One of the best ways to take a tour of Jeju Island, one of Korea's finest holiday spots, is to rent a car. Jeju has numerous idyllic drive courses with picturesque scenery and a well-developed highway system. Traffic is usually light in this island except in Jeju City and Seogwipo, and even there it is not overtly congested. The best drive course is arguably the Ilju Road (Road 12), which goes around Jeju Island along the coast. This highway connects with coastal roads right down to the shore where you can see perfect sandy beaches and rocky inlets, and feed the seagulls. Jeju is a volcanic island with its prime feature being Mt. Hallasan, created 100-300 thousand years ago. About 500 volcanic cones called oreum dot the island. The coastal highway of Jeju extends from Yongdu-am to the airport. This road is perfect for driving, hiking or biking. As you drive on the coastal highway you can practically smell salty air of the ocean and hear the echoes of the waves. During spring, the highway is lined with a cheery yellow rapeseed flowers in full bloom. Summers too are pleasant with the sea birds hovering about the sea. The coastal highway is a very popular tourist area in Jeju throughout the year and with good reason to be so. These days many cafes with a quaint yet homey air line this highway. You could sip at your nice cup of warm coffee while looking out of the window, watch the cars go by and stare at the sea. Korean youngsters cycle along the well-paved road and enjoy fresh air. There are covered carts called poch'ang mach'a, that often pass by on the highway. You can also get soju, beer, and simple but tasty side dishes along this highway. This area is also very popular at night for its exotic nighttime vista. As the sun sets, these carts seem to livelier and you can also sample fresh sea food at affordable prices.
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