When I was planning the Jeju Island trip, I laid it out so we would work our way clockwise around the sights and the good places to eat. To pack in nothing but the very best of Jeju Island in two nights and three days, you can’t afford to waste a single moment, sadly. If we’d had time to spare I wouldn’t have set such a punishing schedule, so that was a bit of a shame.
After a late breakfast in town, the next stop we picked was Seopjikoji, near Seongsan Ilchulbong. It turned up after about an hour and a half by rental car from downtown Jeju. You can find beautiful scenery anywhere on Jeju, but I put this on the itinerary because I wanted to see Mint, a Tadao Ando building. There also happened to be a famous restaurant in the area.
The coast at Seopjikoji
There were plenty of tourists at Seopjikoji, but it didn’t feel particularly man-made. It was scenery that looked properly like Jeju Island.
The house from the drama All In
Picture-perfect scenery. A great spot for sightseeing.
The seawater at Seopjikoji
The natural scenery has been preserved just as it was.
The lighthouse
I couldn’t not climb up there, could I..
Restaurant Mint
The location is exquisite. That said, the building is so big that it never feels like it melts into the surrounding landscape. The view from inside really was gorgeous, though..
Seopjikoji seen from the lighthouse
On the way back I tried the tourist horse ride. We went once around the course and they took a souvenir photo too, and it was tremendous fun. They don’t charge extra for the photo either, which made it even more satisfying.
Strange rock formations
Though on Jeju this is probably a perfectly ordinary rock.
Mint’s zigzag garden, built to send you the long way round on purpose
Whoever designed it certainly made it awkward to walk.
A flower in the garden
A single flower has fallen there.
The ice cream we had at Mint
The price is steep but it tasted fine. You’re paying for the seat, I suppose. The inner seats with the good view are reservation-only, apparently. Next time it might be nice to stay at Phoenix Island and book a table at Mint.
Iced latte
The coffee, I was told, tasted like something was missing. Given the price, that really shouldn’t be the case.
A shot of the building
It was only the overcast weather holding it back; the view from Mint really was splendid. It made Tadao Ando’s trip all the way to Jeju Island feel worthwhile.