Jeju Island Day 2: Camellia Hill & Halla Arboretum Tour Review 2026
Join us for an authentic look at Day 2 of a 3-night, 4-day Jeju Island package tour! Discover Camellia Hill's beauty, enjoy a scenic cruise, and explore Halla Arboretum's wonders.
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Join us for an authentic look at Day 2 of a 3-night, 4-day Jeju Island package tour! Discover Camellia Hill's beauty, enjoy a scenic cruise, and explore Halla Arboretum's wonders.
Now the real adventure begins! 😄
Day 2
Breakfast - Camellia Hill - Cheonjeyeon Falls - Jeju Nongwon (Jeju Farm)
Lunch - Sanbangsan Cruise - Halla Arboretum - Traditional Herbal Foot Bath Experience
Hotel - Dinner (Free Choice)
I set my alarm for 5:50 AM,
but I popped right up! 😄
Driven by the sheer determination to grab breakfast,
I woke the kids and we headed down.
Even at 6 AM, there were already quite a few people.
Still, we didn't have to wait in a long line; after a quick room check, we found our seats immediately.
I had to rush through breakfast and even left my phone behind,
so I couldn't snap any photos. Oops!;
The breakfast was pretty good, though!
(Guess I'll have to ask 'tomorrow me' for breakfast photos!)
The kids, still half-asleep, barely ate anything.
After breakfast, we went back to our room,
grabbed the backpack we’d prepared yesterday (raincoats, neck pillows, emergency medicine, etc.),
and got our bags ready to head out.
When we got to the hotel front at 7:40 AM,
it was drizzling.
Seeing 'Jeju Yang Tour' written on a bus, we quickly hopped on.
But there were so many people that I thought, 'Oh, this can't be our group,' and got off again.
The guide then told us, 'No, this is your bus! Get back on!' Haha.
Turns out we were the very last ones! 🙈
(My apologies! 🙏)
On the bus, our guide gave us all the essential information.
Luckily, we had a veteran guide!
Our group on the bus was roughly 25 people (!).
(I don't remember exactly, though!)
Our guide briefly covered:
Today's itinerary,
Things not to do on the bus,
(Like, 'You're on vacation, put those phones away!' Haha!)
Stories about Jeju Island,
And even some personal anecdotes!
(She's a Jeju native
and travels extensively...)
Perhaps because she's been a guide for a long time and is incredibly knowledgeable,
she shared a wealth of fascinating information.
She also handed out camellia flower handkerchiefs and Samdasoo bottled water.
Since we arrived early, before heading to Camellia Hill,
our guide suggested we make one more stop.
So, we arrived in Jungmun.
Our guide found a fantastic photo spot
and took pictures for every single group!
Thanks to our guide, we got so many great family photos! 😄
(She's a fantastic photographer!)
Jungmun
We also captured a lot of 'life shot' photos of the kids
and took a good stroll around.
Even though I'd been here before, it felt familiar yet surprisingly new.
(Places I vaguely remembered)
Cheonjeyeon Falls
Next, we visited Cheonjeyeon Falls.
The rain was still drizzling,
and we only brought raincoats, with no umbrellas in sight! 😬
Thankfully, the bus driver lent us some spare umbrellas,
so we explored with umbrellas in hand.
Their bright orange color made it easy to spot and follow our group, too!
We were told we'd be seeing the Second Falls.
I think our guide explained why we weren't seeing the First Falls, but my memory is a bit hazy on that one... 😅
Anyway,
with the rain coming down, even just seeing the falls was a bit of a challenge....
Trying to navigate with umbrellas
and herd the kids up and down the stairs
made it harder than expected to keep up with the group in front of us.
The umbrella blocked my view, so I couldn't see clearly,
but I diligently followed the orange umbrella.
It was our guide!
We arrived at the second waterfall!
Our guide was waiting for us at the photo spot,
and even took individual photos for each team after we lined up!
Cheonjeyeon Waterfall is said to be
a place where, according to legend, seven celestial nymphs would descend on a cloud bridge in the middle of the night,
bathe in the waters, and play before returning to the heavens.
However, with the rain pouring down, I barely managed my umbrella,
looked after the kids,
and was busy trying to keep up with our team ahead of us.
There was no time to simply stand and admire the view... 😭
Well, that's package tours for you, right? 😉
After a whirlwind tour, we were back on the bus,
ready for our next adventure!
Since the rain kept falling,
I asked our guide if we wouldn't be able to visit Udo Island the next day if it kept raining.
She firmly told me that as long as the ferry was running, we would definitely go, and that with this amount of rain, we'd be fine.
