Ep 21: Mini Jeju Olleh Trails: 80% of the Majesty, 30% of the Effort | Outdoor Jeju

Ep 21: Mini Jeju Olleh Trails: 80% of the Majesty, 30% of the Effort | Outdoor Jeju

Ed invented the "mini Olleh trail" concept as a secret strategy to get his hiking-averse family members hooked on the Jeju Olleh Trail. The idea: walk a short, easy section that includes at least one stamping station, get them a passport with a few stamps, take them to the gift shop, and hope they come back to finish the rest someday. This episode maps out mini trails across the island, all under 90 minutes, close to bus stops, and featuring at least one passport stamp. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Mini Olleh standards: under 90 minutes, not too difficult, within 15 minutes of bus stops on both ends, includes at least one stamping station * North coast (Jeju City): Sarabong Oreum (Trail 18 start, under 1 hour, murals, harbor views); Dodubong + Rainbow Coastal Road (Trail 17 midpoint at Eoyong Park, 1-1.5 hours, cafes, plane views) * Northeast coast: Haengwon to Gimnyeong Beach (Trail 20 midpoint near Camel Coffee and windmills, flat walk, emerald beaches, K-drama location, bus 201 nearby) * East coast: Gwangchigi Beach to Seongsan port (Trail 1 endpoint, walk through town, cross bridge for Iceland-like views, bus 201 serves both ends) * East coast: Sehwa Beach and Haenyeo Museum (Trail 21 start, Sumbisori Gil loop through farmlands, Byeolbangjin fortress with canola flowers, optional push to midpoint for two stamps, kalguksu restaurant with money on the walls) * South coast (Seogwipo): Olleh HQ is the stamping station for Trail 6 end / Trail 7 start; east fork goes to Jeongbang and Sojeongbang waterfalls (60-75 min); west fork goes past Jeju's only rice field to a temple and coastal road (45-60 min) * More mini trails in the blog post: vamosajeju.com/hike [http://vamosajeju.com/hike] NEXT STEPS * Plan your Jeju trip at vamosajeju.com/trip [http://vamosajeju.com/trip] * Follow @vamosajeju on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook * Get a passport, collect a few stamps, and come back to finish the trail

Ep 20: The Jeju Olleh Trail - The Hike of a Lifetime| Outdoor Jeju

Ed has been waiting 20 episodes to talk about his favorite thing in Jeju: the 437-kilometer Jeju Olleh Trail. This episode covers everything a potential hiker needs to know, from the meaning of "Olleh" (a Jeju dialect word for the narrow pathway between a traditional house and the village road) to the passport stamping system, the blue (clockwise) and orange (counterclockwise) trail markers, and how to get the completion certificate at the Seogwipo headquarters. Ed shares his top three favorite courses and Sora teases a future guided Olleh tour for English speakers. KEY TAKEAWAYS * 27 routes totaling 437 km; most people do one trail (5-8 hours) or half a trail, not the whole thing * No registration required to walk; just follow the blue and orange ribbons with the Ganse horse symbol * Optional passport system: buy a booklet at any Olleh visitor center; stamp at the start, midpoint, and end of each trail; endpoint of one trail is the start of the next * Blue arrows = clockwise direction; orange arrows = counterclockwise * Completion certificate and pin awarded at Jeju Olleh Foundation HQ in Seogwipo (warning: they make you ring a bell and read an award speech) * Who should try it: people who like walking, have time, are comfortable navigating buses (some routes have buses only every 2 hours), and are okay staying in local pensions * Ed's top 3 courses: Course 21 (Haenyeo Museum through Sumbisori Gil, farmlands, Hado Beach, Jimibong); Course 8/9 (Gunsan Oreum descent through horse trail tunnel to a Mediterranean-style port); Course 1 (ending at Gwangchigi Beach with sunset or sunrise views of Seongsan Ilchulbong) * Sora is developing a 1-2 week guided Olleh tour in English; contact soraya@vamosajeju.com [soraya@vamosajeju.com] * Blog post: vamosajeju.com/olleh [http://vamosajeju.com/olleh] NEXT STEPS * Plan your Jeju trip at vamosajeju.com/trip [http://vamosajeju.com/trip] * Follow @vamosajeju on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook * Share the show with someone who needs a walking challenge

