Escape to Paradise: South Korea's Bijarim Healing Forest Awaits!
Escape to Paradise: South Korea's Bijarim Healing Forest Awaits! (A Messy, Honest Review Straight from the Soul)
Okay, folks, buckle up. Because I've just spent a week practically living at Escape to Paradise: South Korea's Bijarim Healing Forest Awaits!, and let me tell you, it's less a review and more a therapy session. I'm still unpacking the emotional baggage, the amazing food, the… well, let’s just get into it.
First, the Vibe (and Why You Should Care):
This isn't your cookie-cutter, sterile resort. This is healing, in a way that actually feels real. They're selling the Bijarim Forest location, with everything else being built around it, instead of the other way around. Think… earthy sophistication. Think… a deep, calming breath. Think… escaping your annoying cousin’s wedding (sorry, Aunt Mildred!).
Accessibility: (Because, you know, life!)
- Accessibility: Look, I can't give a definitive report on every single crevice and cranny. What I can say is, there's a clear effort. The facilities for disabled guests were evident. I saw elevators, ramps, and a lot of thoughtful touches. While I didn't personally test every single aspect, it genuinely felt like they were trying to be inclusive. That’s something! Check with the hotel directly for definitive wheelchair access details. But it feels good… really good.
Rooms & Comfort (My Personal Fortress):
- Available in all rooms: Air conditioning (thank GOD!), alarm clock (bleh), bathrobes (YES!), bathtub (double YES!!), blackout curtains (essential!), carpeting (comfy!), closet (for my mountains of souvenirs!), coffee/tea maker, complimentary tea, daily housekeeping (bless their hearts, my room was a disaster), desk, extra-long bed (so I didn't have to curl up like a shrimp! Yes, that's all I cared about!), free bottled water, hairdryer (a necessity for my unruly mane), high floor (I wanted the view!), in-room safe box, internet access – LAN, internet access – wireless, ironing facilities, laptop workspace (ugh, work, always!), linens, mini bar (filled with more water, a necessity!), mirror, non-smoking, on-demand movies (I binged Bridgerton), private bathroom, reading light, refrigerator, safety/security feature, satellite/cable channels (more binge-watching!), scale (I may have eaten all the pastries), seating area, separate shower/bathtub, shower, slippers (that I stole!), smoke detector, socket near the bed (a Godsend!), sofa (to sprawl on!), soundproofing (bliss!), telephone (for room service!), toiletries (smelled amazing!), towels, umbrella (because, Korea!), visual alarm, wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], window that opens (fresh air, baby!).
- Rooms, Rooms, Glorious Rooms: Listen, these rooms are designed for relaxation. The blackout curtains were a MUST. Seriously. My routine involved: 7:00 am: Wake up and open curtains, 7:30 am: Jump back into bed, 8:00 am: Breakfast, 8:30 am: Wake up and open curtains. The bed? Like sleeping on a cloud made of angels and… well, you get the idea.
- Internet: The Wi-Fi was strong. Really strong. And free! And available in the rooms! (Did I mention the Wi-Fi was free?) Which meant I could post those Instagram thirst traps to my heart's content. Internet [LAN] available!
What to Do (Besides Exist in Bliss):
- Things to Do, Ways to Relax: This is where it gets fun. The whole point is to chill out and relax.
- Body Scrub: Okay, confession, I’m obsessed. The scrub was next-level. My skin felt like…well, a new skin.
- Body wrap: This was a total surrender. Let's just say it involved mud and a nap. And I woke up feeling… reborn.
- Fitness Center/ Gym/fitness: I'm gonna be honest. I intended to use these. I even packed my workout gear. But the spa… the pastries… yeah. I never got around to it. But it looked well-equipped.
- Foot Bath: A foot bath! A simple pleasure, but a powerful one.
- Massage: Absolutely. Best massage of my life. The masseuse (bless her hands) worked wonders.
- Pool with view & Swimming Pool/Swimming pool (outdoor): Oh, the pool. I could have stayed in there forever (but I had other things to do like, eating, and sleeping). The view was to die for.
- Sauna, Spa, & Spa/sauna: Okay, I'm not going to lie. I basically lived in the spa. Heaven. Period.
- Steamroom: See above.
- For the kids: Okay, I went solo, but there were definitely families here. Babysitting service, family/child friendly, and kids facilities are all there. I saw it all!
Food & Drink (My Very Favorite Category):
- Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Oh, the food! Chef's kiss.
- A la carte in restaurant: Lots of options.
- Alternative meal arrangement: Vegetarian was a priority!
- Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant: Delicious.
- Bar: Great bar.
- Bottle of water: Always available.
- Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service, & Buffet in restaurant: I AM A BUFFET PERSON. Enough said.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant & Coffee shop: Caffeine addicts, rejoice!
- Desserts in restaurant: Enough said.
- Happy hour: Yup.
- International cuisine in restaurant: Got it.
- Poolside bar: Essential.
- Restaurants: Plenty of choices.
- Room service [24-hour]: YES!
- Salad in restaurant: Balanced my dessert intake.
- Snack bar: Perfect for post-massage cravings.
- Soup in restaurant: Comfort food at its finest.
- Vegetarian restaurant: A blessing.
- Western breakfast & Western cuisine in restaurant: Options, options, options.
The food here is… transformative. The breakfast buffet was a work of art. The pastries haunted my dreams. The Asian food was… well, I think I might have shed a tear of joy over the bibimbap. And the room service? Forget about it. Just… yes. I'm still having withdrawals.
Cleanliness & Safety (Because, you know, important stuff):
- Cleanliness and safety: They took it seriously. They really, really did.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: YES.
- Breakfast in room: Also, yes.
- Breakfast takeaway service. Perfect for my lazy mornings.
- Cashless payment service: Convenient!
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Reassuring.
- Doctor/nurse on call & First aid kit: Always good to have.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: So clean.
- Hygiene certification: Check.
- Individually-wrapped food options: Smart.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Pretty good.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: Got it.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Nice touch.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Excellent.
- Safe dining setup: Very comfortable.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: 👍
- Shared stationery removed: Good.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: The staff were so courteous and well-trained.
- Sterilizing equipment: 👍
Services & Conveniences (The Little Touches That Matter):
- Services and conveniences: It’s all there.
- Air conditioning in public area. Essential.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator: They really have it all!
- Essential condiments, Facilities for disabled guests & Food delivery: All Good!
- Gift/souvenir shop: Perfect for last-minute presents (or a little something for yourself).
- Indoor venue for special events, Invoice provided, Ironing service & Laundry service: Fantastic!
- Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, & Meetings: Great for corporate events (or a romantic getaway).
- Meeting stationery: Perfect!
- **On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this ain't your grandma's travel itinerary. This is Bijarim Healing Pension: The Messy, Beautiful Truth. We're going for something real here, warts and all. Prepare for some serious stream-of-consciousness, because let's be honest, perfect plans are for robots. I, for one, am not a robot.
Destination: Bijarim Healing Pension, Jeju Island, South Korea. (Yes, it’s as magical as it sounds.)
Duration: 4 Days. (Which, let's be real, is barely enough to scratch the surface.)
The Premise (or, Why I’m Doing This to Myself): I needed to breathe. Like, really breathe. Like, the kind of breathe that involves the scent of pine needles and a serious disconnect from the ever-present hum of modern life. Bijarim, with its supposedly "healing forest," promised just that. We'll see. My inner cynic is packing its own bag of skepticism.
Day 1: Arrival and the Great Pine Needle Confrontation
- Morning (ish): Flight landed. Seoul to Jeju Island. Flight was a blur. Coffee spills, crying babies, and the existential dread of airline peanuts. Nailed it.
- Afternoon: Arrived at Bijarim Healing Pension. The drive itself was gorgeous, rolling green hills, volcanic landscapes, the whole shebang. The air immediately felt… different. Cleaner. Like a giant lung sighing in relief. The pension itself is cute, a little rustic. First impression: not bad, not bad at all. Found my little cabin. It's cute but I am a bit worried about the fact that the remote probably doesn't work.
- Afternoon (Cont.): THE FORESTS! Okay, the whole point of this place, RIGHT? I’m just going to chuck myself into it and embrace it. The pine needles felt like a plush carpet under my feet. The scent… whoa. I walked, and I just walked. I decided to find that perfect spot for meditation. I failed. I kept getting distracted by the rustling leaves, the sunlight dappling through the branches, the sheer amount of trees. Like, a lot. It was overwhelming in the best way.
- Evening: Dinner was included, and I was excited. But it took a while to get there so I was starving once I arrived. Unfortunately, it was a letdown, the food wasn't bad per se, it was just meh. I could have made better food. I'm not a chef, but I make decent food. So I was a bit disappointed. Went back to my cabin, which, as it turns out, is not very well insulated. I'm pretty sure I could hear a mouse tiptoeing in the distance. Tried to watch some tv, which didn't work, so I went to bed with the window open so I could listen to the night. The sound was magical.
Day 2: Hiking, Humiliation, and Honeycomb Ice Cream.
- Morning: Okay, sunrise hike! Up at a decent hour, fueled by instant coffee. The hike was supposed to be "easy." Liar. Turns out, "easy" in Korean translates to "moderately challenging with a steep incline." My legs are screaming. And for what? Magnificent views! Still, I felt pretty smug.
