After going on a grand tour of Phu Quoc Island on the day of my birthday, I decided to spend my final day in Vietnam going to Hon Thom Sun World amusement park. To reach this amusement park, you must go to the south end of the island by taxi and ride the world’s longest cable car to another island. You will pass over a cluster of fishing markets on your way there so it really is worth it for the view. I remember the ocean looked so beautiful from above. I’m really grateful I got the chance to swim in it when I landed!
As soon as I entered the park I noticed I was starving, so I ordered some vegan spring rolls, a seafood noodle dish, and a strawberry smoothie. I was surprised at how big the serving sizes were! There are restaurants all over the place so you’ll never go hungry:
Next I decided it was time to explore the park. I’ll admit that my main reason for coming here was to ride the cable car. I didn’t put much research into what attractions there were, but I figured I’d go and have fun no matter what. I looked at a local guidepost for direction, except there was only one destination on it:
There is only one direction!! ONE!
I thought this was some kind of joke until I looked on Inspirock and realized others had run into this same situation:
So okay, Trao Beach it was! At least I could ride a air-conditioned van there from the park for free. Since it was October, there wasn’t many people there so I could relax and enjoy it all I wanted. It was essentially a private beach. This was one of the scenarios where it was not about the destination, but they journey. I had a lot of nice time thinking to myself and listening to all my favorite music. The tiki statues and chairs made out of tires that I saw here also added to the ambiance:
Even though there wasn’t a lot to see at Sun World, being on a remote tropical island was more fun than being stuck in the city. What’s interesting is that some pictures of the park online show a water park, but it only seems to be open during certain seasons. There was no mention of it when I went in 2018 so I wonder if it’s under renovation. I saw all sorts of construction going on in the main pavilion near the restaurant I was eating at. I would guess that there is some plan to expand this park because it is in a beautiful area that has a lot of nature. It really could become something amazing!
Is it worth it?
The cost for the cable car ticket is around $15 USD (roundtrip) and entrance to the park is around $25 USD. This actually isn’t that bad for a day on an island in Vietnam, but you could definitely go cheaper. If you have an extra day to kill this excursion is great because of the unique cable car view—especially if you have a camera. However, there may be only one destination available when you reach the island… you won’t know until you get there!
Upon further research, I noticed there is another amusement park called Sun World Ba Na Hills in Vietnam with the same logo (so they must be owned by the same company). Search engines are likely confusing them in English. Perhaps Phu Quoc’s Sun World (the one I visited) is going to be designed as a miniature version of the larger one. Who knows? I hope to return to Vietnam and visit the other, larger, park when it’s safe so I can expand this article!
In my last article I talked about my expedition of Long Beach on Phu Quoc Island, but in this article I will talk about some of the other places that I ventured to outside of my hut! I would recommend staying at least 3 full days on this island because between the beaches and the central town, there’s a lot of neat things to see. I spent my mornings swimming on the beach and evenings chasing sunsets. It was truly the best 25th birthday I could have imagined!
The inside of a mini Cao Dai Temple in Duong Dong Town.
Since I wanted to see as much as possible on the island, I booked a day tour of the north and south sides of the island through Viet Fun Travel. This is a completely private tour run by Phu Quoc locals, so it’s very high-rated and you can customize it to your liking. I asked that they please take me to the Ridgeback Dog Farm because I wanted to feed the Phu Quoc dogs. They happily complied with my request and created a custom itinerary for me.
Unfortunately because I was by myself this tour cost $195 USD which is very expensive, but since there are not many ways of transportation on Phu Quoc Island it was worth the money. If you bring more people with you the price will drastically decrease. Since these islanders don’t always make a lot during the low season, I didn’t feel regret spending this much for a quality tour. It was fun and I got to experience so much! My tour guide was very nice too.
Here are the places that we stopped at. This tour lasted about 10 hours and included hotel pickup:
Pearl Farm & Fish Sauce Factory
Truc Lam Ho Quoc Meditation
Sao Beach
Coconut Tree Prison
Phu Quoc Ridgeback Dog Farm
Nguyen Trung Truc Temple
Passing Cape Ganh Dau
Vung Bau Beach & Ong Lang Beach
Our first stop was the pearl farm and the fish sauce factory. Fish sauce is Phu Quoc’s most famous food and is exported all over the country. I got to see how it was fermented in giant barrels which was pretty neat. The “pearl farm” was a museum of pearls mostly geared towards selling them, but I didn’t mind seeing it for a short amount of time. The pearls were so gorgeous. If only I could afford them! My tour guide bought me a sugar cane drink to sip on during the drive. It was super sweet and full of sugar as the name implies. There was also some mysterious green seaweed-like vegetable we tried.
The temples we saw on this tour were really beautiful too (unfortunately my photography skills from 2018 do not do them justice). Truc Lam Ho Quoc Meditation has a beautiful garden you can see when you reach the top. I enjoyed seeing the Choco-Pies that were placed in front of the deity at Nguyen Trung Truc Temple too. If I ever become a deity, I hope people place Choco-Pies in front of me too.
We next stopped at the Coconut Tree Prison that was built by French Colonists to imprison Vietnamese soldiers during the Vietnam War. Many tortures were performed here such as caging humans and burning off their flesh. I didn’t take many photos because it was grotesque, but you can Google it for yourself and see just how horrible it was. I was grateful for the personal tour because I never knew that there was a prison here! Most people that visit Vietnam only get to see the Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, as the Coconut Tree Prison is quite remote.
