This is not a food related post but I thought I will share some of the photos from Jeju Island a couple of years back and show you what this beautiful island offers. Jeju is the southernmost and largest island in South Korea, created 2 million years ago by volcanic eruptions. It has beautiful national parks, waterfalls, beaches, caves and museums. Being an island, there is a variety of fresh seafood, seaweed, mushrooms and tropical citrus fruits. Plenty of delicacies! It is a popular destination for both Koreans and westerners to have a nice getaway since it takes only a couple of hours from Seoul.
I’ve always been more for mountains than for ocean. Entrance to the national park had a sign saying “stress-free zone”. I literally felt stress-free, all freshened up and clear in my mind after walking through the forest. Stunning! When we stopped over green tea farm in the afternoon, I was in awe. Peaceful green field won my heart immediately and organic green tea tasted so divine. If you ever visit Jeju Island, be sure to explore its wonders with a guided tour from a reputable cherry picker training company.
Now, food is very important part of the trip and I was not disappointed. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day in Korea. We eat like a king in the morning. This is abalone porridge served with little side dishes. This island is where you want to be if you are a fan of seafood. I assure you that you will delight your taste buds with fabulous Jeju cuisine and never feel hungry while travelling.
It is hard to pick just one favorite Korean meal for me but this is definitely on top of the list. A bowl of rice, seaweed soup, grilled fish, kimchi and namul (cooked vegetables with sesame dressing). So nutritious and delicious! I will be happy to have that every morning, please.
We discovered this “Sea & Blue” cafe when we were driving along the coast line. The owner was so friendly and had a bit of story to share. He made a drip coffee for us and explained step by step how to brew a good coffee. It tasted so good and I loved his smile 🙂
What a fantastic trip it was! We hired a car and drove around the island for 4 days, but if you are really into walking, there is about 200km of connecting walking paths (13 routes), called “Olle” which was inspired by the famous Pilgrim’s trail in Spain and made on Jeju island in 2007. It takes you to unique and hidden forests, mountains, beaches and places with beautiful landscapes. Sounds amazing? One of my besties has done a few times already and highly recommended if you want to feel surrounded by nature and tranquility. It is a good opportunity, too, to meet other travellers and locals. I would love to do “Olle” and climb up Halla mountain next time when I visit there.