Ellie Loethen

Yonsei GSIS Newsletter, Editor

Jeju Island is not one that you can explore in just one day.  While it is a relatively small place, there is so much to do and making a plan for one day might seem daunting.  There are so many options, after all!  You can take a one day UNESCO heritage site bus tour, visit as many beaches and cafes as you can in a day, take a trip south to the famous Ossuloc Green Tea museum and cafe, or coast along the coastline and take in the views.  If you only have one day and want to try and avoid the city, here are a few spots that are worth the taxi fare.

When I landed a spot at the Halla University TOPIK testing center, I knew I didn’t want to go for one night just to take the exam.  Despite the busy semester, I asked a close friend of mine to spend the weekend with me in Korea’s personal tropical paradise.  When she agreed, we had to figure out how to make our one full day in Jeju worth the trip.  

First off, my friend and I woke up early and caught a taxi to Gwakji Beach (곽지해변) on the west side of the island.  The taxi driver clearly knew his audience because he took us the scenic coastal route as much as he could, showing off the beautiful ocean views.  The ride was decently quick, about forty-five minutes and the beach was, and with no exaggeration, perfect.  The salty breeze, warm sun, and white sand makes Gwakji a must visit.  The water is a stunning crystal clear blue.  In mid-May it is much too cold to swim, but that didn’t stop me from dipping my toes in anyway. 

After spending probably two or three hours at the beach, my friend and I decided it was lunchtime.  We took another taxi for about ten minutes to a spot that is clearly for tourists, the Cafe Street in Aewol (카페길, 애월).  Here, there are about a dozen or so cafes all lined up along the coast which is lined with black volcanic rocks.  We settled first at Sunset Cliff (썬셋클리프) which had two levels of seating, mostly facing the ocean, and an extensive menu for lunch.  It included many types of pizza and other snacks.  My friend ordered cheese fries and I had blue lemonade.  While they were a little overpriced, it was absolutely delicious.  Admittedly, I’m allergic to cheese, but my friend found me a few bites without it and let me tell you… if you want some good french fries in Jeju, Sunset Cliff is the place to go. 

Then, we walked along one of the paths along the beach.  The beach is made up of more black volcanic rock, which I think is just as beautiful as sand.  We went to another cafe called High End Jeju (하이엔드제주) for their hallabong ade.  We spent around two hours here, drinking our citrusy drinks and staring at the ocean.  To be honest, I think we stared at the ocean for a full eight hours and it was the best day of 2026 thus far. 

When we finished our drinks, we went across the street to eat the famous Jeju Black Pork at Suksungdo (숙성도 애월점).  It was pricey, of course, but we decided to splurge on vacation.  We ordered a lot and the staff grilled the meat for you!  When I tell you it was some of the most delicious pork I’ve ever eaten in my life, I mean it.  It was so delicious and all of the side dishes only added to the experience.  We left full and very happy.

Since I had the TOPIK exam the next morning, we went back to Jeju City to rest at the hotel a little.  After our brief siesta, we went out and walked around the city for a little over an hour doing our shopping.  There are six souvenir shops on every corner so you won’t have to worry about preparing gifts for loved ones back home! 

Finally, we finished the day in our hotel.  Exhausted, sunburned, and a little nervous for the next morning (in my case!).  Even though we only had one day in Jeju, we made the best of it!  We went to two cafes, a beach, and spent hours just staring at the water.  If you only have one day in Jeju, going to the beach, a cafe, and having a delicious dinner is definitely the way to go! 

Miss you already, Jeju!