After that gruesome reminder of Vietnamese history was over, we stopped for my birthday lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant. Everything was on the house~ Cheers to turning 25 on Phu Quoc!!
At the restaurant we ate octopus, fried rice with blue crab, and I tried snails for the very first time! The snails kind of taste like sautéed mushrooms but are chewy. I recommend trying them at least once if you get the chance. The flavor is actually quite enjoyable. The best part about this restaurant was definitely the atmosphere. Even though I was a tourist, I felt at home here.
We rode briefly through the central town of Duong Dong so our driver could get gas. This is the largest town on the island just north of my island hut. There is a seafood market and many temples and pagodas you can see. We stopped briefly to see a Cao Dai temple before continuing our tour so I could rest for a bit. If I ever some back to Phu Quoc, I would like to stay in this town for just one night to see what it’s like!
Next we stopped at the Phu Quoc Ridgeback Dog Farm so I could feed the dogs. For some reason this was one of the most anticipated stops for me! Phu Quoc dogs are some of the rarest and most expensive breeds in the world. They are extremely independent and love roaming the beaches. During the high seasons you can watch them race through courses and place bets on them. Since I was here in October, I could only pet and feed them, but that was fine by me. They were absolutely adorable:
My tour guide was extremely kind and gave me an extra bag of food. He knew pretty much everyone on the island so people were always giving us souvenirs. After I had fed every dog on the farm (and I mean EVERY dog), we decided to hit the southern Sao beaches. I didn’t take a lot of pictures because I was swimming, but it was extremely surreal to see cows grazing out here:
While I was swimming my tour guide told me I could stay out here as long as I liked because he was practicing meditation with an mp3. I stayed until sunset and got to soak up a lot of sun. Everyone that is native to this island practices spirituality, but they never try to force their beliefs upon you. I really enjoyed every single moment here even though my time was short.
I would recommend this tour to fellow adventurers because it truly takes you everywhere. I was exhausted by the end of my trip and was thankful I could rest in my hut. My next article will be the last of my Vietnam series! Thank you to all that have read up to this point.
When people think of tropical destinations in Asia, Vietnam usually isn’t high on the list. Most people in Japan flock to Okinawa, Thailand, Philippines, Guam, or even the Gold Coast in Australia for vacation. I wanted to experience something different so I decided to fly to Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam from Hanoi and stay in a beach hut on my 25th birthday in 2018. This was one of my first times staying on a remote island alone, but it was completely safe and turned out to be one of the best birthdays of my life!
I stayed on Phu Quoc for four days and three nights and managed to learn a lot about the island culture of Vietnam. Being here is completely different than from being in the city which is truly eye-opening. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh you’ll get a lot of stares and attention from the locals, but here you’ll find complete and total privacy:
Getting to Phu Quoc
A roundtrip flight from Hanoi to Phu Quoc only costs $65 through VietJet and takes two hours so it is quite cheap and easy to plan out. I’ve researched other islands in Vietnam such as Cat Ba, but Phu Quoc is by far the most beautiful. Long Beach is the best place to stay on the island because it has a lot of restaurants and you can see the best view of the sunset. The beach looks pretty 24/7, but swimming in the ocean and watching the sky turn that lovely mixture of pink, blue, and red makes it feel as if you are living inside of a painting:
The island hut I stayed at was called Viet Than Resort. I chose this resort because I liked the design of the thatched huts and it was only around $35 per night. Plus it was right on the beach and had a swimming pool too! I came during the off-season in October, but I still had a lot of fun here because the weather was perfect. I spent my entire first day here exploring Long Beach and going swimming. It was definitely the relaxation that I needed after several days of trekking through the populated cities.
Cuisine on Phu Quoc is cheap, healthy, and extremely satisfying. I tried a restaurant near my hotel and ordered seafood ramen and an omelette. After hours of swimming, this was exactly what I needed!
Another perk of staying here is you’ll often run into Phu Quoc dogs. An islander informed me that these dogs are friendly towards people but completely independent. They’ll let people wash and feed them, but they spend most of their time frolicking on the beaches. I wish I were a Phu Quoc dog!
Unlike places in Thailand and Bali, Phu Quoc is NOT a party island. It does have a lot of bars and places to socialize, but you won’t find any recreational drugs here. I really wish that there were more islands in Japan like this. I went to Okinawa for my first birthday in Japan and had fun, but it does not have a lot of beach huts and the best beaches require renting a car or riding a infrequent bus to reach. I liked Phu Quoc because everything was accessible, and if I needed to get somewhere I could use Grab or ask my hotel to call a cheap taxi service. This would honestly not be a bad place to retire.
In my next article, I’ll be talking about my island tour and how I rode a cable car to Sun World! Thank you all for reading my Vietnam article series! Though this happened almost 2 years ago, this island is still a very popular resort destination and a place that I would recommend to all my friends. It’s really easy to have fun here no matter what your budget is.
Though the theatrical release of the Evangelion 4.0 movie has been indefinitely postponed due to the pandemic, official Evangelion collaborations are still going full swing in Japan. Last week I visited the Radio EVA Cafe located on the 6th floor of the Shibuya PARCO building and tried some of their delicious desserts. In addition they have some custom merchandise for sale. Their menu had a lot of options, but my personal favorite was the purple mousse rose with leaf-shaped chocolate:
I’ve eaten a lot of desserts in my time, but this was my first time trying purple mousse!
