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From cave café to cacti to a taste of historyDavid Ederer suggests some tourist sites with a difference
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½ÂÀÎ 2010.10.31  10:05:40
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¡ã Cave Cafe. Photo by Kim Gyong Ho

Getting to Dongguldawon can be a challenge but it is definitely worth it. After hopping on the East belt line at the Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal, I took a 30 minute ride to Hamdeok Beach. From there I grabbed a taxi and told the driver to go to Dongguldawon (µ¿±¼ÀÇ ´Ù¿ø in hangeul).

The taxi from Hamdeok costs about 10,000 won, worth it If you’re traveling with a group. The small combined outlay avoids the hassle of trying to figure out the bus system (the bus comes only once every 4 hours).

The plantation is nestled at the foot of Geomunoreum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, not too far from the Bijarim Nutmeg forest. However despite its close proximity to these popular places, Dongguldawon, a tea plantation, attracts little attention in conversations about Jeju’s “must see” places.

One of the first things I noticed when I stepped onto the grounds of Dongguldawon was the stunning office building located right at the entrance. The newly-constructed offices boast a sleek postmodern design, featuring a patio on the roof with a great view of the tea plantation. The office serves as an unmistakable landmark for the location of the farm, though is not so large that it dominates the landscape.

Our guide, one of Dongguldawon’s few English-speaking employees, turned out to be excellent company, providing anecdotes, and a background in history as we traveled around the plantation in a golf cart. Though smaller than its better-known cousin O’sulloc, there is much to see and do at Dongguldawon.

   
¡ã Dongguldawon green tea plantation. Photo by Kim Gyong Ho

Many benches are provided where you can rest and watch the old women tend the plants. Though Dongguldawon is not a huge operation, there is definitely a personal touch in all they do. After checking out the plants, it is advised that you take a moment to admire the view of both the sea, Halla and all the oreum that surround the farm.

However the highlight of any trip to Dongguldawon is to visit its two cafés in caves.

After taking a lap around the grounds, my guide and I stopped at the original café, known as Greenluce. Classic tunes greeted us as we sat down and admired the cave to our left and a koi-stocked pond to our right. This café wasn’t serving drinks at the time but had a soft drink machine to quench our thirst. Greenluce proved a good pit spot as we whetted our lips for the larger full service café, EveHall.

Although it’s located just behind the office at the entrance to the farm, I hadn’t really noticed EveHall. Only its roof, modeled after a traditional thatch roof, is visible from the surface and I noticed the pond next to it before I had even realized there was something below.

To reach the café, you have to walk about 100 meters underground, so my guide and I ventured down some stone steps into the cave. After the short trek, I stepped into the wide, cool café.The inside is adorned with flowers, ferns and statues made from the same stone as the cave. Jazz music was playing and other than a young couple, my guide and I were the only ones there.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good the tea was. Although my initial attraction to Dongguldawon was the idea of a cave café, the tea was superb and worth the trip itself.

After refreshments, we made our way to the office which surrounded by a small moat. It was a unique touch to an already unique place. Inside there is a small restaurant, a gift shop (where you can pick up some fresh tea to take home), a few smaller offices, and a classroom where you can learn about tea and pottery.

Dongguldawon had a very intimate feel and it was obvious the people really care about the company and their product. The CEO’s house is on the grounds, sitting on top of a hill in the center of the farm, with her company’s tea plants literally at her doorstep. Although it doesn’t have resources of some of its competitors, Dongguldawon puts out a great product.

From its rolling fields, to its delicious tea, to its unique cafes, Dongguldawon has quietly become one of Jeju’s truly unique attractions.

Jeju Mokkwana and Samseonghyeol

   
¡ã Mokkwanaji. Photo by David Ederer

If you live in Jeju City and don’t feel up to traveling to the far reaches of the island, there are a few places in the city that are worth visiting.

To get to Jeju Mokkwana, alight at the Gwandeokjeong bus station, right near the Tapdong Underground Shopping Area.

Jeju Mokkwana is on the site of the Jeju Provincial office during the Joseon Dynasty and it was here that Tamna Sullyokdo, an illustrated historical account of the island, and the Tamna Bangyoungchongram, a document that detailed government facilities were found. Inside the complex, you can view a replica of some of these documents in a laminated book.

