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The volcanic Jeju-do, about an hour’s flight away on the southern...
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The volcanic Jeju-do, about an hour’s flight away on the southern coast, is a Unesco natural heritage site and a veritable feast for the eyes.
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Thursday, April 14. At Gimpo airport, it looked like all of Seoul was trying to get away from the South Korean capital. Whether it was the previous day’s hangover they wanted to get rid of (the liberal Minjoo Party of Korea had upset the ruling conservative Saenuri Party in elections to the National Assembly, leading to a much bigger party!) was not clear, but a small group of Indians were happy to be part of the excited, chattering exodus. After all, their destination was Jeju Island.
The volcanic Jeju-do, about an hour’s flight away on the southern coast, is a Unesco natural heritage site and a veritable feast for the eyes. With its sinuous coast, bursts of flowers and sea spray, rugged mountains and dormant craters spewing nothing but cool, invigorating air, it is not surprisingly a paradise for honeymooners. And trekkers. And cyclists. And beach bums. And photographers. And food lovers. And selfie-takers. If Japan is the land of the rising sun, South Korea is truly the Land of The Rising Selfie. They are seen everywhere: armed with their selfie sticks, young and old alike trying to extend their self-life in the digital world. Beautiful Jeju Island.
The Indian group, comprising representatives of leading tour and travel companies back home and this correspondent, were not so trigger-happy as to shoot at site but preferred to pick their moments for poster-ity.
Apart from its rocks, Jeju is known for its strong winds (a fierce little tempest almost blew our petite guide away!) and its female sea divers who venture where few fishermen dare to go—that too without oxygen tanks. Talk about women leaving you breathless.
Besides R&R, there’s a lot one can do in Jeju. Take an hour-long submarine ride that drops you 40 metres under the sea; sail leisurely on a yacht into the sunset or explore culinary adventures in the downtown area. Jeju has some excellent luxury hotels like the Ramada and Hyatt. You can even check out a couple of Indian restaurants if you tire of the delectable local seafood. As a vegetarian, I had my apprehensions about what I would get to eat, but was pleasantly surprised by the fare on offer. Yes, it did give me food for thought—about stereotypes and misconceptions.
Although English may not be spoken widely (the Chinese are the dominant tourist community here), foreign tourists can get by with a few gestures and the universal language of finger-pointing.
Back in Seoul, it was a bracing 15 degrees Celsius. The sky was clear, the cherry blossoms were fading and the spirit was strong (nothing like a nip of soju, the local distilled liquor, to toast the nip in the air).
At first sight, Seoul seems to be a developed, first world country. And it is. With a history dating back only a few decades, it is bent on writing its own future. And planning seems to be the master key. The roads are wide, the public transportation is seemingly fault-less and infrastructure here to stay—nearly 30 bridges connect the eastern and western parts of the city that are split horizontally by the Cheonggyechenon creek that empties the Han river into the Yellow Sea. Home to corporate titans like Samsung, Hyundai, Lotte Group, LG, Daewoo and Korean Air, the country seems set to follow the economic strides made by Japan.
Koreans may not be too fond of their erstwhile rulers but they definitely share their zeal for high-tech gadgetry and stylish living while preserving old customs and traditions.
So while on the one hand, you have superstars like Psy (of Gangnam fame) and K-Pop spinning off techonmagic like the K-Live hologram concert, you also have the rustic Nanta farces to keep you in splits. The performances on percussion instruments and soul-stirring arias at the magnificent Korea House are worth a dekko. Iconic Seol Tower.
Of course, for the modern traveller, the must-see sights include the Seoul Tower, which rises 236 metres high (it takes only 13 seconds to be elevatored to the top) in the geographical heart of the city and which offers a stunning panoramic view of Seoul City. Then there is the uniquely-designed elliptical Institute of Design, the 1988 Olympic arena and the 2002 Fifa World Cup stadium.
Seoul has year-round snow parks, indoor and outdoor theme playlands to indulge your kids or the child inside you. Eating out is no problem in a city of 11 million and you can have your fill from Korean to Indian to Chinese to Continental. Even vegetarians are well catered for.
Our group bid goodbye to the endearing country (mountains cover 80% of its terrain) after a privileged visit to the headquarters of the aviation biggie KAL, which operates three direct flights a week from Mumbai to Seoul and holds 40% of the Korea-bound market from India.