Winter Itinerary: Exploring the East Coast of Jeju Island

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On a day when the wind was biting cold, I planned a trip to the east side of Jeju Island, including a visit to Aqua Planet, a great place to stay warm indoors. It turned out to be a fulfilling day.

I carefully selected each location, and thankfully, I wasn't disappointed with any of them. Everything was fantastic! If you're looking for great spots on the east side of Jeju, keep an eye on the places I visited. I'll introduce you to a variety of things to see and eat.❤️

1. Aqua Planet: A Great Escape from Snow and Wind

Address: 95, Seopjikoji-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si

Hours: Daily 09:30 - 18:00

Winter in Jeju can be windy and cold, so it's helpful to have an indoor spot in mind. Aqua Planet is perfect because you can stay warm from start to finish, and even grab a bite to eat. It was a great place for families to enjoy on the east side of Jeju in winter.

While there are aquariums on the mainland, Jeju Aqua Planet is truly overwhelming in scale. The fantastic underwater world unfolds in a massive tank!

When a huge shark approached, baring its sharp teeth, I felt chills all over my body. Coming face-to-face with a shark was like a horror movie, but the thrill made it fun. 😆

Besides the scary sharks, I also saw many cute animal friends. There were otters sleeping after playing, penguins diving into the water, and squirrels lying down, seemingly exhausted from running around. There were many attractions that kids would love, which was great.

The Ocean Arena performance, held at a dizzying height, was like watching a musical. There was even a special exhibition related to Jeju's female divers (Haenyeo). I spent over 3 hours there and had a great time. The Ocean Arena performance has scheduled times, so it's a good tip to decide whether to see the performance first or visit the aquarium to save time.

2. Black Pork with a Sunrise Peak View: Black Pig Cheerful (흑돈쭐)

Address: 72, Seongsan Jungang-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si

Hours: Daily 11:00 - 23:00

Parking available / Pick-up service available

After spending a long time at Aqua Planet, I was incredibly hungry. My hands were shaking from hunger, so I quickly headed to Black Pig Cheerful, a black pork restaurant I had bookmarked! The charm of this place is that you can eat while enjoying the view of Sunrise Peak. I recommend it as a dining spot when traveling on the east side of Jeju. For those who don't want to climb Sunrise Peak but just want to see it, I recommend sitting comfortably at Black Pig Cheerful, eating meat, and enjoying the view. 😉

The quality of the meat was outstanding, so much so that anyone could tell it was top-notch. It was neatly arranged on a tray, and the color of the meat was so vibrant and beautiful that I knew they only used the best quality.

There were also various side dishes to choose from, which was a lot of fun!

The restaurant staff grilled the black pork for us, so we didn't have to worry about anything. We just sat in front of the warm grill and enjoyed the perfectly cooked meat.

They served both pork belly and pork shoulder. Both were incredibly flavorful without any unpleasant odors. The difference was that the pork shoulder was melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the pork belly was chewier and had a richer texture.

The kimchi stew, served in a tin pot, was the highlight of this restaurant. The sour and spicy stew perfectly balanced the richness of the black pork, making it truly appreciated. I devoured all the food and completely recovered my energy. :)

To continue the Jeju Island east coast course, I drove to Hamdeok.

3. A Stroll on Hamdeok Beach as the Wind Dies Down

Address: 525, Johamhaean-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si

Since I came to Jeju Island, I wanted to take a walk by the sea, so I searched for the most beautiful beach. It turned out that they were all gathered on the east side of Jeju! Among them, Hamdeok Beach was most my style, so I went there. As expected, the scenery was perfect! 😍❤️

The weather was quite chilly, so I didn't think about dipping my feet in the water. I just needed a change of pace by walking along the beach promenade, and it was perfect. It was a great place to slowly walk and enjoy Jeju's nature.

In particular, the view of the sea from Seoubong Peak at Hamdeok was so beautiful that I was speechless.

It is connected to Jeju Olle Trail Course 19, so I recommend climbing it if you have time. Personally, if I had to pick one of the best places to visit on the east side of Jeju, it would be Hamdeok Beach after climbing Seoubong Peak.

4. Seasonal Table: A Famous Restaurant Featured on TV

Address: 2nd floor, 510, Johamhaean-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si

Hours: Daily 11:00 - 22:00

Parking, takeout, and children are welcome.

After the walk, I headed to Seasonal Table for dinner. It's where celebrities ate on the TV show 'Secretary Team' a while ago. It's located on the coastal road right across from Hamdeok Beach, making it very accessible. The interior of the restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea, so the ocean view was fantastic. It was so picturesque that it felt surreal.

I ordered the 'Secretary Team Set' that the celebrities ate. It was a great value meal consisting of mantis shrimp sashimi, mackerel sashimi, soy sauce marinated crab, assorted tempura, and mantis shrimp ramen!

I picked up a piece of mackerel sashimi, which I was curious about, and put it in my mouth. I was worried that it might be fishy, but surprisingly...

The more I chewed, the more savory and flavorful it became! If you add seaweed, rice, vegetables, and soy sauce, the taste is enhanced even more! 😍 I wondered why I had avoided this until now... If you're afraid to try it because you think it might be fishy like me, try it here. The freshness is excellent.

The mantis shrimp sashimi was also very fresh. It was so sweet as I chewed that I couldn't help but dance. :) By the way, if you ask them to fry the shrimp heads, they fry them perfectly. They really bring out the crispy texture!

I finished with a plate of tempura, including octopus, sweet pumpkin, and sweet potato, and mantis shrimp ramen. Usually, you finish with spicy fish stew at a sashimi restaurant, but here, they serve mantis shrimp ramen, which is unique to Jeju... Their sense is amazing!

5. Winter Jeju East Coast Itinerary: Travel Route and Overall Review

After slurping up the noodles and drinking the ramen broth with its unique depth, I headed back to Hamdeok Beach. I wanted to end the day by watching the sunset on the east coast of Jeju Island. I was moved and comforted by the sea dyed in red sunset. :) I would have regretted it greatly if I had just returned to my accommodation.

The wind in winter Jeju is cold, but the sea is clear, and it's great to enjoy warm meals. Remember the places I told you about and visit them.

 
Source :https://blog.naver.com/zltm31/224060637294

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