VISIT JEJU

Running alongside stone walls made from Jeju’s characteristic volcanic rock, the Batdam trails carry the legacy of more than a thousand years of history. These walls represent an advanced architectural technique for the time period, built to protect crops from the strong winds the island experiences, and have now even been featured in the popular film KPop Demon Hunters. If all of Jeju’s stone walls were to be linked together, they would stretch for approximately 22,000 km, with the endless lines of black stone earning them the nickname of “Long Scrolling Black Dragon,” and in 2014, they were even designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System by the FAO, in acknowledgement of their uniqueness and historical value. Now, as we enter the perfect walking season of autumn, we’ll introduce eight Batdam trails that showcase the distinct charm of Jeju.

The Batdam trails in Gujwa-eup were designed to revitalize the area by encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with the famous stone walls, and serve as an ideal way to experience the rural culture, natural environment, and true beauty of Jeju Island. We recommend Jinbille Batdam Trail and Gamsugul Batdam Trail in particular, as they perfectly showcase the area’s unique characteristics.

“Jinbille” is a term from the native Jeju dialect meaning “a long ledge of rock stretching out,” and true to this name, just a single glance at Jinbille Batdam Trail will have you imagining all the blood, sweat, and tears of the farmers who toiled breaking through the hard rock of the island to cultivate their fields and build the stone walls. Along the path are found special stone stacks, designed to divide and redirect the path of rainwater to whoever needs it most, providing a glimpse of the warmth and community spirit felt between villagers in the area.

At 1.5 km in length, Gamsugul Batdam Trail is perfect for a light, refreshing walk. Its name comes from a well of water found along it, once called “Gamsu,” meaning “good-tasting water.” The water was of such quality that nearby residents used it for purification rituals in weddings and funerals. The trail merges with small village streets, passing charming houses and traditional Jeju thatched cottages, providing a tranquil setting rich in historical charm.

Jinbille Batdam Trail

▶ Address: 1400-14, Woljeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, Jeju
▶ Length: 2.5 km (approximately 40 min on foot)
▶ Route: Jeju Batdam Theme Park – Jinbille Observatory – Jeju Dangcheomul Cave

Gamsugul Batdam Trail

▶ Address: 34, Pyeongdae 7-gil, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, Jeju
▶ Length: 1.5 km (approximately 30 min on foot)
▶ Route: Pyeongdae Central Community Hall – Hok Harubang Chogajip (Thatched Cottage) – Gamsugul

Seongsan-eup is home to a series of beautiful Batdam trails that faithfully encapsulate the history and culture of the surrounding villages. Two of our favorites are the Eomeongabang Batdam Trail in Sinpung-ri, best enjoyed while experiencing a stay in the nearby fishing and farming village, and the Nanmi Batdam Trail in Nansan-ri, notable for its memorable views of the tangerine orchards.

Eomeongabang Batdam Trail stretches alongside Cheonmicheon, the stream marking the boundary between Sinpung-ri and Hacheon-ri, and the black basalt stone walls running next to the trail make quite the impression with their winding, maze-like curves as the path loops around the entire village. True to the meaning of the name “Sinpung,” a “new and abundant village,” this path is home to breathtaking scenery steeped in both nature and tradition.

The name of Nanmi Batdam Trail means “a path as beautiful as orchids.” Located about 50 meters above sea level, Nansan-ri has fertile soil that has long provided favorable conditions for growing tangerines; in fact, this area is even the site of the “Nansan Gyullim” (Orchid Mountain Tangerine Grove), the 4th of 10 scenic views of Seonsan described by poet Lee Seung-ik. The surrounding tangerine orchards and humble stone walls make for a lovely trail to walk along. The wall in this area are generally taller than elsewhere in order to keep horses and cattle out of the fields.