Her confident answer was a huge relief!
(And we really did go! Woohoo!)
Our next stop was Jeju Nongwon (Jeju Farm).
Perhaps because we were heading to a shopping center,
our guide started to 'lay the groundwork.'
(A true veteran, indeed!)
She joked that people who are 'easily swayed' (or 'have thin ears') live the longest.
They buy a bit of this and a bit of that,
and by chance, they find something that perfectly suits them,
leading to a long, healthy life.
Since we're already here sightseeing,
she also said we shouldn't stop others from buying what they want! 😂
She added that middle-aged women traveling with friends have the most fun.
They relax, enjoy themselves,
and laugh heartily as they embrace the experience.
Couples, however, often don't see eye to eye,
and end up preventing each other from doing things! 😂
Anyway, she just asked us not to look at it through 'colored glasses' (with prejudice), since it helps the Jeju farming community.
Jeju Nongwon (Jeju Farm)
While it's called a Seokbujak Tangerine Farm,
it's true...
This was the first of the three shopping stops included in our itinerary.
Our guide told us to follow another person who came out of the tangerine farm.
(I think she said 'cooperative' or something similar; anyway, they were a Jeju local....
I don't quite remember the exact details. 😥)
So, we were 'handed over' to this other person,
and with our umbrellas up,
we diligently followed them along this beautiful Seokbujak garden path.
I wondered what 'Seokbujak photo opportunity' on the itinerary meant,
and it turns out Seokbujak refers to 'bonsai on stone!'
They explained that plants grow particularly well on volcanic rock.
This area is a tangerine farm,
and after listening to their explanation,
they suggested we take a look around before leaving.
We continued following and reached a sheltered area where we heard explanations about wild flower bonsai and also about a guesthouse they operate.
They mentioned that since they run it affordably,
even just using it helps the local Jeju residents.
Since we were short on time,
we quickly followed them to another spot!
And then we headed to the wild ginseng cultivation lab (!)
It's said that even the government is now discouraging tangerine farming on Jeju Island and supporting natural wild ginseng research as a new venture.
Passing through the wild ginseng cultivation lab
(they showed it to us briefly, mentioning the need to maintain the cultivation temperature, and then turned off the lights).
Moving to another area,
the person who had been explaining things until now
introduced the Chief Doctor and then left.
The Chief Doctor, who is also from Jeju Island, explained how the natural wild ginseng cultivation business started on Jeju, the benefits of wild ginseng, and then offered us a taste.
This time, several women came rushing in through another door,
carrying trays filled with small paper cups.
One woman stood in the center and
passionately explained the benefits of wild ginseng,
including general health knowledge.
And they kept
giving us various wild ginseng products to try,
like wild ginseng liquor, wild ginseng roots, and cultivated wild ginseng root powder.
Surprisingly, the wild ginseng products weren't bitter at all, they were quite pleasant! Haha.
They also said it's fine for people with a 'hot' body type.
The explanation was truly excellent and comprehensive~
They said that cultivated wild ginseng root powder is incredibly beneficial for conditions like varicose veins, when immunity is low, and even for stiff necks, which they linked to decreased immunity.
It's even sold on Asiana Airlines flights,
but apparently, it's cheaper to buy it here.
I thought about buying some for my mom,
but then I remembered the price—was it around ~$69 for one bottle?
And a several-month supply was either ~$276 or ~$414. I immediately gave up on the idea.
(You couldn't even buy just one bottle).
The kids, curious, ate everything they were given,
but as the explanation dragged on...
my second child kept asking when we were leaving.... sniffle.
(Kids~
there's a reason why package tours are affordable,
you have to endure things like this...)
Even so, our team had
many cheerful middle-aged women,
and quite a few of them ended up buying products.
After passing through the indoor bonsai garden,
we met our guide,
took photos at the tangerine farm photo zone,
briefly admired the tangerine trees, and then moved on.
The tangerines were quite a bit larger than I expected.
Lunch: Bo-mal Seaweed Soup + Grilled Mackerel
We arrived at a restaurant with group seating.
Everything was already prepared for us~
(Ah, so convenient! lolol)
My family kindly
waited for me to take photos, haha.
The Bo-mal Seaweed Soup was truly a unique delicacy!
The kids also ate the Bo-mal Seaweed Soup well, mixing it with rice.
Our guide explained that for Bo-mal Seaweed Soup,
they blend the bo-mal (turban shells)
and add them to the soup broth, apparently.
(Which is even better for picky eaters like my kids, haha!)
