Jeju

Whiteout on Mount Hallasan

It has been more than half a year since I last visited Jeju (the island off shore the Southern tip of Korean Peninsula), back then testing my new hiking boots. This time on Mount Hallasan, no ice was on the summit, and just a normal pair of shoes were enough for the 1600 meter ascent. But this week the peak of the mountain kept itself mostly hidden in clouds. After leaving the forest, you cross a beautiful alpine landscape with a unique fauna and flora - many species indigiounous. Strong winds were driving patches of clouds over it and left a quick change of bright sunlight and whiteout. I was told that this is the environment surrounding immortals in Chinese believes. I always feel high mountains have something immortal, no matter of light. Perhaps, it is because we are closer to the sky.

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Jeju is a sizable volcanic island, with Mount Hallasan as the major shield volcano. But there are many more volcanoes, tuff craters and lava tubes. A paradise for volcanologists. The coasts are mainly steep and rocky, and the few natural beaches are black sanded. The water of the natural springs tastes of different minerals, depending on the very specific location. Luckily Chinese tourists are absorbed by the Casino and the shopping malls and other attractions close to the airport, which preserves the rest of the places from their impact.

From Jeju's East coast there is a ferry connection to U-Do island, which takes about 30 minutes. It is a car ferry, which also carries the trucks transporting out the garlic harvest, which is a major crop there, and a fixture in Korean cuisine. Arriving U-Do you can rent a motor cycle and circumcise the island in less than an hour. U-Do is offshore-offshore Korea, and by this reminded me of Lamma Island, which was my home in the South China sea for five years, before I moved to Beijing. I know that for many people "offshore" is mainly related to a special kind of Financial Service industry which is making use of special rules away from major jurisdictions. But for me, "offshore" is a lifestyle away from the buzz of big governments and consumerism. It can be found on islands, in forests, on mountains and even in some cities - probably not in Beijing though. 

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Jeju (South Korea)

The first time I heard about Jeju was about 10 years ago, when I saw an advert in The Economist to invest in the self governed Pacific island province of South Korea. I remember there was a map showing how good it is located and which places you can reach in a radius of three flight hours. And  there were ambitious plans to develop it into a "Second Hong Kong". Today Jeju is a very nice weekend escape for me from Beijing. It is a self governed province of South Korea and also Nationals of the People's Republic of China can enter on a landing visa. First I thought then there is the chance that the island might have already deteriorated into a "Chinese Mallorca". But not at all. Most Chinese travel companions coming from Beijing, strait went to the Casino and the shopping malls and do rarely appear in the rest of the island, except in the form f a few tour busses which are easy to be spotted from far and avoided. 

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The island itself is very pretty and mainly shaped by Mount Hallas, a very picturesque shield volcano and many other volcanic structures. The sea is clear and has some nice dark sanded volcanic beaches. All together the island is a very good destination for hiking, swimming, cycling, or just to get away to a quiet place. Historically, Jeju received unfortunate fame for the 1948 massacre, and the violent confrontations with communist insurgence. The society has been shaken, by troops and paramilitary units killing men and forcing the widows to marry the murderers of their husbands, so that they take legal ownership of the land.

Jeju also has a University and a Science Park and it makes a very good diaspora for example to finish up some writing in a nice environment. I have not made further plans yet, but I keep the option in mind for now.

Mount Hallasan

Mount Hallasan is a shield volcano which builds the centre of Jeju Island (Korea). It is 1950 meters high and holds up impressive basalt formations. The Mount Hallasan National Park is UN Natural National World Heritage and a very well managed site. Access is free. I approached it from the West and could not cross the summit into the crater as this region is protected, which I of course respect. Tried my new hiking boots here the first time: Vibram sole, tight grip and hard edges as always. Perfect. Asking for more.

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