Jeju Island South Korea

The haenyeo of Jeju dove to 20 metres on a single breath, and their numbers dropped from 30,000 to fewer than 4,000 in two generations

Jeju is a volcanic island 80 kilometres south of the Korean mainland that receives 15 million visitors per year, almost all of them Korean domestic tourists. This shapes the experience significantly: the infrastructure, signage, and pricing are aimed primarily at Korean visitors, which is mostly an advantage for international travellers (things work, food is good, transport is reliable) with occasional gaps in English-language provision. The island’s UNESCO status covers its volcanic landscape; its haenyeo free-diving women’s tradition was added separately to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016. Both recognitions are deserved and both represent different parts of what makes the island worth the trip.

The haenyeo – literally “sea women” – have been diving for seafood in Jeju’s waters for over a millennium. Women were traditionally the primary economic contributors in Jeju households, diving for abalone, sea urchin, and conch at depths of up to 20 metres on a single breath, with no diving equipment. At their peak in the mid-20th century there were around 30,000 active haenyeo. Today fewer than 4,000 remain, most of them over 60. The tradition is dying slowly but visibly. The Haenyeo Museum in Gujwa on the east coast gives the most complete picture; the watching-from-a-distance demonstrations at tourist beaches give a sanitised version. Go to the museum first.

The Volcanic Landscape

Hallasan at 1,947 metres is the highest mountain in South Korea and the shield volcano around which the island formed. Two trails lead to the summit: the Seongpanak trail from the east (5.1 kilometres each way, 4-5 hours) and the Gwaneumsa trail from the north (8.7 kilometres, more demanding). Only one trail opens to the summit on any given day; check which is open before making the journey. The crater lake Baengnokdam at the summit is visible from the surrounding ridge; the crater interior is off-limits.

Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) is a tuff cone formed by a hydrovolcanic eruption about 5,000 years ago. The 182-metre ascent on maintained steps takes 20 minutes and gives views of the crater and the sea. It is Jeju’s most photographed attraction and is crowded from 8am daily. First-flight arrivals can reach it for dawn.

Manjanggul is one of the longest accessible lava tubes in the world at 13.4 kilometres total; 1 kilometre is open to visitors. The interior temperature is 11-18 degrees Celsius year-round, which is the first practical consideration. The lava formations – stalactites, lava balls, a lava column at the far end of the accessible section – are best appreciated with the limited lighting the cave allows rather than your own flash.

Food

Jeju black pork (heukdwaeji) is the dish most closely associated with the island. Black pigs have been raised in Jeju for centuries; the meat is darker with a more pronounced flavour than mainland Korean pork. It is grilled at the table in thick slices and eaten with lettuce wraps, kimchi, and the standard accompaniments. The restaurants on Heukdwaeji Street (Black Pig Street) near Dongmun Market in Jeju City are the reference point. If you eat only one thing on the island, make it this.

Hallabong mandarins grown on Jeju’s volcanic slopes are a major export crop and noticeably better fresh on the island than anywhere they’re shipped to. Buy them from the roadside stalls rather than supermarkets.

Getting Around

A rental car is the practical transport for seeing the island. Jeju is 73 kilometres at its longest; the coastal circuit road gives a complete circuit. Public buses cover major attractions but the schedules make multiple sites in a day slow. Rental cars run around KRW 50,000-80,000 per day (roughly USD 35-55).

The Jeju Olle trail network covers 425 kilometres in 26 sections around the coast and into the interior. Sections 7 and 10 (both coastal) are consistently the best for scenery. Cherry blossom season in late March and April and autumn foliage in October and November are the most visually rewarding periods to visit.