The Jeju Olle Trail () is a long-distance footpath on Jeju Island, in South Korea. It consists of 21 connected numbered main routes, six sub-routes, and a short spur that connects to Jeju International Airport. On average, the routes are 16 km in length and total 437 km. They mainly follow Jeju's coastline and around its outlying islands, passing beaches, fishing villages, indigenous forest, tourist destinations, and urban centers. The exact length and locations change over time as trails are modified or re-routed. Jeju Olle Trail was envisioned and developed by former journalist Suh Myung-sook. It is named after olle, which are short alleys connecting houses to main walkways in traditional Jeju folk architecture.
History
Suh Myung Sook, a native Jeju Islander and former journalist, was inspired by the Camino de Santiago to create a set of hiking trails in Jeju. She established the Jeju Olle Foundation, which developed the trails and periodically plans new routes as well as overseeing trail maintenance.
Flora and fauna Jeju is a volcanic island that formed approximately 1.2 million years ago in four major eruption events. It comprises four distinct ecosystems: an alpine coniferous forest, a temperate broadleaf forest, a warm temperate evergreen lucidophyll forest, and a temperate grassland.
Hallasan National Park is the prime habitat of Jeju's numerous endangered plant and animals species. Established in 1970, the park features Hallasan, South Korea's highest peak, at 1,950 meters, at its center.
Gotjawal forest is a special ecosystem resulting from ancient volcanic activity. The Jeju-language word gotjawal denotes a rocky, volcanic area covered with trees and vines, where warm-temperature plants from the north and cold-temperature plants from the south coexist. The Jeju Olle Trail, while traversing sections of gotjawal, has set up information centers and awareness programs to minimize the environmental impact of visitors to the area.
Conservation Jeju Island is part of all four of UNESCO's Internationally Designated Areas. These are the Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes World Heritage Site, the Jeju Island Biosphere Reserve of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Asia and the Pacific, the Jeju Island UNESCO Global Geopark, and two Ramsar wetland sites: 1100 Altitude Wetland and Muljangori-Oreum Wetland. There are also information centers and awareness programs (such as the Clean Olle Program), and docent-led hikes (such as the Walking Mate Program, which is available in English) that are free to the public.
Local culture The Jeju Olle Trail exposes hikers to a number of Jeju's popular tourist sites and cultural elements.
Jeju haenyeo women divers The Jeju Olle Trail mainly runs along or near the coastline. Frequently, orange buoys (known as tewak) can be seen dotting the sea as the haenyeo female divers harvest marine products. They do so without any modern diving equipment, electing instead to use masks, small nets, and their endurance to catch just enough to be sustainable, ensuring that the marine ecosystem remains healthy. They were listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016 and as a South Korean Intangible Cultural Property from 2017 and are considered a symbol of Jeju Island.
Jeju language There are a number of words in the Jeju language that have an association with the Jeju Olle Trail, especially objects or locations one encounters on the trail. These include: ganse – derived from ganse-dari, or "slow idler". This is the main symbol of the Jeju Olle Trail. gotjawal – an old-growth forest of trees and vines that grow in volcanic rocky areas. Some of the Olle trails run through gotjawal. Halmang – grandmother, or the goddess in Jeju's foundation myth gwangchigi – a broad and flat rock hanon – large plantation and the crater that provides water for an area deok – a large, tall rock along the coast altteureu – a vast plain golchengyi – a shallow ditch at the side of a road naetgolchaengi – water flowing through ditches that eventually empties into the ocean baeyeom – snake jimi – land's end
Routes A total of 27 trails comprise the Jeju Olle Trail, six of which are sub-routes, for a total of 437 km.