This mousse was perfect because it was super soft and creamy, but not too sweet! The little bits of pancake also added to the texture. Though the food is quite expensive (averaging 1500 yen per dish), the pro of coming to this cafe is that you get to see special scenes from the movie! Unfortunately recording them is not allowed, but I was able to take a lot of pictures around the cafe:
I really enjoyed seeing the comic book art-style they chose here. The interior design was really thought out and it was interesting to see fully English quotes. Unfortunately there were not a lot of vegetarian options, but I loved the flavored drinks and desserts. For the full menu, please see their official website.
The cafe will be running from 6/1/2020 – 8/2/2020. There is no online reservation system so you can just walk in. I went on a weekday at 6pm and was immediately seated. For those who are unable to go, fear not! There will likely be another cafe when the movie is finally released. When that happens, I will be sure to check it out!
Since I’ve finished my Jeju Island article series, I’m going to write about some of my favorite places to hang out in Seoul next. It’s hard to structure this article because there are literally so many cool areas of the city! My two favorite districts in Seoul are by far Itaewon and Gangnam. Both have extremely different vibes but are perfect for a night out depending on what my mood is. Itaewon is friendliest and most international while Gangnam is the fanciest district is Seoul. Even though I can’t speak Hangul, I never have trouble making friends in this city. Spontaneously getting invited to a bachelor’s party while staying here was one of the coolest things that have ever happened to me in a foreign country. I’ve been to Korea three times and hope to visit again when international travel is possible again.
Without further ado, here are the most fun places that I’ve discovered:
Common Ground
Common Ground is an urban mall that was built out of containers and is really fun to explore. Unlike other malls, there’s not a huge mob of annoying shoppers here because those type of people usually go to the fancier malls in the center of the city. Common Ground features small designer stores and also has restaurants and live music. A lot of stores here import brands too. No matter what your price range is, you can usually find something that fits your taste here. I actually didn’t buy much but I had fun doing photography with the winter illuminations outside. There was also a statue of an astronaut outside and some replicas of Roman statues inside the main building when I visited. How aesthetic!
While I was walking around here, a Korean student came up to me and interviewed me for a university project. Since I didn’t have a strict itinerary during my first trip, I happily participated. She asked me various questions about my country and also gave me some Korean snacks. Though it was a simple project, I was happy that I could help out. Common Ground is close to many universities so it’s great for socializing and meeting people!
Lotte World
Lotte World is one of the most famous amusement parks in Korea. In fact, it’s the largest indoor theme park in the world—which is why I had to go! It’s located in the massive Lotte Mall that has hundreds of shops and food from all around the world. If you are looking for top tier shopping in Seoul, then this is the place. I came after the start of the new year so the park had a winter theme. Fortunately it wasn’t very crowded and I could ride all of the rides that I wanted! There are carousels, roller coasters, haunted houses, and my personal favorite: The Balloon Ride. You can see the entire indoor park and mall from the top which makes it an amazing experience.
Even though Lotte World is owned by Lotte Co. Ltd., there are actually a lot of parallels between it and Disney Land. For example, the outside of Lotte World resembles the Disney World Castle. It also has a beautiful lake that you can view by walking across a bridge that leads to the artificially created “Magic Island” which is a lot like Disney Sea. Despite these similarities, the attractions are quite different and the entrance to Lotte World is considerably cheaper. If you like one park, you’ll probably like the other too.
I would recommend checking out Lotte World as opposed to other amusement parks because you can come here in any kind of weather thanks to the indoor park area.
Entrance Fee: 32$ for adults (cheaper than most amusement parks in Japan so it’s overall worth it)
Jogyesa Temple
The Jogyesa Temple in Insadong, Seoul is probably my favorite temple of all time in Korea. I first came here during the Lotus Festival in April and many bright hand-crafted paper ornaments were hung around the entire complex. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was! Jogyesa is actually the center of Buddhism in Korea and many rituals and ceremonies are held here. There are private prayer rooms as well as places that you can make public offerings. The Chinese Scholar Tree was planted on the temple grounds because it is said to convert negative energy into positive energy and happiness. Though I’m not particularly religious, I definitely felt in high spirits here. Please check this place out if you ever get the chance. The monks are very friendly and welcoming.
I enjoyed seeing the English pack of M&Ms being used as an offering when I went:
Entrance Fee: Free
Myeongdong
Myeongdong is essentially the Shibuya/Harajuku of Seoul. You can come here at any time of day and find something fun to do. It has street food, hilarious fashion (“say no to kids, drugs”), recreational parks, and cafes galore. The street and night markets have knock-off Gucci and Supreme which you can score for a low price. I enjoyed eating octopus and drinking sochu while I walked through all the streets and alleyways.
Some of my favorite places I found around Myeongdong Station were:
Artbox – An adorable mall with art supplies, cosmetics, and accessories. It reminded me of the LINE Friends store in Japan but had way more variety.
Stylenada 3CE – A pool-themed shopping mall and cafe with beautiful pink decor. It has amazing desserts!
Bbongsin – An amazing restaurant with cold noodles and calzones. Some of the best Korean food I’ve ever had!
