DAY 1
From the airport, the bus took us to our hotel for check-in into our respective room to keep our luggage and a toilet break. We were given only 30 minutes for all these before we required to board our bus again. Half of the tour participants stayed in a 4-star hotel while the other half (including my family) stayed in 3-star hotel. Both hotels located in Yeon-dong, Jeju City and next to each other.
Our room in Parkside Hotel. It features traditional Korean elements in its interior.
Bathroom.
We all boarded the bus again and off to visit our 1st attraction in Jeju, the "Yongyeon Pond".
Spotted the Hallabong Tree, a type of tangerine and 1 of the iconic products in Jeju Island.
Arrived at Yongyeon Pond.
Had to cross this bridge to get to the other side.
We bought Roasted Chestnuts from this seller.
Views from the bridge.
It is a deep water pond which formed from the meeting of fresh water in the mountain valley and the salty water in the sea.
And it is also a good place to spot the aircraft that about to land in Jeju International Airport.
From the Yongyeon Pond and Bridge, we moved to our 2nd attraction, the "Yongduam Rock". It is located very close to Yongyeon, so we just had to walk to get here.
Also known as the "Dragon Head Rock", the Yongduam Rock was formed by strong winds and waves which occurred over thousand years ago. The huge rock really resembles the shape of a Dragon Head.
We only managed to visit 2 attraction on our 1st day as it was already late evening. We boarded the bus again and were sent to 1 local restaurant for dinner.
We had Grilled Mackerel Fish and Seaweed Soup for our main dishes.
Along with some side dishes such as Kimchi, Hallabong (Jeju Tangerine) and Sliced Fish Cakes.
Although the foods were dry and simple, but they were surprisingly very delicious!
After dinner, we were sent back to our hotel for rest. That night, my family and I decided to walk around the city and did some shopping. Our hotel is located 5 minutes away by walking from the city's popular shopping street. There were a lot of shops selling cosmetic products, clothing, souvenirs and some cafes that opened until late at night.