Slow Living

Go slow for the Soul, Jeju (Day 1)

Mindfulness comes easier when you slow down, leave the hustle of Singapore behind, and trade the city’s hiss for Jeju’s mountain breeze.

This 15-day journey began with quiet anticipation, moving from Pyoseon-myeon in Jeju’s southeast, across Seongsan-eup and Jocheon-eup, before reaching Aewol-eup and Hallim-eup along the northwest.

A red-eye flight on 28th November 2025 (Friday) didn’t deter us from making the most of the day. Upon landing, we spent less than 15 minutes passing through immigration and collecting our luggage. With our car booked for 9:30 AM, we had about 90 minutes to grab a quick bite.

Walk pass a relatively new Jeju’s native bakery brand Abebe Company’s pop-up store, Abebe Bakery’s Jeju, at the arrival hall of Jeju International airport. Who could possibly resist the temptation of cream-filled donuts? Soft, sweet, and perfectly indulgent, just what we needed to kickstart the morning.

We picked up our rental car, a Kia Sorento, delivered to the airport. To our surprise, it was smaller than expected, prompting a quick pit stop at the car center, Lotte rent-a-car Jeju, 92 Yonghae-ro, 특별자치도, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea, to adjust our booking. The service is consistently excellent, my third car rental in jeju with them, with sales consultants offering thoughtful and reliable advice.

We upgraded to a Kia Carnival, anticipating the rest of my family joining us later in the week, a practical little detour that set us up nicely for the journey ahead.

A dash for lunch at our long-anticipated eatery from a year ago; Baerong Garden (19 Hyeopjae 4-gil, Hallim-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do). Known for its flavourful shrimp oil dip paired with fluffy baguette, it wasn’t part of our original plan, as you can tell from its location versus where we were headed. Still, it was well worth the detour.

After a satisfying lunch, we drove toward the southeast and made a quick pit stop at a café, ODD-SING, 25 Godasi-gil, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea, for hot drinks. A 30-minute power nap in the car followed before heading to Ranch Café Dalekoomda, 2454 Beonyeong-ro, Pyoseon-myeon, 특별자치도 Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea. A last-minute decision turned into go-karting and horse riding, though I had to sit this one out, as the horse politely declined riders over 80 kg. At least, I got to race in the Go-Kart with many other competitive racers.

Dinner was next on the agenda, and as a true Singaporean with a love for seafood, I couldn’t resist the temptation to swing by 로컬크랩 (LOCAL CRAB), 3113 Beonyeong-ro, Pyoseon-myeon, 특별자치도, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea. The aroma of freshly cooked seafood greeted us at the door, promising a feast. To our surprise, the crabs, their signature dish, were sold out for the day.

But disappointment quickly turned into delight as we dug into generous seafood buckets brimming with plump shrimps and juicy prawns. Each bite was a burst of ocean-fresh flavor, perfectly seasoned and cooked to tender perfection. And then came the chewy seafood fried rice, fragrant, slightly smoky, and studded with bits of seafood, making it the perfect companion to our feast. It wasn’t what we planned, but it turned out to be a satisfying treat that left us craving more.

Finally, we made our way to the traditional house, 85 Onpyeongsangha-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, Jeju-do, South Korea we had booked for two nights through Airbnb, eager to experience the local lifestyle. Finding it wasn’t easy; tucked away among narrow, winding roads, it took a few wrong turns before we arrived safely.

The owner greeted us warmly and gave a quick briefing on the house, explaining the controls and switches in the unit.

After a refreshing shower, I considered taking a stroll to the nearby convenience store, but the biting cold and piercing wind quickly changed my mind. Instead I drove out to grab a few snacks for the family and ended the night savoring a packet of dried cuttlefish with a cup of coffee (decaffeinated), a simple yet comforting way to close the day with high anticipation of what to come in the coming days.

“Little pleasures, like a packet of dried cuttlefish, can brighten the day.”