Milky Bee – An ice cream shop with flower-shape gelato.
Myeongdong has bars that stay open late, but not much of a club scene. Continue reading to see my recommendations for clubs:
Gangnam
Ever since the song “Gangnam Style” became a hit song, I feel like this district doesn’t really need an introduction but I’ll give it a go anyway. Gangnam is the most upscale district in Seoul but you can enjoy the nightlife here with almost any budget. In addition to some of the most reputable clubs, it has secluded parks you can walk through by the river side and amazing cafes. Gangnam itself is pretty spread out so people don’t normally drink in the streets like in Itaewon. It’s classy and has a club area as well as a quiet upscale residential district as well.
My first memory of Gangnam was meeting up with some of my old college friends here and going to Octagon, where we got invited to VIP tables and drank champagne. If you’re a girl then it’s really easy to meet people that will buy you drinks here. The crowds and sound system are pretty insane too. I honestly got too lit my first time here so I’d really like to come back and just focus on the music next time.
Last year I decided to get my eye bags removed at JK Plastic in Gangnam. I had sunken eyelids that were caused by genetics so the veins under my skin would show and create permanent eye bags. I always looked tired and wanted to fix the issue so I opted for eye surgery. I chose JK Plastic because they are one of the highest-rated clinics in Korea and speak English. It took about a week of downtime in Korea and then six weeks of recovery at home, but the skin beneath my eyelids has been fully restored now! When I woke up from surgery I nearly cried because they did such an amazing job and I could already see the results despite having a swollen face. During my down time I played visual novels and also watched a lot of anime. It wasn’t so bad—just make sure you have enough time off to take care of yourself!
Plastic surgeons in Korea are the best in the world. The advantage of going here is that if you’re a tourist you can get a tax refund from the surgery when you go to the airport. I would not recommend plastic surgery in Japan because my friends have said the surgeons here are not as experienced or friendly. I would recommend doing research, scheduling an online consultation with a clinic you like, and seeing what options fit you best. I may write a full article on this at a later time!
Itaewon
The inside of Fountain, one of my favorite watering holes in Itaewon.
Itaewon is my favorite place to start my night out in Seoul. I have so many fond memories here. It caters to the late-night international crowd and has small, condensed streets as well as beautiful murals that decorate the walls. You can sit at an outdoor bar or go drinking in the street and easily meet people (both tourists and Korean nationals). You can find pretty much any type of restaurant or dessert shop here too. It has the feel of a college town but is much more upscale and classy. Usually I spend my first night going to various clubs and bars then wake up and soak in Itaewon Land Spa.
My favorite club here is called Cakeshop because it features a lot of independent producers from both Seoul and other countries plus it has a great vibe. It originally caught my eye because Carpainter did a set here in 2015 (unfortunately I was in America at the time or I would have gone). The club is small enough with one DJ booth and bar that it’s easy to converse with people and enjoy the music. I have made a number of friends here that I still stay in touch with. The entry fee usually isn’t more than $25.
Besides Cakeshop, Fountain is a great place to check out. The first floor is huge dance floor that’s always usually packed and the upper floors have tables and arcades for bigger groups. The music here is usually western EDM which disinterests me, but the atmosphere of the club is impressive. I have never paid any entrance fee when I have gone in. What I remember of Club Awesome was awesome too!
Next time I’m here I really want to check out a club called Pumpkin. If it’s actually Halloween-themed like its outer decor implies then I’m in.
Other Interesting Places:
Hongdae – Hongdae is a popular spot for college students and those who love K-pop music clubs. I came here to visit the ADERerror store and also to do some shopping. I didn’t like it as much as Itaewon or Gangnam due to my music taste, but I highly recommend you spend a night exploring here and see what you think.
I found an amazing “Magical Item Shop” called Creamy DD with tons of Sailor Moon and other magical girl accessories here. It’s easy to spot the sign if you walk down the main road:
Ihwa Mural Village – Since I went to Busan and saw Gamcheon I skipped this village, but if you are looking for beautiful murals and art to see then please check this place out! I want to go here in the future.
Secret Garden – A scenic area around Changdeokgung Palace that I recommend checking out if you have the time. It is one of the most beautiful gardens in Seoul!
Nami Island – A scenic island near Seoul where many K-dramas are filmed. Click the link to read my full article on it!
Places to Stay
As a backpacker, I favor cheap hostels but the majority of accommodations in Korea are less expensive than in Japan. You can likely find a nice hotel for $45 USD or less too.
Here are some of the places that I stayed at and enjoyed in Korea. I booked them close in proximity to the clubs I was interested in checking out:
Guesthouse Yacht (Itaewon) – A very inexpensive apartment-style dorm in the heart of Itaewon. This is my go-to place if I’m spending the night there because it’s safe, quiet, and conveniently located.
Kimchee Guesthouse (Gangnam) – A guest house near Gangnam City Office that has private and dorm rooms. I stayed here during my eye surgery recovery period and it was perfect because my room had a shower inside it. This is the cheapest you will get in the fanciest part of the city, I assure you.
Neo Seoul Guesthouse – I wanted to try staying in Hongdae for a night, so I chose this place because of the cool name. It was cheap and I could easily access the airport limousine the next day so I recommend it for its convenience (Itaewon and Gangnam are a bit further away).
