These photos were taken from the rim of the crater of Sangumburi. I tried to take some pictures into the crater but it’s difficult to capture an image that shows how deep it is, i.e. 130m from the rim to the bottom. It’s unique on Jeju in the way it was formed: it’s said to be a ‘maar’ crater, formed as a result of an explosion when hot lava comes into contact with ground water, rather than as a result of lava flow to the surface.
Sangumburi is on the east side of Mt Halla. There are so many oreum on this side of the island, even more than in the west. Whether you look southwards (in the top photo) or northwards (in the bottom photo) the skyline is crowded with them. Had it been a clear day, the photos would have been spectacular. Or is that the fisherman’s boast – the one that got away?
Notes from a Korean island 