Stroll through Hueree’s ‘island within an island’

An important note on Jeju’s updated bus system and this blog post

From August 2017, Jeju Island implemented a new city and intercity bus system. It increased the number of buses in service, while simplifying the routes, fees and numbering system.

Consequently, the contents of this previously published blog post may have changed. We therefore would kindly request that you consult this page for new bus maps in English on VisitJeju.net, and this page on our blog for a chart of the old and new bus route numbers.

If you read Korean, then the province’s official bus system website is a useful and up-to-date resource. We hope you’ll enjoy your travels on Jeju Island!

There are plenty of theme parks on Jeju Island. One of the largest and most famous is Hallim Park in the northwest of the island, which we’ve written about before.

But as it happens, right on the opposite side in the southeastern area of the island at Namwon-eup is Hueree Natural Park. It’s a smaller but just as worthy destination – especially for young families or couples.

On offer is essentially a pleasant outdoor stroll, which by some accounts is described as “an island within an island.” Along the way are a variety of hands-on experience programs to try.

When it comes to their “nature learning” programs, Hueree offers kids the chance to feed wild rabbits, goats, ostriches and squirrels. There’s a “black pig show” in which dozens of the creatures parade around a set course and waterslide, which the kids we saw that day seemed to really enjoy!

Depending on the season, you can try your hand harvesting plums, sweet potatoes, or as we did, clip fresh mandarin oranges from an orchard (November through March).

And there’s always photography, which the area and the park excel at. If you’re strolling with loved ones, then you can capture many pleasant memories there.

Our time at Hueree had the added bonus of excellent weather: we could see Hallasan Mountain pretty much from every spot in the park. Since we were in the southwest, the mountain’s profile was distinctly different from what we see day-to-day in Jeju City. Personally, I found this quite refreshing.

Hours of operation: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Last entry is at 4 p.m.)

Address: 256 Sinryaedong-ro, Namwon-eup, Seogwipo-si (서귀포시 남원읍 신례동로 256)

How to get there: Your best bet is to take a car or taxi, but if you’re set on public transportation, you can take bus 781, 781-1 or 781-2 from the Jeju City Intercity Bus Terminal and transfer to bus 8 at Seogwipo Industrial Technology High School. There’s a bit of a walk as well. The trip will set you back about 1 hour and 45 minutes. From Seogwipo Intercity Bus Terminal, grab bus 730 or 730-1 and get off at Dongmun Rotary, transferring to bus 8. The trip is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.