Rarely do I rise before 10 a.m.
But the guidebook said Jeju’s ‘Ilchulbong’–a volcanic crater on the East Coast in a town called Seongsan–was the first place on the island to spot the “orange fires of dawn.” A sunrise sounded good. Really good. So after the Busan plane touched down on a Saturday afternoon, I caught a bus from Jeju-city that rolled along the North coast for an hour or so, checked into a minbak, and wandered out to find dinner–with a crater view, of course.
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It was just a light snack.
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Followed by a beach nap. And an early night…
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to catch the sun.
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It rose at the top of these steps…
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On one side, the sea. On the other, the town. And more sea…
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And in between, the crater bowl.
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Which was really that green. And much bigger than it looks here…
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Behind the crater, a country road curled along the coast.
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And a mailbox guarded a cemetary…
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with another close by, everything green…
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except the tiny white shelter that reminded me of Greece…
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and the sky, and the water, in the window streaks.
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Get there: Take Bus Route 12 (East coastal road) from Jeju City Bus Terminal to Seongsan; 1hr 30 mins.
Ilchulbong hike: About 20 mins to the top. You can climb it any time of day, but arrive before the sun for the first glimpse of Jeju light and a few less people crowding the view.
Country road stroll: Hop over to the coast side of the crater on your way back down and follow the trail. I recommend a slow meander.
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