This will be the last article about Korea that I write until my next trip! Since I live in Japan, I can sometimes find cheap round-trip flights for under $150 so I come here usually once a year for a week long vacation. Usually new restaurants and venues open, plus cosmetics and beauty clinics are really cheap here so I always have something to look forward to. Until next time, Seoul!
After exploring the east and west side of Jeju Island and climbing Mt. Hallasan, I decided to spend my final day on the island relaxing and seeing some of the places that most tours don’t cover (such as the sex museum and private beaches). Since I don’t have an international license, I had my hostel help book me a private taxi driver. The average cost of private taxi drivers in Jeju is about $150 USD per day but hiring one is much easier than trying to use the local buses. The duration of the taxi session is around 9 hours and you can easily see all of the things you want to see without hassle. Hilariously, all the English-speaking drivers were booked already due to high demand but I was able to book a Japanese one. Without further hesitation I set off for my fifth and final day on the island and hoped for the best! Fortunately the weather was on my side.
See Iho Tewoo Beach & Gwakji Beach
Jeju has around eight popular swimming beaches in total, but I chose to travel to the two most photogenic ones. Iho Tewoo Beach is famous for its two horse-shaped lighthouses. I wanted to see them in person so this was the very first destination I chose! Unfortunately it was bit too cold to go swimming, but I just liked being on an empty and relaxing beach. Apparently this beach is extremely popular during the summer because you can go for boat rides here, but during late April when I went it was extremely peaceful and quiet. Just what I wanted after all of the exhausting hiking that I did!
I picked up some amazing octopus at a nearby restaurant here. Raw Korean octopus tastes amazing:
After I had my fill, I decided to head to Gwakji Beach which is much livelier because there are a lot of resorts around it. None of the resorts on Jeju are particularly fancy, but the cafes sure are. I decided to try Mônsant which is owned by G-DRAGON purely because of its flawless architectural design. You can see the ocean through the panes of glass while sipping on delicious coffee. I ordered a strawberry smoothie and couldn’t believe the view that I was seeing:
I tried to go swimming here, but the beach shore was a bit rocky so I was reluctant. Jeju’s beaches are more designed for soaking up the atmosphere rather than actually getting soaked. I didn’t mind though, because Gwakji Beach definitely had a nice vibe. In addition to posh cafes there were squids being sun-dried and local food stalls around. I appreciated the diversity of food here.
One hilarious and slightly creepy trend here I saw was having photos of couples and babies printed onto lattes. I’m usually quite adventurous when it comes to food, but I don’t know if I’d have the courage to drink myself… This is just too realistic:
WOW!
Nexon Computer Museum
The next stop was my favorite museum of all time in Korea: The Nexon Computer Museum. Nexon is the company responsible for creating Maple Story and the longest running commercial graphic MMO in the world: Baram, also known as Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds. I was really surprised to see that a modest company in Korea had this award; which makes me think that Nexon is seriously underrated so naturally I wanted to learn more.
I featured this museum in my Top 3 Most Innovative Art & Technology Museums article, so please check it out for the full description! If you travel all the way to Jeju, you need to come here. You won’t be disappointed.
Museum of Sex and Health (Jeju Loveland)
Ah yes, the infamous Sex Museum of Korea. I’ll admit I was a bit embarrassed coming here by myself, but I was on vacation so I figured why the hell not? Jeju Loveland is an art museum of erotic outdoor sculptures and has an indoor collection of various adult toys. What’s good is that it promotes a safe approach to sex and only admits entry to adults (honestly I’ve seen enough pedophilia in Japan bookstores and this was a much classier attraction). “Various romantic and sexual art works are waiting for you.” the official website says. I liked the ambiguity of the upside-down sculptures submerged in water… But I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination. Definitely see it if it fancies you!
Entrance Fee: $9 USD (not bad)
Jeju Horse Park
Before having my driver drop me off at the airport so I could take my flight back to Seoul, I decided to make one more stop at Jeju Horse Park. I was wearing the most extra outfit because I was shooting pictures on the beach just before, but once again I figured why not! I was on vacation and I wanted to ride a horse one last time. This was the perfect way to end my Jeju Chronicles. I had successfully accomplished everything that I had planned so this was yet another perfect trip to commemorate. The park has a really laidback approach and you can choose multiple routes around the mountains and seaside. I couldn’t use my camera because I was riding, but I had an amazing time! There was a guide who was keeping close watch on me so I felt safe at all times. Horseback riding is a great way to see Jeju Island and is relatively cheap so you should try it at least once while you’re here.
Entrance Fee: $10-$20 USD depending on how long you go.
Final Remarks
As this article implies, I had a phenomenal time on Jeju Island and would recommend it to all my friends. There were a few issues with the language barrier here and there, but island people are some of the friendliest people that you will ever meet. I really treasured all of my time here. I was also able to speak Japanese in a few instances and find my way around. Google Maps aren’t always reliable in South Korea so I would do your research on what attractions you want to see before coming here. That’s it really. Once you arrive at Jeju, you’ll find that the island is small enough that you can easily navigate and fit in all the activities you want. Jeju is by far the most beautiful place in South Korea and you should definitely give it a chance because it has activities for everyone!
