be visiting Jeju in the near future!Comment at http://ask.fm/shennyyang for any other enquiries and I'll try my best to answer them!!Lastly, HAVE FUN!!!*\o/*