Since it's all blended, they mentioned that you might occasionally chew on a piece of bo-mal,
but maybe because I didn't expect much,
it felt like there was quite a lot of bo-mal in it~
The broth was thick and truly delicious.
Grilled mackerel was also served.
I didn't have high expectations since it was a group meal,
but the food was truly satisfying throughout our trip!
(Not an advertisement, I'm just writing honestly because I paid for it myself).
(Our guide said that the owner of this establishment believes in treating guests well when it comes to food.)
Camellia Hill
After we finished eating, we decided to take a stroll to help everything digest.
So, off we went to Camellia Hill!
(Our guide is truly a pro!)
They say Camellia Hill boasts beautiful camellias in winter, vibrant pink muhly in autumn, and stunning hydrangeas in summer.
And right now, it was a spectacular season for hydrangeas!
Our guide handed out the tickets,
Our guide told us to turn left and wander through, mentioning there were about three greenhouse gardens,
but we only needed to explore one, then meet up outside.
(Okay, so... my memory might be a *little* fuzzy on the exact details,
I'm just jotting down whatever comes to mind! )
Thankfully, the rain had stopped by this point,
and we ventured into the gardens as if discovering a secret world.
My eldest daughter, heading off with an excited heart!
She was wearing her dad's watch,
and she started the pedometer, determined to walk every step!
That's the spirit~~
Alright, kids! Today is our walking adventure day!!
We followed the group ahead, winding our way through the paths until we finally reached the greenhouse garden.
Our wonderful guide was already waiting for us,
and captured amazing photos of us at all the best photo zones!
Honestly, this was one of the absolute best parts of the whole trip!
If we had been on our own, a selfie stick would only get us so far.
But since our guide took photos of everyone and everything,
even my husband, who usually shies away from the camera,
got in on the action (maybe a *little* reluctantly, haha!)
Family shots, lovely couple photos, and adorable pictures of the kids –
he made sure we had a fantastic variety, and I couldn't be happier~~
The hydrangeas were absolutely beautiful.
(With quite a crowd and limited time, we couldn't linger for ages,
but just looking at these photos brings a big smile to my face!)
When we exited and followed the path,
we noticed quite a few people gathered at the container garden.
We waited our turn to snap some shots,
and wow, the kids' photos turned out incredibly cute!
Their leg poses are fantastic!
Look at those long, graceful legs~!
And as we continued our delightful stroll,
it seemed like there were beautiful paths and scenic spots everywhere you looked~
If we had explored this place on our own,
we definitely would have taken our sweet time,
and probably spent almost half a day immersing ourselves in its beauty,
but with a set schedule to keep...
we had to keep a slightly brisker pace.
On the flip side, though,
it was actually pretty great to finish up at just the right moment and move on,
(Always looking on the bright side!)
Midway through, perhaps the kids started feeling a bit tired,
or maybe their energy levels were already dipping,
because the grumbles started... uh oh!;;;
So, a quick stop at the coffee shop for some chocolate lattes was definitely in order.
Ah, the undeniable power of chocolate!
There were just so many incredible photo zones,
so naturally, we kept snapping away!
Even though the weather wasn't perfectly clear,
since it didn't rain,
it was great for walking around!
We were so grateful for the perfect photo-taking weather, and captured so many wonderful moments!
Arrived at the souvenir shop.
Since there wasn't much time left until we were supposed to meet,
we quickly browsed and then hopped on the bus.
I even spotted some seasoned travelers, perhaps a tour group, donning adorable bright orange hats!
They looked absolutely adorable!
I almost bought one too, but then time ran out; I had to resist;
(It really goes to show, you need plenty of leisurely time to truly indulge in shopping!)
Sanbangsan Cruise
We're here to board the cruise!
Our guide took care of all the tickets, which made things so incredibly easy.
Otherwise, I would've been completely overwhelmed trying to manage everything on my own...
All we had to do was wait and stand in line...
So convenient~
The cruise ship also had a wonderfully entertaining captain!
It was an hour-long tour,
There was also a snack bar,
so, of course, we bought more snacks!
(You know how it is – gotta keep those tummies full to keep everyone (including me!) happy and quiet!)
Dried filefish, chips,
beer (that's for my husband! He sure enjoys his drinks~ haha)
And just in case, we gave the kids some motion sickness medicine~
We enjoyed the cruise tour.
It got a bit boring staying inside,
so we went outside,
and wow, it was so refreshing and fun!
The boat was moving fast, so the waves were splashing,
and even though we couldn't see too far due to the previous rain,
just seeing the outside was exciting!
