Welcome to ScubaBoard, an online scuba diving forum community where you can join over 205,000 divers from around the world discussing all things related to Scuba Diving. To gain full access to ScubaBoard (and make this large box go away) you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
Participate in over 500 dive topic forums and browse from over 5,500,000 posts.
Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
Post your own photos or view from well over 100,000 user submitted images.
Gain access to our free classifieds marketplace to buy, sell and trade gear, travel and services.
Use the calendar to organize your events and enroll in other members' events.
All this and much more is available to you absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact the ScubaBoard Support Team.
This is a trip report from a dive vacation to Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, in May 2009. This was my second trip to Jeju Island with my friend Young. I flew directly from Washington, D.C to Seoul in 14 hours.
Sorry, my Korean IME pad is not working so I could not also include the Hangul spellings. (If someone knows how to troubleshoot the Microsoft IME software, please contact me.)
WHERE IS JEJU ISLAND?
Jeju Island has the best scuba diving in South Korea. The island is located off the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula.
Jeju Island is a volcanic island that is about 45 by 25 miles in size with 600,000 people. The main city (with the international airport) is Jeju city on the north coast. In the center of the island is Mount Halla (about 6,400 feet), a shield volcano that is the highest mountain in all of South Korea. The best diving is along the southern coast of Jeju, mostly off the port city of Seogwipo.
GETTING THERE
Most people will fly to Jeju International airport in Jeju city. There are direct flights to Jeju from Incheon International Airport in Seoul, but there are many more (and cheaper) flights from Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. The transfer from Incheon to Gimpo is easy with the Airport Railroad Express (AREX). It takes about 30 minutes and costs about 8,000 won (or about USD $6.50). Alternatively, a taxi ride will cost about 3 or 4 times the AREX fare. The flight from Seoul to Jeju city is a little over an hour.
People living in Asia may be able to find flights from their country directly to Jeju.
From Jeju city, you can rent a car (international driver's license is required) or ride a bus to Seogwipo. The bus fare is about 6,500 won (or USD $5.00). Allow about 90 minutes to drive from Jeju city to Seogwipo.
LODGING AND FOOD
We stayed at the Seogwipo KAL Hotel (about USD $125/night). This was a very nice place overlooking the ocean, located only 2 minutes from the seaport. They have a lock box room, fitness center and a great bar with live music nightly. The included breakfast buffet is marvelous, featuring a wide selection of Continental, American and Korean breakfast foods.
The Asian summit was held in Seogwipo while we were there, with leaders from many Asian countries present. We had security guards with machine guns all over the place.
The Seogwipo KAL Hotel
The bar in the Seogwipo KAL Hotel. That's Mun Island out there, one of the dive sites.
If you like sushi and sashimi, Jeju is the place for you! It's worth going to Jeju for the seafood alone! There are dozens of great restaurants throughout Seogwipo, especially along the coastal road. The food is taken live from the restaurant's aquariums and within minutes is on your plate.
For those of you not used to eating sashimi that is still moving, just close your eyes!
This is a GREAT sashimi restaraunt located on the road between the Seogwipo KAL Hotel and the port. Highly recommended for dinner.
Fresh sashimi
A wide variety of fresh sashimi. It's all still moving.
This is another GREAT seafood restaraunt located directly across the street from the port.
THE DIVE SPOTS
Most of the diving out of Seogwipo are shore dives from the small islands just offshore. The fishing boats will take you on a 10-minute ride from the port and drop you off for the day. There are some boat diving sites as well.
Loading gear onto the boat in the port of Seogwipo
Mun Island (Munsum or Mosquito Island) is located just outside of the mouth of the port. There are several great shore diving sites on the north side of the island, just west of Little Mun Island. From a small cove you can go right and dive a wall, or go left and dive a small wall to a seaweed forest. Both are great dives, but I prefer the left side. Maximum depths here are about 120 feet (36 meters) on a shelf.
Mun Island from the Seogwipo KAL Hotel
Little Mun Island is an isolated spire just off the northeast corner of Mun Island. Most of the diving is in the channel between Little Mun Island and Mun Island. The current and surge in the channel are very strong, so the locals have installed an underwater rope trail to assist in getting around. The dives here are 30 to 65 feet in depth (10 to 12 meters).
On the northeast side of Little Mun Island is a spectacular deep wall dive that is my favorite dive at Seogwipo. There are monster-sized soft corals here, especially in the 100-120 foot (30-36 meter) range.
Little Mun Island (Mun Island is on the far left)
Sup Island (Supsum or Seopsum) is east of the port, but still requires only a short boat ride to get there. We dove at cove on the west side of the island. There are many monster-sized soft corals down at 115 feet (35 meters).
Sup Island from the Seogwipo KAL Hotel
Off-loading gear onto Little Mun Island
Diving in the channel between Mun Island and Little Mun Island
Last edited by Doc Harry; June 6th, 2009 at 01:54 AM.
We used Good Diver for all of our diving. A young Korean couple runs the operation and we have used them in the past. They take care of moving all your gear and rinsing, hanging and storing your gear overnight. They provide a traditional Korean box lunch during the dive, as well a variety of beverages and fruit. Additionally, they have an underwater camera and take plenty of great photos. They gave us a photo CD at the end of our dive vacation. They do not speak any English. Nitrox is available. Cost was about USD $90 per person.
WATER TEMPERATURES
May - 63 degrees F (17 degrees C)
September - 75 degrees F (24 degrees C)
DIVE PHOTOS
I did not carry a camera for this trip because Good Diver does such a great job of taking photos. All of the dive photos below are from Good Diver except as noted.
The 12th CMAS Underwater Photography contest was held on Jeju Island May 31 through June 5, 2009. There were numerous photographers from all over the world diving in Jeju at the time.
On the way back home we stopped in Seoul for a few days. Seoul is my favorite metropolis in the world (Vancouver is a close second place, followed by Rome). We stayed at the Hotel Seokyo (about 200,000 won/night or about USD $160/night) in Seoul because it is located in a "happening" part of Seoul near Hongik University. Furthermore, the hotel is located across the street from an Airport Shuttle bus stop and has easy access to Incheon International Airport. (Airport Shuttle 9,000 won or about USD $7.20). From Incheon airport, the hotel is located at the second stop and takes about 45 minutes to get there.
The nightlife is Seoul is wonderful. Some of the best rock and roll I have ever heard was from a Hongik University band called Musicbox. The band had a drummer, four bongo players, a electrical guitartist, acoustical guitarist, bass player, two singers, and a variety of break dancers and tap dancers. The put on a late-night free show in one Seoul's parks and it was the best music I have ever heard.
My friend Young enjoying the night life in Seoul
Harry (left), Park (center), Young (right) enjoying some Soju and beer in Seoul.
THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE (DMZ)
A tour of the DMZ between North Korea and South Korean is a powerful reminder of cold war tensions.
A military command bunker at a DMZ observation post
A guard post along the Han River to prevent infiltration by North Korean commandos
Last edited by Doc Harry; June 6th, 2009 at 01:52 AM.
In 2006, I went to Jeju Island for a weekend of diving after a conference in Korea but a storm arrived the same time I did! It's too bad I missed the underwater sights!
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
