Jump-off and Exit Point: Seongsan-ri, Seogwipo, Jeju Island Province, South Korea
Elevation: 182 MASL (597 feet)
Days Required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 30 minutes
Specs: Minor Climb; Difficulty 1/9; Trail Class 1
Features: It is specifically a volcanic tuff cone, famous as a UNESCO World Heritage site known as "Sunrise Peak" for its stunning sunrises over its large crater. It's a significant geological feature formed by an underwater eruption. On a 2011 study reported, it has 240 taxa of plant species growing on it.
Halfway to the summit of Mount Seongsan Ilchulbong
This is a part of my February 1 -6, 2025 Hongkong -Jeju Island of South Korea - Hongkong - Macau Trip where I also had climbed three mountains: Tai Mo Shan (Hongkong), this Seongsan Ilchulbong and Suicide Cliff of Kowloon Peak (Hongkong) organized by seasoned international tour organizer, Madame Jonah Chavez Ranchez.
While at the jump-off at 12:06 A.M.
With reference to the time, please refer to my Jeju Island blog post, where we just arrived on this of February 2, 2025 from Hongkong at 7:55 A.M. From the airport, we travelled through our service coaster vehicle to 1100 Road (Highland Ecological Swamp) to experience thick snow, but since there was no available parking lot, we headed straight to Yeongsil trail entrance where were there at 9:43 A.M.
At Yeongsil trail entrance
And after the Yeongsil trail entrance where we experience thick snow, we had another destination at Teddy Bear Museum at 10:12 A.M. and next was to iconic Starbucks.
The famous Starbucks of Jeju Island
Then, from the Starbucks, we had a long drive heading to Seongsan Ilchulbong where we arrived there at 12:06 Noon. This UNESCO World Heritage mountain is located in the Seongsan-eup area of Seogwipo City in Jeju Island. A very peaceful and stunning countryside.
Our ecstatic group at the food stores around the jump-off point
It was our organizer who paid for the entrance fee since it is a part of the tour packaged we booked. The entrance fees are as follows:
Adult : 5,000 Won (Foreigners); 4,000 Won (South Koreans)
Youth : 2,500 Won (Foreigners); 2,000 Won (South Koreans)
Children : 2,500 Won (Foreigners); 2,000 Won (South Koreans)
UNESCO World Heritage site accreditation marker
Before the ticket booth
The start of the executive climb at 12:10 Noon
The climb is really the easiest one with very gradual elevation. The trail is wide and it can even accommodate 6 individuals in straight horizontal line walking side by side.
Look at how the trail looks like while we advanced to the summit
I was at this spot at 12:34 Noon
As we climbed the trail got narrower
People who live in the village of Seongsan call this rock DeungGyeongDol (Lamp Rock) or JingGyeongDol rock. Villagers have a custom of bowing a horn four times when passing by. The first two bows are for General goddess Sulmundaehalmang, a benevolent and beautiful creator of Jeju. The last two bows are for General Kim Tong-Jeong, who sacrificed himself protecting his country from the Yuan Dynasty at the end of Korea's Goryeo Dynasty. Legend has it that Goddess Sulmundaehalmang carried dirt with her skirt to make the island during the day, and by night, she would sew her skirt torn from the day's labor. It is said that this is the rock Goddess Sulmundaehalmang used to set her lamp upon for sewing. It is also said that when General Kim Tong-Jeong was building a fortress is Seongsan Village to protect the country, he jumped around the rock to train his body and mind.
Passing thru this point at 12:35 Noon
Vertical and pointed rocks jut and surround the climbing path of Seongsan Tuff Cone, and DeungGyongDol rock is one of them. In the time of volcanic activities which created this peak, unset volcanic ash had piled up and formed a steep slope. Raindrops on the layers of ash forced a flow down the slope, and the layers eroded over time, thus creating a land that appears deeper than the ground itself. The less eroded stratum retains its vertical shape. Unique rocks like DeungGyongDol rock surrounding the climbing path have been formed by an unequal erosion process of unset layers of volcanic ash when it rains.
The view overlooking from above DeungGyongDol rock
The third rock formation leading to the summit
The view as we reached this point at 12:39 Noon
As we ascend more heading to the summit
A resting shade along the trail
Almost 90% of the trail are open. However, it was chilling cold and I did not feel the hot sun. It was even colder compared to my climbs in Benguet.
This was what I've got at 12:41 Noon
The magical overlooking view at 12:43 Noon
Finally, the summit at 12:47 Noon
While at summit market at 180 MASL or 597 feet above sea level
The well-manicured wooden stairs trail on my descent
Climbers are so pampered on this kind of trail
I was already at this point of my descent at 1:08 P.M.
I still did not want to completely descend
Completely spellbound of this amazing view
At my back is a diving site
Completely descended to the jump-off point with my climbing buddy Chris Palacio
The continuation of this 2-day Jeju Island tour can be read on this bloglink. My experience on this climb are all worth it. If given the opportunity, I wanted to visit this again with my family. Every part of the climb was literally stunning in scenery. It was such a very, very easy climb that even elders can climb it without any problem. For those who wanted to climb this during sunrise, it is advised to achieve a magical experience, it requires a very early start and potentially a dark climb; daytime offers good views without the rush, but during summer it can be hot and crowded. The good thing here is the trail to ascend to the summit is different in descending the mountain. With the crowd of climbers or guests, the summit platform is too small and expect that when you take pictures, some are at your back or next to you.
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