Founding Guests Our first pilot retreat · Oct 29-31, 2026 · 9 places at $100 (usually $1,090) Apply now → Early booking 3 Days · 29-31 May 2027 · 10% off if you book by 30 November See the days →
Jeju Slowly Apply Book
Korea's vanishing sea women · Jeju Island

A retreat with the sea women

Jeju's free-diving grandmothers have harvested the sea by breath alone for generations. Slow days in their village, at the pace they set. No diving required.

See the three days Apply as a founding guest See what we run 3 Days, May 2027
Three haenyeo swimming out with their orange floats off the Jeju coast
English and Spanish speaking host Studying at the haenyeo school Groups of ten, never more Every message answered by Soraya Licensed and bonded in Korea
Founding Guests · Pilot Cohort

Be one of our first nine guests

This is the first time I'm running it, and I am with you for all three days. Nine people, three days, and what I want back is your honest opinion of what worked and what didn't. The $100 is possible because I was selected for the Korea Tourism Organization's tourism venture programme, and their grant covers the rest.

Oct 29-31 2026 · Thu to Sat, 2 nights
$100usually $1,090 Founding rate Korea Tourism Organization grant
9 Places · solo welcome
By hand Soraya reads every application
Tea being poured at a tea ceremony table on Jeju
Day 1 · Thu
  • Afternoon we meet at Jeju Airport, then a tea ceremony class to slow the day down
  • Evening Haenyeo's Kitchen in Jongdal: a theatre-dinner where the sea women tell their own story
  • Night Chuidasun, on the east of the island
The haenyeo village day on Jeju
Day 2 · Fri
  • Early meditation and yoga at the hotel, both optional. Sleep in if you would rather. Then breakfast.
  • Morning the Haenyeo Museum, with a tour in English
  • Afternoon lunch, then the village cooperative at Yeongnak, and a sit-down interview with working haenyeo
  • Evening dinner together
  • Night WE Hotel, on the west of the island
A temple stay on Jeju
Day 3 · Sat
  • Early a walk on your own if you feel like one, then breakfast
  • Morning half a day at Baekjesa temple in Aewol: a walk through the grounds, and 108 bows, threading one bead at a time into a mala you keep. The bows are yours to skip.
  • A simple lunch with the monks, then tea with one of them and time to ask whatever you like
  • Afternoon a closing circle, your honest thoughts on paper, a keepsake, and farewell
  • Ends at Jeju Airport in the afternoon. Book departures after 4:30pm.

These dates and the schedule above may still shift. The village keeps its own rhythm, and the weather, the tides, and the schedules of the haenyeo and the temple all have a say in it. If anything moves, I will tell you as early as I can.

Your $100 includes

  • 2 nights' lodging, twin-share: Chuidasun on the east and WE Hotel on the west. The morning meditation and yoga come with the stay at Chuidasun.
  • 6 meals: 2 dinners, one of them the Haenyeo's Kitchen theatre-dinner, 2 lunches including the temple lunch, and 2 breakfasts
  • Every experience and entry: the tea ceremony, the Haenyeo Museum with an English tour, the village visit and haenyeo interview, and the temple half-day with your mala to take home
  • All local transport on Jeju during the retreat, and a keepsake

Not included

  • Flights to and from Jeju, and café stops
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance, which is required. Policies need your personal details, so each guest arranges their own before the retreat.

Where you'll stay

Chuidasun east coast · night one · twin-share
A room at Chuidasun with the sea at the window A tea table by the window at Chuidasun, looking out to the sea An interior at Chuidasun opening onto the garden

The sea is at the window. The morning meditation and yoga come with the stay here.

WE Hotel west · night two · twin-share
A twin room at WE Hotel looking onto the forest The glass atrium at WE Hotel WE Hotel at dusk, set in the forest

Forest on every side, for the night after the day in Yeongnak.

