Jeju Gimnyeong Maze Park

Gimnyeong Maze Park is located between the two major tourist destinations of Manjanggul Cave and Gimnyeongsagul Cave. It was designed by the world famous company Adrian Fisher Minotaur Maze Designs and funded by the life-time savings of an American Professor at Cheju National University, Frederic H. Dustin, whose love for Jeju has kept him on the island for 27 years. This unique maze park contains plants from all over Asia and has been personally maintained by Dr Dunstan since 1987.

Jeju/Gimnyeong Maze is an expression of one man’s appreciation for his adopted home. Dr. Frederic H Dustin(born in Bellingham, WA. in 1930, passed away on May 5, 2018) first came to Korea in 1952. He and Mrs. Dustin moved to Jeju from Seoul in 1971. He taught in the Tourism Department of Jeju National University until his retirement in December 1994. The maze project was conceived as a way to spend his gold years in his adopted home as well as serve as a legacy for the future. Preparation of the land was started in 1983 and the
first seedling were planted in November 1987.

The hedges are created from 2,232 ‘Leyland Cypress’ trees, commonly called ‘Leylandii’, scientifically known as Cupressocypris leylandii, a hybrid resulting from a natural cross between Chamaecyparis nootkatensis and Cupresus macrocarpa

Gimnyeong Maze Park contains a maze that has various images incorporated in it. The maze is in the shape of the Jeju Island, and its images that can be clearly seen from above include the following: a serpent, which was an object of worship on the island until the mid-70s; horses of Jeju Island, which were brought there by Mongolians as far back as 1276; the ship, Sparrowhawk, that was shipwrecked on the island in 1653 bringing Hendrick Hamel and his company of Dutch sailors to the Joseon Kingdom; and dolmens that are relics from the Bronze Age. All of these images are famous symbols or landmarks of Jeju Island.

There are three skywalks and an observatory, which are popular photo sites for tourists. They offer panoramic views of the entire maze. There are four ways to get through the maze from the entrance. If you use a map, it will take only 5 minutes, but without a map it’s a bit more difficult and can take up to 20 minutes. Some visitors have been known to spend up to 50 minutes lost in the maze before giving up and calling for help!

The Gimnyeong Maze is one of Jeju’s most popular locations for TV commercials as well as the dramas that have caused the ‘Korean Wave’ to continue its surge across Asia

Duration – approx 30 mins.

Free Parking Facilities for 4 buses and 80 cars.