Cycling from Bulgwang in Seoul to Incheon / then ferry
to Jeju island for round trip, and back to base. A voyage to be recommended!
By Ton van Zutphen
3rd January to 12th January 2022
My wife’s mission to South Sudan had been approved and
logistics were finalized by the end of December ’21. My return to the NL, as my
humanitarian visa only allowed me to remain for 90 days in Korea, was scheduled for 20th Jan. 2022.
With Biya leaving on 1st Jan. I had decided
to take a trip with my bicycle to Jeju island and tour around that famous
place.
At several occasions I had pedaled my ‘Giant’ touring
bike along the Han river; even 10 kms. up the Ara Waterway. I had installed what
was needed: pump, lights, luggage box and spare parts for changing an inner
tube.
Map of Jeju island
Korea is not a country where cycling long distances is the norm. Partly because half the country can be classified as mountainous or at least quite hilly, and partly because of the extremely fast economic upswing since the late 1950’s. I am of the opinion that the rapid development of modern public transport (subway,bus,train) and the beginning of a successful car industry (Hyundai, KIA, Daewoo) drove millions of Koreans straight from cruising the sidewalks into the subway, and into Korean made cars.
Nevertheless local and regional authorities have in
the past decade made a serious effort to establish special lanes for cyclists.
It is not everywhere as good as in the Netherlands but I very much appreciate
the effort. In Seoul, an urban sprawl of approx.. 1200 square kms, intersected
by mountains!!, and roughly 12 million people, one can easily find the special
lanes marked by blue panels. But, be cautious! The ever busy Seoulites have a
habit to park their car or cart on the cycle lane, or walk on it while looking
at their smartphone with earplugs on.
Temperatures in the Seoul-Incheon region are a few
degrees (5 if not more) lower than on Jeju island. When I left at 11am it was
freezing some 8 degrees C. and I thought that the 50 plus km. ride to the ferry
port would take me a max. of 3 hours. Forget it! Arriving at the end of the Ara Waterway on a
wonderfully broad cycle lane I could see the docks of Incheon port in the
distance but then I found out I still had to cross Incheon city and ride
another 20 kms. A fellow cyclist was so nice to plan my last stretch to the
ferry on ‘Kakao map’ of my phone (Kakao is the Korean version of ‘Google map’). With one hand on the handlebar and the other
hand wrapped around my phone I kind of found my way…until the battery went
dead. By then I had nearly crossed the backstreets of old Incheon and with a
bit of feeling for the right direction and help from the police I finally found
the ferry pier after more than 6 hours of riding-stopping-riding.
Be aware….there is no easy direct cycle path from the
ferry passengers terminal in Incheon port to Seoul. Equally, on my return and
even guided by my friend/’chingu’ Yechean Kim, we got lost a few times and needed
to stop more than 40 times for red lights and crossing cars/trucks until we
reached the Ara Waterway cycle path again. On top of that, the return was cold
with a strong wind. I was well protected except for my hands. I thought they
could freeze. Next day I ran to E-mart to buy a pair of good gloves! My fancy
looking winter racing gloves are ok for the Netherlands but not for a Korean
winter!
But what a beautiful ship she is: the ‘Beyond Trust’.
Brand new, in operation only since end November ’21, with all modern amenities.
I was anxious to board that ferry. Then of course, all passengers boarding were
instinctively reminded about what happened in April 2014: the vessel ‘Sewol’
ferrying nearly 500 people to Jeju city was overloaded with vehicles and sank
with nearly 300 passengers dead, most of these high school students. A national
maritime disaster and still traumatic for many Koreans.
Interview written responses to reporter of Joongang
Daily Newspaper
https://www.joongang.co.kr/
I can recommend taking this ferry though. It is a brand new vessel built with extra attention for safety and security. Staff is professional, and parking of vehicles and (motor)cycles done with great care. Everything that is mobile is fastened with cables and spanners to the floor. Lounge and restaurant are spacious and cozy. And so are sleeping arrangements with large bunk beds and good bedding. Warm all over the ship without engine noise! Prices of food and drink are reasonable. I felt safe and secure, and even on our return when the seas were rough, I soundly slept for 8 hours out of the 13 hours. At least I did not notice the usual puking of seasick passengers over the railing at the back of the ship.
