There are other islands worth visiting as well, notably Hong-do, in southwest Korea.
WHAT TO SEE:
Cheju is worth a few days' visit. Hiking in Hallasan is a great way to spend a day. The waterfalls in and around Sogwip'o (Ch'eon-ji-yeon and Cheong-bang) are pretty, though crowded during high season. Song-san crater, on the east coast of Cheju, is gorgeous. The Cheju Folk Village is well done and interesting, and even better is Seong-eup Folk Village, Cheju's former provincial capital, well worth a visit. Definitely stop by the lava caves, Man-jang-gool , on the northeast side of the island. Sang-bang-gool-sa, on the southwest part of the island, is a natural cave turned into a temple. If you are stuck in Cheju City, go to one of the hotel casinos and watch the
Japanese gamble their month's salary away! Get a laugh from the wooden cutouts of Korean policewomen holding traffic signs, which no one pays attention to. Try to watch the hae-nyo, the old diving women, in action. These women have dived underwater to gather shellfish for centuries, but like many rural livelihoods, this trade is dying out. It's amazing how long they can stay underwater without oxygen.
WHAT TO DO: You need to rent a car in Cheju. Bus service is irregular and slow. Driving around the island for the day is a relaxing way to spend a day here, unless it's high season and the Seoulites are treating the roads like their personal Indy 500 race track. This way you'll be able to explore the villages and farms that dot the countryside, along with the serene beaches on the coast.
WHAT NOT TO DO: Don't stay in Cheju City any longer than you have to: it's another drab Korean town, though a couple museums are worth stopping by. Don't get caught off guard while driving! Koreans, especially those from Seoul, can't seem to relax even when on vacation and drive like maniacs. Do not do what some friends and I did in 1996: rent a car smaller than a Ford Tempo and jam seven people in it! The policemen didn't bother us, however. Cheju is a pretty lax place, unless, of course, the Seoulites invade it for vacation.
WHERE AND WHAT TO EAT: Koreans will tell you to try the ddong twae-ji, which literally means, "shit pig." Just don't think about what those poor pigs consumed and enjoy your meal. I've found that restaurants in Cheju give huge portions. All the towns and villages have plenty of restaurants. Try to find a place where lots of locals are eating, ask about the price first, and you'll be fine! Try the fruit if it's in season: you'll see trucks full of sweet pineapples, juicy watermelons, and tart tangerines that you can peel in a second! If something's not in season, though, be prepared for sticker shock. My poor mother bought some tangerines from an old woman during my family's visit in 1995, and when my father found out the price, he had a fit. They were good, but the story still makes us laugh to this day. You can find western food in Cheju City, but most likely it's going to be brutal. So far Cheju has been spared the scourge of fast food outlets.
WHERE TO STAY:
Again, min-bak are plentiful, as are yeo-gwan. Cheju City, especially the Shin Cheju area, has a plethora of hotels that are reasonable, even during high season. We stayed at the New World Hotel in Shin Cheju, and it was fine. They even served breakfast, though it was a fish cooked whole, head and all. I thought my mom and sister were going to cry. Most of the 5-star hotels are on the south coast of the Island, near Sogwip'o.