Seongsan Ilchulbong rises from the eastern tip of Jeju like a stone crown that someone dropped into the sea. It is a tuff cone, formed in a single explosive eruption when magma hit shallow water, roughly five thousand years ago, and the crater at the top is a wide, grassy bowl about six hundred metres across, ringed by jagged rocky teeth. The name means sunrise peak, and the Koreans take the idea seriously: on New Year's morning thousands climb the steps to watch the sun come up out of the East Sea.
The climb itself takes about twenty minutes on a stepped path and is steeper than it looks. From the rim you see the green fields of the island on one side, the open sea on the other, and, on a clear day, the little island of Udo, which you reach by short ferry from the port below. Along the shore the haenyeo, the women divers of Jeju, still work the shallows for sea urchins, abalone and conch, holding their breath for minutes at a time, and their small stalls sell the day's catch right at the water's edge.
Riding on Jeju is among the happiest in Korea. The coastal roads follow the shoreline past black basalt walls, tangerine orchards and fields of rapeseed in spring, with the great cone of Hallasan floating in the middle of the island. Winds can be strong, especially in winter and at the exposed eastern end, and the weather changes quickly, so a waterproof layer is wise. Traffic builds around the cone in the middle of the day with tour buses, so early morning or late afternoon is calmer.
Jeju City is about forty kilometres away, and that is where you will find the larger fuel stations and the choice of food, though the local villages around Seongsan have small stations, cafes and restaurants for the immediate needs. Try a bowl of the black pork that the island is known for, or a hot seafood stew after a windy morning. The light at the end of the day, with the cone in silhouette, is worth waiting for, though it is also busy, so be patient with the car park.