08

The trip to South Korea’s Jeju Island was booked at the last minute, especially because my parents and I initially thought we could make yet another trip to Japan this year. When I had a closer look at our itinerary, I realised that Jusangjeolli Cliff was included. What immediately came to mind was “Huh? Cliff? Wouldn’t it be scary?” I felt a sense of reluctance because I didn’t think it would be worth going, especially because mobility is a challenge for me. Well, thank goodness my impression of the cliff changed the minute we arrived, even if I nearly wanted to surrender halfway through climbing up what felt like a maze – to get a better view.

When we arrived it was around late afternoon. Thankfully, there were no signs of rain. It was all sunny and windy. It’s ideal to spend about 45 minutes at this spot.

As we half-expected, there were quite a number of Malaysians at the site. This could be driven by the fact that there’s a direct flight to the scenic island (To date, there’s only one airline offering a direct flight from Malaysia to Jeju Island). Of course, you can also plan to fly in from Seoul, if you intend to spend a few days there first.

The cliff, located south of Jeju Island, has been designated as Natural Monument number 443 by the relevant authorities of South Korea. It is a rock pillar formed by lava from the now-dormant Hallasan Mountain when it erupted into the sea of Jungmun. Hallasan Mountain, the highest mountain in South Korea, is a shield volcano. The cliff is a rock formation shaped like a hexagon and stacked that it’s easy to see why it reminds you of a staircase.

Make your way to the observation platform via the wooden staircase and be impressed by the different views and angles of the cliff.

A few things to note: –

Accessibility is best by car. If you’re coming by public transport, be prepared to walk a lot.

Bring good pairs of shoes (yes, note the plural – because you never know when your shoes might give way).

Tickets are KRW2,000 for individuals. There’s no entrance fee for those six and below and those who are at least 66 years of age.

You be the judge now, please and thank you.