27Mar201421Jul2021

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

Julio Moreno South Korea, UNESCO World Heritage Site crater lake, natural sites, UNESCO, volcano, world heritage site 6 Comments

https://national-parks.org/south-korea/hallasanVisited: July 2011, July 2013

Site Type: Natural

Inscribed: 2007

Background and Opinion:

Jeju Island is a dreamland for many Koreans. It has a mythical feeling like nothing else on the mainland, and its fame alone is the reason that Seoul to Jeju is, by a large margin, the most traveled air route world with entire airlines dedicated to cheap airfare to the island. All this begs the question: Is Jeju Island all it’s cracked up to be? I firmly say, there is nothing else like it in South Korea.* (but with a huge asterisk)

[For more information on South Korea, check out the free South Korea Travel Guide!]

The Volcano

Jeju is a volcanic island that was created with the formation of the highest peak in South Korea – Mt. Halla. It is no longer active as the lava tubes that fed it dried up with the last eruption over 1000 years ago. One of the coolest things to do on the island is scale Hallasan to view the lake at the top.

Jeju Island - Hallasan — At the top of Hallasan

Halla National Park has waterfalls, lots of mist, deer, reptiles, and (depending on where you are in your hike) real space to feel the nature around you.

The Beaches

The beaches in Jeju are fantastic, but the best ones are not the ones locals frequent. I don’t know if it is in the culture or what, but there is a general Korean belief that if many people go there, it MUST be good with the opposite also being true. I made the mistake of going to the recommended beaches first, and found them to be nice but unbearably crowded. For the best results, take a scooter or car out and drive along the coast until you find a good beach.

Jungmun Beach is pretty, but during the summer, too crowded to do anything.

Hamdeok Beach is much closer to the airport and has an amazing color. It is also not very crowded, and doesn’t have very strong waves. This is by far my favorite beach in Jeju-do.

Samyang Black Sand Beach is interesting if you have never seen a dark black sand beach. It is said that the sand is good for the skin, too.

Lava Tubes

As part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, how could you skip this. The lava tubes are sets of underground caves where lava used to flow and directly feed Halla Mountain.

Sunrise Peak Ilchulbong

This volcanic cone sits on the eastern part of the island. I’ll be real and say that the top looks NOTHING like the pictures. It is definitely not as green or even grassy for that matter. Nevertheless, it is a great hike that takes about an hour. You can get great views of the village below from the top.

From the top of the sunrise peak. — At the top of the sunrise peak.

Olles

There is a network of hiking trails around most of the island known as Olles. The hikes are mostly good and are not as crowded as you might expect. There are more than 10 total trails that start immediately after the previous one ends, giving you the freedom to hike as much or as little as you’d like.

Waterfalls

There are three main waterfalls on the Southern part of the island: Cheonjeyeon, Cheonjiyeon, and Jeongbang.

Cheonjeyeon is near Jungmun beach and is by far the best one. It is a deep blue and you are allowed to dip your feet in the water to refresh yourself.

Cheonjiyeon is absolute garbage. Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but it is paved all the way from the entrance giving it a completely unnatural look. There is also a ridiculous amount of lights, it is incredibly crowded, and you don’t even get that close to the actual fall. You will see crowds of people making a line to pose next to it from a distance. This is another one of those “if its crowded, it must be good” moments.

Jeongbang is a waterfall that drains straight into the ocean. It is very tall and not crowded at all. It is definitely worth the short hike down.

The Tourist Traps (That pesky asterisk!***)

It is time to talk about that asterisk in the beginning of this review. Jeju is pretty awesome, but is filled with ridiculous places, too. The Teddy Bear Museum, Chocolate Museum, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Miniature Land (or something to that effect), Love Land, Trick Art Museum, you name it, Jeju has tons of what we call in the west, a “tourist trap.” Given all of the natural beauty around, it is like placing one of these in Yellowstone National Park…WHYYY!!! Before going to Jeju, locals recommended all of these and if you did that, you might have a negative perception of Jeju as well.

I do shamefully have one tourist trap that I love though, and that is the Maze Park. It looks like it is straight out of Harry Potter 4 as you have to find your way out or be lost forever!

The first time took me a while since I decided to do it without a map.

Evaluation

1) Completeness / Preservation (13/15): It is remarkably clean and Halla Mountain had no trash whatsoever. There is recent development, however, that could negatively impact its natural beauty.

2) Extensiveness of the Site (12/15): It is big quite big, but you can see most things in about three days if you rent a car or scooter.

3) Natural Significance (13/25):

4) Personal Impact (9.5/15):

5) Logistics (6.5/10): Jeju is probably the only place in Korea where public transportation is not the way to go. The buses are not very frequent, and don’t go everywhere. It is best to rent a car or scooter and explore the island on your own terms.

6) Uniqueness (8.5/20): Realistically, volcanoes and volcanic islands are a dime a dozen.

