Jeju Island Road Trip Day 3: OEDOLGAE ROCK

One would wonder how a 20 meter high rock could be such a popular tourist attraction. But viewed together with the coast, the surrounding ocean and the islands nearby, it does make a very appealing natural scenery.

It was just a short drive from Dreaming Forest Pension following the road all the way south to the edge of the island. From the car park, we walked towards the viewing deck of Oedolgae Rock. The flights of stairs leading to the main pathway were steep we had to stop once or twice to catch our breath and give our limbs a break. At 9am our muscles have not been fully stretched yet.

A scenic pathway awaited us at the end of the steep walk down. There were also some paintings, pictures and oranges being sold. But we didn't let those distract us. We followed the pathway until we got to a better location to view the rock and take a photo with it.

For those who are more adventurous, a more up-close view of the rock is possible by walking through the rock formation just in front of it. It provides an unobstructed view of the rock, that is if you have the guts to walk on the edge. There was a warning sign by the fence, not permitting visitors to go any further, but we did see two brave souls who ventured beyond the boundary. 

Since this area was also used a one of the locations for a popular Korean drama, there was a spot where visitors who are fans of the show can pretend to be one of the lead female characters and take a photo behind the life-size poster. I don't know the tv show nor the famous actors in the show but I was more than willing to have my photo taken as one of the female actresses :)

We continued our walk along the pathways to get different views of the rock as well as the coast and the islands beyond. There were several walking paths to explore from the viewing area. When facing Oedolgae Rock, the walking path to the left leads to the rocky coast and views of the cliffs, while the walking path to the right leads to a small park and the nearby Jeju ICC. We decided to walk towards the small park where the kids saw a mini playground cum exercise area - like the ones we have back in Singapore. They stayed there for a few minutes, under the sun, while my husband and I looked on to the vast view of the ocean and clear blue skies. Incidentally, we saw a series of caves formed along the coast.

We headed back to the parking lot using the outer pathway farther from the coast. When we got inside the car, a parking officer approached us and said we needed to pay for parking in the area That's 500 won ($0.59) out of our pockets just when we were about to leave. The amount was almost negligible but still....Tough luck! 

 

A visit to the Oedolgae Rock in the early morning would be the most ideal, based on our experience. The crowds don't come in until after 10am. This is a good place to have early morning walks while appreciating the beauty of nature surrounding you. Another option is to visit this place during sunset. On our next trip to Jeju that will definitely be in the plan.