My Jeju Itinerary
Seoul is a city that is vibrant and full of life which is why even after staying here for almost four months, I have not once gotten bored. I love how there are always new places to visit, new cafés to discover, new foods to eat and more! However, I would recommend traveling to other parts of Korea while you are here because Seoul is just one part of Korea and there is much more than just one city.
One of those places I would recommend would be Jeju Island. I had the opportunity to travel there for a weekend and it was so nice to get out of Seoul for a little while. Here’s a rundown of my trip in Jeju and my recommendations if you plan to visit!
THE HAENYEO
One of the things I highly recommend doing is visiting the women divers who are called Haenyeo. The Haenyeo are women in their later ages, some up to their eighties, that dive into the ocean to bring out fresh seafood. It's amazing how they can still do this at their older ages; they are very strong and courageous. Before they dive, they sing some traditional Korean songs which are fun to hear. After watching them dive, you can eat the fresh seafood they catch. Although it is a bit pricey due to how fresh it is, it is so worth it, so I highly recommend it if you enjoy seafood!
FOOD
In Jeju, there are many foods you cannot miss on trying. First, Jeju has tasty oranges, so you must eat an orange or try the fresh juice. After drinking freshly made juice, you will never go back to regular orange juice: it was unbelievably tasty and refreshing. In addition, if you enjoy Korean barbeque, you must eat the black pork in Jeju; it has been referred to as the wagyu beef of pork due to how delectable and delicious it is. Lastly, you must check out a food market while in Jeju. They have many unique foods, especially if you love seafood because of the freshness of it. The food tends to be on the cheaper side so you can try many things. At these markets they tend to have stores as well that are full of souvenirs, with many cool knick knacks; there are many orange themed things due to the popularity of the fruit, and they are all so adorable.
BEACH/ WATERFALL
Jeju is an island so you cannot miss out on visiting a beach or two. Dodu-dong Rainbow Coastal Road was the beach I visited, and it was cool because the whole beach had colorful blocks placed throughout. If you love to take pictures this is a great place to take some shots! In addition, I had a chance to see a waterfall which was majestic and beautiful to witness! It was nice to be in nature after months of being in the bustling city of Seoul; listening to the water hitting the rocks was peaceful!
THE END
In all, I hope you are convinced to come visit Jeju while you study abroad in Seoul. These suggestions are only what I did during my weekend, so there is so much of the island you can explore!
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