Jeju Island, especially Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, is an appealing place that entices visitors from across the globe. I have been fortunate to travel there three times, each in the summer monsoon season. On two occasions, I flew out of Busanโs Gimhae International Airport. On my third I flew out of Seoulโs Gimpo International Airport.
The average flight is one hour in length. After landing at Jeju International Airport, it is easy to hail a taxi or take a bus to your hotel or guesthouse. If travelling on a budget, I recommend you take a relatively cheap express bus.
On my first trip, I visited, among other places, Cafรฉ de Seoyeun,ย Woljeongri Beach, Hallasan Mountain, and Cheonjiyeon Waterfallย . Visitors to Jeju may find cultural attractions via Instagram and this travel website. If you can read and write some Korean, I would urge you to search viaย Naver Blogs. On this platform, South Koreans have documented a trove of invaluable information with regard to Jeju Island, South Korea, and the world.
Getting to Cheonjiyeon Falls
To reach Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, which, per Visit Korea, means โThe Pond of Godโ, you may take Airport Limousine Bus 600 bound for Jungmun and then depart at Yeomiji Botanical Garden Bus Stop. From that point, it is a mere five to ten-minute walk to the waterfallโs entrance. To enter, individual adults must pay 2,500 KRW while individual children must pay 1,350 KRW. You can enter at a discount if given the group rate.
Long ago, it was believed that stepping foot in the waterโs crystal-like depths might heal any given ailment. At that time, one might see tourists bathing in the waters. Doing so, however, is today strictly prohibited. As you can observe in subsequent pictures, the waterfall and pool beneath it are quite majestic. I would be lying if I said I was not inclined to jump in, just as many sightseers of yesteryear did. That said, I refrained from doing so, respected the site, and carefully abided by the rules!
As can be seen in the picture above, I purchased a brim hat for my journey. There were several shops just outside the entrance. If you need supplies, this is a great to location to make purchase. As a native Texan, a wide-brimmed cowboy or cowgirl hat is a typical sight in my home region. That in mind, as soon as I donned this hat I felt completely at ease and in shade. I would encourage you to wear a hat, in addition to sunblock lotion, especially in the summer months.
Cheonjiyeon Waterfall
As can be seen in the photos below, there are specific spots at the waterfall ripe for picture-taking. These locations are, without a doubt, Instagrammable. I recommend that you explore two hashtags – #cheonjiyeonfalls and #์ฒ์ง์ฐํญํฌ โ on various social media accounts. Take a look at other visitorsโ pictures. Based on these, you may get a sense of which areas and poses are most popular.
All in all, these pictures will likely bring you wonderful memories years down the line. If you enjoy Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, take heart in the fact it is just one of three waterfalls on the island. The other two are CheonjeyeonWaterfall and Jeongbang Waterfall.
Jeju Citrus
The island is renowned for its citrus fruit. Per an article published in The Korea Times โ โA tale of Jeju Citrusโ โ the island citrus fruits are popular among large cross-sections of the islandโs population. At any Korean convenience or grocery store, you might see Jeju orange juice. As tourists return from Jeju, they will often bring back citrus flavored items.
Jeju orange-flavored chocolate is a delicacy as is the local variety of makgeolli, a Korean rice wine. I particularly favor the latter as, interestingly, each of Koreaโs provinces is known for their unique style of makgeolli. I am no connoisseur, but I have found that no two brands of makgeolli taste alike. Jejuโs is, as one might expect, orange-flavored. It is a great alternative to Soju, a much stronger beverage.
You will often see Koreans drinking it as they sit mountainside, taking a brief break from a long hike upward. As I entered and exited Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, I was enticed by a particular brand of Jeju Citrus Wine that was being sold. My travel companions and I cracked open a bottle and enjoyed its sweet citrus taste as our long day came to a close.
Closing Thoughts
Jeju Island is well worth a trip, as is Cheonjiyeon Falls. I’m sure that your trip will be as memorable as mine was. My first and second trips to Jeju Island were pre COVID-19. My third and most recent trip, summer 2020, occurred in the throes of the present pandemic. It was important that my travel mates and I wore respiratory masks at all times, especially as we traveled to tourist sites at which many tourists were sight-seeing. There are many ways that tourists can respect the venue they are visiting. These days, wearing a mask is one such way.
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