Cheonjiyeon Waterfall

Cheonjiyeon Waterfall sits at the end of a wooded gorge close to central Seogwipo, where a 22-metre column of water drops into a deep pool. The name means roughly "the pond where heaven and earth meet", and the sound of the falls fills the whole valley between dark cliffs and dense evergreen forest. A flat path leads from the entrance to the falls, so almost anyone can manage the walk, and unlike most waterfalls on Jeju it stays open until 22:00, when the cliffs are lit up.

A waterfall made by a volcanic island

The falls are about 12 m wide and the pool below is about 20 m deep. The cliffs are made of trachyandesite formed by volcanic activity, and the gorge was carved over a long time as water cut through softer sedimentary layers. Because it shows this process so clearly, Cheonjiyeon is one of the key geosites of Jeju's UNESCO Global Geopark. The water always falls from the same spot, but after heavy rain it can spread across the cliff and look quite different.

A protected forest and rare species

The walk to the falls is part of the experience. The forest on both sides of the gorge was designated a Natural Monument in 1993 as the Cheonjiyeon Warm-Temperate Forest. Evergreens from warmer climates, such as chinquapin, camellia and Machilus trees, grow thickly here, along with many kinds of fern.

• Elaeocarpus habitat: the western part of the gorge is a natural habitat of the Elaeocarpus tree (dampalsu) and is protected separately as a Natural Monument.
• Whisk fern (Psilotum nudum): a primitive plant with a stem but no true roots or leaves, found only on rock faces in warm areas.
• Marbled eel: the pool is known as a habitat of the giant marbled eel (mutae jangeo), which is active mainly at night.

Worth seeing by day and by night

By day the green forest and clear pool are the main draw. After dark the cliffs and water are floodlit and the mood changes completely, which is why people staying in Seogwipo often come back for an evening stroll after dinner. Cheonjiyeon is usually named together with Cheonjeyeon and Jeongbang as one of Jeju's three best-known waterfalls, so it is easy to combine them on a day in the south of the island.

Along the path to the falls

From the ticket office it is a short walk up the gorge. Near the start lies a teu, the traditional Jeju log raft, and just before the falls you cross a small bridge where koi gather in the stream below. Along the way you will see little piles of stones, each with a small stone wedged under a larger one; people once built them while praying for the health and wellbeing of their families. The level of the pool in front of the falls is kept steady by two small weirs downstream. Large volcanic boulders reach right up to the pool, giving you a good spot to look at, and photograph, the falls head-on.

Good to know

• The marbled eel, long the symbol of Cheonjiyeon, was itself a Natural Monument until 2009, when the designation was lifted; its habitat here is still protected as a Natural Monument.
• The whole island of Jeju is certified as a UNESCO Global Geopark, and Cheonjiyeon is listed among its key geosites alongside Hallasan, Seongsan Ilchulbong and Manjanggul Cave.
• When the falls are lit at night, some people say a shape like a human face appears on the rock beside the water, and evening visitors like to look for it.

Tripto tips

• Hours and tickets: open daily 09:00–22:00, last ticket 21:20. Admission is KRW 2,000 for adults and KRW 1,000 for teenagers and children; visitors aged 65 and over enter free. Parking is free.
• Time needed: the path from the ticket office is level, so 40 minutes to an hour is enough for the walk there and back plus photos.
• Best time: early morning for fewer people, or evening for the lights. The day after heavy rain the falls carry much more water.
• Watch out: swimming is not allowed and the pool is very deep. Rocks near the path get slippery when wet, so wear comfortable shoes.