Combined Score: 62.5/100

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05Mar201429Jun2015

Historic Center of Rome

Julio Moreno Italy, UNESCO World Heritage Site ancient cities, historic center, UNESCO, world heritage site 0 Comment

Location: Lazio, Italy

Visited: Aug 3-6, 2012

Site Type: Cultural

Inscribed: 1980

Background and Opinion:

Rome, like any great city, has its historic beginnings shrouded in myth and legend. According to the stories of ancient Romans, the city was founded in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus (no, not the capitals of the Romulan Star Empire). The two brothers were nursed by a she-wolf and due to a dispute, Romulus eventually kills Remus. According to later additions to the myth by the Roman poet Virgil, it is said that following the fall of the Trojans, Aeneas of Troy survived and fulfilled his destiny by fathering the founder brothers, and starting a lineage claimed by the likes of Julius Caesar and Augustus themselves.

Rome already had a lot of history going for it and I was very excited to explore the ancient ruins of the Colosseum. What I didn’t expect was how much had actually survived in the Roman Forum. The Roman Imperial Forum was the center of the ancient city. I initially hesitated because whenever something is described as “site of,” it’s usually a nice way of saying “nothing really remains, but we’re pretty sure it was here.” Many of the great columns are still standing with original Roman inscribed stones. A relatively recent discovery has also unearthed the site of the gladiator living quarters, connected directly to the Colosseum.

One of the buildings I was most excited to see was the Pantheon. I shamefully admit that my excitement was from confusion with the greek Parthenon, but it was nonetheless, magnificent. The Pantheon was built in 127 AD, but is probably the best preserved ancient building in the world. It was built for the gods, but since changed allegiances to Roman Catholicism.

Ancient history aside, the city is just gorgeous. My favorite thing about Rome were the plazas. Dozens of plazas are scattered throughout the entire city, with a beautiful fountain or statue in the middle and surrounded by coffee shops or restaurants. Rome is one of those cities you really can just walk around, get lost, and have a fantastic experience.

Evaluation:

1) Completeness and Originality (13/15): Very difficult to judge, but it is extremely well preserved given how old it is. The Colosseum lives up to expectation as does the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon.

2) Extensiveness of the Site (15/15): After four days in Rome, there was still a lot more to see such as the Castle of St. Angelo and the National Museum of Rome. Like the saying goes though, some travel is better than no travel :).

3) Cultural Significance (25/25): If this doesn’t deserve a perfect score, what does? Rome was the capital of possibly the most influential empire in earth’s history for a thousand years. Furthermore, close to 1 billion native speakers of latin-derived languages exist today.

4) Personal Impact (10.5/15): Rome was the highlight city in my trip across Italy. Its ancient ruins and history are difficult to match anywhere on earth. I do however, have to criticise the overall general treatment of foreigners by native Italians. I don’t want to go into details, but let’s just say that when you ask me what I loved most about the country, I’m NOT going to say “the people.”

This monument, walking distance from the Colosseum, is dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II, one of the founders of modern Italy.

5) Logistics (6/10): Getting there is incredibly easy, even if you speak no Italian at all. Roma Termini Station is in the heart of the city and the Colosseum literally casts a shadow on the entrance of the Metro station. However, I found the entire city to be incredibly overpriced. The Colosseum is 12 Euro (15 USD) and 20 euro for the full tour, the Vatican museums 16 Euro (20 USD), the Galleria Borghese 16 Euro (20 USD). I know they are world known places, but these prices are outrageous. By contrast, most palaces in Korea are 1-3 USD, the Great Wall in China is 7 USD (at most), and Chichen Itza is 5 USD. In addition, hotels are also expensive compared to other capitals, including “pricey cites” like Tokyo.

6) Uniqueness (14/20): “Historic Center of” is probably the most common UNESCO world heritage title. However, I will say that Rome is no ordinary city. I can’t think of any other city that commands so much history, culture, and contains more monuments than the ancient Roman capital. I would say it is on par with Mexico City in this category.

Combined Score: 83.5/100

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14Feb201429Jun2015

Fujisan, Sacred Place and Source of Artistic Inspiration

Julio Moreno Japan, UNESCO World Heritage Site ancient japan, UNESCO, world heritage site 2 Comments

Visited: Feb 1-2, 2014

Site Type: Cultural

Inscribed: 2013

Background and Opinion:

The 3776 meter high Mt. Fuji has captured the imaginations and sparked creativity in the Japanese people since the beginning of settled life all the way through present times. It is thought to be sacred and its monstrous eruptions over the centuries (most recently in 1707-8) have definitely helped in maintaining this idea. Many famous Japanese paintings depict the mountain, which is visible as far away as Tokyo, in the background.

03Jan201429Jun2015

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto

Julio Moreno Japan, UNESCO World Heritage Site ancient japan, Buddhism, temples, UNESCO, world heritage site 2 Comments

Location: Kyoto, Kansai, Japan

Visited: Sep. 2013

Site Type: Cultural

Inscribed: 1994

Background and Opinion:

When I first decided to come to Japan, it wasn’t the anime, the subcultures, the seemingly inexhaustible amount of video games, or the massive metropolitan areas that peeked my interest. While those are all reasons why I love Japan, first and foremost, I wanted to see Kyoto. Kyoto was the capital for over a thousand years and as such, is widely considered the historical and cultural center of Japan.