- Afternoon: Decided to "treat myself" to lunch. Found a little hole-in-the-wall cafe near the pension. The owner was this super sweet ajumma (Korean for "middle-aged woman"). My Korean is beyond rusty. Ordered something that looked vaguely like dumplings. Totally botched it. Ended up with a bowl of noodles I couldn’t identify, and the ajumma gave me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Bless her.
- Afternoon (Cont.): RECOVERY TIME. Back to Bijarim Forest. Found a little bench and just… sat. Listened. Closed my eyes. Tried to identify different birds tweeting. Failed miserably. But I also felt a surge of peace. Like, the kind of peace that makes you think about writing a novel or finally calling your mom. The sort of peace you rarely experience.
- Evening: Found a tiny, amazing ice cream shop. HONEYCOMB ICE CREAM. I am now a different person. Pure, unadulterated joy. I think might have walked up to the shop twice.
Day 3: The Deepest Breath Ever Taken and The Great Misunderstanding
- Morning: Today, I went back in. The forest, of course! I went deeper this time, down a sun-dappled path, and I found this spot. I sat down, I closed my eyes, and I just breathed. And it was the deepest breath I’ve taken in, probably, a year. I don't know how long it took for me to feel okay, but it felt like an eternity.
- Afternoon: Thought I'd be clever and try to order a massage. Big mistake. My Korean is still terrible. Think I may have accidentally scheduled a whole body scrub… and, possibly, a seaweed wrap. I spent a solid hour covered in fragrant green goo. My skin felt amazing. But now I'm covered in algae.
- Afternoon (Cont.): The forest called again. This time I went for a quiet trail. I almost felt like I was a kid who wasn't afraid of anything. On that trail, my brain stopped trying to process the endless stream of news and information. It's a good feeling.
- Evening: Back to that honey comb ice cream. I am a creature of habit.
Day 4: Farewell to the Pines (and the Promise of a Return)
- Morning: Last walk in the forest. I kept thinking about what I want to take home, which wasn't much. I mostly wanted to remember the scent of pine needles. It's like if I could wrap that scent around me and carry it everywhere.
- Afternoon: Checked out. Said goodbye. The drive to the airport was bittersweet. The mountains. The air. The quiet. I’m going to miss it.
- Afternoon (Cont.): Airport. Tears. Okay, maybe not. But I did feel a pang of sadness. Also, extreme relief that I don't have to eat instant noodles for dinner. Now all I need is a good cup of coffee!!
- Evening: Plane. Home. Already planning my return. (And brushing up on my Korean… and maybe learning how to actually meditate.) I'm a mess. But I'm a happy mess.
Quirky Observations and Rambles:
- The Korean concept of "healing" seems to involve an alarming amount of walking. My legs are still screaming. Someone help me.
- I met a snail on my walk. We made eye contact. I think we understood each other.
- At one point I saw a little sign: "Please do not feed the wild owls." Wild owls?! I didn't even know that was a thing!
- Why is Korean food so delicious? Even when it's a bit of a mystery.
- The feeling of actual silence is profound. Like, the world just… stops.
- I bought a ridiculous hat. It's supposed to protect me from the sun, but really, it just makes me feel even weirder. I love it.
- I learned that I still have a long way to go to be a good meditator.
- Don't try to be "perfect" in a place like this. Embrace the mess.
- I can't believe how much I enjoyed spending time alone in the forest.
Emotional Reactions:
- Joy: Pure, unadulterated joy at the ice cream, and finally, finding some peace.
- Frustration: My inability to communicate in Korean. Also, some of the hiking.
- Awe: The sheer beauty of the forest. The way the sunlight danced through the leaves.
- Peace: The deep, abiding peace I felt while just existing in nature.
- Relief: When my flight home was finally boarding.
The Honest Truth:
This wasn't a perfect trip, as it never is. But it was real. It was messy. It was imperfect. It was exactly what I needed. And I can’t wait until my return. Don't forget: I'm just a person. And this entire itinerary? It's for me. And for you. So if you are still here, then great job. Now, just breathe.
Indonesian Paradise: Jiwanta 1 BR Deluxe DH46 Awaits!
Escape to Paradise: Bijarim Forest FAQs (From a Completely Unreliable Narrator)
So, What Exactly *IS* Bijarim Forest? Is it like, a giant park? A forest of feelings? Should I bring bug spray?
