Seoul & Jeju Day 5: Seongsan Ilchubong Peak, Udo Island, Seopjikoji, Pyoseon Haebichi Beach, Jeju Folk Village Museum

Day 5
Summary: Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak > Udo Island > Seopjikoji > Pysoseon Haebichi Beach > Jeju Folk Village Museum

It rained for the whole day, but we have fun in the rain!!

A eventful day covering the east part of Jeju Island! 

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Seongsan Ilchulbong (one of the UNESCO world heritage) is a MUST VISIT in Jeju island. It was formed 5,000 years ago through hydrovolcanic activity. We heard that the sunrise view is magnificent. It takes one and a half hour drive from Seogwipo to Seongsan Ilchubong Peak. Meaning that if we would like to catch the sunrise at Seongsan (5am), we have to wake up at 3am! Definitely not an option for lazy people like me.

We depart from Dreaming House Pension about 6am and reached the Sunrise Peak at 7.30am. Dah dah~ Here we are!

Seongsan Ilchubong @ 7.30am

A very scenic place. Absolutely in love with the green grass, blue ocean and windy cold weather. 

 

It takes about one hour to hike to the Peak of Seongsan. Climb climb climb~  

At intervals, there are fantastic viewpoints for postcard-worthy shots. Snap snap snap~

Halfway up the 180m high volcano. The view gets better as you go higher. 

Hang on a little more!

Funky rock formation

Jeff and his favorite Dol hareubang, the grandfather statue

It was drizzling. "Don't give up!" we shout to each other!

And yesh!!! Finally, we are at the peak!!! 

A full panoramic view of the sea and the eastern coastline at the peak. Gorgeous! You can probably imagine how incredible would be the sunrise... *early bird gets the worm*

 

Fully indulged in the fresh air and spectacular view ~ Although the steps are tiring, it was definitely worthy!  

After spending about 20 minutes at the peak... Slowly... we make our way back to the foot of the hill. The staircase is well built, not too steep or slippery. This makes it accessible to a wide age group.

Stomach grumbling after a close to two hours hike on Sunrise peak! We went for abalone porridge at the foot of the hill at Hanyeo divers restaurant. Can you spot the female divers behind?

Can you spot the female divers behind?

The Hanyeo female divers are also known as the mermaids in Jeju island. Unlike fisherman who fish using rod or net, these women dive into the ocean without any tools! *last mermaids on earth* 

Goodbye Seongsan Ilchulbong.  "YEa~ we have conquered you!!!"

Next destination, Udo Island! Udo is a cozy small island off the Jeju coast. It is just a 15 minutes ferry ride from the Seongsan Port. Ferry cost about 4,000 won/pax. If you are planning to bring your car, there will be an additional fee of 25,000 won. 

We left our car at the mainland and hopped on the ferry.

Udo Ferry Ride

 *Welcome to BEAUTIFUL U-DO*

It rained cats and dogs once we alight from the ferry~ ANOTHER rainy day...

Look at my face...

No matter how much we dislike it, the truth is we can't change the weather. Well, RAIN COAT OFF, and we started our very own rainy day adventure...

There are many vehicles for rent in the island such as bike, scooter and ATV. Of course if you want, another easy alternative will be taking the bus tour. With only 5,000 won, you would be able to visit 4 famous spots in Udo Island (Udo-bong, Geommeolle Beach, Dongangyeonggul Cave and Sebin White Sand). 

We rented a scooter with folding cover for 35,000 won. I guess this could be the best way to enjoy Udo on a rainy day! Remember to bring your international driving permit!

*OFF WE GO~*

Our very first stop at Udo. There are plenty of nice cafe around the island. With a scooter, you can travel round the island on a leisurely pace in 2 hours.

The rape flower fields were out of our imagination. So pretty~

Udo feels like more of an island than Jeju itself. And in April, there are few visitors. We felt like we were the only man in this island. Or maybe it was due to the rain?

Black rock, golden sand, turquoise waters, green fields. Such a colorful and beautiful island.

 

It was fun driving in the rain. The wind is so strong and cold. My hat was nearly blown off by the wind. 

*Coffee* We need some hot drinks to keep ourselves warm...

We didn't get to try the peanut flavored ice-cream which is one of the signature food in Udo. *shivering*  Too cold for ice-cream... 

But a very romantic weather. :)

All wet... from head to toe

We returned our scooter after wandering for 2 hours, and caught the ferry back to Seongsan port. *still shivering* We sat in front of the heater, and that kept us warm for the rest of our ferry ride.

Still... The rain didn't give way when we were back in Jeju island. Guess where were we?

We were here at the filming site of "All-In", Seopjikoji. The wind was too strong when we attempted the climb. We waited for half an hour hoping the weather will get better. *Rain rain go away, come again another day* 

We gave up after half an hour wait. 

Seopjikoji, we will be back again!!

Stop-by the famous Pyoseon Haebichi Beach along our way to Jeju Folk Village Museum. It could be a nice walk if not because of the bad weather condition.

Jeju Folk Village Museum, we gonna do it in rain coat! The place is well-kept, but the the traditional houses are more or less the same... Jeju Folk Village museum is well-known for the shooting place of Korean Drama, "Daeganggeum". It has a small exhibition house displaying things used in "Daeganggeum". Fans of the drama series will definitely enjoy the visit otherwise you might just find it normal. 

The only thing that interest me is the small maze puzzle in the middle of the garden. It is quite simple and we managed to complete it in less than 10 minutes.

A tiring but fruitful day for us. Although there were restrictions on things that we can do due to the weather condition, we enjoyed every single moment in the rain.

Little reward for ourselves~  

Home cook dinner. :)

See |11 Days Itinerary in Seoul & Jeju | 
See |10 Surviving Tips and Travel Tips to South Korea | 
See |Self-Driving Guide in Jeju Island|

Back to |Seoul & Jeju Day 4: Gimpo Aiport, Jeju International Airport, Check in Dreaming Forest Pension, Jungmun Tourist Complex|
Continue to | Seoul & Jeju Day 6: Jeongbang falls, Yakcheongsa Temple, Jusangjeollidae Cliff, Mysterious Road, Love Land, Check in W Hotel|