May 1 - 25 (Part 6) Saying Goodbye to Busan and Welcoming Jeju Island
Just one last peaceful stroll towards Gwangalli Beach this Thursday morning, before our Uber would arrive at noon to take us to Gimhae Airport. The sun shimmered on the waterline as we walked and that’s when we noticed something we had somehow missed all this time; two huge rocks resting on the stairs along the beach. A metal plaque revealed its story:
“This rock was carried by ocean waves when Typhoon Maemi swept.
Date and time: September 12, 2003 (Fri) around 19:30.
Typhoon name: Maemi (No. 14 in 2003).
Wind speed: about 41m/sec.”
It’s funny how the mind works. How certain things only catch your eye at the very end, even after you’ve walked by them countless times. Another one of those “last-morning discoveries” stood right behind us: a tall, square building with a big blue P sign, rising beside the indoor fish market: a car park tower. And just beyond it, a building proudly named ‘Tower the Most’.
As we later learned, the ground beneath Busan is mostly rocky terrain. The city, wedged between mountains and sea, leaves little room for deep construction. Beneath its streets lies granite and solid rock, making underground parking both costly and complicated. So instead, Busan looks to the sky; building upward with its signature multi-storey car parks.
A few last insights from Busan on our final morning; a reminder that even as you’re leaving, the city still finds ways to surprise you.
Our Uber arrived right on time and forty-five minutes later we reached Gimhae Airport. Boarding at 14:00, departure at 14:20, just one short hour in the air before touching down on Jeju Island.
A new chapter was waiting to unfold.
At Jeju Airport, our rental car was already waiting, a white Kia, equipped with a Naver Map navigation system that immediately felt like a small blessing. While waiting for the keys, we started chatting with another traveller, an American woman with Korean roots who worked in Silicon Valley, San Francisco. She was exploring Korea on her own, her calm confidence leaving a quiet impression.
You might wonder why I’m sharing this short encounter, but sometimes travel weaves stories in unexpected ways and within a few days, we would cross paths with her again by pure coincidence, this time taking a selfie together. By then, she had introduced herself as Kim, though I can’t recall if it was her given of family name (in Korea, it could easily be either!).
Before we left, there was one last thing that stood out at the rental counter: a neatly printed Notice of Mileage-Based Fee System. It explained that a “Mileage Fee” would be charged based on the total distance driven, multiplied by a unit price that varies by vehicle. In the car, we found a Fuel-only card tucked inside the dashboard: our ticket to refueling at any gas station on the island. The funny part? It could only be used once per day. Just another little rule to keep us mindful on the road.
So, after saying goodbye and picking up our Kia, we set off towards our hotel in the south of Jeju Island, where we would stay from May 8th to 12th. Our room at The Grand Sumorum in Seogwipo was waiting for us, a coastal hideaway with a sweeping view over the sea and the hotel’s infinity pool.
Seogwipo lies at the southern tip of the island and instead of taking the fast inland route, we chose to drive clockwise around Jeju. The weather was a little unstable - shifting between soft rain and brief moments of sunlight - but that didn’t matter. Once we left the city of Jeju behind, the road followed the coast, curving past quiet fishing villages and wide, open views of the sea. It was a peaceful, almost dreamlike drive, especially for me, watching it all unfold from the passenger seat while Arthur took the wheel. What would have been less than an hour through the island’s center turned into a scenic two-and-a-half-hour journey, but every minute was worth it.
Along the way, we got acquainted with our newest travel companion: our “female navigator”, the calm but ever-alert voice of Naver Map. Every few minutes she warned us about speed limits (bumps), school zones or camera areas, her timing so precise it almost became funny. I actually found her guidance quite comforting, while Arthur was already showing the first signs of navigator fatigue😂. Little did we know she’d remain with us for the rest of our road trip across Korea, guiding and entertaining us in equal measure.
Here are two short videos of our trusty “Female Navigator”, calm, precise and just a little bossy:
By the time we reached The Grand Sumorum, evening had already settled in. We checked in quickly and headed straight to the restaurant before closing time, just in time for a delicious dinner and a quiet toast to the start of our Jeju adventure.
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