Ep 19: Hikes for People who Hate Hiking Part 2 | Outdoor Jeju

Continuing Ed's menu of hike-hater-friendly options for his family trip, this episode covers coastal headlands, windmill walks, historically significant trails, tea plantation strolls, and waterfall visits. These are all designed with the same principles: not too long, not too steep, interesting throughout, and easy to bail out of when needed. Key Takeaways * Coastal headlands: Seopjikoji (east coast, flat, canola flowers March-May, views of Seongsan); Songaksan (southwest, loop trail, K-drama filming location for When Life Gives You Tangerines) * Windmill walks: Sinchang Windmill Coastal Road (west coast, 30-60 minutes depending on route, raised platform over water); Haengwon to Gimnyeong Beach (east coast, Camel Coffee starting point, Woljeong and Gimnyeong beaches, snorkeling in summer) * Historical hikes: Sumbisori Gil from Haenyeo Museum through farmlands to Hado and Byeolbangjin fortress (2 hours full loop; take bus one way to halve it); Altereu Airfield (WWII Japanese hangars among garlic and radish fields, connects to Seodal Memorial and April 3rd massacre site; dark tourism, requires car) * Tea plantation: Osulloc (walk past the crowded cafe into the plantation itself; biggest in Jeju; rows of tea as far as you want to walk) * Waterfalls: Jeongbang (only waterfall in Korea that flows directly into the sea); Sojeongbang (small Jeongbang; peaceful, fewer crowds); both connect to Lee Jung-Seop Street walk; art gallery and Sora's House (shell museum) nearby * Blog post with all hikes: vamosajeju.com/hike [http://vamosajeju.com/hike] Next Steps * Plan your Jeju trip at vamosajeju.com/trip [http://vamosajeju.com/trip] * Follow @vamosajeju on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook * Leave a review and let us know which hike you tried

Ep 18: Hikes for People who Hate Hiking Part 1 | Outdoor Jeju

Ed is planning a family trip to Jeju for Christmas 2026, and some family members love hiking while others absolutely hate it. This episode presents his solution: a curated menu of hikes designed for reluctant walkers. He establishes four benchmarks for hike-hater-friendly trails: under 90 minutes, minimal elevation gain, interesting things to see throughout, and places to rest (preferably cafes). A bonus criterion: easy bail-out options via bus or taxi. Part 1 covers urban walks in Jeju City and Seogwipo, easy Oreums near the airport, and beach walks at low tide. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Urban walks in Jeju City: Jeonnongno Cherry Blossom Street has murals, cafes, and souvenir shops even without cherry blossoms; 30 minutes to 2 hours; quit anytime * Urban walks in Seogwipo: Lee Jung-Seop Street starts at the Olle daily market and goes downhill past cafes and shops to the artist's museum (closed for renovation until 2027, but free gallery available); can extend to Saeyeongyo Bridge and Saeseom Island * Sarabong Oreum: 7-15 minutes to the top; one of the top 10 views from Joseon dynasty (Sabong Nakjo sunset); local kids, rabbits, exercising elders; cherry blossoms in spring * Dodubong Oreum + Rainbow Coastal Road: views of planes landing; cafes with rooftops and elevators; Eoyong Park near the runway; Daiso escape hatch for shopping; buses run hourly * Beach walks: Pyoseon (check tide tables; combine with Jeju Folk Village); Gwangchigi Beach near Seongsan (green carpet of seaweed on lava rock at low tide; stunning sunrise or sunset views of Ilchulbong) * Blog post with all hikes: vamosajeju.com/hike [http://vamosajeju.com/hike] NEXT STEPS * Plan your Jeju trip at vamosajeju.com/trip [http://vamosajeju.com/trip] * Follow @vamosajeju on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook * Share the show with a friend who hates hiking but loves views

Ep 17: Jeju for DIY Slow Travelers | Hidden Jeju

In this episode, Ed and Sora wrap up the Hidden Jeju series by exploring activities perfect for slow travelers who want to experience Jeju on a deeper level. Slow travel doesn't require months of time; even a week or 10 days works if you're intentional about skipping the tourist checklist and pursuing meaningful local experiences. The episode covers four off-the-beaten-path activities: walking rescue dogs at a no-kill shelter, Buddhist temple stays, hands-on haenyeo diving experiences and performances, and plane spotting at secret locations near Jeju Airport. This is also the final episode of Handy Korean with Sora Ssaem, where they finally teach the most important phrase they'd somehow never covered: 감사합니다 (thank you). Key Takeaways * Slow travel is about depth over breadth: stay longer, see fewer places, meet more people * No-kill dog shelter volunteering: contact jeju.now [http://jeju.now] on Instagram or email soraya@vamosajeju.com [soraya@vamosajeju.com] to arrange * Temple stays: four temples in Jeju offer overnight stays; two program types (full itinerary with 4am wake-up vs. relaxed rest); food is vegetarian and bland (no garlic or strong herbs); book at the national temple stay website; vamosajeju.com/temple [http://vamosajeju.com/temple] * Haenyeo experiences: shallow-water diving with a haenyeo guide (wetsuit, basket, catch pre-planted seafood); Woman Divers Kitchen offers a media art dinner or a theatrical play based on an 89-year-old haenyeo's life story, followed by Q&A * Plane spotting: Dodubong Oreum for distant views; Granada Cafe rooftop for runway shots; spots along Rainbow Coastal Road and near the runway approach lights for planes flying directly overhead (bring earplugs); rental car required for the best spots Final Handy Korean with Sora Ssaem (쌤) * 쌤 (ssaem) = shortened from 선생님 (seonsaengnim), meaning teacher * 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) = thank you (formal); trick: "come some eat up" * 고마워요 (gomawoyo) = thank you (casual); 고마워 (gomawo) = even more casual * 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) = hello; trick: "onion on sale" * Pro tip: mumble and bow — Koreans will appreciate the effort Next Steps * Plan your Jeju trip at vamosajeju.com/trip [http://vamosajeju.com/trip] * Follow @vamosajeju on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook * Share the show with a friend who needs a reason to visit Jeju