Historical kyoto — The view from Kyoto Station

Upon exiting that surprisingly quick train ride from Osaka, I headed for the first site. The first thing I noticed upon entering the so called ‘Golden Pavilion’ was the serenity, that feeling you get when everything is slow, the wind is blowing in your hair, and you are in no hurry. It felt like I was stretched out on a hammock, sipping on a coconut on a tropical island! Don’t be silly, I hate coconuts.

Anyways, where was I…? Oh yeah: This was very surprising, considering how busy Osaka seemed. Don’t get me wrong, having lived in Seoul for three years now, I happen to be a big fan of a busy city with lots to do, but every now and again, it is nice to be left with ones own thoughts. There were quite a few people, but since Kyoto’s highlights are scattered throughout the city, no one place is overwhelmed with tourists.

Some guy was nice enough to take a rare Julio picture.

Next, I headed from Kinkaku-Ji (Golden Pavilion) to Ryoan-Ji, the place made famous by its stone garden. According to legend (read: some lady at the gift shop), no one is sure of the meaning of the garden, but it has some power to induce meditation and clarity. I don’t know if I buy all that mumbo-jumbo, but I did experience something strange here. I was in a hurry as there is way too much to see in Kyoto, but for some reason, I felt compelled to just sit and… think. I really don’t know how long I was there as I opened and closed my eyes for long periods of time, but oddly enough, many people around me (Japanese and foreign) were doing the same thing. I left feeling good inside, so I guess the temple did its job.

I decided to trust Google Maps on this one and despite not being named one of the top places to see, I headed to Ninna-Ji (if you haven’t figured it out yet, ‘ji’ means temple). Although I have seen many since, this was the first place I saw statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, guardians of the world. They have human-like bodies with beastly faces, each assigned to protect a cardinal direction (north, south, east, and west). Although it was a bit expensive, it was very quiet and calm, where I again stopped, sat down, and took it all in.

Ninna-ji guardians kyoto — For a while, I thought these were ninjas, thus NINJA-JI…

I did make it to the Nijo Castle but arrived at the Imperial Palace a bit late. Despite this failure, I am glad I didn’t rush things and took it one step at a time. I did manage to look around the palace for a while and spotted a lot of Japanese style gardens and small shrines. Overall, Kyoto was everything I expected and much more.

Kyoto shrine ducks — This old man is defying the ancient Kyoto Code: Don’t feed the ducks! What a rebel.

Evaluation: (Criticism Time!)

1) Completeness and Originality (15 out of 15): At the insistence of American Secretary of War Henry Stimson, Kyoto was removed as a potential target for the atomic bomb. It remains one of the few Japanese cities that has many pre-WW2 buildings.

2) Extensiveness of the Site (15 out of 15): In a day, I would say I covered about 30% of the highlights in Kyoto. However, the site includes the remains in the cities of Uji and Otsu and would take the greater part of a week to see it all. This might be one of the most massive sites on UNESCO’s list.

3) Cultural Significance (13 out of 25): There is no doubt that the flourishing of Japan influenced world events. They tried to take over a third of the planet for heavens sake. But, take away Kyoto and you still have a pretty awesome country.

4) Personal Impact (12 out of 15): I still think about Kyoto a lot and hope to come back some day. Seeing how I went on this trip alone, I probably took more out of it than I would have otherwise.

5) Logistics (6.5 out of 10): Incredibly easy to reach and walk from temple to temple. The prices of some of these places can add up though. Every temple charges 400-800 yen and even extra to view ‘additional rooms.’

6) Uniqueness (13 out of 20): As much as I’d like to say I’ve never seen anything like it, that is only part true. Given, the scale of Kyoto and difference between the things to see is amazing, but most are temples and temples are a dime a dozen in eastern Asia.

Combined Score: 74.5/100

Is this a good score? Find out how it compares with other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in our rankings.

[FUN FACT: Kyoto’s sister city is Guadalajara, Mexico, where I was born!]

09Oct201308Oct2013

Zhangjiajie: A UNESCO World Heritage Site in China

Julio Moreno China, Guest Posts china, UNESCO, zhangjiajie 1 Comment

Today, we feature a guest post from fellow travel blogger Agness Walewinder. She takes us to Zhangjiajie, known to most as the world of Pandora from the movie Avatar. Pandora is a real place that you can visit now, and Agness will convince you why you should put it on the top of your China bucket list. Take it away Agness!

The Hidden Gem of Nature

I would probably not surprise anyone if I told you that China is one of the most diverse and stunning countries in the world in terms of scenery and landscape. Without a doubt, the ‘Land of Dragons’ has been favored by Mother Nature and Zhangjiajie, a city located in northern part of Hunan Province, proves it. Read more →