"Jeju--Jewel of the East" Jeju-do by TheTravelSlut

Jeju-do Travel Guide: 324 reviews and 904 photos

Asia's largest Buddhist temple & sanctum-Yakchun

Jeju-Hidden gems within the island

I have to admit I did not know much about Jeju until I decided to visit before my trip to China. I am so glad I came here because I would have missed an opportunity to see the Korea's version of Hawaii.

Jeju seems tropical yet it has four distinct seasons. The island has elevations from sea level to over 6,000 ft. (1,950 m) in Mt. Halla which can be snow-covered in winter.

Jeju is called Jeju-do, Cheyju and any number of variations. The island population in 2007 is 550,000 with the majority of people living in Jeju City on the north side. It takes less than one hour to drive from north to south but about 5-6 hours to drive around the perimeter of the island.

Jeju has the world's largest Teddy Bear museum, themed botantical gardens, stone sculpture park, an Africa museum, world-class golfing, fishing, scuba diving, mountain biking, beaches that are inviting, Folk Villages, women's diving observation (Haenyeo), tangerine groves & tea fields, waterfalls, lava caves, racehorses, casinos, Loveland (more on this later) and even a Chocolate Museum!

An island Paradise

Looking @ the Jungman resort area of Jeju

Flowers, citrus trees, palms and pines--Jeju appears to be tropical yet its volcanic origin provides varying landscapes that allow a person to enjoy a mountaintop vista in the morning, a beautiful beach in the afternoon and a 5 star resort at night.

Festivals and sporting events are found year-round and the island residents live virtually pollution- free and are environmentally sensitive to current issues.

Approximately 500,000 people live on Jeju, which is a special self-governing province of Korea located south of the mainland. It is currently seeking a designation as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

Jeju-modern & ancient culture with charming people

Traditional Korean Dance by performing art troupe

Taking a quote from a Jeju source: "Jeju inspires, impresses and delights."

I can attest that this is accurate based on my first impressions.

There is also another quote that sums up life on Jeju---"No thieves, no beggars, no gates".

Whether you wish to explore prehistoric sites or modern day adventures, Jeju can provide you the satisfaction and do it with a smile.

Pros and Cons

Pros:The beauty of the island is only matched by its people's charm
Cons:I cannot find anything negative about Jeju
In a nutshell:If you travel to Korea, you must see Jeju before you leave

Last visit to Jeju-do: Mar 2007
Intro Updated Mar 28, 2007
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Reviews (7)

Outside temple entrance- Everything was beautiful - Jeju-do

Yakchun Buddhist Temple & Sanctum-Jeju Things to Do (5)

Yakcheonsa Temple's main building (Daejeokgwangjeon) is classic Buddhist construction. It is over 90 feet high and... more travel advice

The park is large & requires (easy) walking - Jeju-do

Jeju Traditional Folk Village Things to Do (5)

This is one of several island traditional folk villages and is primarily an outdoor museum which showcases dozens of... more travel advice

The "Sky Pool" at Jeju Stone Park - Jeju-do

Jeju Stone Park Things to Do (5)

The new (opened summer of 2006) Jeju Stone Park is both a mix of indoor and outdoor museum and exhibits and considers... more travel advice

Entrance to the Jeju Haenyeo Museum theater - Jeju-do

A unique museum honoring women divers of... Things to Do (5)

The new Jeju Haenyeo Museum honors the generations (perhaps as long as 2,000 years ago), the women divers of Jeju. It... more travel advice

Hotels (2)
See All The Shilla in pictures

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Travelogues (1)

Written Mar 28, 2007

8 photos

Jeju--worth the wait in getting here

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Comments (25)

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Yaqui Oct 3, 2012 at 8:34 PM

The Jeju Haenyeo Museum honoring women divers would be on my list to see. The temple is so beautiful! Excellent page Ann.
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Yaqui Nov 1, 2011 at 6:15 PM

The Yakchun Buddhist Temple is gorgeous! What brave women, the The Jeju Haenyeo Museum honoring women divers would be on my list to see if I every get to visit such a beautiful place. Excellent page Ann.
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Greggor58 Jan 30, 2011 at 5:33 PM

I think you enjoyed your "time out" here on Jeju...Thanks for the little tour...Im pretty sure Ill include some time here in April...did you maybe notice any bicycle rentals around the island???
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balhannah May 24, 2010 at 1:22 AM

What a Park! I bet you had fun! Certainly an interesting page.
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BruceDunning Dec 20, 2009 at 9:36 AM

It looked like you were "prodding" that statue who then rose form the ground. Nice pictures of the area and sites for my virtual tour.
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junecorlett Sep 23, 2009 at 11:39 AM

Thanks for the tour Ann - we have not yet visited Korea - dont know if we will, there are so many places to visit. Good info here.
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hunterV Sep 19, 2009 at 11:12 AM

It's an amazing place... I agree with you it's a must in Korea... ><><><><
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Elisabcn Aug 23, 2009 at 3:51 AM

Interesting page and good pics, Ann! That Loveland looks terrific :-))) Thanks for sharing :-)
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hindu1936 May 26, 2009 at 10:02 PM

Although we've been to Jeju-do several times, we had never heard of Loveland until just now. Net time--thanks for the good tips. Come back to Korea and we'll guide you to some other off the beaten track places
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lynnehamman Oct 19, 2008 at 2:38 PM

Very interesting page n Jeju.It certainly seems like an undiscovered jewel of Asia. Good tips & pics