Travel and Tourism: Jeju Island, S. Korea

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Jeju Island, S. Korea

Almost two years ago, I attended the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, a 2 1/2 days conference in the southern island of Jeju, South Korea. That was around May 29-31, 2013. Thanks to EFN Asia for that opportunity.

A day after the conference, June 01, 2013, the conference sponsors organized a free half-day tour of the island. Jeju may look small on the map but it is a big island, with many mountains, hills, meadows, flat lands, long coastal areas. We went to this area, the Yongnuni Oreum.

A guide explained to us the landmarks, some history of the place.

There are several hills to climb. The trail is not hard because there are mats that control or prevent soil erosion and degradation of the footpath.

In areas that are more steep, the mats are thicker. I like the wooden barriers here.

Many parts of the island are rocky. So the construction of rock walls is common in some parts of the road, or as fence and dividers among houses.

Overlooking a hill, then a valley, then another hill.

The hills are simply covered by grasses, not trees. I think trees cannot thrive naturally on those hills because they are rocky and have thin topsoil. Like the summit area of Mt. Apo in Davao and Mt. Pulag in Benguet, Philippines.

Trees thrive in gulleys and the lowlands, where there is thicker topsoil and can support the needs of thick and elaborate roots of the trees.

It is also good that trees do not thrive on the hills, otherwise they will block the view of the surrounding areas. Trees in the lowland is great and perfect.

Seemingly barren, grass carpeted valley.

I was taking scenes of the island from this hill, 360 deg view. It was nice.

There are areas with thick forest cover, and areas that are purely grass covered.

Certain areas near the road are cultivated. It was spring so farmers were preparing the land, for planting in summer.

Some friends in the EFN Asia team. From left, Pett Jarupaiboon (Thailand), Sung-eun Lim (S. Korea), man in the middle also a conference participant but not part of our team, and Pham Chi Lan (Vietnam).