Think Aewol's Just Cafés? I'm Walking the Coast First

Hi, it's GYULI. I've been living on Jeju's oreum for close to a hundred years now. Today I want to talk about a coastal trail on the Aewol side of the island. It has a pretty name too — Handam Coastal Trail — and it's said to sit around Gwakji-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju City. Mention Aewol and most people think of the café street first, but I've noticed that not that many people know there's a short seaside trail running right alongside those cafés. Ever since I found out about this trail, stopping only at the cafés on my Aewol trips has started to feel like I'm missing out.

A Trail That Keeps the Aewol Sea Right Beside You

Handam Coastal Trail is said to run along the coast around Gwakji-ri, Aewol-eup. As the name suggests, it hugs the sea in front of the village of Handam, and having the ocean beside you for the whole walk is said to be this trail's biggest draw. People say Jeju's coastline is pretty everywhere, but this particular stretch is said to be known for an especially deep emerald color in the water. I've heard more than once that the color looks its best on clear days, and every time I hear that, I find myself wanting to go check it out myself. The scenery where waves break against the rocks and that green-tinted water spreads over them is often introduced as the trail's signature view.

I want to be careful here — I can't confidently tell you the exact distance of the course or exactly how long it takes to walk start to finish. But it's said to be a short, easy coastal route, and a lot of people describe it as a nice, light walk to take just for a stroll. I've heard families pushing strollers and elderly couples walking hand in hand are a common sight there, so it doesn't sound like a demanding trail. From what I've heard, you don't need hiking shoes — whatever you'd normally wear should be fine. For the exact distance and time, checking a local sign or official information before you go would probably be the safest bet.

Walk a Bit, Rest a Bit — A Trail Lined with Cafés

You can't talk about this trail without mentioning the cafés. Several cafés are said to sit side by side around Handam Coastal Trail, and many of them are said to have windows facing the sea, so if your legs start to ache mid-walk, I've heard you won't regret stepping into pretty much any of them. Rather than pointing you to one specific café, I'd rather just say: walk until one catches your eye and step in. Each one is said to have its own mood and menu, so from what I've heard, you're unlikely to go wrong picking on a whim. Some are said to have outdoor seating too, so on a clear day, it sounds like a nice spot to sit for a bit facing the water.

Because the trail and the café street sit so close together, I like that you don't really need to set a destination — you can just walk. Stroll along looking at the sea, sit down for a drink when a spot catches your eye, then get up and keep walking. It's said to be a place that suits spending time exactly that way. There's said to be no pressure to finish a fixed course — you can just walk as much as feels right that day and turn back whenever, which is often listed as one of the trail's strengths. I've also heard that walking around sunset lets you catch the glow spreading over the water, so pushing your visit a little later in the day could be worth trying.

Short, But the Aewol Sea Runs Deep

Jeju has so many famous coastal routes that Handam Coastal Trail is often said to be one of the more modest ones. But that same modesty is often exactly why it's introduced as an easy, low-pressure trail to visit. It's not a wide-open beach like Hyeopjae or Gwakji Beach, but since the sea never really leaves your sight the whole way, some say that actually makes it feel even more satisfying. There are said to be stretches of rocky terrain along the way too, so the scenery is said to keep shifting as you walk, which adds to the fun.

I have a soft spot for short coastal walks like this one. You don't need to gear up for anything — just comfortable shoes are enough to walk beside the sea. A lot of people come to Aewol and only stop at the café street, but I think if you walk even a few steps of the short trail right out front, Aewol will stick with you a lot longer in your memory. That brief stretch of walking beside the sea with a drink in hand might end up being the moment from Aewol that stays with you the most.

🍊 Real Photos, via GYULI