Hello, I am Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at The Korea Times. I primarily cover financial authorities and write articles on a wide range of topics related to finance and capital markets. If you have any information to share, feel free to email me at jjh@koreatimes.co.kr, and I will review it carefully. I am committed to always doing my best to communicate with readers through high-quality articles.
Jeju Olle Route 7 among hikers' most popular courses
A scene from Route 7 of the Jeju Olle Trail on Jeju Island / Courtesy of the Jeju Olle Foundation
By Jun Ji-hye
Island's walking trail listed among top 10 best coastal walks by UK magazine
By Jun Ji-hye
Hiking and walking trips have become one of the trending activities during the continued COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a survey conducted by the World Trail Network, with respondents in 10 countries, 75 percent of the trails that responded have seen an increase in new trail users, such as families and young people, during the various stages of lockdowns.
Some trails in North America have observed a 200 to 500 percent increase in the number of users.
In a recent survey conducted by the Korea Tourism Organization, walking trails were selected as the safest travel destination as well, chosen by 50.4 percent of respondents.
Walking trips have become more popular not only because the trips offer a chance to marvel at breathtaking scenery, but also because people tend to prefer quiet and less crowded destinations amid the prolonged public health crisis.
The country's southern island of Jeju boasts the Jeju Olle Trail, a 425-kilometer footpath that connects the coasts of Jeju and consists of 26 routes.
If you wonder which routes to choose among the 26, you can refer to the following recommendations made by Jeju Olle hikers who have completed the entire long-distance trail.
The Jeju Olle Foundation said that it conducted a survey on 2,778 thru-hikers who have completed all the routes over the past year, and Route 7 was selected as the best route, chosen by 35.8 percent of respondents, followed by Route 10 at 32.3 percent and Route 18-1 at 24.6 percent.
Hikers walk along Route 13 of the Jeju Olle Trail. / Courtesy of the Jeju Olle Foundation
Route 7, which passes Oedolgae Rock, Beophwan Port and Gangjeong Village, starts at the Jeju Olle Tourist Center and finishes at Wolpyeong Village.
This route boasts the island's most magnificent coastal view. In spring, canola flowers and wild radish flowers are almost everywhere along the route, with royal azalea flowers and camellia flowers blooming in villages along the way.
Route 10, which starts from Hwasun Beach, continues to Hamo Sports Park in Moseulpo Port.
Beautiful and meaningful at all times, the route displays Jeju Island's history during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial occupation as well as sites related to the April 3 incident. The incident was when tens of thousands of civilians were killed by right-wing paramilitary group members and the authorities under President Syngman Rhee, in a bloody crackdown on their protest against the division of Korea and elections in the part of the peninsula controlled by the U.S. military-led government, during the period following Korea's liberation from the Japanese.
Route 18-1, popularly referred to as, “The Jeju Olle Route to hike before you die,” explores every corner of Chuja Island.
The route reflects the culture of both Jeju Island and mainland Korea, in addition to a spectacular view of wide canola flower fields as stunningly bright as sunlight reflected off the ocean.
With each of the 26 routes having its own unique charms, the Jeju Olle Trail was recently listed among the “Top 10 Best Coastal Walks” in Active Traveller, a U.K. magazine specializing in outdoor activities and travel. The magazine features destinations with activities such as walking tours, hiking, kayaking and sailing.
The Jeju trail, the only Asian trail among the top 10 coastal trails, was listed along with other renowned trails, such as the GR34 in France, a 1,700-kilometer-long coastal path also known as the Customs Trail; and the Milford Track in New Zealand, the famous film location of the movie, “The Lord of the Rings.”
“Think 'hiking,' and South Korea may not be the first destination to spring to mind. But things are changing fast for the burgeoning country, as walkers flock to take on the new Jeju Olle Trail (the name loosely translates to 'the pathway'), which opened in 2007 and encircles the volcanic Korean island of Jeju,” the magazine read. “Jeju is known locally as 'treasure island,' and this hike is the jewel in its crown.”
The Jeju trail earned great compliments from the magazine as “the route follows the coastline and opens up endless views of deep blue ocean and green Mount Halla rising in the interior.”