A 10,000-pyeong Sea of Yellow: A Canola Flower Trip to Gapado

I visited Gapado when the canola flowers were in full bloom. 

To get to Gapado, we made our way to Unjin Port. You can only board the ferry to Gapado from Unjin Port.

Gapado is so close you can see it right in front of you. We arrived in just 10 minutes by ferry.

The first thing I noticed was the long line to board the ferry back. I couldn’t believe this many people were visiting Gapado—there are so many more travelers now.  Just 5 years ago when I visited, it was quiet enough that only my family was on the ferry leaving Gapado.

Gapado is wider than you might think, but it’s still totally walkable. So instead of renting bikes, we started walking on our own two sturdy legs.

There are lots more shops in Sangdong now. Gapado has villages at the north and south ends of the island—Sangdong in the north and Hadong in the south. On my last visit, I couldn’t find a restaurant in Sangdong, so we ended up eating at the only Chinese restaurant in Hadong. Gapado today feels completely different. Restaurants, cafes, even dessert shops—rows of small, charming, pretty storefronts lined the street.

As we walked between the villages toward Hadong, the canola flowers started to appear. There were so many that the fields seemed to stretch endlessly. It was an overwhelming view—one that made anyone stop in their tracks.

Canola flowers start blooming from December and are easy to spot all around Jeju until May. If it weren’t for the springtime uninvited guest—yellow dust (fine dust)—we would have been able to see Hallasan on Jeju Island behind the flowers, which left me a bit wistful.

Leaving the canola fields behind, we kept walking along the Olle Trail. Gapado has Jeju Olle Trail Route 10-1.

In the wide fields beside the path, bright-green barley was growing vigorously. The heads hadn’t come up yet, but barley season is on its way. Gapado originally became famous for its green barley. Under the warm May sunshine, the barley swaying softly is mesmerizing. But what’s even better is the sound of the wind—the wind brushing through the barley stirs my heart, too. If you haven’t traveled to Gapado yet, I recommend visiting in May, when the green barley is at its best.

By the time we looped around the island and entered Sangdong again, the sun was setting. The sunset I watched endlessly while waiting for the ferry…