Okay, picture this: you're scrolling through Insta, searching for something, ANYTHING besides your boring daily grind. And then BAM! Photos of these insanely old trees, sunlight dappling through the leaves, and this... *vibe* of utter tranquility. That's Bijarim. It's on Jeju Island in South Korea, and it's basically a forest of ancient nutmeg trees. Ancient, like, seriously old. Some are over 800 years old!
Think of it as nature's spa. Except instead of cucumber slices on your eyes, you get... well, the forest. The air smells amazing, the sunlight does something magical to your skin, and you just... chill. Yeah, bring bug spray. Always bring bug spray. I learned that the hard way. Tiny, persistent little demons…
Honestly? It's less a park and more a portal to inner peace. Or maybe just a nice place to walk and pretend you're not stressed about, you know, everything. But yes, it’s also a park. A really, really beautiful one. And yes, you should bring bug spray. Seriously, learn from my itchy mistakes.
Alright, You've Got My Attention. How Do I Actually Get to Bijarim, And Will I Get hopelessly lost like I always do?
Okay, travel time! Bijarim is on Jeju Island, which means you probably have to fly. Which is a whole *thing* in itself, right? Flights to Jeju are pretty common, especially from Seoul. From there, you're looking at buses or taxis. I took a bus, which, honestly, was an adventure. Don't ask me to explain Korean bus routes – I still haven’t figured out the Hangul for "Where’s the bathroom?!" Translation: be prepared to ask for help. A Lot. And download a translation app. Trust me.
As for getting lost... the trails in Bijarim are relatively well-marked. But I still managed to wander off the main path *once*. It was the most beautiful "lost" I've ever been. I stumbled upon this little clearing with sunlight streaming through the trees, totally alone with only the rustling leaves for company. It was incredibly peaceful, until I realized I didn't know how to get back. Luckily, sense (and a trail marker) prevailed. Just try not to get totally absorbed in the beauty and forget where you're going, like I did. Or, you know, embrace it. Enjoy your little adventure!
They Keep Saying "Healing Forest." What's the Big Deal? Is it cheesy new-age stuff, or is there something to this "healing" thing?
Okay, "healing forest" sounds a little… *woo-woo*, I admit. But honestly? I felt it. I *really* did. The air is so pure, the scent of the nutmeg trees is intoxicating, and the quiet... oh, the *quiet*. It’s the kind of quiet where you can actually hear your own thoughts, which is both amazing and terrifying at the same time.
I'm a chronic overthinker, a professional worrier. But in Bijarim, something shifted. I actually, physically, felt my shoulders relax. The constant hum of anxiety faded. Now, am I suddenly cured of all my problems? Absolutely not. Does it fix everything? Nah, of course not. I still managed to worry about things while I there ("Did I turn off the stove?"). But it *did* give me a much-needed reset. It's a good place to re-center. To breathe. To, you know, not be a complete stressed-out mess for a while. It's worth it.
Kids? Pets? My Emotional Support Giant Teddy bear? Can I Bring 'Em?
Okay, rules here. Kids? Yes, generally. It's a nice place for them to run around and burn energy, but probably not ideal for screaming fits and constant tantrums (for everyone's sake). Pets? I *think* pets are a no-go, but you'd better double-check. The forest is very precious, and, you know, animal waste and such.
And your emotional support giant teddy bear? (I'm not judging! My own emotional support animal is… my over-sized coffee mug.) I'd *probably* say yes, but if security eyes you warily, I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe just leave the bear in the car and use it as an excuse to go back. I would, if I could.
So, What Do I *Actually* Wear and Bring? Can I Get Away With Leggings And A T-Shirt, Or Should I Go Full-On Hiking Gear?
Comfort is key. Unless you're a hardcore hiker (and bless your heart if you are!), you don't need to go full-on REI. Leggings and a t-shirt? Totally fine. Good walking shoes are essential. I wore my usual running shoes. Waterproof is often suggested, as sometimes Jeju can be damp. Layer up! The weather can change, and it can get a bit chilly, especially if you're there early or late in the day.
Beyond that? A water bottle is a must. Snacks are a good idea. And a small backpack to carry it all in. And, please, sunscreen and bug spray. Seriously. Also, your camera! This place is ridiculously photogenic.
Food? Bathrooms? Am I going to starve, and am I going to be caught short?
There are usually some food stalls near the entrance. Think snacks, drinks, maybe some light meals, but don't rely on them for a full-blown feast. Bring your own food if you need a proper meal. There are picnic areas! Yes, you can picnic in paradise! (Just be sure to clean up after yourself. Leave no trace, and all that.)
Bathrooms are available. Relatively clean and, you know, *functional*, which is always a relief. I mean, really. You'd be surprised how much a good bathroom improves an experience. Just be aware that lines can form at peak times, so plan your bathroom breaks accordingly!
