Bijarim and Saryeoni: Forest Walks in East Jeju

East Jeju is not only beaches and volcanic cones. When the wind is fierce or the midday sun is too much, the forest is the better place to be. Bijarim, a grove of centuries-old nutmeg-yew trees, and the Saryeoni Forest Path, lined with tall Japanese cedars, feel quite different from each other, so pairing them in one day never gets repetitive. From Onpyeong, Bijarim is a little over 30 minutes by car and Saryeoni about 40.

Bijarim: a forest of ancient nutmeg yews

Bijarim in Pyeongdae-ri, Gujwa, holds some 2,800 bija (Japanese nutmeg-yew) trees in a single stand. According to the Korea Tourism Organization they are 500 to 800 years old, and it is counted among the largest single-species forests of its kind in the world. It is protected as a Natural Monument.

Past the entrance, the path splits in two inside the forest.

• Course A — about 2.2 km, 40 minutes to an hour. A level path of red volcanic scoria that strollers and wheelchairs can mostly manage.
• Course B — rougher, with stony stretches, and a more rugged feel. With a stroller or during pregnancy, Course A is the better choice.
• The New Millennium Bija Tree — both courses lead to this tree, regarded as the oldest in the forest, and to a pair of trees that have grown together into one.

The scoria crunches underfoot and drains quickly after rain. It stays cool under the canopy even in high summer, so bring a light layer.

Saryeoni Forest Path: 10 km under the cedars

The Saryeoni Forest Path runs for about 10 km from Bijarim-ro to the Bulgeun Oreum entrance on Namjo-ro. Straight-trunked cedars mix with oak and hornbeam, and the path winds gently between cones and stream valleys. You do not need to walk all of it.

• Out and back from Bulgeun Oreum — start at the Bulgeun Oreum entrance on Namjo-ro, where parking is easy, and turn back near the Mulchat Oreum junction. The path is level and well kept; allow two to two and a half hours.
• A short walk — with children, walking 30 minutes in from Bulgeun Oreum and back is plenty to feel the forest.
• Mulchat Oreum — the cone midway along the path is closed for a nature rest period and opens only by advance booking during the Saryeoni Eco-Healing event each June.

Hours, fees and parking

• Bijarim — 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00), open every day. Adults 3,000 won, children and youth 1,500 won (as of October 2026). The car park is right at the entrance.
• Saryeoni Forest Path — 09:00–17:00, free, no booking needed. There is no parking at the Bijarim-ro end, so use the Bulgeun Oreum entrance car park.
• By bus — routes 231 and 232 from Jeju Bus Terminal run along Namjo-ro to the Bulgeun Oreum entrance. Check a bus app for routes passing Bijarim.

A plan for grey or rainy days

When the sea is rough, walk Bijarim's Course A in the morning and spend an hour or two on the Saryeoni path from Bulgeun Oreum after lunch, and the whole day is spent under the trees. Light drizzle only deepens the smell of the forest, but in heavy rain or snow the Saryeoni path can be closed, so check before you go. To mix in indoor stops, see our rainy day guide; to climb out of the forest onto a cone, the three east Jeju oreum are close to Bijarim.