Over the weekend I decided to re-visit Gifu Prefecture and see if it’s famous water lily pond in Seki was worth the hype. This originally nameless pond has been nicknamed “Monet’s Pond” (モネの池) by the locals because it closely resembles the Water Lilies art series painted by Claude Monet in the late 1800s. Depending on the season and the weather, the scenery of the pond can vastly change. Some online reviews have said that Monet’s Pond is a vibrant place that is a spitting image of the artwork, while others have dismissed it for appearing as murky and overrated. It’s somewhat humorous to see the variety of scrutiny this place gets (both in English and Japanese).
My favorite review comes from “Kevin B” on Google:
“It is nice, but professional photograph[s] ruined it for me. My expectations were too high, don’t trust the pictures on the Internet.” – Kevin B
This could be true of any place, anywhere—don’t trust the pictures on the internet. Kevin B’s review implies if you set your expectations too high, you will be undoubtedly disappointed. Especially since the pond is located in a considerably remote location with infrequent transportation. But as an adventurer, reading that description just made me want to travel here even more so I could see it for myself.
Fortunately I was not disappointed because the photos I captured look complementary to the artwork:
Fun Fact: I didn’t actually look at any of the Water Lilies paintings until after I went to the pond because I didn’t want my expectations to be warped. I only looked at them for reference in order to accurately write this article.
Here is a gallery of photos that I took. The pond is quite small in size, but depending on where you stand you can see an entirely different reflection in the water:
I was lucky because I got the chance to see Monet’s Pond in both sunny and cloudy weather in the hour that I was there. During sunny weather the pond perfectly reflects the clouds in the sky giving it that dream-like oil painting aesthetic. During cloudy weather it looks a lot darker, but with the floating water lilies it still appears beautiful. Perhaps in the colder months it looks more bare and devoid of color, thus provoking the negative reviews. Coming in June gave me the perfect experience though. I was extremely satisfied with what I saw.
In this video the Koi look like they’re swimming through the clouds:
If you search for pictures of the pond online, you will see mixed results. Some photos have been purposely edited with filters and textures to look more like the paintings. However, the photos on the Official Gifu Tourism Website look pretty natural. I used both my iPhone’s camera and my GoPro so I could closely compare the detail. I only edited the lighting and shadows slightly in the photos I posted here because the sunlight was already optimal. It is recommended to come in the summer and fall months for the best viewing but the pond is open year-round.
Even if we can’t trust the internet, one thing we all can agree on is that this cheesecake replica of Monet’s Pond is awesome:
Monet’s Pond Cheesecake created by an anonymous pastry chef (posted on Grapee).
Not gonna lie, seeing this cake was another huge inspiration for my journey here. Perhaps Gifu Prefecture will some day replicate this idea and create a cafe with food and souvenirs based on the pond like many other places in Japan. Until then, enjoy this capitalist-free piece of nature.
Access
From Gifu Station take the N83 bus towards ほらどキウイプラザ行き (Horado Kiwi Plaza) and get off at the last stop. I was a bit disappointed to see that there were no kiwis here (this is simply a parking lot on the side of a highway). From the bus stop at the parking lot you will see a small van waiting adjacent to the bus. The van’s time tables are aligned with the local buses so you can take it for free to Monet’s Pond. The bus ride takes about 1.5 hours, and the van ride takes 15 mins, so the total travel time is around 1 hour and 45 mins. Though this is a bit of a journey, the ride only costs 670 yen and the pond has no entrance fee making it one of the cheapest attractions in Gifu.
If you like seeing the country side of Japan and don’t mind riding the bus, then I would recommend this trip to you. Just be sure to watch the weather and get there early so you have enough time to take pictures and return to the station. Besides the pond, there’s really not a lot to do in Seki. There’s a local shrine and a few places to eat, but most of the area is used for farming. After seeing the pond I went to Nagoya to spend time with my friends because there’s much more to do there. This was a great escape from reality though. I was happy to confirm that the pond does indeed resemble the real artwork and is not just a hoax.
If you are interested in seeing more attractions in Gifu Prefecture, please check out my Your Name and Gero Onsen articles!
In my last article I wrote about fully exploring the west side of Jeju Island. This included riding a horse on a volcanic crater, trekking through Cheonjeyoen Falls, going to some hilarious theme parks, and more awesome activities. In this article I will be writing about exploring the east side of the island with the same tour guide: Jeju Day Tour. The East Course runs on odd-numbered days and is the same price as the West Course—roughly $65 USD. The duration of the tour is 9 – 10 hours but includes lunch and plenty of breaks. The tour group was also under 10 people which was great too.
As I mentioned before, the local buses only stop at certain places so having a tour guide for thorough exploration of Jeju is ideal. Especially if you don’t speak any Hangul like me! I was once again very satisfied with the high quality of Jeju Day Tour because it’s run by a local guide named Mr. Ko and his courses stop at the most places on the island. With a heart wistful of adventure, I set off for my 4th day on the island!
Manjanggul Lava Tube
Our very first stop was the Manjanggul Lava Tube which is one of the longest lava tubes in the world and is also a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. It was formed when lava flowed towards the sea and has a cave you can explore. The cave only takes a couple of minutes to see, but examining all rock formations and detail inside is very interesting. There are also bat colonies that live in here, but fortunately we didn’t run into any!
