Travel to me is to explore a new city like a local. The experiences that are more authentic, and the places that are less frequented, are all that I am looking for whenever I travel. This is also the main reason I started this blog – to share my experiences and know-hows as I uncover the hidden spots in South Korea and other countries I visit.
One of the best spring destinations in South Korea is Jeju Island. This charming island is a popular holiday destination for both locals and tourists. However, I often find the places that these two audience groups visit can be very different. This prompt me to pen down information about these hidden spots in Jeju.
Gasiri Wind Power Plant (가시리 풍력발전소) is always on top of my pocket list for the best attractions in Jeju during spring. It is located along Noksan-ro (녹산로), one of the most picturesque roads I’ve seen in Korea. The road stretches about 10 KM and once you’re about to reach the wind power farm, a landscape of light pink and bright yellow beacons. Lining the road are thousands of tiny little petals of canola flower and the dreamy cherry blossom. It is so beautiful I was lost for words the first time when I visit this place — certainly the best rapeseed/canola flower field in Jeju!
Writer’s note: The canola field is enormous. As you can see from my photos, it is an endless field of velvety yellow flowers blooming on waist-high stalks, against the backdrop of the clear blue sky and several wind power plants. It is so tranquil and magical — more than the photos can convey.
What I like the most about this place is they don’t fence up the field so you can walk into the bushes. It was lovely walking in there, albeit a little whiffy. lolx However, please be gentle and refrain from plucking the flowers. Don’t disgrace yourself and your country!
As it is a hidden spot on the island, there is no public toilet, restaurant or carpark in the vicinity. However, there are a few food trucks selling titbits like sweet corn, sausages, drinks, and ice-cream around.
The best time to visit?
The first week of April, typically 1st of April to the 9th.
Venue Details
녹산로 유체꽃 도로
제주 특별 자치도, 서귀표시 표선면 가시리 산 51-1
Noksan-ro Canola Flower Road
San 51-1 Gasi-ri, Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju-do, South Korea
Entrance Fee: Free of charge.
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Transportation
There are public buses connecting places in Jeju, but I do not recommend non-Korean speakers to take public buses like how you do in Seoul. Navigating to your desired destination in Jeju by the public transport can be a lot more challenging. Generally, here are the 2 recommendations for travelling around in Jeju –
Drive: If you have an international driving license, how about a road trip in Jeju? You may consider renting a car right at the Jeju airport. Getting to the unbeaten track is a breeze – only if you understand basic Korean. Just key in the address on GPS and you’re good to go. It helps if you are able to key in the Korean address using the Korean GPS system provided in the rented car.
Engage A Private Tour Guide: Alternatively, you may want to engage private tour guide at the airport — this is what I always do whenever I visit Jeju. Tour guides here works pretty much the same as other countries. A typical one-day private tour would cost KRW 130,000++ and last about 9 hours, from 9 am to 6 pm and will usually cover 5-6 places including a restaurant and a cafe (if you like to have a cup of coffee after the meal, which is quite standard in modern Korean daily lifestyle). Most of the tour guides expect customers to pay their meal during their time with you.
You decide your itinerary – most services here can accommodate a personal customization of the itinerary. Discuss your wish list with your tour guide before the departure. For your information, most of the basic /major attractions for the 1st timers are located in the Southern part of the island while the “hidden gems” are mostly in the Northern part. The island is quite big and travelling to and fro two parts of the island can take up a lot of time and you don’t want to end up spending time on the road instead of enjoying the scenery.
My take: Just pick your choice and focus on one area in a day. If you want to cover the more commercial/ touristy sites AND the authentic local experience, it is best to engage 2 days of the service. If you’re unsure, talk to your guide and I’m sure they’ll be able to tweak your itinerary a little to compliment your needs. I would say, line up your priority and take out the places of the least priority to fit in one day’s itinerary. After all, you can only visit 5-7 places in a day via these private tour service.
Some taxi drivers work as private tour guides too! They might not be as professional in explaining the history behind certain places, or they have limited English proficiency but they provide reliable transport from point to point. If listening to stories is not your priority, you may consider hiring a taxi driver for a day.
P.S. The tour guide that I engaged during my Jeju trip is getting married, therefore she is not taking any more trips. It’s a pity that she has decided to quit. If not, I’d be sharing her contact here. If you have any tour guides that you want to recommend, feel free to comment below 🙂
Hello,
I’m planning to go to Jeju Island this April, I just wondering is this field actually situated near Jeju Canola Flower Festival?
Thank you
Hello,
yes, its located where the Canola Flower Festival is held! 🙂