Then at 10 in the morning I hopped on my bike and
started riding anti-clockwise along the coast toward Jeju City, passing South
of the airport, and to the first memorable spot: Yongduam Rock. Here, at the tourist office I picked up the
popular passport to be stamped at the red booths along the way: ‘Jeju fantasy
bicycle path’ from Yongduam – Darak Shelter – Haegeoreum Park – Songaksan –
Beophan Badang – Soesokkak – Seongsan Ilchulbong – Gimnyeong Seongsegi Beach –
Hamdeok Seoubong Beach – and back to Yongduam / all together some 280 kms if I
include my side trip to U-do (island off the Seongsan coast) and the extra kms.
I made because I lost my way a few times. Then the whole trip from base to base
in Bulgwang/Dokbawi came to an estimated 400 kms.
Day 1 and overnight ferry: Seoul to Incheon to Jeju
City 65 kms
Day 2 Jeju City to Hallim: 40 kms
Day 3 Hallim to Sangbansan (site of Hendrik Hamel’s shipwreck : 55 kms
Day 4 Sangbansan to Seogwipo: 45 kms
Day 5 Rest in Seogwipo town
Day 6 Seogwipo to Ilchulbong and U-do (island) : 65
kms
Day 7 U-do to Gymneyong village : 45 kms
Day 8 Gymneyong village to Jeju city: 30 kms
Day 9 Rest in Jeju City
Day 10 Overnight ferry to Incheon and back to
Bulgwang/ Seoul : 65 kms
Anton on the ship
Hendrik Hamel
Interesting to read the following book: ‘Hamel’s
Journal and a description of the Kingdom of KOREA (1653-1666)’ by Hendrik
Hamel. This Dutch sailor wrote the first comprehensive report about Korea ever
published in Europe/the Netherlands. He was taken prisoner after his ship hit
the rocks of the Jeju coast in 1653. He escaped only 13 years later to Japan
and made it finally back via Indonesia to the Netherlands.
Indeed this trip is easy to do for ANYBODY who has an
interest and a normal pair of legs and lungs. Any kind of touring cycle will
do. Obviously one can rent bicycles and e-bikes all over in Jeju City. Roads
are good and it is not dangerous. Just windy and I had some rain one day…quite
some rain. I sported warm clothes and on top my Patagonia H2NO raincoat. No
sweat!!
The trip was uneventful but not boring at all. The
sheer joy of riding a good bike along the coast for a week with fresh cool sea
breezes, with perfume from the sea, a bit of sun almost every day, and quasi
permanent eye contact with the sea and its shores is more than good enough. And
all cyclists know that you cannot miss the trail for more than a few kms, and one
is assured that there is food in every village and a hotel to lay your head to
rest.
Perhaps Biya and I will do this trip again together in
April when the weather is a bit warmer and the days longer. One can easily ride
50 to 60 kms every day.
Here are a few impressions that I think are
interesting to share:
@ I was fortunate to have chosen Hallim village to
spend the first night. Across the street from my hotel ‘Zamong’ is a brand new
fish market where one can buy ‘from the tank’ alive fish, tens of different
kinds, have it cooked in the market and eat it with a glass of soju and/or beer,
or ‘makgheolli’, the local rice wine. Or eat the fish raw, as I prefer: thinly
sliced with a soy sauce and wasabi green mustard mix! The fish you buy is as
fresh as you can get and the lady-cook in charge knows what she is doing. This
is what I call Fresh Fish! In the Netherlands 95% of the fish you can buy is
already chopped up and ‘iced in’ on the sea. Fresh is never Fresh in most parts
of Europe these days. Probably rules from the E.U. in Brussels for hygienic
reasons.
The next morning I had a traditional and filling ‘noodle
kalguksu soup’ breakfast around the corner and hopped on my bike for day two.
@ U-do (do means island in Korean) can be reached
easily and frequently from Ilchulbong port by ferry. Takes just 30 minutes.
Upon arrival on this tiny island one gets nearly overrun by tourists on 3 or 4
wheel Chinese built scooters that do not require a driving license. Kind of
dangerous to see predominantly young ladies wheeling around in the middle of
the road while they are taking pictures of the environment, and even worse
doing selfies while steering their toys. I guess that 60% if not more of the population
is involved in tourism. The island itself has little to offer I am afraid. I
cycled around but because it was getting dark I ended up at the ‘Waikiki
pension’ without driving/hiking up to the mountain with the lighthouse (that
will be for the next time). Many of the businesses on the island seemed closed
because of less clientele linked to covid I expect. How fortunate I was to meet
a nice receptionist/caretaker who arranged for a Budweis beer for me and shared
his pizza evening meal as well. Thank you Sir! The next morning I left early
after a cup of steaming black coffee and sailed back to Jeju island.