No diving. Any age, and you set your own pace. Solo travellers are welcome, and most people apply on their own. Land by early afternoon on Thursday 29 October. I send the meeting time and place once you're selected.

What founding guests receive

  • A standing invitation to the Sea Women Walk, free for you and a friend whenever you're back on Jeju
Apply as a founding guest → Have a question first? Email me Applications are open now. I read every one myself. Nine people spending three days together is a close thing, so I am picking this group carefully, and if I think these days are right for you I will write back within 48 hours. I cannot promise a reply to everyone. Nothing is charged while you wait to hear back. The $100 is settled once your place is confirmed. If the pilot fills before you reach us, we run again next spring.
The other three

Beyond the founding pilot

The Founding Guests pilot is our focus right now. If you'd like to see the rest of what we offer, tap one below.

What we run

Three ways to come

A half-day walk, a three-day retreat, or a week on the Olle trail.

Soraya introducing the haenyeo to a small group, orange floats all around
Half-day · Hado-ri

The Sea Women Walk

Set dates on Airbnb, or private on request

From ₩40,000about US$29 per person

Book on Airbnb Details
A tea table by the window at Chuidasun, looking out to the sea
10% off until 30 November 2 nights · east coast to west

3 Days

Sat 29 to Mon 31 May 2027 · 4 to 10 guests

$1,090per person, a room of your own included

Book 3 Days See the three days
The lantern-lined path to a temple on Jeju
6 nights · the Olle trail and a haenyeo village

7 Days

Wed 24 to Tue 30 November 2027 · up to 10 guests

Price on requestwritten to fit your group

Ask about 7 Days See the week

Every day, in detail

Half-Day Story Walk · Hado-ri, Jeju

The Sea Women Walk

A gentle half-day in Hado-ri, the village with the most active haenyeo. The museum, the sumbisori trail they walked to the sea, and their story told where it happened. Already on Jeju? This is the easiest way into their world.

Style Small group · guided walk Duration About 3 hours Private group? → From ₩40,000 / person (about US$29)

Booked directly on Airbnb with instant confirmation. Guiding in English or Spanish, museum entry, and tea by the sea included.

No diving. No fitness needed: flat, gentle, and unhurried. Solo travelers warmly welcome. Made for travelers who want meaning and calm, not adventure sports.

Came to the haenyeo through When Life Gives You Tangerines? Ae-sun's mother was one. This walk is the gentlest way to meet the real ones.

"Follow the sumbisori,
the haenyeo's breath, given back to the sky."

Itinerary

Start
Meet at the Haenyeo Museum
We meet in Hado-ri and begin with who the sea women are, and what to look for along their coast.
Museum
Inside the Haenyeo Museum
Real diving gear, old photographs, and the history of a culture quietly disappearing, told with Soraya's own haenyeo-school stories.
The trail
The Sumbisori Trail
A gentle stretch of the path the haenyeo walked to the sea: past the bulteok (their fireside hut), the stone sea-pens, and the shore shrine. Tide and season permitting, you may see the divers at work and hear the real sumbisori.
To finish
Story & tea by the sea
We sit down with tea and talk about what we saw, with time for every question, before saying goodbye in the village.

The schedule above may change with weather, tides, or the haenyeo’s own working hours.

Experiences

Haenyeo Museum Sumbisori Trail (gentle) Bulteok stories Shore shrine Tea by the sea

✓ Included

  • Guided walk with Soraya, in English or Spanish
  • Haenyeo Museum entry
  • The Sumbisori Trail: bulteok, sea-pens & shore shrine
  • Tea by the sea to finish

✕ Not included

  • Hotel pickup (we meet at the museum)
  • Meals
  • Flights, insurance & personal expenses

Want to sit down with a working haenyeo? That's the heart of the retreats below, or ask about adding it to a private walk.

Booked on Airbnb · live dates & instant confirmation

The Walk runs as a small group on set dates, and as a private walk on request. Prefer a private group, or have a question first? Email us and we reply within 48 hours.

