May 1 - 25 (Part 8) Jeju Island Continues

As I mentioned in my previous blog, our next and final stop on this first day (9th of May) of our Jeju Island journey was Eongtto Falls (엉또 폭포).

Located just above Seogwipo, only a 17-minute drive from our hotel, Eongtto Falls are usually silent and dry. Most days, there is nothing to see at all. Only after more than 70 mm of rain falls in the surrounding mountains does the waterfall reveal itself. On this grey, rain-soaked day, it felt as if Jeju had quietly decided to show us one of its hidden sides.

The name Eongtto refers to the entrance of an eong. In the Jeju language, eong means a cave smaller than a rock shelter, while tto means entrance. It’s a fitting name for a place that stays concealed, tucked away in the forest, waiting patiently for the right conditions to come alive.

When the waterfall flows, it drops nearly 50 meters down the cliff, carving its way through unusual rock formations and steep stone walls. The sound of the water fills the valley, while the surrounding evergreen forest wraps everything in deep shades of green. This warm-temperate landscape, so typical of Jeju’s southern region, carries a calm, grounding energy that gently invites you to slow down and simply be present.

Here is a short video of the Eongtto Falls: https://youtube.com/shorts/mDEdaXg346o?si=zkxDCe-dEK5kpOXY

Standing there, wet from the rain and surrounded by forest, I was reminded that not everything reveals itself on demand. Some places and perhaps some parts of ourselves, only show their true beauty when the timing is right. And on that rainy day, Eongtto Falls felt less like a destination and more like a gentle lesson in patience, presence and trust.

After a day filled with temple visits and quiet moments of reflection, Eongtto Falls became our final destination. It felt like a natural closing chapter, ending the day not with noise of rush, but with the steady rhythm of falling water.

This was the first waterfall we encountered on Jeju Island. In the days ahead, many more would follow, each with its own character and beauty. But ending our first day here felt symbolic: a soft beginning hidden within an ending.

We returned to our hotel tired, damp and content, where a good dinner was waiting for us in the restaurant. Warm food, a perfect drink (Makgeolli) and quiet conversation wrapped the day in comfort, allowing everything we had seen and felt to gently settle.

And so, our first full day on Jeju came to and end: grateful, grounded and quietly excited for all that was still to come.