Mount Hallasan, South Korea's highest peak (a paradise for hiking and trekking enthusiasts)

Mount Hallasan is located in the center of Jeju Island, with an altitude of 1950 meters, extending from east to west. The southern side of the mountain is steep while the northern side is gentle. At the summit lies Baengnokdam, a crater lake formed by volcanic eruption. It is the highest mountain in South Korea. This dormant volcano boasts a unique and spectacular landscape, with thousands of species of flora and fauna vertically distributed from subtropical to alpine zones, making it a kingdom of ecology. Mount Hallasan was designated as a national park in 1970 and was listed as a World Natural Heritage site in 2007. Since there is no cable car, the only way to explore Mount Hallasan is by hiking. There are numerous hiking trails on Mount Hallasan, with Eorimok being the easiest among several routes, but only Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails can reach the summit, Baengnokdam. All the one-way hiking trails on Mount Hallasan are less than 10 kilometers, allowing for a round trip within a day. Spring and autumn are the peak tourist seasons for Mount Hallasan, but in fact, from the rhododendron sea in spring, green forests and streams in summer, to the red leaves covering the mountains in autumn and the vast snowfields in winter, there are beautiful scenes all year round. If you climb Mount Hallasan in winter, especially after snowfall, it is recommended to wear professional mountaineering boots with crampons, otherwise, it can be quite dangerous when descending. Transportation routes: Take a suburban bus from the Jeju suburban bus terminal to Seongpanak (first bus at 06:00/last bus at 21:30, with a 10-minute interval, taking 35 minutes), get off at the Seongpanak entrance, the fare is 1700 Korean won; Take a suburban bus from the 516 National Road bus station to Seongpanak (first bus at 06:00/last bus at 21:30, with a 10-12 minute interval, taking 30-40 minutes), get off at the Seongpanak entrance, the fare is 1900 Korean won; Take a suburban bus from the Jeju suburban bus terminal to Eorimok (first bus at 06:30/last bus at 16:50, with a 1-hour interval, taking 30 minutes), get off at the Eorimok entrance, the fare is 2200 Korean won;