Cliff(y) Goes Travelling

CJU-HKG (3h) Airbus 320-200 ETD: 2.05pm (GMT + 9)  ETA:  4.05pm (GMT + 8) Apart from closing the chapter on Jeju Island, this entry shall be the very last on Dragonair as the airline has recently been rebranded as Cathay Dragon. Do note that KA325 is the flight code for the CJU-HKG sector at the point of writing.

2 Gonghang-ro, Yongdam 2(i)-dong, Jeju Island, South Korea Jeju International Airport was originally established in 1942 as a military facility before being reopened as an international airport in 1968. It's said that the number of passengers on domestic flights to the airport reached over 13 million in 2009, exceeding that of Gimpo International Airport in Seoul.

284-12 Ilchul-ro, Seongsan-eup, Jeju Island, South Korea Daily: 1 hour before sunrise till sunset Seongsan Ilchulbong, also known as the Sunrise Peak to many foreigners, is a 182 m tall tuff cone formed by hydrovolcanic eruptions many years ago. Said to resemble a gigantic ancient castle, it has a bowl-like crater that has a diameter of 600 m.

182 Manjanggul-gil, Jeju Island, South Korea Daily: 9.00am - 6.00pm From Jeju City , my BFF and I travelled east to see for ourselves one of the finest lava tunnels in the world. About 1 km of the 13.4 km Manjanggul Cave is open to the public, leading to the gorgeous lava tube that's 30 m in height and 23 m in breadth.

Jeju Island, South Korea Hours vary by season  ( http://www.hallasan.go.kr/english/content.php?page=020104 ) Continuing from the previous post on the Yeongsil Trail @ Hallasan National Park , I present you some pictures taken at Witse Oreum, as well as the subsequent Eorimok Trail that my BFF and I took to walk down the mountain.

Jeju Island, South Korea Hours vary by season  ( http://www.hallasan.go.kr/english/content.php?page=020104 ) Perhaps the most iconic natural feature of Jeju Island, Hallasan is surrounded by 368 parasitic volcanoes called oreum around the main mountain. This highest mountain in South Korea is also known as Mt. Yeongjusan (lit. mountain high enough to pull the galaxy). As the number of pictures I took during the day trek is stunning, I've decided to split them into two posts.

Jeju Island, South Korea As the capital of the Jeju Province and the largest city on the island, Jeju City can be quite a vibrant one. It has grown rapidly since the 1970s, conveniently served by various buses. There are quite a number of public casino facilities for the entertainment of locals and tourists alike.

905-13 Nohyung-dong, Downtown Jeju, Jeju Island, South Korea My BFF and I left Seogwipo for Downtown Jeju by taking the airport limousine bus once again. Upon arriving at the more lively city, we quickly made our way to Goodstay Nulsong Parktel (2*), a value-for-money hotel that's highly rated online. Note that no breakfast is provided by the hotel.

36 Chilsimni-ro, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea Daily: 8.30am - 6.00pm Jeongbang Waterfall one of the four waterfalls in Asia that falls directly into the ocean. It stands at 23 m, 1 m taller than Cheonjiyeon Waterfall . Legend has it that there was a holy dragon living underneath the waterfall, which spirit is contained in the water that can cure diseases and bring rain during drought. By the way, I didn't visit Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, the last of the three famous waterfalls.

156-8 Chilsimni-ro, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea Daily: 9.00am - 6.00pm Along the way to the second waterfall, my BFF and I chanced upon the nearby Seobok Exhibition Hall, which we had had no idea when we planned for our trip. Seobok, an envoy of Qin Shi Huang from the Qin Dynasty, travelled to Jeju Island in search of a rare elixir.

Namseongjung-ro, Cheonji-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea Daily: sunrise - 10.00pm After such a cuteness overload at the Teddy Bear Museum , my BFF and I decided to find our way to Cheonjiyeon Waterfall by foot. Considered as one of the top three waterfalls of Jeju Island, it's 22 m high and 12 m deep. That was such a bold move, but given that we've always enjoyed trekking, why not?

2889 Saekdal-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea Daily: 9.00am - 7.00pm or 8.00pm (summer) Boasting a huge collection of stuffed bears from many different parts of the world, the Teddy Bear Museum in Jeju Island is a fun place for adults and children alike. As I went through the exhibits, I took a lot of pictures while smiling along the way.

216 Jungmungwangwang-ro, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea Daily: 8.00am - 6.00pm (autumn & winter) or 7.00pm (spring & summer) Designated as a natural monument, as well as a part of the Global Geopark Network, Jusangjeolli Cliff (no, not me :P) are hexagonal stone pillars formed many years ago when the lava from Hallasan erupted into the sea of Jungmun.