Maze Land
Maze Land is a self-explanatory theme park with the world’s longest stone maze that is just over 5km. Look at Jeju, setting those world records! There are three mazes in total you can challenge here—two of them intersect with a combination of stone and hedge walls. Most mazes can be completed in 8 – 24 minutes. This was one of the most relaxing parts of the tour because I was able to walk around the beautiful hedges and listen to music. Parts of it felt more like a large garden than a maze! The most hilarious part was watching Korean children climb the walls and give their friends instructions on how to get out. Fortunately the walls weren’t very steep. I will admit I got lost a few times though!
Seongsan Ilchulbong
Seongsan Ilchulbong, also called “Sunrise Peak”, is one of the best lookout points on the island… But of course the day I went it was submerged in fog! The peak was formed by hydro-volcanic eruptions so it has a very unique shape. If you click on the 2nd picture, you can vaguely make out the beautiful coast of Jeju. The climb to the top only takes around 25 mins and you can use the wooden stairs. Fortunately I already had climbed Mt. Hallasan and got clear pictures of the crater lake at the top. If you run into fog during your tour, I would recommend going to Mt. Hallasan by yourself on a sunny day for a better chance!
Seopjikoji
After eating a delicious Korean buffet lunch, we stopped at another famous lookout point: Seopjikoji. This is located at the end of the eastern shore of the island and is very close to the ocean. According to Visit Korea, “Seopji” is the old name for the area, and “Koji” is Jeju dialect meaning a sudden bump on land. As you walk the road to the shore, you will notice a bumpy hill. It’s has quite a funny shape and is fun to hike over. At this point I didn’t even care about the fog. I bought some cheesy squid bread and relaxed by the ocean. Hearing the waves hit the rocky shore made me feel closer with nature.
Seongeup Folk Village
From 1410 to 1914, Seongeup was a small village that played a big role in the cultural history and development of Jeju Island. The village is located at the foot of Halla Mountain and has since turned into somewhat of an open air museum. Here you can see the huts that people lived in, fortress ruins, stone monuments, and a lot of other interesting things that have made up the history of Jeju. Outside of museums in Seoul, this was the first time I had the chance to see the history of Korea up close.
Eco Land
All aboard the Eco Train!
The last stop was at a train-themed amusement park in the forest called Eco Land! Not going to lie—I was completely exhausted by this point. After 4 action-packed days of hiking and being exposed to an entirely new culture, I could feel my body craving rest. Eco Land was a great place to relax though because you can literally ride the train around five different stations without getting off. Or you can be super active and get off and explore at each station. Within the forest there are multiple gardens, a lake with a cave and various attractions, and also animals you can see! This was the only part of the tour that felt a bit rushed, but it was also likely due to my lack of energy. Even though I was tired, being in the forest was a great way to end this tour.
Final Remarks
What another amazing day! I enjoyed this tour almost the same as I did the west side of the island and would recommend it to all my friends that are traveling through Jeju. The East Course seemed to have more nature activities, but that was completely fine by me. Even if you don’t like hiking, you can choose to go horseback riding or try local food at the stops. Jeju is so beautiful and has so much to see that it’s extremely hard to get bored here.
My next article will be the last of the Jeju Cronichles. I will be writing about how I hired a private taxi to go to the few places that weren’t covered by the tour. Though it’s been two years since I’ve been here, this island still is extremely special to me. Thank you for reading.
After successfully climbing Korea’s tallest mountain, I decided to take a bus tour around the west side of the island so I could relax and enjoy some of the quirky attractions of Jeju Island. I booked my tour through Jeju Day Tour because they go to the most places out of all the tour companies and are locally owned. The price for seeing half the island is only $65 USD which is worth it because it’s cheaper than renting a taxi or car. Mr. Ko, who personally organizes the tours and is the main guide, speaks very good English and answered all of my questions about the culture here.
The tour is about 9 – 10 hours but includes lunch and plenty of breaks. Our tour only had about seven people on it which was the just the right amount. The bus came directly to my hostel at dawn so we could get an early start. I couldn’t wait to see how my third day on the island was about to unfold!
Mysterious Road
Our first stop was the “Mysterious Road” (also known as “Dokkaebi Road”) which was located at the base of a mountain that connects two major highways. It was given this name because things that fall on it seem to roll up the hill rather than down. In other words, the road appears to defy gravity due to an optical illusion of its mountainous surroundings. Since we came on a slightly rainy day, we could see water droplets coming towards us from the top of the hill and it was supernatural. The demon head statue that marked the road also added to the ambiance, and it was only our first stop!
Cheonjeyoen Falls
Our next stop was the Cheonjeyoen Falls, which are three of the most beautiful waterfalls in Jeju! The water from the first waterfall divides into the other two making it a beautiful natural occurrence. The water from this park eventually flows into the ocean, which is why people call it “The Pond of the Gods”. It definitely looks like something mythical straight out of a video game. I was grateful to have my guide explain its origin or else I would have overlooked it. These are the best waterfalls to see on the island in my opinion.
Mt. Songak
Mt. Songak is a little volcano with 99 peaks. This was the second volcano I visited after Mt. Hallasan and was a much easier climb! The summit has the best view of the west side of the island, but unfortunately due to the heavy fog it was difficult to see. The coast and walk to the temple however were breathtaking. Even with the fog I could still clearly make them out. I climbed part of the mountain (which only took a few minutes) then opted to go horseback riding for a small fee. My horse looked similar to Epona so it was totally worth it.