Route 01 to Route 10-1
Route 01: Siheung – Gwangchigi Olle ()
Total distance: 15.1 km; total time: 4–5 hours; difficulty: medium
Jeju Olle's first route connects the island's volcanic cones (known as oreum) to the ocean. The route starts near Siheung Elementary School and passes through an evergreen field, Malmi Oreum, and Al Oreum, with a panoramic view of Seongsan Ilchulbong's peak and Udo. Its "friendship trail" is the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
Route 1-1: Udo Island Olle ()
Total distance: 13.1 km; total time: 4–5 hours; difficulty: medium
Udo, the second-largest island in Jeju Province, is named after its shape, which resembles a reclining cow. It offers a trail with scenic views of the ocean and landscapes, including seaside walks, farm roads, and fields of rye, barley, and peanuts. Getting to Route 1-1 takes 15 minutes by ferry from the Seongsan port.
Route 02: Gwangchigi – Onpyeong Olle ()
Total distance: 15.6 km; total time: 4–5 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 02 begins at Gwangchigi Beach, passes peaks and ponds, and ends at a small beach. The peak of Daesusanbong has views of Jeju. The route passes a pond with mythological significance. Its friendship trail is the Bruce Trail in Canada.
Route 03: Onpyeong – Pyoseon Olle ()
Total distance: (A) 20.9 km (B) 14.6 km; total time: (A) 6–7 hours (B) 4–5 hours; difficulty: (A) high (B) easy
This is an inland route (A) and ocean trail (B) with old stone walls and wild shrubs. Route 03 goes by Tong Oreum and Dokjabong. Walking paths in Samdal-ri lead to the Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak. Its friendship trail is Cotswold Way in England.
Route 04: Pyoseon – Namwon Olle ()
Total distance: 19 km; total time: 5–6 hours; difficulty: medium
This coastal route starts at the beach, crosses the Ganeungae, and reaches Sehwa-ri, a fishing village once called Gama-ri. The Gamari Haenyeo Olle is where Jeju haenyeo diving women used to go to the ocean. Jeju Olle rebuilt the forest path here after 35 years, with help from the ROK Marine Corps, so it is also known as the Marine Trail.
Route 05: Namwon – Soesokkak Olle ()
Total distance: 13.4 km; total time: 4–5 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 05 includes the Keun-ung (hill) walkway, the Soesokkak estuary, and camellia trees in Wimi-ri village. It ends at Soesokkak pond, where a freshwater stream meets the sea.
Route 06: Soesokkak – Jeju Olle tourist center ()
Total distance: 11 km: total time: 3–4 hours; difficulty: easy
Route 06 starts at Soesokkak-dari (bridge) and goes through downtown Seogwipo. It continues to a Jeju Olle tourist center and passes landmarks like the Seogwipo KAL Hotel and Lee Joong-seop Cultural Street. Its friendship trail is the Zermatt 5-Lake Trail in Switzerland.
Route 07: Jeju Olle tourist center – Wolpyeong Olle ()
Total distance: 17.6 km; total time: 5–6 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 07 is a coastal trail from a Jeju Olle tourist center to Wolpyeong, passing by a ten-meter-tall sea stack called Oedolgae and the Subong-ro ecology trail.
Route 7-1: Seogwipo Bus Terminal – Jeju Olle tourist center Olle ()
Total distance: 15.7 km; total time: 4–5 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 7-1 starts at the Seogwipo bus terminal, passes through mountains, and ends at a Jeju Olle tourist center. Hallasan mountain dominates the north, while the southern sea and Seogwipo stretch out to the south. The mid-mountain area features cliffs and warm–temperate forests.
Route 08: Wolpyeong – Daepyeong Olle ()
Total distance: 19.6 km; total time: 5–6 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 08 includes the hexagonal basalt columns of Jusangjeolli, Yerae Ecological Park, and Daepyeong-ri village, where the ocean meets the ridge of Andeok Valley. There is a panoramic view of the region from the top of Gunsan mountain. Jungmun Saekdal Beach and Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls are also in the area.
