Jeju Island offers a variety of new experiential tourism options.

After more than two years without tourists due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jeju Island is now transforming itself with daily changes to regain its reputation as a "holiday paradise" - an ideal destination that captivates not only with its tranquil, pristine beauty but also with its charm.

Following the success of organizing green (carbon- and waste-free) tours and most recently reinstating the 30-day visa-free stay for international tourists, Jeju Island continues to develop a series of new and exciting experiential tourism options.

Biclean

"Biclean" is a combination of scenic cycling, photo opportunities, and ocean cleanup in coastal areas. This is a new type of experiential tourism that the Jeju Island government is developing to give visitors the chance to freely and comfortably cycle along winding coastal roads, take photos, breathe fresh air, and contribute to cleaning up the marine environment.

For just around 1.2 million VND, visitors can experience this new 2-hour service with routes ranging from easy to difficult (cycling around the village, cycling along the coastal road, and cycling around the island) using regular bicycles or electric bicycles (with pedal assist).

In March 2021, the Jeju Island government also established a cycling school to make it easier for everyone to learn and experience this new form of tourism.

Experience being a chef with local ingredients.

Toto Atelier, originally a culinary school, is now becoming a unique location on Jeju Island where visitors can experience making traditional local pastries using ingredients grown on Jeju Island.

After personally harvesting ingredients such as carrots, tangerines, cauliflower, and rosemary from Toto Atelier's garden, visitors can try their hand at making traditional Jeju Island pastries such as Jeju Carrot Cake, Jeju Tangerine Cake, and sweet pastries (made with egg whites and sugar).

Even without prior baking experience, with instructional videos from Toto Atelier's professional chefs, visitors can simply watch the videos on the screen and use their dexterity to create cakes that reflect their own unique style.

Sound Walk - From "Visiting" to "Experiencing"

For just 700,000 VND, visitors have the opportunity to satisfy all five senses by exploring and capturing the mystical sounds of nature in Gotjawal (the name given to Jeju, the only place in the world where tropical plants from both the North and South coexist).

By participating in the "Sound Walk" service, visitors can discover the hidden sounds of nature in Gotjawa using advanced recording and sound-capturing equipment, transforming a simple sightseeing trip into a direct experience of sounds from nature that are normally inaudible.

These are the sounds of many different animals and birds, as well as the low-pitched calls and flapping wings of bees and insects. Visitors can also create their own recordings with the help of advanced professional audio editing equipment.

Glocal Media Art Restaurant - Cuisine combined with Media and Art

Jeju Island's tourist restaurant, "Haenyeo Kitchen Bukchon," is an attractive destination where visitors can experience unique dishes prepared by Haenyeo chefs (female scallop divers) and media art inspired by the island's seascape.

Sitting and enjoying their meals amidst a dining room where the walls transform into vibrant 3D screens with stereoscopic surround sound inspired by the seascape, diners feel as if they are dining adrift at sea, in a cave, or on an island, with a waiter acting as a storyteller to describe the dishes served in detail.

The meal is prepared entirely from fresh seafood caught by Haenyeos and ingredients grown seasonally on Jeju Island.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao