Dansan: seeing Sanbangsan and the Daejeong plains from Bagumji Oreum, shaped like a bat with spread wings

Dansan, in the village of Inseong, is also called Bagumji Oreum because its three peaks look like a bat spreading its wings. From the top, at the end of a path that climbs over rock, you can see Sanbangsan and Hallasan, and on clear days even Hyeongjeseom, Marado and Gapado.

Aewol, JejuNovember 2, 2026

A steep stairway with rope railings leading up to the rocky peak of Dansan

Dansan is an oreum in Inseong, a small village in the southwest of Jeju. It has three peaks: the middle one is high and the two on either side are lower. If you see the middle peak as a bat's head and the side peaks as its wings, it calls to mind a giant bat spreading its wings, which is why it is also called Bagumji Oreum.

If you came picturing an oreum you climb slowly over grass, it may surprise you a little. There are stretches where you climb on rock, so comfortable shoes and clothes that leave your hands free suit this place.

Unlike other oreums: a path that climbs over rock faces

Unlike most oreums, which are rounded and climbed over scoria, grass or soft soil, here you have to clamber up over rock faces like on a mountain. It is also one of the few places on Jeju where climbing is possible.

Its shape looks different depending on whether you see it from the east, west, south or north. Before you climb, take a look at the peaks from the roads around it and the form of the rocky ridge comes into view.

Among the rounded oreums, a rocky peak standing tall catches the eye even from afar. As you pass through the fields, compare the heights of the three peaks and you can have fun guessing where the bat's head and wings are.

On the rocky stretches, don't hurry; check each foothold as you climb. After rain the rock can be slippery, so it is easier on the mind to put it off to another day.

The way up: the trailhead beside Daejeong Hyanggyo and the military caves

Daejeong Hyanggyo (a Confucian school) and Dansansa temple are close by, so you can look around them together. The way up starts to the right of the temple or behind it.

On the way up you can see cave positions dug by the Japanese military, and the wide plains of Daejeong come into view at a glance. Pause for a moment in front of the caves and think of the times this hill has been through.

Sanbangsan, fields and the sea seen beyond a dirt path along the ridge of Dansan

Sanbangsan, Hallasan and Hyeongjeseom from the top

Climb the steep stairs to the top and you can see not only Sanbangsan and Andeok but also the scenery of Hallasan. On a fine day you can see as far as Hyeongjeseom, Songaksan, Marado and Gapado.

It is a spot where just standing still makes you feel open. The islands out to sea are easier to see on clear days, so check the sky once before you set off. On windy days it is safer to hold the railing and move slowly on the stairs and the ridge.

At the top, look around while turning bit by bit. On one side the view of Sanbangsan and Andeok spreads out, and on the other the view toward Hallasan. If you take photos, don't capture just one direction; move a few steps at a time and record the view all the way round, and later it is easy to match the islands and mountains to their names again.

Sanbangsan, villages and the southern sea spreading out beyond a rope fence on Dansan

What to bring before you go

On the stretches where you climb rock, you will need both hands. Cut your load to a single backpack, and gloves make it easier to grip the rock.

Bring water and clothing suited to the day's weather, your fitness and how long you will be on the trail. It is better not to carry anything in your hands, and walk even more carefully on the stairs going down than going up.

If it is your first time, climb with company and allow plenty of time, including the way down. A schedule that brings you down before the sun starts to sink is easier on the mind.

To someone seeing it for the first time it may look less like an oreum than a small rocky mountain. That is why you stay focused on your feet and fingertips all the way up, and the view that opens when you reach the top feels all the bigger.

If you look around Daejeong Hyanggyo and the temple first and then start climbing, you can see the village side and the hilltop views one after the other. The area around the trailhead is a village lane, so please pass through quietly.

Hyeongjeseom, Marado and Gapado float low on the sea, so whether you can see them depends on the weather. On a cloudy day, turn your eyes to the plains of Daejeong and the view toward Sanbangsan instead of the islands.

Taking off rings and bracelets makes it easier to grip the rock without hurting your hands. Shoes with firm, non-slip soles are best, and shoes that support your ankles put your mind more at ease.

Down from the oreum, a meal in Aewol

If you come down from Dansan and head north toward Aewol along the west coast, consider adding Mipojip Jeju Aewol to your list of places to eat. Check the travel time and traffic on a map before you set off.

If you want to satisfy the hunger of a day climbing up and down a rocky path, take a look at the menu of Mipojip, which serves haemuljang (soy-cured seafood) and sotbap (pot rice). Talking over the islands and mountains you picked out from the top during the meal would make for a nice time as well.