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Our Jeju Videos

1,000 spots per day on the Seongpanak trail. 500 on Gwaneumsa. Reservations open on the first of the month for the following month. Koreans refresh the page the moment bookings open. The visitor advantage: weekdays. Most Korean hikers fly in for weekends. A Tuesday or Wednesday slot is more available than it looks. Full episode: https://youtu.be/5V1E25enNvU #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel
Hallasan Summit Bookings Sell Out Like Concert Tickets. #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel
Sora reached the Hallasan summit in cloud. She waited. It didn't clear. Ed made it on a clear day but into wind strong enough that calling his wife from the top was nearly pointless. The view through a phone screen didn't convey much anyway. Go early, Sora advises, and give yourself time to wait out the clouds. The weather moves fast up there. Full episode: https://youtu.be/5V1E25enNvU #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel #koreatravel
The Wind at #hallasan Summit Was Too Loud to Phone Home. #jeju #hiking #diytravel #koreatravel
Hallasan is the tallest mountain in South Korea at 1,947 meters, and for Korean hikers it sits at the top of every domestic bucket list. The crater holds a small pond, but only in summer after heavy rain. What stays year-round is the view: Seogwipo to the south, Jeju City to the north, Seongsan Ilchulbong to the east. Ed says it has become his favorite mountain he has ever climbed. Every morning in Jeju he looks for it from the window. If it's hidden in cloud, he gets grumpy. He cannot explain why. Full episode: https://youtu.be/5V1E25enNvU #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel #koreatravel
His Favorite Mountain Ever. And He's Not Even Korean #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel #koreatravel
Most people think of Hallasan as an all-or-nothing proposition. It isn't. Two trails go all the way to the summit. Two others go only partway up, take less time, and are less demanding. All four are worth considering depending on how much time and energy you're working with. Today's episode covers both options so you can decide which one actually fits your trip. Full episode: https://youtu.be/5V1E25enNvU #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel #adventure
You Don't Have to Summit Mt #hallasan Two Easier Options Exist. #jeju #hiking #diytravel #adventure
Ed waited 22 episodes to talk about Hallasan. The reason for the wait: most visitors won't climb it. It takes a full day, most tourists have three or four days total, and the mountain is a serious commitment. 900,000 people do it annually — roughly 2,000-3,000 per day — and most of them are mainland Koreans who came specifically to hike. Foreigners exist on the trail. They're just not common. Full episode: https://youtu.be/5V1E25enNvU #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel #korea
900,000 People a Year Climb #hallasan Most Are Korean But You Should Too! #jeju #hiking #diytravel
Ed has been waiting 22 episodes to talk about his favorite mountain in the world: Hallasan, South Korea's tallest peak at 1,947 meters. This episode breaks down everything visitors need to know about climbing Hallasan, from the two summit trails (Gwaneumsa and Seongpanak) to the two partial trails (Eorimok and Yeongsil) for those who want the experience without the full commitment. Ed shares his hard-won lessons about wet rocks, knee braces, and the humiliation of being passed by children and seniors on the descent, while Sora reveals she climbed to the summit solo on a snowy November day and made friends along the way. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Hallasan is the tallest mountain in South Korea (1,947m) and a bucket-list climb for Koreans; about 900,000 people climb annually * Two summit trails (reservation required): Gwaneumsa (north, shorter but steeper, many rock stairs) and Seongpanak (east, longer but gentler, more forest); 1,500 spots per day total (1,000 Seongpanak, 500 Gwaneumsa) * Book on the 1st of the month for the following month; weekdays are easier for visitors since Koreans tend to book weekends * Recommended strategy: climb up Gwaneumsa (steep but faster), descend via Seongpanak (longer but easier on knees); you must start from your registered trailhead but can descend either way * Time cutoffs: must pass checkpoints by certain times (varies by season, roughly 11:30am-12:30pm for checkpoints, 1-2pm to leave summit); start by 7am at the latest, 5am is better * Two partial trails (no reservation): Eorimok (longer, wooden decks, famous for autumn foliage at Eorimok Gyegok) and Yeongsil (shorter, steeper, famous for 500 rock formations called the "500 sons of the goddess"); both meet at Witsaeoreum * No convenience stores in the park; bring all food and water; bathroom water is not confirmed potable * Koreans bring thermos flasks to make ramyeon at rest stops; at altitude, water boils at a lower temperature so noodles don't fully cook (this is apparently the point) * Gear: hiking poles, knee braces (especially for descent), crampons in winter; wet volcanic rock stairs on Gwaneumsa are treacherous * Bus 240 connects Jeju City to Eorimok, Yeongsil, and Jungmun (once per hour), but plan a 30 minute hike from the bus stop to the trailheads * Koreans are friendlier on hiking trails; strangers share snacks and encouragement (파이팅!) NEXT STEPS * Blog post: http://vamosajeju.com/climb * Plan your Jeju trip at http://vamosajeju.com/trip * Follow @vamosajeju on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook * Subscribe to our YouTube channel @vamosajeju * Share the show with a friend!
Ep 22: Climbing Hallasan, The Heart of Jeju #jeju #hallasan #hiking #diytravel #tripplanning
More mini Olleh trails exist beyond what's covered in this episode — all on the blog at vamosajeju.com/hike, alongside the original hikes for hike haters list. The two overlap by design: hike-hater routes are shorter, mini Olleh trails are longer but include a stamping station. Sora plans to bring some of her tour guests to these. A stamped passport, she notes, makes a great souvenir — and a good reason to come back. Full episode: https://youtu.be/Yz8gDig8JH4 #jeju #olletrail #hiking #diytravel #slowtravel
There Are More Mini Trails. Here's How to Find Them #jeju #olletrail #hiking #diytravel #slowtravel
The Olleh Trail headquarters sits in Seogwipo, with a gift shop across the street — Ed's strategy for getting his family excited about stamps. From the HQ, two options. East on Trail 6: Seogwipo's daily market, Jeongbang Waterfall, Lee Jung Seok Street, 45-75 minutes. West on Trail 7: Jeju's only rice fields — a geological exception on an island where volcanic soil normally can't hold water — plus a temple, 45-60 minutes. Do one or both. Full episode: https://youtu.be/Yz8gDig8JH4 #jeju #olletrail #hiking #diytravel
1 Trail HQ, 2 Trails. Pick Rice Field or a Waterfall. #jeju #olletrail #hiking #diytravel #seogwipo
Starting at Sehwa Beach, the beginning of Olleh Trail 21, this route runs past the Haenyeo Museum, through farmland on the Sumbisori-gil loop, and out to Byeolbangjin Fortress — a small fortress wall facing Hado Beach, surrounded by canola flowers in winter and spring. Push 15-20 minutes further and you reach the midpoint stamping station for a second stamp. Near the midpoint: a kalguksu restaurant with money taped to every wall and ceiling from visitors around the world, and a sea urchin and abalone noodle soup Ed ate without admitting he doesn't usually like seafood. Full episode: https://youtu.be/Yz8gDig8JH4 #jeju #olletrail #hiking #diytravel
Two Stamps, One Fortress Town, Steeped in Haenyeo Lore #jeju #olletrail #hiking #diytravel #haenyeo
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A collection of some of our video clips from Jeju.

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Ed Tee

Ed is an aspiring polyglot, lazy homechef, former dive instructor and journalist who has been slow traveling the world since retirement from corporate America in 2023.