Book on Airbnb →
Open for booking · 29-31 May 2027 The Sea Women Retreat · 2 nights, 3 days

3 Days

One evening with the sea women on stage. One day inside their village world. One morning of stillness before you go. The name says it plainly: Jeju Slowly.

Dates Sat 29 to Mon 31 May 2027 Group 4 to 10 guests $1,090 / person

A room of your own is included, with no single supplement. Book by 30 November 2026 and take 10% off. Sharing a twin room with a friend? You each take 10% off, and the two discounts combine.

No diving, and none needed. Time in the water alongside the haenyeo can sometimes be arranged as an add-on, tide and the divers' schedule permitting.

Tea being poured at a tea ceremony table on Jeju Haenyeo swimming out with their orange floats The lantern-lined path to Baekjesa temple

Itinerary

Day 1 · Sat 29 May
Tea, and the sea women on stage
We meet at Jeju Airport in the early afternoon and head east for a tea ceremony class to slow the day down. In the evening, Haenyeo's Kitchen in Jongdal: a theatre-dinner where the sea women tell their own story. Night at Chuidasun, on the east coast.
Day 2 · Sun 30 May
The sea women's day
Meditation and yoga at the hotel if you want them, or sleep in. After breakfast, the Haenyeo Museum with a tour in English. In the afternoon we cross to Yeongnak, a haenyeo village on the west coast, to sit down with the women of the village cooperative, and stay on for dinner together. Night at WE Hotel, on the west of the island.
Day 3 · Mon 31 May
Stillness & farewell
A walk on your own if you feel like one, then breakfast. A half day at Baekjesa temple in Aewol: a walk through the grounds, and 108 bows, threading one bead at a time into a mala you keep. The bows are yours to skip. A simple lunch with the monks, tea with one of them, and a closing circle. We finish at Jeju Airport in the afternoon.

The schedule above may still shift. The village keeps its own rhythm, and the weather, the tides, and the schedules of the haenyeo and the temple all have a say in it. If anything moves, I will tell you as early as I can.

Experiences

Tea ceremony class Haenyeo's Kitchen show & dinner Haenyeo Museum, in English Haenyeo interview in Yeongnak Dinner with the haenyeo Morning meditation & yoga Half-day temple stay Closing circle & keepsake

✓ Included

  • 2 nights in a room of your own: Chuidasun on the east coast, then WE Hotel on the west, breakfast included
  • 6 meals: 2 dinners (Haenyeo's Kitchen, and dinner in Yeongnak), 2 lunches including the temple lunch, 2 breakfasts
  • The tea ceremony, the Haenyeo Museum tour, and the half-day temple stay with your mala
  • A sit-down interview with working haenyeo, in Soraya's translation. They are paid properly for their time.
  • All local transport from the airport and back, and guiding in English or Spanish

✕ Not included

  • Flights to and from Jeju
  • Travel insurance, which is required. Policies need your personal details, so each guest arranges their own.
  • Personal expenses

Where you'll stay

Chuidasun east coast · night one · a room of your own
A room at Chuidasun with the sea at the window A tea table by the window at Chuidasun, looking out to the sea An interior at Chuidasun opening onto the garden

The sea is at the window. The morning meditation and yoga come with the stay here.

WE Hotel west · night two · a room of your own
A room at WE Hotel looking onto the forest The glass atrium at WE Hotel WE Hotel at dusk, set in the forest

Forest on every side, for the night after the day in Yeongnak.

Open for booking
Dates29-31 May 2027 Group4 to 10 guests FlightsLand by early afternoon on the 29th · leave after 4:30 PM on the 31st

The retreat runs with four guests or more. If fewer than four have booked, I cancel it and refund you in full.

Book 3 Days →
The Olle Trail Retreat · 6 nights, 7 days

7 Days

Two coasts of Jeju, walked slowly: three days on the Olle trail's south coast, then three nights inside a haenyeo village on the east coast, and a half-day at a mountain temple before you go.