Jeju Mokkwana was destroyed during Japan’s colonization of Korea, but all the buildings were restored between 1991 and 1998, with the help of 50,000 roof tiles donated by Jeju citizens.

The complex includes a restored governor’s main office, the military headquarters, and several other buildings. It also features a large koi pond, and a small tangerine grove.

Next door is the oldest building in Jeju, Gwandeokjeong, although it is currently closed.

About 2 blocks east of the KAL Hotel, sits Samseonghyeol, a place that celebrates Jeju’s heritage.

Guarding the entrance of Samseong-hyeol are two of Jeju’s oldest dolhareubang. Walking through the gate and its guards, it no longer felt as if I was in a city of over 400,000 people. The tall trees and the paths through them were quiet and cool. Besides a few small tour groups and a number of magpies, I felt alone and at peace inside the gates of Samseong-hyeol. Since I had time, I even sat down for 30 minutes and read a book, and took in everything that Samseonghyeol had to offer, comfortable and quiet inside it’s gates.

After my moment of rest, I moved on to a small exhibition hall that contained a number of artifacts and a detailed history of the island. In addition, there was a small theater where I sat down to watch a movie about the history of the island and its three founding demi-gods: Ko, Yang and Bu. This history made up for the fact that the explanations in the museum room were only in Korean and Chinese.

After exploring the museum, I moved onto the center of the hallowed ground where there are three holes, from which the three founders supposedly emerged. The huge trees that circle the holes and the altar next to them seem to bow down in respect. Yet while everything surrounding the altar was dark, the sun still managed to shine through.

So, if you want to get a dose of Jeju’s history and take a break from life in the city, these two sites are great spots to take an afternoon off and learn a little about the island.

Admission to Mokkwanaji for adults is 1,500 won and to Samseonghyeol adults pay 2,500 won and 1,000 won for children.

Wollyeong

After enjoying many a piece of Jeju Cactus Chocolate, I’ve always wondered exactly where all these cacti were and how they ever got to Jeju. No doubt, Jeju is a unique place with a diverse landscape, but having naturally growing cacti here just didn’t seem feasible.

I was wrong.

The small town of Wollyeong is dominated by the cacti, known commonly as the palm cacti because of it’s resemblance to a human hand. Its scientific name is Opuntia ficus-indicus. Here, people grow fields of cacti; there’s cacti along the shoreline, there’s even cacti along the rock walls surrounding people’s houses. It’s clear that the cacti play a big role in the lives of the people of Wollyeong.

To get the best views of the cacti in their natural habitat, walk along the wooden path on the Wollyeong shoreline, where you’ll see how the cacti have spread along the coast. As you walk, take a look out on the sea where there is an excellent view of Biyang Island.

Along the path there is a small shelter to sit and admire the sea. After a long day, I welcomed the calming sea breeze and the soothing crash of the waves. It is also a place to admire the sheer resiliency of these cacti, as there was no space between the sea and the cacti. They are constantly subjected to the wind and rain that frequent Jeju.

However a warning: although they can hold off the wind and rain, the slightest human contact can destroy the cacti and if you are caught touching them, you face a hefty fine.

The wild cacti sprout amongst black rocks on the shoreline, growing in the sand and even on the rocks themselves. During Fall, the cacti are a dark green set against the black rocks and the sea and the blue and orange roofs of the houses. A unique sight no doubt, but during the summer, when the cacti begin to sprout bright purple fruit and yellow flowers.

How the cacti first came to Jeju is unknown, but a plaque along the path notes that the cacti are endemic to the New World and it’s possible that seeds may have been carried along the warm Kuroshio current. However it’s “more likely that some enterprising soul distributed the seed, intentionally or otherwise.”

The cacti are rumored to have medicinal value in improving eyesight, respiration, regulating cholesterol, fighting diabetes and the plant is exported to Japan for medical treatments. The cacti are unique to Jeju and there are few places with such a temperate climate and atmosphere that can support such plants.

So, if you want to get a unique view of the western side of Jeju, but don’t want to do all of Olle Trail 14 or if you just want to get a glimpse of another of Jeju’s natural quirks, visit Wollyeong and spend an afternoon on their boardwalk.


¨Ï Jeju Weekly 2009 (http://www.jejuweekly.com)
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