Saekdal-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea Jungmun Resort is a multi-tourism area of Jeju Island established in 1978. Its attractions and facilities blend in harmoniously with the beautiful surrounding nature. The cover picture of this post shows me hugging a dol hareubang  carved from porous basalt, which is said to be offering both protection and fertility.

309 Seogwi-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea My BFF and I stayed at Goodstay Feliz Telcon Hotel (1*) in Seogwipo. As the name suggests, it's a cosy hotel, albeit a basic one, located not far from where the airport limousine bus drops its passengers. Note that no breakfast is provided by the hotel.

Jeju Island, South Korea Instead of staying at Jeju City first, my BFF and I went straight to Seogwipo City by taxing the airport limousine bus. The 62 km journey from the airport to Seogwipo KAL Hotel took about an hour and a half, costing  ₩7,000 (~S$6.15)  per person.

HKG-CJU (3h 10m) Airbus 320-200 ETD: 9.15am (GMT + 8)  ETA:  1.25pm (GMT + 9) The next exciting destination that I'm going to present to you is Jeju Island, South Korea, known as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. As I visited the island quite some time back, there has been changes in the flight schedule by Dragonair, which uses KA326 as the flight code for the HKG-CJU sector at the point of writing.

NAN-SIN (9h 55m) Airbus 330-200 ETD: 11.00pm (GMT + 12)  ETA:  4.55am (GMT + 8) Have you ever felt excited and sad at the same time? Well, I actually did. After a week of fun and savouring Fijian hospitality, I felt reluctant to leave the country. However, I also couldn't wait to step into the Business Class cabin of Fiji Airways and enjoy the long-haul flight ahead.

Nadi International Airport, Nadi, Fiji Daily: 3 hours before every Fiji Airways scheduled departure The 75-seater Tabua Club Lounge at Nadi International Airport is available for use free of charge to business class passengers. Other guests can enjoy the lounge facilities at a fixed price of FJD 75.00 (~S$49.65) , subject to availability.

Queens Road, Nadi, Fiji The last thing to do in the country was to enjoy the airport facilities. At the point of writing, Nadi International Airport is undergoing refurbishment work, so there are less things to see for now. If I'm not mistaken, my BFF and I paid FJD 45.00 (~S$29.75) for a comfortable taxi ride from Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa to the airport.

Denarau Island, Fiji Port Denarau surely doesn't sound unfamiliar to those who plan to visit the picturesque islands to the northwest of Viti Levu. However, apart from being the gateway to the outlying islands, the port offers an al fresco shopping and dining experience to visitors.

Denarau Island, Fiji Denarau Island, the largest integrated resort in the entire South Pacific, was the last destination during the recent trip to Fiji. You could say I was saving the best for the last by staying at Hilton (5*), but I've got to say that my journey on Taveuni Island was equally exciting. Having been part of the Hilton Honors loyalty programme, I booked the one bedroom beachfront suite for my stay.

Sanasana, Fiji My BFF and I were already feeling pretty tired after the trek at Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park that forced us to shed a lot of sweat. Natadola Beach was the last place that our driver wanted to show us before we went back to the hotel. Shared by Natadola Beach Resort and InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, the beach promises miles of pure white sand.

Queens Road, Yadua, Sigatoka, Fiji Daily: 8.00am - 5.00pm I didn't know the existence of Fiji's first national park, which was established in 1987, until the driver told us about it and brought my BFF and me there. It wasn't too long a ride from Lawai Pottery Village to the park. It's known that the park also runs a programme at certain times of the year, where visitors help local rangers and local community volunteers replant native trees.

Sigatoka Valley Road, Sigatoka, Fiji From the Garden of the Sleeping Giant , my BFF and I were driven to one of the Chicken Express branches at Nadi Downtown for an early lunch. Subsequently, we went all the way to Sigatoka at the southern part of Viti Levu to visit the traditional Lawai Pottery Village. The journey took approximately an hour and a half, allowing time for us to take a power nap. 

Wailoko Road, Nadi, Fiji Mon-Sat: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sun: 9.00am - 12 noon After a refreshing dip at Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool , my BFF and I were driven to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. Founded by the late actor Raymond Burr in 1977, the tranquil garden boasts more than 2000 varieties of orchids. At the point of writing, the entrance fee is  FJD 18.00 (~S$11.90)  per person.