Route 09: Daepyeong – Hwasun Olle ()
Total distance: 11.8 km; total time: 3–4 hours; difficulty: high
Route 09 begins at Daepyeong-pogu port, passes by the Moljil horse path, and continues to Gunsan mountain and its scenic views. The route ends at Andeok Valley, a natural monument with a lush forest, stream, and caves. Its friendship trail is the Lebanon Mountain Trail.
Route 10: Hwasun – Moseulpo Olle ()
Total distance: 15.6 km; total time: 5–6 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 10 runs from Hwasun Golden Sand Beach to Hamo-ri village and passes by several beaches and mountains, including Songaksan. It offers views of Sanbangsan mountain and the islands of Marado and Gapado. Its friendship trail is Leman Lake Wine Route in Switzerland.
Route 10-1: Gapado Island Olle ()
Total distance: 4.2 km; total time: 1–2 hours; difficulty: easy
Jeju Island has South Korea's highest mountain—Hallasan, at 1,950 m—and its lowest-lying inhabited island, Gapado. Of all the sections of the Jeju Olle Trail, Gapado is known to be the easiest, since it is almost completely flat. It can be completed in two hours at a leisurely pace. A short ferry ride from Moseulpo Port is required.
Route 11 to Route 21 Route 11: Moseulpo – Mureung Olle ()
Total distance: 17.3 km; total time: 5–6 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 11 follows an ancient path restored by the Jeju Olle Foundation and offers views of the southwest Jeju region, including the gotjawal forest. Its friendship trail is the Lycian Way in Turkey.
Route 12: Mureung – Yongsu Olle ()
Total distance: 17.5 km; total time: 5–6 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 12 is the first trail that joins Seogwipo to Jeju City. It has views of working fields, the ocean, Suwolbong peak, Dowon pond, and Noknambong peak, as well as the uninhabited and environmentally protected Chagwido islands.
Route 13: Yongsu – Jeoji Olle ()
Total distance: 16.2 km; total time: 4–5 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 13 turns inland and goes through a woodland path. It passes through Yongsu-pogu port, the Yongsu Jeosuji reservoir, and Nakcheon-ri village, before continuing through forests and past volcanic cones. Approximately 3 km of the trail was restored with the help of the 13th Special Air Force Brigade. Its friendship trail is the Shikoku Ohenro in Japan.
Route 14: Jeoji – Hallim Olle ()
Total distance: 19.1 km; total time: 6–7 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 14 goes from green gotjawal forest to the ocean, passing scenic walls, the artists' village in Jeoji, farms, streams, cactus habitats, and sandy beaches.
Route 14-1: Jeoji – Mureung Olle ()
Total distance: 9.3 km; total time: 3–4 hours; difficulty: easy
Route 14-1 finishes at the O'sulloc green tea fields, passing through forests and farms. The highlight is reaching Mundoji Oreum's volcanic peak, which offers panoramic views of mountains and forests.
Route 15: Hallim – Gonae Olle ()
Total distance: (A) 16.5 km (B) 13 km total time: (A) 5–6 hours (B) 4–5 hours; difficulty: (A) medium (B) easy
Route 15 is divided into courses A and B, passing through fields, woods, and a dirt road. Geumsan Park's forest path is the highlight, leading to Gonae-pogu port after passing the Gwa Oreum volcanic cone and the Dosegi Forest pathway. Its friendship trail is the Raknus Selu Trail in Taiwan.
Route 16: Gonae – Gwangnyeong Olle ()
Total distance: 15.8 km; total time: 5–6 hours; difficulty: medium
Route 16 passes by traditional salt fields, forests, stone-walled villages, and farmland. The midpoint stamp is at Hangpaduri Hangmong Historic Site, which is known for its canola flowers in spring and cosmos in fall. Its friendship trail is Tottori Yurihama Course in Japan.
Route 17: Gwangnyeong – Old Downtown of Jeju-si Olle ()
Total distance: 18.1 km; total time: 6–7 hours; difficulty: medium