Dates Wed 24 to Tue 30 Nov 2027 Group Max 10 guests Price on request

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival & orientation
Arrive in the afternoon and settle in, then an orientation evening at your guesthouse on the trail: a shared meal and a walk through the week ahead. Night at an Olle-trail guesthouse.
Day 2
Olle Trail, Course 7
A full day on Course 7, one of the south coast's best-loved sections: cliffside pine forest, rock coastline, and the sea a constant companion. Night at an Olle-trail guesthouse.
Day 3
Olle Trail, Course 6
Course 6 continues along the south coast: sea cliffs, quiet fishing harbors, and villages that see few outside visitors. Night at an Olle-trail guesthouse.
Day 4
Olle Trail, Course 1, to the east coast
Course 1 traces the coast past Seongsan Ilchulbong and the wetlands of Ojo, then on into Sehwa, a working haenyeo village and home for the next three nights. In the evening, Haenyeo's Kitchen: the sea women's story, told by them, over dinner. Night in the village guesthouse.
Day 5
Course 21, the Sumbisori trail & the Haenyeo Museum
Course 21 and the Sumbisori coastal path, named for the haenyeo's breath given back to the sky, lead to the Haenyeo Museum and a sit-down interview with a working haenyeo. In the evening, Bam Bada Salon (an evening on the beach): grilled conch and noodles by the water. Night in the village guesthouse.
Day 6
Olle Trail, Course 20
A last day on the trail, Course 20 along the coast beyond Sehwa, unhurried and quiet. Night in the village guesthouse.
Day 7
Half-day temple stay & farewell
A half day at the temple: a walk through the grounds, 108 bows threading a mala you keep, and a simple lunch with the monks. Tea and questions with one of them afterwards. A closing circle, and drop-off at Jeju Airport by 3:00 PM.

These dates and the schedule above may still shift. The village keeps its own rhythm, and the weather, the tides, and the schedules of the haenyeo and the temple all have a say in it. If anything moves, I will tell you as early as I can.

Experiences

Olle Trail, Courses 7, 6, 1, 21 & 20 Haenyeo's Kitchen show & dinner Haenyeo interview Sumbisori coastal walk Haenyeo Museum Bam Bada Salon, an evening on the beach Half-day temple stay Closing circle & keepsake

✓ Included

  • 6 nights: 3 at a guesthouse on the Olle trail's south coast, and 3 in the haenyeo village of Sehwa
  • Five Olle Trail sections, courses 7, 6, 1, 21, and 20
  • Haenyeo's Kitchen, a sit-down interview with working haenyeo (paid properly for their time), the Haenyeo Museum, and Bam Bada Salon
  • The half-day temple stay before departure
  • All local transport & guiding in English or Spanish

✕ Not included

  • International flights
  • Airport transfers & insurance
24-30 November 2027
Dates24-30 November 2027 Group sizeUp to 10 guests PricingOn request
Ask about 7 Days →
Soraya, founder and guide of Vamos a Jeju, on Jeju Island
The woman behind it

I'm Soraya, your host.

I used to interpret for the haenyeo on tours, standing beside them while they answered questions from travellers. One day someone asked a grandmother what the most dangerous part of diving was. I expected her to say the depth, or the cold. She said greed. You see one more abalone below you and you think, just one more. That is how people drown.

I could not stop thinking about it. A few months later I enrolled at the haenyeo school myself.

I am still a student. I will never dive like a woman who has done it for fifty years. But it changed how I guide, because when I take you to meet them now, I am not translating from the outside.

I also share the haenyeo's stories through the Vamos a Jeju podcast and journal.

Who are the haenyeo?

Korea's last sea women

For centuries, the haenyeo of Jeju have dived with no oxygen, holding their breath metres down, gathering abalone and urchin by hand, many still working into their 70s and 80s. Theirs is a rare, all-women culture, recognised by UNESCO in 2016. But their numbers have fallen from 23,081 in 1965 to 2,371 at the end of 2025, and 63% are now over 70. Meet them while you still can.

