G O NOW /
ABROAD & BEYOND BESPOKE
Paradise Found BEYOND SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA IS A COUNTRY OF NATURAL BEAUTY—AND UNRIVALED ADVENTURE. SOUTH KOREA’S CAPITAL CITY OF SEOUL HAS A HABIT OF OUTSHINING ITS NEIGHBORS. After all, K-Pop, K-Beauty, and Gangnam Style (not to mention, some of the biggest tech companies on the planet) come from the glitzy metropolis. But beyond all those bright lights and soaring skyscrapers lies another country—one that’s brimming with natural beauty, where you can trade in your business attire for a bathing suit or hiking boots, and discover a world of adventure among pastoral islands, mysterious black forests, and ancient volcanoes.
JEJU ISLAND
Thrillseekers can get their fill of outdoor exploits by land and sea on this slice of paradise, located just south of mainland South Korea (and only a 70-minute flight from Seoul). Pristine beaches and breathtaking waterfalls, bucolic farms and quaint fishing villages, and magnificent lava tubes and dormant volcanoes all offer adventure 22
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for every type traveler. There are countless ways to explore the Korean Strait—parasailing, jet-boating, and even sea-walking—but none take you farther, or in better style, than on an island-hopping yacht cruise. Sail Jeju’s southern coast to Jungmun Saekdal Beach (with its red, white, black, gold, and gray sands), then on to Daepo Jusangjeolli, a cliff with pillars resembling massive Jenga towers, molded by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. Then head south to Marado, to explore sea caves and slurp on just-caught oysters, and neighboring Gapado, a beautiful and sparsely populated islet covered in thickets of green barley. Gapado is green in another way too: The island is almost entirely powered by solar and wind, serving as a prototype for Jeju’s goal of becoming the first carbonfree island in the world. Additionally, you can find the famous Haenyeo divers in Jeju. Haenyeo are intrepid female divers and celebrated as one of Jeju’s most valued treasures. The Korean government celebrates the Haenyeo by subsidizing their gear and granting them exclusive rights to sell fresh seafood.
