JEJU, SLOWLY Apply
Founding Guests Our first pilot retreat · Oct 29-31, 2026 · 9 places at $100 (usually $1,090) Apply now, reply in 24h →
Korea's vanishing sea women · Jeju Island

JEJU, Slowly

A retreat with the sea women: Jeju's free-diving grandmothers who've harvested the sea by breath alone for generations. Slow days in their world, their stories reverberating in your heart, and your balance restored. No diving required.

English and Spanish speaking host Studying at the haenyeo school Groups of ten, never more Replies within 48h Inquiries only now, payment later
Founding Guests · Pilot Cohort

Be one of our first nine guests

This is the first time I'm running it. 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
24h Reply to every application
A slow forest walk on Jeju
Day 1 · Thu
  • Arrive on Jeju, then a slow forest walk to ease in
  • Haenyeo's Kitchen: a theatre-dinner where the sea women tell their own story
  • Night a comfortable hotel near Seongsan
The haenyeo village day in Sehwa
Day 2 · Fri
  • Optional sunrise hike up Seongsan Ilchulbong
  • The village day in Sehwa: Sumbisori coastal walk, the Haenyeo Museum, and a sit-down interview with a working haenyeo, interpreted by Soraya
  • Bam Bada Salon (an evening on the beach): grilled conch and noodles by the water
  • Night a village guesthouse in Sehwa
A temple stay on Jeju
Day 3 · Sat
  • Half a day at a temple: 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
  • A closing circle, a keepsake to remember Jeju by, and farewell
  • Ends at Jeju Airport by late afternoon

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: a hotel near Seongsan and a village guesthouse in Sehwa
  • 6 meals: 2 dinners (Haenyeo's Kitchen theatre-dinner and the Bam Bada Salon), 2 lunches including the temple lunch, and 2 breakfasts
  • Every experience and entry: museum, 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.

No diving. Any age, and you set your own pace. Solo travellers are welcome, and most people apply on their own. Fly into Jeju by noon on Thursday 29 October. I send the exact meeting point once you're selected.

What founding guests receive

  • Professional photos from our three days together, as a private online gallery
  • A standing invitation to the Sea Women Walk, free for you and a friend whenever you're back on Jeju
  • $100 off for any friend you send our way
Apply as a founding guest → Have a question first? Email me Applications are open now. I read every one myself and reply within 24 hours. Nine people spending three days together is a close thing, so I do think about whether this is right for each person, and I'll say so honestly if I don't think it is. 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.
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 some 30,000 to roughly 2,400 today, and 63% are now over 70. Meet them while you still can.

Centuriesold, all-women tradition
UNESCOcultural heritage · 2016
2,400left in 2026, from some 30,000
63%are over 70
No oxygenon breath alone

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.

A guide introduces the haenyeo to guests, the sea women seated with their tewak floats

Not ready to apply? I write about the haenyeo in the journal and talk to them on the podcast. Instagram is where I post from the school.

Read the journal → Listen to the podcast → Follow along →

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

— A Jeju haenyeo
Our other journeys

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.

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

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.

"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 →
First Cohorts · 2026 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.

Duration 3 days / 2 nights Seats 10 only · by application $1,090 / person

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.

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival & first encounter
Arrive in the afternoon and ease in with a slow forest walk. In the evening, Haenyeo's Kitchen: a theatre-dinner where the sea women tell their own story on stage. Night in a comfortable hotel near Seongsan.
Day 2
The sea women's day
An optional sunrise hike up Seongsan Ilchulbong, then the day this retreat is named for: the Sumbisori coastal walk (with the divers at work, tide permitting), the Haenyeo Museum with Soraya, a sit-down interview with a working haenyeo, neokdungbaegi (their traditional board game), and Bam Bada Salon ("an evening on the beach"): grilled conch by the fire, noodles, and a beer as the light fades. Night in a small guesthouse inside Sehwa, a working haenyeo village.
Day 3
Stillness & 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 with one of them afterwards becomes our closing circle, with time to ask whatever you like. 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

Haenyeo's Kitchen show & dinner Haenyeo interview Sumbisori coastal walk Haenyeo Museum Neokdungbaegi game Bam Bada Salon Half-day temple stay Closing circle & keepsake

✓ Included

  • 2 nights: a comfortable hotel near Seongsan + a village guesthouse in Sehwa
  • Haenyeo's Kitchen theatre-dinner & Bam Bada Salon ("an evening on the beach")
  • Sit-down interview with a working haenyeo, in Soraya's translation
  • The half-day temple stay
  • All local transport & guiding in English or Spanish

✕ Not included

  • International flights
  • Airport transfers & insurance
First cohorts · autumn 2026
Cohort windowOctober–November 2026 Availability10 seats per cohort · by application FlightsEnds at Jeju Airport by 3:00 PM · book departures after 4:30 PM
Booking opens August 15 · email to inquire →
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.

Duration 7 days / 6 nights 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, interpreted by Soraya. 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
  • Everything in 3 Days: Haenyeo's Kitchen, the haenyeo interview, 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
From late 2026 · by application
First cohortFrom November 2026 Group sizeUp to 10 guests PricingOn request
Price on request · email to inquire →
Moments

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
Kind words

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
Good to know

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 Sea Women Walk books and pays instantly through Airbnb. The 3 Days and 7 Days retreats open for booking in mid-August; until then, email to inquire and nothing is charged. For the Founding Guests pilot, applications are open now. Soraya replies within 24 hours, 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 includes one night in a comfortable hotel near Seongsan and one night in a small, simple guesthouse inside Sehwa, a working haenyeo village: clean, warm, and part of the story. 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. Please share any health, mobility, or medical needs in your application 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 share them in your application 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, by application. Solo travelers, couples, and friends are all welcome, and private group bookings (4–10 guests) can be arranged.
Do I need travel insurance?
We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation, medical care, and any in-water activities. Insurance is not included in the retreat price.
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. If we ever have to cancel a retreat, you'll receive a full refund. We strongly recommend travel insurance.

Still have a question? Add it with your application below. Soraya answers every one personally.

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

Founding Guests · Pilot Cohort

Apply as a founding guest

The Oct 29-31 pilot, nine places, no charge. Soraya reads every application herself and replies within 24 hours. She may write back to say these particular days aren't the right ones for you, and she'd rather tell you that early than on the morning itself.

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. A handle or link is fine.
Important for the retreat meals: vegan tables and allergies are easy to arrange.
This helps Soraya make sure the pilot is the right fit for you.

You will hear back within 24 hours, either way. Nothing is charged at this point: the payment link for the $100 follows once your place is confirmed.

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy. We use your details only to plan your retreat, never for ads or resale.

✓

Application received

Soraya will reply within 24 hours. Keep an eye on your inbox, and check spam just in case.