Centuriesold, all-women tradition
UNESCOcultural heritage · 2016
2,371still diving, end of 2025
63%are over 70
No oxygenon breath alone

2025 figures: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province haenyeo census.

Through cold winters and decades of change, they kept each other going. The haenyeo are a sisterhood before they are a trade. Before and after every dive, they gather at the 어촌계, the village cooperative building by the sea: a place to change, warm up, share food, and talk. What looks ordinary from the outside is the living heart of their world, and the place where you'll be welcomed in. The haenyeo who sit down with us are paid properly for their time, the way you would pay any expert for theirs.

If you first met them in The Last of the Sea Women on Apple TV+, this is a way to meet them in person.

A guide introduces the haenyeo to guests, the sea women seated with their tewak floats
Not ready to book?

Read, listen, follow along

I write about the haenyeo in the journal, talk about Jeju on the podcast, and post from the haenyeo school on Instagram. All of it lives on vamosajeju.com. This is the latest.

Journal

All journal posts →

Podcast

Vamos a Jeju, the podcast. Also on Apple Podcasts and at vamosajeju.com, with show notes.

Instagram

Follow @soraya.jeju →

"Dive only as far as your own breath allows."

— A Jeju haenyeo

From the shore to the temple

Photos from the haenyeo walks and village days I've guided.

A guide shares the story of the haenyeo with guests
Guests and a haenyeo sorting the day's catch
A haenyeo at work along the rocky shore
In traditional haenyeo dress at the sea women's gathering
The haenyeo community with their tewak floats
Drawn by our guests

What they carried home

Some guests pick up a pencil. These are the haenyeo, as our travellers saw them.

A guest's sketch of two haenyeo
A guest's portrait of a haenyeo with notes
A guest's sketchbook page of two haenyeo
A guest's sketchbook held up against the Jeju sea

Travelers on guiding with Soraya

Reviews from people Soraya has guided across Korea.

Soraya may be my favorite guide of all the tours I've done. She was knowledgeable, fun, and went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of and had a good time. I would absolutely travel with her again.

Rebecca USA

Soraya was so tremendous — our trip wouldn't have been the same without her. A genuine ball of light, and I'm so grateful to have met her. A warm, well-rounded experience. 10/10 ⭐️

Alyssa USA

Our guide, Soraya, was great. She was knowledgeable, helpful, and could read the group really well — she always knew when we were tired or needed a break.

Janell USA

Our host Soraya was so patient and lovely with everyone, and she made the whole experience joyful.

Angelica USA

Soraya had the best food and shop recommendations and really understood the vibe of our group. I cannot recommend her enough.

Samantha Canada

Our tour guide, Soraya, is amazing and I hope to travel with her again — she made everything better.

