Our host, JaeHwa, who is my friend's friend, is a photographer and he brought us to locations where he often shoots portraits and landscapes.
Cafe Bomnal is a famous coffee shop by the sea. Famous because it was the shooting location for the Korean drama series "Warm and Cozy." Drama series or not, I can understand why people flock to Cafe Bomnal. Being by the sea, it is a good place for fresh air, calming hues, and beautiful views. The cafe itself has eye-catching cute and quirky decor.
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 202 to 한담동 Handamdong bus stop (50 minutes) and walk about 5 minutes to Cafe Bomnal.
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Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 202 to 고산환승정류장 (고산1리) Gosan transfer bus stop (1.5 hours) and walk about 2 kilometers to the viewdeck on Dangsanbong. Important Note: We actually drove to this place and the directions are just based on the foot path visible on Google Maps.
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The Romantic is a cafe with many nooks perfect for a photoshoot. One corner takes you back centuries in time with its shelves of leatherbound books, classic sofas, a vintage globe, and an old piano. Another corner is spring all year round with its pots and buckets of flower and plants. And one corner, with its soft bed and two large stuffed teddy bears, will make you want to fall asleep with a smile.
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 231 to 교래사거리 Gyorae Sageori bus stop (40 minutes) and walk about 8 minutes to The Romantic.
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Saryeoni Forest has a 550-meter trail surrounded by tall Japanese cedar trees. This forest seems to be a popular spot for wedding photoshoots. There were four couples the day we visited!
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 231 to 붉은오름 Bolgeun Oreum bus stop (45 minutes). Or take bus 212 to 사려니숲길 Saryeoni Forest Road bus stop (30 minutes).
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Why go to Gwangchigi Beach? For the view of Seongsan Ilchulbong, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 201 to 광치기해변 Gwangchigi Beach bus stop (2 hours).
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Just a few feet off the ground...and then touchdown!
The one kilometer stretch of Jeonnong-ro is lined with cherry blossom trees and I was lucky to be in Jeju just as cherry blossom season had began. When I visited on March 26, the street was already adorned with lanterns in preparation for the Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival which was happening four days later. At night the lanterns were lit up and so were the trees.
Directions: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, walk about 5 minutes to Jeonnong-ro.
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Note: Since I was staying in Jeju City, the directions I have provided above start from Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal. If you are staying in Seogwipo City, use Google Maps to find nearby bus stops and what buses to take. If you can read Korean or have the patience to use Google translate (though the translation is not really perfect), the Jeju Bus app or the Jeju Bus website is a more accurate option than Google Maps.
South Korea Spring 2018
Jeju Accommodation: Sum Guesthouse Jeju Airport
Traveling Around Jeju by Bus
Checking out Cafes in Jeju
Jeju: Location, Location, Location (for a Photoshoot) (you're here!)
(more soon)
Cafe Bomnal
2540 Aewol-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si
9AM to 9PM
Cafe Bomnal is a famous coffee shop by the sea. Famous because it was the shooting location for the Korean drama series "Warm and Cozy." Drama series or not, I can understand why people flock to Cafe Bomnal. Being by the sea, it is a good place for fresh air, calming hues, and beautiful views. The cafe itself has eye-catching cute and quirky decor.
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 202 to 한담동 Handamdong bus stop (50 minutes) and walk about 5 minutes to Cafe Bomnal.
View from Cafe Bomnal
Details
Dangsanbong
당산봉
Gosan-ri, Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju-si
Dangsanbong is part of the Jeju Olle—26 hiking trails that circumnavigate Jeju Island and three of the smaller islands of Jeju. Someday I wish to do some of these hiking trails, but on this visit we just drove to a small parking spot near Dangsanbong and took a short (less than 10 minutes) slightly uphill hike to the viewdeck on Dangsanbong. From the observation deck, we had a sprawling view of the fields and, on the right, a view of Chagwi Island and the setting sun.
