This is the BLOG version of my travel guide video on YouTube:

Hello adventurers,

In this post, I’ll show you how to meet the LAST MERMAIDS of Jeju.
I’ll go through what time and where you need to be at and what to expect while you’re there.

Let’s begin!

Overview

OK- they’re not really mermaids, BUT they are very close to one.

They are the Haenyeo unique women divers who have been traditionally diving for seafood with minimal equipment for the past hundreds of years.

With just their breath, a goggle, a pointy tool, and their ICONIC orange buoy, they’ll dive down and hunt for marine animals like snails, abalones, sea urchins, and even octopuses.

Can you believe some of these women are in their 80s AND they’re still actively diving??

Where & When to be at

The haenyeo regularly shows off their craft at Seongsan Ilchulbong.

To meet the women on time and have the best view of the show, get to this location:

If you’re driving…

there are many parking lots near in this area. However, it does get crowded by many many tourists so come earlier to avoid being stuck with no parking lot

If you’re taking the bus…

This is the NEAREST bus stop, after which you will have to walk for about 15 minutes to get to the show location

Walking Directions

Follow the FREE hiking path on the LEFT side, then look out for a staircase down the bay.

The path on the RIGHT side is WRONG, it goes UP the mountain.

Try to arrive here at 1.30pm, because you’ll likely want to look around this beautiful area.

By 1.45 pm, plant yourselves around THIS AREA:

The women will sing their song around here so this is the best seat in the house.

If you find this post helpful so far, please leave a like so others can find it!!

What to Expect

At about 2pm, there will be a public announcement indicating the start of the show.

The Haenyeo women will make their grand entrance, picking up their buoy, then they will sing a song of blessing and bountiful catch.

Afterwards, they’ll show off their dive-and-catch skills on the spot!

It was impressive how in a short 15 minutes, most of them comes back with a bagful of catch. After the dive, you can buy the fresh catch ON THE SPOT. They will prepare it in front of you, plate it, and you can eat it at their restaurant.

Where Are the Men???

I was wondering… Where are all the men divers?

Upon reading up online, sometimes men working on fishing boats in the rough Jeju seas don’t make it back. Many men were also conscripted to fight in conflicts, with only few returning. As a result, Many women had to pick up diving to make ends meet.

Back then, the rulers of the land also did not require women to pay income tax which making diving an even more lucrative job for women.

Unfortunately, the Haenyeo culture is fading out. The younger generation prefers working on the mainland than to continue the tradition. This is visible as most of the remaining haenyeo are well in the 60s,

Maybe it’s for the better? Diving is a high risk activity, even more so when you’re in your advanced age.

ANYWAY

It was a very unique experience to see them dive and hunt as they have done for the past hundreds of years. I highly recommend coming here to witness this cultural side of Jeju!

If you are visiting Jeju, check out my other travel guides!!