Jeju island – the Hawaii of South Korea

Despite being only a one-hour flight from Seoul, Jeju has a vibrant native culture all of its own. Jeju is best renowned for its breathtakingly gorgeous terrain, which rises to Hallasan, Korea's highest mountain, which is 1,950 meters high and not too difficult to climb if the weather is cooperative. There are museums dedicated to anything from teddy bears to modern art, landscaped gardens with cacti and bonsai, breathtaking waterfalls surrounded by beaches, and a volcano to climb.

Your island experience doesn't have to begin and end in Jeju; a quick boat ride away is Udo, which manages to be even more picturesque and is a wonderful destination for a bike or buggy ride. The tiny islet of Biyangdo, which is connected to Udo and currently has a population of two, served as a base for the haenyeo, Jeju's most famous inhabitants and the fabled, free-diving "sea women," some of whom continue to work in this dangerous line of work well into what most people would consider their retirement years.