[Itinerary 3] How to maximize your day in Eastern Jeju!
Highlights
🔖 Geumneung Park 제주 금능석물원
We took a morning stroll around our Airbnb and happened upon Geumneung Stone Park by chance. As fate would had it that the students were learning about Seolmundae, a giant grandmother in Jeju folklore who fell into a pot while cooking for her 500 sons. Unaware, they ate the meal, only to learn later that they have consumed her. K-drama started before TV existed.
Geumneung Stone Park is a large park filled with sculptures. (See pictures from this stranger’s blog.) We paid an admission fee of KRW 6,000. It is not cheap considering visiting Hallasan is free, but it’s worth it for me who found the exhibits quite whimsical with a morbid sense of humor. Expect to spend about 1 hour to truly appreciate the park. Do read Google Reviews about the entrance fee.
The creator of Geumneung Stone Park is Master Jang Gong-ik, a renowned craftsman born in Hallim, Jeju. In 1993, he was awarded the title of Master Craftsman in recognition of his skills by the country. His works, which express Jeju’s way of life in stone, are both heartfelt and humorous.
Jeongnyeo Cave is near the entrance of Geumneung Stone Park. There’s a stone Buddha statue created by Master Jang at the end of the small quiet and cooling cave.
There are various shapes and sizes of Dolhareubang 돌하르방 (lit. stone grandfather) statues and stone carvings that depict old Jeju life and mythology.
The park also features re-creations of traditional Jeju landscapes, including Jeongnang 정낭 ,long thick wooden rods used at the entrance of Jeju homes to indicate whether people were home or not, and to prevent livestock from entering the yard.
By Trainholic - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=117810060
Another notable feature of Geumneung Stone Park is the preservation of Jorong Cave. Legend has it that this is the cave of the 99-tailed fox who appeared in the records of Jeju’s famous doctor 진좌수 so it is recognized as a national cultural and academic asset.
If you’re interested in local art and culture, this park offers a meaningful glimpse into Jeju’s heritage through its stone sculptures and carvings. It’s worth a visit if you’re in the area.
MAPS
Geumneung Park Google Maps Kakaomap Naver Map
🔖 Paragliding
My students had booked paragliding before coming to Jeju; however, they received a text that it was cancelled due to bad weather. When I called to check, the person said we could book for the next day. It was only when they said they hadn't cancelled that I realized I had called a different company. The point is there are quite a few companies running paragliding. It seems that the activity is either at Geum Oreum (금오름) or Seoubong (서우봉).
The next day, we went to a donut cafe called Donas Day (도나스데이) as instructed. The lady in charge does the admin work, including payments, at a corner seat in the cafe. There’s a back room to put on their paragliding jumpsuits and helmets.
Those of us not participating waited at the cafe after the vehicle took the gliders to Geum Oreum, where they would paraglide down from. We photographed them coming down and quickly drove to the landing field to take more photos.
The company also texted us their photos. The GoPro video shots could be purchased separately.
MAPS
도나스데이 Donas Day Google Maps Kakaomap Naver Map
🔖 Crackers Coffee
En route to Sinchang Windmill Road, a detour was made to Crackers Coffee to buy their roasted beans. I first discovered their Hangyeong branch when I stayed in the quiet neighborhood nearby. The cafe’s modern, chic exterior contrasts with the traditional Korean countryside surroundings, drew me to make a U-turn the first time I came . I’ve visited several times since, and though it’s never crowded, the cafe seems to maintain a steady stream of customers. Its location at a junction along the 1115 highway between Sinchang and the O’sulloc Tea Museum likely helps with that.
I have a special affection for Crackers because it kickstarted my DIY drip coffee lifestyle. The first time I bought beans there, I mistakenly thought they were pre-ground. Though they offer grinding services, I knew nothing about roasteries and ended up taking the whole beans home. This led me to buy a portable grinder from E-mart and filters from Daiso, and I have since been making my own coffee.
MAPS
Crackers Coffee : Google Map Kakaomap Naver Map
🔖 Sinchang Windmill Coastal Road
SInchang Windmill Coastal Road is famous for its spectacular sunset view featuring the giant windmills.
