There's a Lava Cave Hidden Inside a Green Tea Field — Welcome to Dahuiyeon
is said to have been reborn as a garden and cafe
Today GYULI would like to introduce Dahuiyeon, a place spread across more than 60,000 pyeong (roughly 198,000 square meters) of land in Seonheul-ri, Jocheon-eup, Jeju City. This spot is said to be a tea plantation growing green tea considered among the finest eco-friendly tea in Korea. But it's not just a tea field — it's also said to include a garden and cafes built right inside lava caves formed when a volcano once erupted here. Walking through the tea field and then stepping into a cave to enjoy dessert sounds like a pretty special kind of place, don't you think?
Why Here, of All Places? There's Said to Be a Reason This Spot Suits Green Tea So Well
Green tea trees are said to grow well where the average annual temperature stays around 16 degrees Celsius and the soil drains well enough that the roots don't easily rot, and Jeju Island is said to broadly meet these conditions. It seems likely that the Seonheul-ri area, where Dahuiyeon is located, has been able to grow green tea for a long time thanks to these ideal growing conditions.
Inside Dahuiyeon, there's an outdoor garden called 'Evergreen Luce,' which is said to make use of the small caves formed by lava that flowed down when a volcano erupted. It's said to feature a cave pond, a cave bridge, and Jeju's native trees and wildflowers all woven together, so it seems like a spot where you can experience a different kind of green scenery from the tea field itself.
I found it fascinating that a lava cave suddenly appears while you're walking through the tea field. Having nature shaped by a volcano and a tea field cultivated by people share the same space feels like what makes Dahuiyeon so special.
— 🍊 GYULIAt Eve Hall, You Might Even Spot a Bat If You're Lucky
On one side of the Evergreen Luce garden is a space called 'Eve Hall,' said to be located where the cave ceiling has opened up. Openings of various sizes are said to pierce through on all sides, with the longest reaching about 30 meters, so it seems to be quite sizable. Bats are also said to live inside, and if you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of one yourself. That said, Eve Hall is said to be accessible only by passing through a tunnel-like cave passage, so if you find narrow passages difficult, it might be worth keeping that in mind beforehand.
There Are Also Cave Cafes Serving Green Tea Desserts
Dahuiyeon is also said to have two cafes built inside caves — 'Green Luce' at the summit of Gyeongdeokwon and a cafe near the entrance at Eve Hall — each said to sell green tea-related menu items. Natural green tea fermented bread, green tea cookies, green tea muffins, green tea lattes, and even a natural green tea fermented juice containing catechins are said to be available, offering a variety of desserts and drinks made with green tea. It sounds like a nice course to walk through the tea field and lava cave first, then rest at one of the cave cafes afterward.
GYULI's Tip · Hours are said to be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., open year-round, but it's worth checking the latest admission times before you visit. Since there are sections where you'll walk in and out of the caves, comfortable walking shoes are a good idea.