Sabeto Valley, Nadi, Fiji Mon-Sat: 9.00am - 5.00pm On one of the days at the island of Viti Levu, my BFF and I signed up for a private tour that cost us  FJD 150.00 (~S$97.60)  per person. Yes, it certainly burned a hole in each of our pockets, but we really dislike group tours. Besides, we could go here and there without having to worry too much about time with our gregarious and knowledgeable driver. Our first stop was the Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool.

Nadi Downtown, Nadi, Fiji Daily: 6.00am - 7.00pm Situated at the southern end of the downtown area of Nadi is the largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere. The current building of the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple is the newer structure, where the reconstruction programme began in 1984.

Nadi, Fiji The downtown area of Nadi is small enough to be explored by foot. To begin with, here's a picture of the town council building with the national flag standing still on top of it. BTW, at the point of writing, the country is deliberating on the new flag design.

Queens Road at Nadi Downtown, Nadi, Fiji Nadi Downtown Hotel (2*) is the only hotel at the bustling downtown, located within a short walking distance to the largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere. It offers a 24-hour free shuttle service from the airport to the hotel as long as one can show the proof of booking. For the return journey to the airport, the hotel offers two free shuttle services at 5.00am and 1.00pm daily.

TVU-NAN (1h 25m) De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter ETD: 8.50am (GMT + 12)  ETA: 10.15 am (GMT + 12) One of the staff of Aroha Taveuni drove us from the resort to Matei Airport. Along the way, we talked about many different things, from tourism to education. He also politely asked my BFF and me whether we'd like the air-conditioning of the car to be switched off in order for us to enjoy the fresh air from outside.

Somosomo Strait, Taveuni,  Fiji Before I begin, I'd like to apologise that this particular entry is going to have very few pictures, unlike what we all have seen so far. The Rainbow Reef, situated at the Somosomo Strait between the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni, is said to be one of the top ten diving and snorkeling spots in the world. 

Eastern Area,  Taveuni, Fiji Adventure tours can be easily booked at Aroha Taveuni , which does not take any commissions at all. That was what I exactly did when I reached the resort. Within less than an hour after arrival, my BFF and I found ourselves seated comfortably in a car to go to Lavena Coastal Walk on the eastern end of the island.

Government Station Road, Taveuni, Fiji Pikachu and Melon were less than 2 m apart, but they were separated by 24 hours. Today, I shall talk about the real International Date Line (IDL) that passes through Taveuni in Fiji. The currently established line actually skirts around Fiji rather than following the actual 180th meridian to avoid having two abruptly different zones within the country.

South Coast Road, Waiyevo, Taveuni, Fiji Having requested for an airport pick-up earlier, my BFF and I met the friendly male owner who drove us to the resort. The moment I stepped into the compound, I fell in love with Aroha Taveuni (3*), a highly rated accommodation in Fiji's third largest island. Featuring a total of only five rooms in two beachfront bures, it certainly is the perfect sanctuary to unwind and forget about all your worries.

NAN-TVU (1h 25m) De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter ETD: 7.00am (GMT + 12)  ETA:  8.25am (GMT + 12) After a good nap at Nadi Airport Transit Hotel, my BFF and I were ready to go to the domestic section of the airport for our flight to Taveuni with Fiji Link. I was so excited as that'd be my very first time flying on a propeller plane, the DHC-6 Twin Otter to be exact.

Queens Road near Nadi Airport, Nadi, Fiji As it was already 1.00am by the time I'd exchanged money at the arrival hall, I decided to take a cab from Nadi International Airport to Nadi Airport Transit Hotel (2*) that I'd booked online to maximise time for the rest. That cost me  FJD 8.00 (~S$5.25) . At the point of writing, the hotel has got 23 rooms and it doesn't have Wi-Fi service.

SIN-NAN (10h 5m) Airbus 330-200 ETD: 10.15am (GMT + 8)  ETA:  12.20am (GMT + 12) Upon hearing the news that Fiji Airways would introduce direct flight service from Singapore to Nadi and vice versa, I was tremendously excited. I'd always been wanting to go to that exotic holiday destination that's blessed with 333 tropical islands, and I finally did without the need to transit at Australia. 

80 Siloso Road,  Sentosa Island,  Singapore Daily: 10.00am - 7.00pm The very first post in this blog is dedicated to Underwater World Singapore, an oceanarium located on Sentosa Island that first opened its doors to the public on 13 May 1991. After 25 years, it's finally going to close for good, with the last day of operation being this coming Sunday, 26 June 2016. Knowing that it'd be very crowded, I didn't bring Pikachu and Melon along, but I did bring Honeydew with me.