Brittany USA

Questions, answered

What language are the retreats in?
English throughout, guided personally by Soraya, who lives on Jeju and translates for the haenyeo. Prefer Spanish? We run Spanish-language trips separately, so just reach out and ask.
How does booking work, and do I pay now?
The Walk books and pays instantly through Airbnb. 3 Days (29-31 May 2027) is open for booking now: you pay by card through WeTravel, our booking platform, or write to me first if you have questions. 7 Days (24-30 November 2027) is priced on request, so it starts with an email. For the Founding Guests pilot, applications are open now. Soraya writes back within 48 hours to the people she thinks the dates suit, and the payment link for the $100 follows once your place is confirmed. Nothing is charged before then.
How do I get there, and where do we meet?
Fly into Jeju International Airport (CJU). When you book, we send a full guidebook with the exact meeting point, how to get there, and everything you need to know.
What should I pack?
Once you book, your personal guidebook covers exactly what to bring and what to expect, day by day.
Where will I sleep?
The Walk is a half-day, so you keep your own hotel. 3 Days gives you a room of your own both nights, with no single supplement: Chuidasun on the east coast, then WE Hotel on the west. Sharing a twin room with a friend takes 10% off for each of you, on top of the early-booking discount. 7 Days adds several more nights in the village and along the coast as the Olle trail continues.
How fit do I need to be? Is it difficult?
Gentle to moderate. The longest walk on any day is about 1-2 hours, on flat ground, and you can sit any of it out. Tell me about any health, mobility, or medical needs when you book, so we can prepare and adapt.
Do I have to freedive?
No. You stay dry the whole time. These days are about being with the sea women on land, on their coast and at their table. Time in the water alongside them can occasionally be arranged as an add-on, if the tide and their schedule allow.
What if I have accessibility or mobility needs?
We want to be honest so your time with us is wonderful: much of the retreat takes place on Jeju's natural terrain, including uneven village shores, rocky coastline, temple steps, and time by the water. It suits travellers who are comfortable on their feet over varied ground. If you have any mobility or medical considerations, please write to me before you book and we'll talk it through openly to find the right fit for you.
What about meals and dietary needs?
Temple cuisine is fully vegan, with no meat and no oshinchae (the five pungent vegetables, such as garlic and onion). Tell us about any allergies or other needs and we'll do our best to accommodate.
Can I come on my own?
The Walk runs as a small group and is booked on Airbnb; private walks are available on request. The retreats take a maximum of 10 guests. Solo travelers, couples, and friends are all welcome, and private group bookings (4–10 guests) can be arranged.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, for the retreats. Comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation and medical care is required. Policies need your personal details, so each guest arranges their own before the retreat. Insurance is not included in the retreat price. For the Walk it is your choice.
What is your cancellation & refund policy?
The Founding Guests pilot is $100, paid once your place is confirmed, and that payment is non-refundable. Nine places means one empty seat is a real loss, so please only confirm if you are sure of the dates. If something changes, tell me as early as you can and I will do what I can to fill the place.On the regular retreats, a deposit secures your place and is non-refundable. For the remaining balance: cancel 60+ days before the start date for a full refund; 30–59 days, 50% refunded; within 30 days, non-refundable. Retreats run with four guests or more; if fewer than four have booked, I cancel and you receive a full refund. If we ever have to cancel a retreat for any other reason, you receive a full refund too. Travel insurance is required, so your own flights and plans are covered.

Still have a question? I answer every one myself.

Message on Instagram Email Soraya

A living heritage, quietly disappearing. Your visit helps keep their story alive, and their livelihood with it.

Founding Guests · Pilot Cohort Stay in touch

Hear about new dates first

The October founding group is full. 3 Days in May 2027 is open for booking now, and 7 Days follows in November 2027. Leave your email, tell me what you are curious about, and I will write when there is something to tell. That is all it is, and there is no newsletter.

Apply as a founding guest

The Oct 29-31 pilot, nine places, no charge to apply. Soraya reads every application herself and writes back within 48 hours to the people she thinks these particular days are right for. Nine is a small room, so she is choosing it carefully rather than filling it.

You're applying to Founding Guests pilot · Oct 29-31, 2026 · $100

We coordinate with guests on WhatsApp before the retreat.
Each place is chosen individually, up to a maximum of two people per application. A pair shares one twin room. Solo travelers are warmly welcome.
Optional.
This helps Soraya make sure the pilot is the right fit for you.
✓

Application received

If these days look right for you, Soraya will write back within 48 hours. Keep an eye on your inbox, and check spam just in case.

These dates don't work?

Leave your email and I'll write when the next one opens. That is all it is, and there is no newsletter.

Nine of us move together on a set itinerary, and the meals are booked in advance, so I cannot promise to work around every dietary preference. If you have a serious food allergy, or something that affects how you move through a day, email me before you apply and we will talk it through.

If these days look right for you, Soraya writes back within 48 hours. Nothing is charged at this point: the payment link for the $100 follows once your place is confirmed.

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