Our second child said the cruise was so much fun,
asking why it ended so quickly!
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Herbal Foot Bath Experience
To relax and wash away the day's fatigue,
we headed for a traditional herbal foot bath experience.
This place, Sumokwon-gil (Arboretum Road),
is somewhere I've been to before on a previous trip to Jeju.....
I never knew there was an herbal foot bath experience here, though;;
(Guess I barely scratched the surface during my last visit here;)
When we entered the herbal foot bath area,
we lined up,
and each received a small basket containing a towel, an herbal teabag, fine salt, and peppermint oil.
Then we found our spots and sat down.
In a spacious area, almost like a lecture hall,
there were foot bath (!) facilities where we could soak our feet.
It's well set up!
I don't know why,
but my heart fluttered
and it felt so amazingly fun!!
Hehe
As I sat there,
an instructor came by
and told us the footbath procedure.
Following the instructions,
I filled the water, added the tea bag, and pressed on it with my feet,
and the herbal tea steeped,
turning the water yellow.
It definitely felt beneficial for the body.
Perhaps it was a peppermint aroma patch?
They sprayed something like that during the footbath
(So incredibly refreshing~~)
After finishing the footbath with a fine salt foot massage
and then applying peppermint oil,
my feet felt both warm and cool.
(Oh, it was really great~)
Near the exit, they sold the
aroma? footbath? related products we had used.
Even though I loved the footbath,
with my husband and kids, browsing was out of the question;;
I took a quick look and then left.
Halla Arboretum
About 10 minutes, I think?
We arrived at Halla Arboretum right after.
The weather got really nice, didn't it?
My toes were still feeling warm and tingly
and refreshed.
We also saw volcanic rock pagodas,
and they say volcanic rock is incredibly light and easily breaks.
Our guide even demonstrated for us.
Then we saw a roe deer,
and our second child said the roe deer was so cute,
and wanted us to raise one too,
and proceeded to sulk. Haha.
Maybe it's because she loves animals....
The better weather lifted our spirits too~
Perhaps because it had just rained,
the air was moist
and the forest path felt so fresh and wonderful.
After exploring the Hallan Orchid Greenhouse Garden,
To our parents and my mother-in-law, who were probably worried about the rain,
I sent a KakaoTalk message saying the weather had cleared up.
Then we got on the bus.
Tonight's dinner was free choice,
and our veteran guide, a true Jeju native,
recommended two menu options.
1. Horse Meat Course Meal (around ~$21)
They say horse meat is a trending Jeju dish these days.
It has no smell at all, and since they're raised for meat these days,
the meat is supposedly tender.
Because you can eat it fresh in Jeju,
sashimi is said to be the best way to enjoy it.
Here, it's served as a course meal, so you can try various dishes like shabu-shabu, raw horse meat, and grilled horse meat.
You can try a bit of everything.
(I only vaguely remember the details.)
2. Was it braised mackerel?
I was so focused on the horse meat that I don't remember this one well.
However, since we had our kids with us,
horse meat felt a bit daunting,
and because our family are all homebodies,
it felt like we'd been away from home for too long.....
so we decided to find something near our hotel on our own.
We'd been out since morning,
and had such a long and fulfilling day! Haha.
Time to head back to the hotel to recharge~~
For our free dinner, we went for Dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) near the hotel.
There's so much more to say about this place, so I'll make a separate post about it~
Hydrangeas were in bloom during the visit to Camellia Hill on the second day. According to the guide's explanation, camellias can be seen in winter, and pink muhly grass in autumn. The guide distributed tickets and took photos at major photo zones, including the greenhouse garden.
During the shopping course at Jeju Farm, we received explanations on the benefits of wild ginseng at the wild ginseng cultivation room. We were able to sample wild ginseng liquor, wild ginseng roots, and wild ginseng culture powder, and it was introduced as being cheaper than what's sold on Asiana Airlines flights.
The Bomol Miyeokguk provided for lunch had a thick and delicious broth because the sea snails were ground in a blender and added to the soup. Even picky eaters among the children enjoyed it, and grilled mackerel was also served, making it a satisfying meal.
The Sanbangsan cruise lasted for 1 hour. Various snacks such as dried shredded squid, crackers, and beer could be purchased at the snack bar on the cruise ship.
For the Boncho Foot Bath, we were provided with a basket containing a towel, an herbal tea bag, fine salt, and peppermint oil to proceed with the foot bath. Following the instructor's guidance, we put the tea bag in the water and steeped it by stepping on it with our feet, then used peppermint aroma patches, fine salt, and peppermint oil.
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