Baksugijeong Cliff

Stand on the harbour wall at Daepyeong Port in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, and a sheer cliff about 100 m high closes off the view to the west like a folding screen. This is Baksugijeong. Route 9 of the Jeju Olle Trail starts right here at the port, and towards sunset people gather on the breakwater to watch the sun go down over the clifftop.

A cliff with a spring

The name comes from the Jeju dialect. "Baksu" means spring water you can scoop up with a gourd ladle, and "gijeong" means cliff: the cliff where water clean enough to drink from a ladle wells up from the rock. The village below, Daepyeong-ri, is a quiet fishing community with a handful of small boats.

Where to see it from

From the top of the cliff you cannot actually see the cliff. To take in the whole wall of rock, you need to look at it from below.

• Daepyeong Port breakwater: the whole cliff rises behind a red lighthouse. This is where most photos are taken.
• Pebble beach next to the port: gets you closer to the vertical rock face.
• Olle trail on top: follow Route 9 up through the pine wood and you look down on Daepyeong Port, the village and the sea. This is a view from the cliff rather than of it.

The port also appeared in the dating reality show EXchange 3 (Transit Love 3), where a couple took photos against the sunset and walked around Daepyeong Port.

Daepyeong Port

Daepyeong Port, right below Baksugijeong, is a quiet harbour used by a handful of small fishing boats. At the end of the breakwater stands a red lighthouse topped with the statue of a girl, and many people try to fit the cliff and the lighthouse into one frame. A few cafés and restaurants around the port look out on the sea and the cliff, which makes them good places to wait for the sunset. It suits travellers who would rather spend an evening in a quiet fishing village than on a busy beach.

Start of Olle Route 9

Jeju Olle Route 9 (Daepyeong–Hwasun) leaves Daepyeong Port and climbs onto Baksugijeong along the "moljil", an old track once used by horses. It then crosses the top of Gunsan Oreum, follows Andeok Valley, passes Changgocheon Bridge and ends at Hwasun Geummorae Beach, about 11.8 km in total. The stony uphill starts right away, so if you do not want to walk the whole route, a short walk up to the pine wood on top of the cliff and back is worth it on its own. Wollabong, further on, is fairly steep but has seasonal wildflowers and wide views, and the route then follows Andeok Valley, whose evergreen forest is a designated Natural Monument. There are few places to eat along the way, so have a meal in Daepyeong-ri before you set off.

Tripto tips

• When to go: at sunset the sun drops behind the cliff and turns it into a dark silhouette. To see the colour and texture of the rock, come on a clear morning when the sun lights the cliff face.
• Hours and fees: the port and shore are open 24 hours and free. There is parking near the port.
• Time needed: 30–60 minutes for the port and breakwater, 1–2 hours with the clifftop trail, half a day for the full Route 9.
• On the Olle trail: the path is narrow and stony, so wear trainers and bring water. Start in the morning, and avoid walking after 18:00 in summer or 17:00 in winter.
• Watch out: parts of the shore below the cliff or sections of the path are sometimes closed because of rockfall. Always follow the signs on site.
• Dogs: dogs are welcome on the trail and at the port, on a lead no longer than 2 m, and bring waste bags.
• Combine it with: Sanbangsan and the Yongmeori Coast, about 4 km to the west, make a good day along Seogwipo's western coast.