Jeju-do (transliterated Korean for Jeju Province, short form of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province or Cheju Island) is the special autonomous province of
South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946. Its
Capital is the city of Jeju.
The island contains the natural
World Heritage Site
Jeju Volcanic Island And Lava Tubes.
Jeju, on 1 July 2006, was made into the first and only special autonomous province of South Korea.
Attractions
Tourism commands a large fraction of Jeju's economy. Jeju's temperate climate, natural scenery, and beaches make it a popular tourist destination for South Koreans as well as visitors from other parts of East
Asia.
The most popular tourist spots on the island are Cheonjeyeon and Cheonjiyeon waterfalls, Mount Halla, Hyeobje cave, and Hyeongje island. There is a variety of leisure sports that tourists can take part in Jeju including golf, horse riding, hunting, fishing, mountain climbing, etc. Depending on the season, Jeju hosts many festivals for tourists including a penguin swimming contest in winter, cherry blossom festival in spring, the midsummer night beach festival in summer, and Jeju horse festival in autumn, among others.
For most tourists, traffic to and from the island is mainly taken through
Jeju International Airport and transport within the island by rental cars. Some local products are popular to tourists, including Jeju's special tile fish and mandarin oranges, aside from souvenirs and duty-free shopping.
Jeju was chosen as one of the 28 finalists of the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign by the New7Wonders Foundation.
