Jeju is a volcanic island.

 This is a well-known destination not only in South Korea but throughout the world. A volcanic island with a perfectly elliptical shape, it is located in the far south of the country. In the center of the island is the extinct Halla Volcano, the highest point in South Korea at 1950 meters. Jeju Island is the largest of the islands belonging to the Republic of Korea. The last volcanoes on the island erupted just over a thousand years ago, so all of them are now presumably inactive. Jeju Island is encircled by a ring road approximately 200 kilometers long. Cars are available for rent at almost any hotel.

For its stunningly beautiful and unique natural environment, the island was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jeju Island in Korea is functionally similar to Crimea in the USSR. Schoolchildren are regularly taken there on vacation, newlyweds come here on honeymoons, and many foreign tourists come here. Unfortunately, the beach season on the island is short: only a month or two, as the first half of summer is rainy. Locals say that due to the weather-tolerant Russian tourists, this season has lengthened somewhat in recent years.

Symbols of Jeju

One of the symbols of Jeju Island is the Tolharuban , a statue of a kindly old man made of black lava. Tourists are told that if you rub his nose, something good will happen... Apparently, a baby will be born, and whether it's a boy or a girl depends on which side of the old man you approach. As a result, all their noses are worn off. The Tolharubans once served as talismans for the locals. Some guides say the statues were deliberately placed around the island by women so that pirates would think there were men on the island at any given moment (although, of course, they were all fishing in the sea). But it's hard to imagine that even in the fog, one could mistake the Tolharubans for living men. It's said that only a few ancient Tolharubans remain on the island. Almost all are modern creations; there are modern artisans who make these lava old men.

The second symbol is represented by female divers who harvest sea cucumbers, shellfish, and octopuses. They can dive to depths of up to 20 meters without scuba gear. They are called Honyo , and children are trained to do so from the age of five, but there are practically no young Honyo: their daughters prefer to earn their living in more modern and safer ways. Recently, the lucrative mandarin orange industry has significantly supplanted the locals' traditional occupations of fishing and seafood harvesting. Therefore, Honyo are not always visible, especially in bad weather. I personally visited the island on rainy days and did not encounter any Honyo.

These days, perhaps, we can highlight a third symbol of Jeju – tangerines . Many different varieties are grown and sold here. From tiny kumquats, eaten like berries, peel and all (they're also sold in our supermarkets, though they're ten times more expensive), to huge ones, the size of a human head, which aren't eaten at all but placed somewhere in the house or car for a pleasant aroma. The most delicious and expensive variety here is named after the island's main volcanic mountain – hallabong. Hallabongs differ from the tangerines we're used to with their characteristic "cap"; they are truly delicious and sweet.

Another unique natural formation worth mentioning is the black, hexagonal lava columns on the seashore. These are the Jusangcholli cliffs . Guides tell tourists that it's still unknown how they formed when lava interacted with seawater. However, when I showed them a photograph, a geologist friend of mine said (or rather, said) that pillow lavas, not lavas like this, form when basaltic lava meets water. These basalts, with their "columnar jointing," met the water already solid, roughly speaking, due to subsequent seismic tremors in the earth's crust. Basaltic (columnar) jointing forms when magma compresses as it cools. Perhaps so. But be that as it may, the sight is very unusual. I haven't seen anything like this in Iceland, where lava is common on the coast.

Jeju Island Attractions

As a resort island, local authorities and residents are committed to creating facilities that will entertain the numerous tourists and even increase their numbers. The island boasts numerous botanical gardens, unusual museums, and parks. For example, there's a tea museum, an erotic museum, a sex and health museum, a chocolate museum, an African museum, as well as Korea's only bonsai park and Asia's largest botanical garden, Yomiji . In terms of the density of such facilities per unit area, the island is probably one of the highest in the world.

Another famous natural attraction is Chongbang Waterfall, believed to be the only waterfall in Asia that falls directly into the ocean. There's also a "mystical" spot on the island: a stretch of road where a car with the engine off rolls uphill on its own, defying the laws of physics. It's an optical illusion, of course, but they say it's quite impressive. The spot was discovered by chance, and now cars regularly stop there to check out the effect.

History of Jeju Island

The island was once an independent state called Thamna (other names include Tambura, Sopra, Yongju, and Tammora). In the seventh century, it was conquered by the Silla Empire, and since then it has never been independent, with periods of complete dependence alternating with periods of partial autonomy. Besides those listed above, the island has at least two other names: Quelpart, as it was formerly known in Europe, and Saishu, the name of the island during the Japanese occupation.

Due to its relatively high level of isolation, the dialect spoken on Jeju Island differs greatly from that on the mainland. However, almost all islanders can understand and speak the mainland language, so Korean vacationers have no problem with language. The island is also known for its uprisings: the Sambyeolcho Rebellion against the Mongols in 1271, and the communist uprising in the spring of 1948, which killed over 15% of the island's population. How the island's revolutionary spirit reconciles with its traditional matriarchy is an open question, and I frankly don't understand it. Some researchers believe that matriarchal relations are precisely linked to a shortage of men on the island. After all, after the suppression of the 1948 uprising, there were only four men for every five women on the island.

What makes a holiday on Jeju Island so attractive?

There are several reasons to consider vacationing in this wonderful place. First, the feeling of complete safety. This, you'll agree, is quite important on a vacation. Generally, islands tend to have low crime rates, as it's easier to find criminals and their stolen goods. South Korea, as we know, also has virtually no street crime. Combine these factors and you get an idea of ​​the safety on Jeju Island. Second, the opportunity to combine a beach holiday with pleasant, relaxing sightseeing (the island is relatively small and the distances are short). You won't be bored on this island in any weather. And third, the exoticism. There are many unusual and unusual things to see here for a Russian tourist, leaving you with a wealth of impressions. Add to this the beautiful, clear sea with its abundance of marine life, and you'll have no doubts. Just be sure to choose the right weather. Remember that the climate here is monsoonal, so June and July can be the rainy season.