(Nanmi Batdam Trail. Photo Credit: Jeju Batdam official website)

Eomeongabang Batdam Trail

▶ Address: 37, Sinpung Hadong-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo City, Jeju
▶ Length: 3.2 km (approximately 50 min on foot)
▶ Route: Seongsan Youth Training Center – Sinpung Health Clinic – Eomeongabang Batdam SHOP

Nanmi Batdam Trail

▶ Address: 39, Nansan-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo City, Jeju
▶ Length: 2.8 km (approximately 45 min on foot)
▶ Route: Nansan-ri Office – Jangsu Village Business Center – Myeonuimoru – Seodanggol – Nansan-ri Health Clinic / Nansan-ri Senior Welfare Hall

The Batdam trails in Aewol-eup hold a special significance in the folktales and history of its villages. The stars of today’s article are Mulme Batdam Trail in Susan-ri, home to beautiful lakes and mountains, and Gongsemi Batdam Trail in Eoeum-ri, which carries a sorrowful history related to the Jeju April 3rd Incident.

Susan-ri, which once went by the name Mulme, is a quaint, peaceful village. A gomsol pine tree grows in the village green, planted upon the founding of Susan-ri more than 400 years ago according to local legend, and has now been designated as Natural Monument No. 441. Mulme Batdam Trail has unique scenery and a slightly different vibe from other Batdam trails, due to the presence of 128 stone slab monuments inscribed with poems by 104 poets scattered along the path, blending in with the stone walls.

Eoeum-ri is a village rich in history, particularly due to the remains of Meoheulwasseong, a defensive structure built by villagers during the April 3rd Incident. Today, this farming village is home to around 300 residents peacefully cultivating their fields. A 400-year-old hackberry tree serves as a beloved community resting site and a cool spot to escape the summer heat. Gongsemi Batdam Trail, named for a historical figure who discovered a spring among fissures in the rock, is a great spot to see jatdam, one of the oldest forms of the stone walls used for farming around Jeju, as well as the stone piles called meodeul.

Mulme Batdam Trail

▶ Address: 157, Haso-ro, Aewol-eup, Jeju City, Jeju
▶ Length: 3.3 km (approximately 52 min on foot)
▶ Route: Mulme Elementary School – Susan-ri Community Center – Susan Mart – Sinseon Tangerine Processing Plant

Gongsemi Batdam Trail

▶ Address: 3648-1, Eoeum-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju City, Jeju
▶ Length: 3.7 km (approximately 55 min on foot)
▶ Route: Bonhyangdang – Gongsemi – Duissemi

Suryuchon Batdam Trail in Dongmyeong-ri is rich in both the history and nature of Jeju, passing by Myeongwolseong Fortress and Ongpocheon Stream. Myeongwolseong Fortress was built in the mid-Joseon period to protect against foreign invasions, designated as Jeju’s Monument No. 29. Three temples, named Hwangryongsa, Cheonbulsa, and Geungnaksa, also stand side by side along the trail, built near the clear flowing water.

There are many things to see along the Suryuchon Batdam Trail, which can be covered in a little more than an hour at a leisurely pace. As you stroll along, you will eventually reach the highest point of Dongmyeong village, which boasts a stunning vista of Biyangdo floating over the blue sea, before descending.

The village of Gwideok plays a vital role in local legend as the first town visited by Yeongdeung Halmang, the wind goddess of Jeju, and is now a perfect spot for discovering different types of Batdam stone walls. Jeju’s stone walls may be classified based on building method into oedam, jeopdam, japgeumdam, and more, and Gwideok is home to a large number of sturdy jatdam walls. Paths called jatjil travel over these walls to allow farmers to easily move back and forth, leading Gwideok village to often be called “Jatjil Village.”

(Yeongdeung Halmang Batdam Trail. Photo Credit: Jeju Batdam Official Website)

Suryuchon Batdam Trail

▶ Address: Jingeundong, Dongmyeong-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju City, Jeju
▶ Length: 3.3 km (approximately 52 min on foot)
▶ Route: Gaemyeongmul – Myeongwolseong Fortress – Nammun-dong Village Business Center – Hancheon-dong Village Business Center

Yeongdeung Halmang Batdam Trail

▶ Address: 97-2, Gwideok-ro, Hallim-eup, Jeju City, Jeju
▶ Length: 4 km (approximately 60 min on foot)
▶ Route: Gwideok 1-ri Office – Jungdong Agricultural Plant – Gwideok 1-ri Hyangsa – Jeju Eco Green Resort

* For more information and local legends about Batdam trails, check the Jeju Batdam official website.

: http://www.jejubatdam.com/index.php