Yachting, an enchanting experience for all
Employees of the Grande Bleu Yacht unfurl the sail for passengers to enjoy the thrill of the yacht moving under sail. Listening to the sounds of the wind and waves buffeting the yacht is a soothing, sublime experience. / Korea Times photos by Yun Suh-young
By Yun Suh-young
Sailing is not just a pleasure to be enjoyed in summer. In fact, many say the freedom of the ocean waves is best enjoyed during spring and autumn when the skies are blue and breezes blow cool and crisp.
Misconceptions about yachting
Most people consider yachts and yachting to be luxurious pleasures reserved for the rich.
Yachting is indeed a luxurious past time, but in Korea it is no longer exclusively for the wealthy. It has become popular among people who aspire to spend a day living like members of the nobility.
The trend these days is not to overspend in order to “live it up” just like the upper class, but to “experience” their lifestyle even if it’s just for one day.
Tourists take photos at the deck of the yacht. Any photo taken on the boat looks like a magazine shoot because of the beautiful scenary.
“The trend among the public used to be sailing onboard a cruise ship. This then changed to boarding a submarine. Now the trend is to sail on a yacht,” said Han Kyeong-eun, manager at Grande Bleu Yacht, a company that leases yachts for tours on the waters around Jeju Island.
According to Han, there are about 25,000 tourists a year who come to Jeju Island to ride on the Grande Bleu yacht. The monthly average of visitors is between 2,000 to 3,000 people and the daily average is about 300.
A surprising phenomenon is that 80 percent of the visitors who sailed on the yacht for the first time come back for a second time because they enjoyed the experience so much.
“People aren’t very acquainted with the idea of sailing on a yacht so when they sail for the first time, they come with a preconceived bias about the activity. Of course they are excited to ride on the yacht because it’s something they’ve never done before,” said Han.
Photo of a Grande Bleu 550 docked at Daepo Port. The yacht can accommodate up to 50 people.
“But after they’ve sailed on the yacht for an hour, their misconceptions about the sport (that it’s only for the high class) change and they become big fans of it. They come for a second time wanting to indulge in the leisurely experience again.”
The reason why people are mesmerized by the yachting experience is because there are various activities to enjoy on board and the cost won’t break the bank.
There are three yacht tour companies on Jeju Island: Grande Bleu Yacht, Gimnyeong Yacht Tour, and Yacht Tour Shangri-La.
The fare for all three of the yacht companies is 60,000 won per 60 minute ride and 40,000 won for a 30-40 minute-ride. This, however, is the fare for a public ride where you board on the ship with dozens of other strangers.
If you want to ride the yacht privately, you can rent the boat for your crew. The prices range from 300,000 won to 3.5 million won per hour depending on the number of passengers and the rates charged by the yacht company.
A passenger holds up a greenling she caught while fishing. The Grande Bleu offers a fishing experience for tourists to catch fish in the deep waters of Jeju. The caught fish are trimmed by yacht employees and served as sashimi.
Companies can also hold seminars or meetings on the yacht. Grande Bleu offers a two-hour course for company meetings priced at 6 million won that caters for over 30 people. Buffet food prepared by world class chefs is also available.
The yachting experience
Yachting is not only a relaxing leisurely activity, it can also be exciting. For those who want to experience fishing, the Grande Blue provides rods for people to catch greenling which are commonly caught in the waters around Jeju. Employees immediately serve the fish as sashimi so that passengers can taste their own catch.
Out on the deck, passengers can lie down and enjoy the breeze or take pictures as if on a magazine shoot.
To take the best shots, wear colors that contrast with the blue ocean. White is best and yellow, orange and red are good alternatives.
During the winter, the yacht provides thick winter anoraks for passengers. It is also equipped with heating facilities so do not hesitate to ride the boat in the cold.
The yachting course for tourists is a round trip around several scenic points near the Jeju coast.
The Grande Bleu course is a tour around Daepo-hang (port), columnar joint rock formations, Jungmun Beach, waters where dolphins are commonly sighted, Wolpyong natural cave, before returning to Daepo. On the way to some scenic spots, passengers can enjoy the thrill of the yacht moving under sail. The vessel is usually motor-driven, so when the sail unfurls and the only sounds are the wind and waves buffeting the yacht, it makes for a soothing, sublime experience.
Yachting in Jeju
Although yachting can be enjoyed on any part of the ocean, the Jeju waters are especially fit for it because of the good weather conditions. The wind pushes the yacht gently across the waters. Wonderful scenery slips by, to be marveled at and photographed.
The yacht tour is a fantastic tour course for foreign visitors as well. About 40 percent of the total yacht tour passengers are foreigners, most of them Asians.
“Chinese people make up the majority of foreign tourists who take the boat while others come from South Asian countries like Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia,” said Han.
“Foreign tourists love the experience because it’s an opportunity to experience a luxurious life style. The tour is also cost-efficient compared to the facilities and service on the boat.”
Grande Bleu offers the latest, most expensive yachts, the Grande Bleu 620 and 550 which accommodates up to 50 people. They are designed in New Zealand and produced in Canada.
Gimnyeong Yacht Tour provides Bona 520 and Lady Bona which accommodates 30 and 24 people each, also designed in New Zealand and produced in Canada.
Yacht Tour Shangri-La offers Shangri-La and Shangri-La 1, 2, and 3.
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