Korea Trip Day 3 : Jeju Canola, Seongsan & Manjanggul

Our first stop for the day was Noksan-ro where we were able to view both Canola and Cherry Blossom side by side each other. It was indeed a remarkable sight with bright yellow and pink flowers dotted along the stretch of road. This was one of the rare moments where we could catch a glimpse of a beautiful masterpiece in nature as the flowers typically bloom for a short period of time in spring.

After indulging in the bright and colourful scenery, we moved on to Seongsan Ilchulbong.  Seongsan Ilchulbong also known as Sunrise Peak was hailed as a great location for viewing sunrise. However we still prefer our beauty sleep more than anything else. Hence we did not make the climb in the early morning hours.

Before making the ascent on the peak, we stopped for lunch at 한성식당 Han Seong Restaurant (782-4646). We ordered seafood pancake and seafood soup which were both very delicious. We were also served a variety of side dishes.

Having loaded up with energy from the sumptuous seafood lunch, we embarked on the ascent on the peak. It was not easy to hike up the peak. The initial gentle slope soon turned into steep steps further up. At the top of the peak, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the surrounding areas. There was not much to see on the crater except that it was covered in lush greenery.

On the way down to the base of the peak, we made a detour to catch a glimpse of the House of Haenyeo. There were scheduled performances where one could watch the women divers in action. We had enough exercise for the day and we did not stay for the performance as it meant more stairs climbing.

We stopped by at Caffe Bene for a cup of latte and muffin to reward ourselves for making it to the peak. After a short tea break, we drove to Manjanggul Cave. The cave was formed when lava flowed underground and sprouted to the surface. There were steps leading down to the cave, so it was for more exercise for us.

The cavern was huge and the tunnel was more than 7 km long. However only about 1 km was accessible to Public. It was quite cold in the cave and some of the areas were wet and slippery. It was an eye opener as we could see interesting structures and marks left by the lava as we walked from one end to the other end.

We headed back to Jeju City after a day of exploration of some of the wonderful masterpiece in nature. We had dinner at 늘봄흑돼지 Neulbom (744-9001) where we ordered the signature black pork which was a specialty in Jeju. The staff helped with the barbecue and also cut the meat into smaller chunks. The  meat was juicy and tender and the side dishes were also good.