Chagwi Island
에코랜드테마파크
1278-169, Beonyeong-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si
830AM to 6PM (Closes at 5PM on winter)
Admission fee: 14,000 won
To get around Eco Land Theme Park, one has to ride a little train. The train makes four stops. The first stop is the Eco Bridge Station where one can stroll along a 300-meter long boardwalk over water. At the next station, Lake Side Station, there is a garden, a snack bar, a large wooden ship, a bumper boats area, a windmill, and a statue of Don Quixote. The third station, Picnic Garden Station, is a grassy area (walking on the grass is allowed depending on the season; when we visited, the grass was off limits because they were still letting the grass grow) with a playground, a cafe, and a walking trail. The last stop is the Lavender, Green Tea, and Rose Garden Station. Just as the name suggests, this is where one can can see a lavender field, a green tea field, and a rose garden. Unfortunately, it was still early spring when we visited and there were no flowers yet.
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 231 to 제주돌문화공원 Jeju Stone Culture Park bus stop (40 minutes) and walk about 5 minutes to Eco Land Theme Park.
Mode of transportation around Eco Land
One of the views at Eco Bridge Station
The boardwalk at Eco Bridge Station
Lake Side Station
Picnic Garden Station
The Romantic
476 Gyorae-ri, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si
10AM to 9PM
The Romantic is a cafe with many nooks perfect for a photoshoot. One corner takes you back centuries in time with its shelves of leatherbound books, classic sofas, a vintage globe, and an old piano. Another corner is spring all year round with its pots and buckets of flower and plants. And one corner, with its soft bed and two large stuffed teddy bears, will make you want to fall asleep with a smile.
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 231 to 교래사거리 Gyorae Sageori bus stop (40 minutes) and walk about 8 minutes to The Romantic.
Saryeoni Forest
사려니숲길
Entrance of Bolgeun Oreum, Gasi-ri, Seogwipo-si
Saryeoni Forest has a 550-meter trail surrounded by tall Japanese cedar trees. This forest seems to be a popular spot for wedding photoshoots. There were four couples the day we visited!
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 231 to 붉은오름 Bolgeun Oreum bus stop (45 minutes). Or take bus 212 to 사려니숲길 Saryeoni Forest Road bus stop (30 minutes).
Gwangchigi Beach
광치기해변
Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 201 to 광치기해변 Gwangchigi Beach bus stop (2 hours).
Seongsan Ilchubong as seen from Gwangchigi Beach
Canola Flower Fields
Goseong-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si
Admission fee: 1,000 won
Admission fee: 1,000 won
Because it was the season for canola flowers (end of March), we just had to stop and smell take photos of the golden flowers in one of the canola flower fields near Gwangchigi Beach!
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 201 to 광치기해변 Gwangchigi Beach bus stop (2 hours).
Plane Spotting
Seohaean-ro, Yongdamsam-dong, Jeju-si
There is a road on the other side of Jeju International Airport that overlooks the runway. Along that road are benches where people can watch planes land and take off. You don't have to know the arrival schedules—a plane lands every five minutes, I guarantee you!
Directions by bus: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus 462 to 대학동 Daehagdong bus stop then transfer to bus 447 and get off at 용담레포츠공원 Yongdam Leports Park bus stop. Walk about 10 minutes to the benches overlooking the airport runway.
Jeonnong-ro
Jeonnong-ro, Jeju-si
The one kilometer stretch of Jeonnong-ro is lined with cherry blossom trees and I was lucky to be in Jeju just as cherry blossom season had began. When I visited on March 26, the street was already adorned with lanterns in preparation for the Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival which was happening four days later. At night the lanterns were lit up and so were the trees.
Directions: From Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, walk about 5 minutes to Jeonnong-ro.
Ready for the Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival
Jeonnong-ro at night
Note: Since I was staying in Jeju City, the directions I have provided above start from Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal. If you are staying in Seogwipo City, use Google Maps to find nearby bus stops and what buses to take. If you can read Korean or have the patience to use Google translate (though the translation is not really perfect), the Jeju Bus app or the Jeju Bus website is a more accurate option than Google Maps.
South Korea Spring 2018
Jeju Accommodation: Sum Guesthouse Jeju Airport
Traveling Around Jeju by Bus
Checking out Cafes in Jeju
Jeju: Location, Location, Location (for a Photoshoot) (you're here!)
(more soon)