@ Then onto something really unique: the short climb
up Ilchulbong Peak. I parked my bike (always safe in Korea) but did lock it and
walked up this unusual natural phenomenon that has a UNESCO heritage site ranking.
It is a crater, caused by an explosion under the sea and presents itself in the
form of a symmetric tuff cone. Some say it is one of its kind in the world. And indeed from far away it looks impressive.
Once you are actually on top of it, the view is less surprising. Nevertheless I
recommend every traveler to Jeju island to walk up this cone. It is just
something different and after this walk in fresh air try some ‘abalone hotpot’
in one of the many small fish restaurants. That is what I did and the ‘abalone’,
a kind of edible ear shell (in Dutch called ‘zeeoorschelp’) was still wriggling
while being cooked in my soup plate. I thought ‘it is now or never’ and then
ate it. Tasted very well.
Wikipedia info about Ilchulbong tuff cone
@ I had been to
Seogwipo before and this second city on the island is actually the first in
terms of its beauty and what to see and do. The coast with its leafy vegetation
is sort of Mediterranean and the port looks idyllic. There is a folklore
village, a few waterfalls, plus an interesting market, now attracting many
tourists as well. I stayed at OLLE house from which the OLLE walk starts that
circles the coastal and rural parts of the island: 425 km. This now famous trek
attracts thousands of Korean walkers throughout the year. A wonderful vacation
to charge up your health! I saw old friends again like Myung Sook, Eun-ju, and my
first Korean teacher Mr. Kim. And spend an evening trying to learn how to use Kakao
navigation from the ladies Ivy, Autumn and Rachel (many Koreans that have gone
abroad ‘adopt’ an English name, so it is easy for us Dutch dummies to remember
(ha-ha)! I took a day walking the city
again and slept at night very comfortably in my one person’s room; probably the
tiniest room I ever slept in: it measured about 3 square meters!
@ And then close to the prettiest beach area on the
island…at a place called Hamdeok, only 30 kms East of Jeju City I saw a
real-time swim return by a group of world famous ‘Haenyeo divers’. These
ladies, most of them older than 50 these days, dive down to 8-9 meters to look
for the costly ‘abalone’ and other shell fish. Fair enough, they are well
protected with wetsuits against the cold water nowadays but they dive with
simple goggles and without oxygen and work around 4 hours to get their catch out of the sea. The shells are
collected into a net that is attached to an air filled orange colored beacon to mark their location. They go out
into the sea as far as 300 meters I noticed. Big and strong ladies these are. Admirable.
Their profession dates back centuries and is part of the fishing culture of
Jeju island. A must see!
Haenyo divers with their catch
@ Although there are only 750.000 people living on Jeju island the impact of tourism (mainly from China / which has now temporarily stopped) has changed the outlook of many places. It is not as bad as the Costa Brava in Spain but there seems to be endless numbers of coffee houses and hotels that spoil the peace and ‘looks’ of the island. While cycling one sees a lot of the fishing industry and the now usually covered areas where the Jeju tangerines are cultivated (the major export product with fish). It is a hell of a difference for a visitor to see a tangerines field in the open with their beautiful fruits and green leaves than to look at black netting under which tangerines are grown!
Visitors come to see, observe, admire and then cherish
their experience; so later they will share their own beautiful experience
happily with their beloved ones!
People are cordial on the island. I felt a warm
welcome wherever I cycled.
Let us all hope Jeju island gets again as green as
possible.
Very good places to stay overnight, along the cycling
route and at excellent prices include.
Hallim village
Zamong Hotel
Gymneyong village Red
windmill guesthouse
Jeju city Check Inn Hotel
I never make reservation…I like just walking in.
Prices are normally around 50.000 Korean Won = 40 Euros for a pleasant
room without breakfast but coffee is
always freely available.
Good food is available everywhere on Jeju island.
While cycling I took the habit to have a short sweet lunch at the ‘Nice to C U’
convenience store: Café Latte and a bar
of ‘Ghana dark chocolate’. And one sits
nice and warm inside during winter, with a few chairs outside during summer.
I took my bike on the ‘Beyond Trust’ : a standard Taiwanese touring bike ‘Giant
Escape’ that I bought at the ‘BikeNara’ store in Hapjeong. Friendly English
speaking owner with professional
service. It has 18 gears and is a light machine doing the job on tarred and
even roads.
Definitely I will return to Jeju island!
Ton van Zutphen (Anton when I am in Korea and with my
better half)
Seoul, 17th January 2022