The good thing about Jeju is that the fog usually clears quickly. Since I was here for 5 days and had already climbed the tallest mountain, I was more focused on the experience of hiking rather than taking photos.
Jeju Trickeye Museum
After spending the entire morning submersed in nature, we had a Korean buffet lunch that was included in the tour package and were dropped off at the Jeju Trickeye Museum. At Trickeye museums you can pose with various paintings that are designed to make it look like you are part of the art. I had been to the Trickeye Museum in Seoul the previous year so this was quite similar. However, the Trickeye App that you can download for free on your phone makes photography much more interesting here. My favorite part was the VR pandas that were created with the app. This video I took made it look like they had crawled out of the painting. It was honestly worth the trip.
Soingook Theme Park
I was not expecting to run into Shrek and crew while I was in Korea, but that just goes to show how crazy this island is. At Soingook Theme Park you can can see replicas of famous architecture around the world juxtaposed to characters from famous films in a humorous display. I enjoyed seeing Buddha, Shrek, an Angry Birds plane, and some vaporwave all in the same place. Not to mention a beautiful bridge and lake from god knows where. I bought some knock-off Kit-Kats called “Twin Kicker” at a convenience store here and they tasted pretty good. I’m still trying to process everything I saw here!
Osulloc Tea Museum
Osulloc is the largest tea plantation in Korea and is also a museum with delicious sweets. From Jeju Island, the plants receive the perfect amount of sunlight so they can be processed into high quality tea and shipped around the country. You can freely wander through the plantation and learn about how tea is made. I tried the green tea ice cream and chocolate green tea roll which was amazing! This is one of the best spots to pick up souvenirs on Jeju too. I would say Korean green tea is just as good as Japanese green tea.
Teddy Bear Museum (Teseum)
Because meeting Shrek wasn’t enough, our final stop was the Teddy Bear Museum (also called “Teseum”) where we went on a “Teddy Bear Safari” to meet stuffed bears from all over the world. Not gonna lie, the concept seems childish but this was actually a very fun exhibition. Seeing everything from the anatomy of a teddy bear to their origin made me think back to all the stuffed Beanie Babies I collected as a kid. I did not realize how much of an impact teddy bears had on the world before I came here. Why was this on a sub tropical island in Korea? I have no idea, but it was an interesting concept.
When we got back on the bus, Mr. Ko kindly gave us mini bear keychains as souvenirs from the museum. I still have mine and think back to this trip very fondly.
After a fulfilling day of nature, green tea, and some of the craziest museums in Jeju, I was taken back to my hostel Skywalker around dinner time. I chose this hostel because it was close to Mt. Hallasan Park and the dorms were only around $12 per night. Unfortunately this hostel is now closed, but my other recommendation GreenDay is still open!
<insert your own Star Wars reference here>
Final Thoughts
This tour was 100% worth it. The amount of things we were able to see in one day was astonishing. We had the perfect balance of nature, museums, and silly tourist attractions (which I never would have went to by myself but I enjoyed them). Basically we saw the entire west part of the island and were free to explore each destination after listening to a brief explanation. You could try to reach these places with a local Jeju bus, but some spots such as the Mysterious Road can only be accessed by car or via tour bus. The amount I paid for this tour was about the same as I paid for my bus tour in Okinawa, Japan, so it was pretty fair. I was happy to have a Jeju local as my guide. If you book a tour with Jeju Day Tour then be sure to say hello to Mr. Ko for me!
In my next article, I will be exploring the east side of the island with the same tour company (they were that good)! The west tour runs on even days and we east tour runs on odd days, so you can easily fit them into your schedule. Thank you for reading!
During my first trip to Nagoya for the World Cosplay Summit, I made sure to book tickets to see the real-life Totoro house because it had been a lifelong dream of mine to visit. Located in the east part of the city, the Satsuki and Mei House is a perfect replica of the setting in My Neighbor Totoro from my childhood memories. You can enter the house and explore it to see what living in the 1950s was like in Japan. It has everything from the palm trees planted outside the veranda to the exact shape and size of all the furniture within the house. The clothing of the characters can be found inside the closet adding to the realness. Photography inside is strictly forbidden, but photos from the outside are allowed so it’s fun to create comparisons to the movie.
What I like most about Totoro is much of the story is told from the viewpoint of children but everyone watching can relate to their imagination. It’s a story that focuses on exploration and not fear or conflict. Totoro is a mysterious creature but his over-sized and fuzzy design give him a friendly aura. This house doesn’t have any replicas of Totoro himself, but you can easily imagine that he’s there beside you.
Reserving Tickets
I originally used a Loppi machine at the Lawson convenience store chain to book my tickets 2 months in advance. If you make a reservation on a weekday, you should have a chance of getting in faster. If you are overseas, you can try sites like Voyagin to buy tickets (I’ve tried this in the past for tickets I can’t get and it works).
Admission Fee: 510 yen for 30 mins
30 minutes is more than enough time to see everything in the house, and there is a huge park that you can wander through once you’re finished. As I’ve said before, Nagoya is a seriously underrated city.
Access
Yazako, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1103
From Nagoya Station, take the Higashiyama Line to Fujigaoka Station, then take the Yakusa Line to Ai-Chikyuhaku-Kinen-Koen Station. This takes around an hour and costs 670 yen.
