By Foong Pek Yee
14 Dec, 2021
The weather in Jeju in Summer can be hot but it is a good time for outdoor activities.
In Seogwipo, east of Jeju, a row of red bicycles outside a cafe caught my attention.
For 10,000 won (RM36), you can have a bicycle for the whole day to explore the area.
According to the bicycle shop owner Lim Sung- Hoo, local and foreign tourists usually rent the bicycle to cycle in Udo Island and the ferry terminal is nearby his shop.
He says it is a small island and it takes two hours to cycle round it.
It was evening and he advised us to return the next day, preferably in the morning, if we want to visit Udo Island.
Meanwhile, he recommended that we explore the nearby area as the sunset scenery is beautiful and not to be missed.
Picture perfect: sunset by a lake in Seogwipo.
At 51, Sung-Hoo, and his wife Jang Jung Hyun relocated from Seoul to Seogwipo about eight years ago.
They run a cafe – Papaya Cafe – which is next to their bicycle shop.
Cosy : Jung Hyun gives a personal touch to their cafe.
The couple who love a leisurely lifestyle certainly saw the business potential in Jeju.
Sung-Hoo says exploring Seogwipo on bike is increasingly popular among local and foreign tourists, citing rising health and environmental awareness as among the reasons.
Jeju is indeed place to relax and tune out.
Calming: As the day fades into sunset in Seogwipo.
A Korean told me that we should make at least four trips to Jeju; each trip to one part of the island – north, south, east and west- to take in the beauty of each part.
Dubbed “Hawaii of South Korea”, the beauty of Jeju is also defined by the different seasons.
Seoul and Jeju are the top two destinations for international tourists to South Korea.
Authentic taste: seafood is plenty in Jeju.
Business minded: A typical scene of a market in Jeju.
Reflection : Symbol of Jeju women in the past.
Women in Jeju is seen to be an enterprising lot, and they appear to out number men as small traders in the market or small eateries.
Some Koreans say that women in Jeju had somehow learned to be independent in the olden days.
Many were widowed at a young age.
The men were mostly fishermen and many perished in the rough seas.
In the olden days, women were seen waiting by the shore for their husband to return.
Fast track to modern days, statues of women of a bygone era is one of the tourist attraction in Jeju.
The present day women may no longer have to face the wrath of rough seas but they continued to be a strong figure in the family and community.
