SallyJ

I will be in Jeju for 5 days and would love to know if there are any great antique shops, wonderful restaurants, or things I must do and see.

hobbes

That's a long time to spend in Jeju - I hope u get good weather, we went March'05 and it was COLD. One of the highlights of our trip was a tour with Viktor from www.jejueco.com - very interesting. There is a lovely restaurant in an old house near the Hyatt where we stayed which is worth going to.

SallyJ

Hi Hobbes,
Yes, Jeju isn't my idea of a destination, but we are going for a conference, so I will try and make the best of it!

What tour did you take? Do you remember the name of the restaurant because we are staying at the Hyatt as well.

Is there any good shopping on the island? Are prices better/worse than Seoul?

Thank you for your ideas.

hobbes

I don't recall the restaurant name but it is a standalone Korean barbecue place in the same compound as the Hyatt and the other hotel - tough to miss. We did an all day tour including a crater, bibimbap lunch, a tea plantation - it was fun. I didn't shop at all. The onsen at the Hyatt is nice.

SallyJ

Thank you for your input. It should be fun for a few days at least!

ekscrunchy

Isn't that island famous for pearls?

SallyJ

Yes, it's supposed to have these incredible female divers who free dive to get the oysters. I'm worried that not many people have any input to give me! I know it's not really a destination spot, but I am going for a conference. I will post my impressions when I return. Hopefully, it will exceede my expectations!

Rabbitlady

I was on Jeju-do last September for 5 days and loved it! There are beautiful beaches and the water was glorious. It was off-season and I swam places where there wasn't another person in sight.

I frankly didn't find the shopping appealing - mostly kitchey and touristy junk. It's the only place in S.Korea citrus fruit grows and that is a big market, but I wan't about to drag a 10-lb bag or oranges back to the US.

As far as places to see, the Manjanggul lava tube was fascinating (especially if you've never been to Hawaii and seen one). You can hike up to the rim of some craters - the hike up to the one at Sunrise Peak (Seongsan Ilchulbong) is phenominal. I've probably been to 20 or more Buddhist temples in S.Korea and the most spectacular, I thought, was Yakcheonsa on the island - really it will blow your mind, and be sure you go up to the higher levels to see the halls with what seems like a million tiny buddha statues in rows. Not to miss, the Jusangjolli Rocks, bizarre rock formations on the coast, and the waterfalls Jeongbangpokpo and Cheonjiyeonpokpo - spectacular. If you enjoy plants the Botanical Garden is very large and good. If you pass through Jungmun resort, which is the largest resort center on the island, here's a tip (probably providing you're off-season) - I roomed at the Hotel Hana for $100/night, but went next door to the Shilla and the Hyatt (which go for @$350+/night) and crashed their pool, sauna and facilities. Nobody looked at me twice.

It's very easy to rent a car at the airport and there are 10 or so different agencies with booths right in the lobby. I dont' think you could see the best on Jeju-do without a car - too remote and spread out.

merryenglish

Hello Sally,

Could you tell me what type of conference you will be at in Jeju and the location?

I also don't think shopping is a highlight of Jeju, but this is a pleasant place. I am teaching at a univeristiy here and have some very sweet students that maybe able to volunteer to help you in your travels for a couple days if you are interested.

If you like please e-mail me directly. [email protected]

JC98

Hi,

Is there any public transportation from the resorts in the south to the lava tube, volcano, temples, etc.? Or any good day tour? Something more nature-oriented and not kitschy-- like miniature world, pony ride, etc. that I see the trolly tours offer. Thanks!