Real beauty lasts. There are lots of ready proof to give credence to that fact, and although it’s been some years since I saw Jeongbang Waterfall, I knew deep down that it’d still be as beautiful. But somehow, I was proven wrong. This time, it seemed to me that it was even more breathtakingly beautiful. I kid you not.
Jeju-do has an abundance of nature’s gifts, and waterfalls are among them. In fact, you could probably devote more than a couple of days just doing a “waterfall run” of all the waterfalls in the island… (Come to think of it, why didn’t we think of that before….? Hmm…)
You can read about my first visit to Jeongbang Waterfall over here.
Jeongbang Waterfall is easily one of the more well-known, ergo, most visited ones, along with Cheonjiyeon Waterfall and Cheonjeyeon Waterfall (yes, I know, they can be confusing, but they are two different waterfalls, with different spelling that’s a matter of one letter). In fact, it is included in the “ten greatest scenic wonders of Jeju”.
This time, we approached Jeongbang Waterfall directly at its entrance (last time, it was in a parking lot which required a bit of a walk past a garden).
From what I remember, nothing seems to have changed. Not even the view of the waterfall from the top of the stairs leading down to the cove, to that curving old evergreen tree that stands guard beside the stairs.
Even the 2,000 KRW admission fee is the same! Yay to no-price-increases, haha!
Jeongbang Waterfall is very accessible, yes, but I wouldn’t go so far as say that reaching it is effortless. There are, after all, several flights of stone steps – steep in some parts – that you’d have to descend on, then you’d have to step on large boulders if you want to get closer. So if you have weak knees and poor balance, or just clumsy, in general, you’d probably have quite a hard time at it.
But, compared to other waterfalls I’ve visited, this can be likened to a walk in a park. You will also have an unobstructed view of the ocean and several small isles in the distance as you walk down the steps. That small mound in the pic above? That is Sup Sum, or Sup Island, which is a popular diving spot for diving enthusiasts.
And then there she is, up closer and as personal as you can get.
Even from this distance, the spray is quite powerful. It’s a 75-foot or 23-meter drop, after all, and the water falls directly on large rocks, which cause even more splashing and spraying of water. There isn’t what you’d call a deep basin at the foot of the waterfall to cup the streaming water.
Jeongbang Waterfall is, records say, the only waterfall in Asia to fall directly into the ocean.
So you basically go from ogling one body of water to yet another, bigger, body of water that it flows directly into. It flows from the stream named Donghong-chun, so the spray isn’t really salty as what you’d expect when you’re out at sea or at a beach which, technically, you’re in if you’re here.
If I am to compare it to its equally popular neighbor Cheonjiyeon Falls, this is more “accessible”, meaning you can actually go close to the waterfall itself. If you’re brave enough, that is. The water is relatively shallow, although I did hear that when the tide goes up, or the water from the stream is more abundant, the water could be much deeper.
In Cheonjiyeon, the basin is quite deep, and I kinda remember there being signs warning people not to go into the water to get close to the water curtain.
Personally, we only went this close. In fact, I think we were the only ones there that dared to go that close. (Or should I say, it was only I? Haha!) Even when I waded in barefoot, the rocks were slippery from algal growth, and I don’t really fancy myself slipping in front of all those other people, never mind that they are strangers and they don’t know me and won’t even understand me if I cuss out loud in my local dialect.
You know how, when you visit a waterfall, you’d be entranced by just the sight of that waterfall, and not much else? The good thing about a visit to this place is that, you turn around, and you can check out the open sea right before you. So just go out and scramble your hearts and feet out on the rocks to get closer to the sea!
We visited this place at close to 6pm already, but there was still quite a crowd. The ones on these photos aren’t the only people there, because there are many more visitors that opted to stay at the foot of the stone steps, not daring to venture further into the rocks and boulders to get close to the water or the waterfall.
Friends, families, children, lovers, solo travelers… you’d find them here. And the thing that I like about it best is that NOBODY CARES, haha! You can goof around taking photos using monopods, or scamper around on the shallow water in your bare feet, and they would just smile but then mind their own business. (Which kinda makes me feel pathetic now, having worried that they’d laugh at me if I slipped and fell down on my beeeehind on the water. Sheeesh.)
In our case, we were literally shouting at my camera to take a photo (because the sound of my voice was warring with the roar of the water falling down in a cascade). Did anyone care that this girl seems to be having a shouting match with her camera? Nope, no one did, and I was grateful for that.
I always say this: I love seeing a waterfall. No matter how much hard work is required to go see it, so I am doubly grateful for waterfalls that are easier to reach than most, yet would still reward you with a spectacular sight. Great value for money, I say, haha!
Waterfalls are great for your soul. I hope you will be blessed one of these days.
For more information about Jeongbang Waterfall, check out the official KTO page.
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