My favorite spot is the breakwater pier behind Jeju Marine Ranch - Dive Resort. The sun sets along the horizon, overlooking fishing boats, shops, and houses on the opposite side of the pier.
If you can’t make it for sunset, the windmills themselves are a stunning sight! These massive works of engineering, standing at 1,500 meters, dominate the landscape. This area in western Jeju experiences the fiercest winds, and you can even see the windmills from planes flying overhead.
When the weather is mild—not too hot or windy—you can walk along the bridge that stretches from Singyemul Park (싱계물공원) to the lighthouse. ‘Singyemul’ (싱계물) is Jeju dialect for ‘newly discovered seawater spring,’ with 계물 referring to a stream or natural spring. You can still find the preserved seawater bathhouse here, surrounded on all sides by stone walls.
MAPS
Jeju Marine Ranch - Dive Resort : Google Map Kakaomap Naver Map
🔖 제주 돔베 막국수 Cutting Board Meat Buckwheat Noodles
This unassuming noodlee restaurant in a very quiet neighborhood is an unexpectedly delightful find! Dombe-gogi means “cutting board meat” in the Jeju dialect, with dombe (돔베) referring to a cutting board. It’s simply steamed pork, sliced right on the board for easy eating—a Jeju specialty!
The owner-cook is very friendly, and the photos on the small restaurant’s walls showcase his world travels. Today in November 2024, he’s on a bike trip in the USA!
MAPS
제주 돔베 막국수 Cutting Board Meat Buckwheat Noodles:
Google Maps Kakaomap Naver Map
🔖 Hallasan Mountain Eoseungsaengak 어승생악 Trail
This is the easiest trail for beginners to get a taste of Hallasan. The elevation starts at 980m and ends at 1,170m, with a round-trip distance of about 3km up and down steps. It takes around 1 to 2 hours to complete.
Make sure you don’t start at the wrong trailhead—read the signs!
This easy trail shares the same car park with the harder Eorimok trail. More than once, I’ve found myself on the harder trail, overhearing foreign tourists confused as they continue ascending after an hour with no end in sight, thinking they are on Eoseungsaengak.
MAPS
Eoseungsaengak 어승생악 Trail : Google Maps Kakaomap Naver Map
🔖 Jeju Madang 제주마당 ( eat long fish )
I don’t like to eat fish. This is my excuse for my fish ignorance. The most I’ve heard about galchi (갈치) comes from my foodie countrymen who visit Jeju. "You must try the long fish while you’re here!" they say.
So, here’s what the internet told me about this famous long fish - Galchi (갈치), or hairtail fish, is a long, thin, silver-colored fish that’s hard to keep fresh once caught. Jeju’s marine environment is ideal for hairtail habitation, so there’s plenty of it, and it’s almost guaranteed to be fresh.
My student introduced us to Jeju Madang, the first restaurant to serve an entire galchi fish in a long metal pot (통갈치조림). Jeju Madang developed the ‘Jumbo Elephant Grilled Whole Hairtail’ and ‘Jumbo Braised Whole Hairtail’ dishes. Reportedly, they were the first to use custom-made, long iron pans with dual gas burners for these whole fish dishes. While many restaurants now offer similar items, Jeju Madang, with its 2015 patent on the cooking method, is considered the pioneer of whole braised hairtail.
The spicy braised fish stew is served with an impressive spread of shrimp, octopus, and abalone. My seafood-loving friends seemed to enjoy the meal very much, and I was thoroughly entertained by the culinary presentation.
MAPS
Jeju Madang Google Maps Kakaomap Naver Map
🔖 Starbucks Seohaean 스타벅스 서해안로
I’m not a huge fan and have not been to every Starbucks in Jeju, but I rate this 서해안로 branch the best simply for the plane-over-the-ocean sighting every 5 minutes. Otherwise it’s just another Starbucks.
There’s usually a drive-thru for Starbucks in Jeju. As I had not experienced drive-thru Starbucks back home, it was a little thrilling to experience the first time here in Jeju, but at the Aewol Starbucks.
MAPS
Starbucks Seohaean : Google Maps Kakaomap Naver Map
