Jeju Island🏝 Jeongbang Waterfall

"Don't go chasin' waterfalls" - 🎶 TLC.

A waterfall cascading down the edge of a small cliff and collected into a deep blue-green pool filled with rocks and pebbles made for a beautiful start to our day.

This area is very touristy, and there would be busloads of people coming in to see the waterfall, most arriving around 9:45 am. You have to pay to see the waterfall, and the ticket booth opens at 9 am, weather permitting. My friend and I arrived early to beat the tour buses there. Thankfully, we got multiple shots and angles of the waterfall before other tourists arrived. When the clock hit 10 am, busloads of people lined up along the rocks to get to the best photo spot.

Would you be brave enough to climb over the rocks and take a dip in the falls? I thought I was until at least twenty to forty pairs of eyes were watching. I still attempted to climb the massive boulders and dipped my legs and feet into the fabulous deep blue-green pool that collected at the bottom of the waterfall. The water stayed refreshingly cool despite being close to 90° F or 30°C. For those not brave enough to go in, thankfully, each summer breeze made the waterfall gently mist those who got close to it.

As I approached the waterfall, I only dared to wade in the shallow pool of water beyond the ledge of pebbles. I tried to walk further into the pool of water, but I felt the stones slide under the weight of my foot, and my leg was quickly drenched in cold water. I decided against testing my luck and was happy to wade in the shallows of the small stream that flowed towards some enormous boulders that sat at the end of the waterfall's pool of water.

This waterfall has been very popular with most tourists, and there are buses of people that come by to see the exceptionally photogenic waterfall. DSLR camera carriers, be warned there is no smooth path leading to the waterfalls, so be prepared to test your balance while holding onto your camera. I would also like to add that there was no smooth surface on which to place a tripod, so any hopes of getting a long exposure shot died once we looked at the boulders. We had to walk and hop along slowly. I recommend that anyone dying to get that "perfect" shot come early and be ready to devise some creative problem-solving solution to compensate for the lack of an even surface.

Overall, the gentle mist of the cool water and the serene atmosphere of the falls provided an almost meditative moment of calm. That is until the busloads of people came. It was chaotic and clumsy, trying to stay out of people's pictures. It is a must-see location on Jeju Island; I only recommend getting there early and prepared.