Days 2 & 3 on Jeju — Udo Island, Seongsan, and a Family Trip 20 Years in the Making
This continues from Day 1. Four of us — my parents included — making our first return to Jeju Island (제주도) together in two decades. I had an itinerary. They had opinions. We split the difference, and that worked out fine.
Quick overview:
- Day 2: Daebong Restaurant breakfast → Seongsan Port → Udo Island → Seongsan Ilchulbong → Seopjikoji → Hotel Bridge Seogwipo → Baengnok Hoetjip dinner
- Day 3: Olle Ilpum breakfast → Cheonjiyeon Falls → Jeongbang Falls → Sangumburi → Sonmatchon lunch → Bijarim Forest → Jeju Airport
Day 2 Morning: Breakfast at Daebong Restaurant and the Ferry to Udo
Breakfast was at Daebong Restaurant (대봉식당), a gaejangguk (해장국, Korean hangover soup) spot a five-minute walk from the accommodation. Hours: 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., breakfast and lunch only. The side dishes tasted house-made, and the soup came loaded with organ meat. Not a token portion.
From there, we drove to Seongsan Port (성산항) and boarded the ferry to Udo Island (우도).
I’d heard Udo had a lot of Chinese tourists. On the crossing, the figure felt closer to 80% of passengers. Up on the open deck, though, wind and engine noise covered everything else. Fine crossing.
Day 2 — Udo Island (우도): Electric Cars, Haenyeo Lunch, and a Backpacker’s Islet
On Udo, we rented mini electric cars — two different models to compare. The yellow one with windows won: easier to board, more comfortable when the wind picked up. Udo is compact enough that a full loop takes a few hours at a relaxed pace.
Lunch was at Udo Muldeuri Haenyeo House (우도물들이 해녀의집). We ordered ramen and bibim noodles (비빔국수, spicy chilled mixed noodles). Both came with generous seafood — the owner sources it directly, which shows in the bowl.
After lunch, the loop started. The path near Hasugodong Beach (하수고동 해수욕장) has a small souvenir shop with a resident cat. Unplanned stop; worth it.
The highlight of the loop was Biyang Island (비양도), a tiny islet off Udo’s coast popular with backpackers. Several tents were already set up on arrival. Open shoreline on one side, meadow on the other — the appeal is immediate.
Udo Peak (우도봉) we left unclimbed. The view from below was enough.
The Geomeolle Beach (검멀레해수욕장) to Seo Meori Oreum (소머리오름) stretch is heavily commercialized. If you’re skipping the climb, move through quickly — photos and onward.
We returned the cars and caught the 3 p.m. ferry. In at 10 a.m., out at 3 p.m. — five hours is the right amount.
Day 2 Afternoon: Seongsan Ilchulbong and Seopjikoji
Seongsan Ilchulbong (성산일출봉) is a UNESCO-listed volcanic crater on Jeju’s eastern tip, about five minutes by car from Seongsan Port. The free trail section runs along the base; the paid route goes up.
We had one purpose here: find the spot where a photo was taken 20 years ago. Time only allowed the free section, which meant the location had to be there — or the stop was a wash.
It was close enough. The paths have changed in two decades, so we matched the background of the old photo rather than exact footsteps. That worked.
From Seongsan, Seopjikoji (섭지코지) is a ten-minute drive east — a coastal headland with walking paths along the cliff edge and views back across the water toward Seongsan.
Short visit. Worth it if you’re already at Seongsan.
Day 2 Evening: Hotel Bridge Seogwipo and Dinner at Baengnok Hoetjip
The accommodation was Hotel Bridge Seogwipo (서귀포 호텔브릿지): two rooms, one double and two singles. We dropped bags and went back out immediately. The morning payoff: Hallasan (한라산, Jeju’s central volcanic peak) visible from the room window.
Dinner at Baengnok Hoetjip (백록횟집). One focus: wild-caught black sea bream (뱅에돔), line-fished by the owner. No farmed fish.
Black sea bream sashimi has a firm, dense texture — noticeably different from the white fish at most Korean raw fish restaurants. We ordered the grilled version as well. The kitchen sent out complimentary grilled Patagonian toothfish (메로구이) alongside it. Then whole steamed cuttlefish (한치 통찜) and a mild clear-broth seafood soup (지리 매운탕, giri-style) closed out the meal — a full sequence without ordering everything explicitly.
Makgeolli (막걸리, lightly sparkling Korean rice wine) back at the room ended the evening.
Day 3 Morning: Galbitang and the Falls Opening Run
Breakfast at Olle Ilpum (올레일품), directly beside the accommodation. Galbitang (갈비탕, Korean short rib soup) — clean broth, full bowl.
We timed the drive to reach Cheonjiyeon Falls (천지연폭포) at the 9 a.m. opening.
Arriving at opening keeps photo queues short. By 10 a.m. that changes. If the accommodation is nearby, set the alarm.
From Cheonjiyeon, we moved straight to Jeongbang Falls (정방폭포). Quick visit. Jeongbang drops directly into the sea — one of few waterfalls in Asia that does — so the coastal frame is completely different from Cheonjiyeon’s enclosed forest pool.
Day 3: Sangumburi, Sonmatchon Lunch, and Bijarim Forest
Sangumburi (산굼부리) is a volcanic crater in Jeju’s central interior, distinct for being wider than the hill that contains it. Morning arrival, few visitors — unhurried photos.
Lunch was at Sonmatchon Ecoland Salyeoni Jocheon Main Branch (손맛촌 에코랜드 사려니 조천 본점). Two dishes: braised hairtail with fernbrake (고사리 갈치조림, Jeju-style braised hairtail fish with bracken greens) and fresh abalone cold hoe (전복물회, chilled sliced abalone and vegetables in a light vinegared broth).
The hairtail here was better than Day 1’s version — larger fish, with roe. When the fish carries roe, the texture and richness sit differently.
Bijarim Forest (비자림) closed out the trip before the airport. A grove of nutmeg yew trees (비자나무), some over a thousand years old. The loop takes about 90 minutes at a relaxed pace. Walking it right after lunch was exactly right.
We covered roughly half the itinerary I’d planned. The other half became whatever my parents wanted to do, and looking back, that was the better version of the trip. Twenty years since the four of us were last here together. They walked the forest path and seemed content.
Next time, somewhere outside Korea. Japan is the plan.
If you’ve taken a family trip through this side of Jeju — Udo, Seongsan, the falls, the forest — I’d be curious what made your cut. Leave a note in the comments.