Jeju Island

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Overview

Jeju Island is located at the south of South Korea and is the country largest island measuring 1,800 square km...it is not small. It is oval-shaped with Mount Halla (or Hallasan) located right in the center of the island with Seongsan Ilchulbong at the far east of the island. It has a subtropical climate and rarely go below 0 degrees C even in winter, although one will see snow in Hallasan during the winter months.

Travel Duration 

One can easily spend a week or more exploring the different sites in Jeju but one has to do minimally 4 full days (excluding travel time from home country to Jeju) to do it justice. A few are UNESCO Heritage Sites, so one really must include them in your to-do list. 

Here is a quick breakdown of the things to do:

  • Mount Hallasan, located at the center of Jeju, is close to 2000m and is the tallest mountain in Korea. During the winter month, it has a snow-capped top and thus, crampons are a MUST if you plan to hike there. There are several trails and you will need to register online (and show this for your entry) into the trails here. There are 5 trails but only 2 that leads to the top - Gwaneumsa and Seongpanak. Do book in advance if you plan to hike as it is very popular. 
  • Seongsan Ilchulbong is located at the east of Jeju. The actual hike takes about 30 minutes which involves plenty of steps - doable for most. Many would go the sunrise. In fact, the name of the Ilchulbong is literally translated "sunrise peak" but this is optional for late-risers. 
  • Yongmeori Coast, located at the south-western coast, is a must-go. If one drives to this location during the spring, you will be welcome by the yellow rapeseed farms along the road...very Instagram-worthy. Considering the admission ticket is 2000KRW (less than USD1.5), one would think that the walk would be over in 10 minutes. Nope...we took way more than that, i.e. closer to 30-45 minutes, esp. with the numbers of stops to take pictures. The closest equivalent that I can think of is the Pancake Rocks in the South Island in New Zealand. My opinion - Yongmeori Coast is a lot nicer than Pancake Rocks. 
  • 5-day markets - do visit at least one of the several local 5-day markets. It is called so because it only opens once every 5 days. But this is where one gets the local flavors and probably the best  food (my opinion). Here are several to consider based on your travel dates: 
    • Seogwipo = days ending with 4 or 9
    • Jungmun = days ending with 3 or 9
    • Seongsan = days ending with 1 or 6
    • Goseong = days ending with 4 or 9
    • Pyoseon = days ending with 2 or 7
    • Daejeong = days ending with 1 or 6
    • Example: we went to the Seogwipo one on the 24th 
  • Lava tube. Sadly, Manjanggul Lave Tube which is the most famous one which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is closed for repair works. It is target to open Aug 2025. Until then, one can visit the lava tube at Hallim Park - they have 2 caves within the park with a single admission fee. 
  • Waterfalls - there are 3 good ones to consider - Cheongjiyeon, Cheonjeyeon and Jeongbang. We visited Jeongbang and did a short walk to the Castle of the Shells. Cheonjiyeon stays open at night and there is a good seafood restaurant here (our best meal in Jeju). We did not visit Cheonjeyeon but heard that it can be combined with Yeomiji Botanical Gardens...so it should be good visit.  

  • Olle Trails - there are some whose main aim to visit Jeju is to walk/run the Olle Trails. Since you are here and if your hotel is near to one, it is not a bad idea to do one (or several) of this. Go visit Jeju Olle Trail guide for more info plus a downloadable guide on the Olle Trails. If you only have a day or two to spare, you can try trails 1, 6, 7 or 18. The most popular one is trail 7 but there are a few who prefer trail 18. 
  • Beaches (for those visiting during the summer months) - we visited in Feb so the waters are way too cold.  There are plenty of hotels with beaches within walking distance so this is definitely one item on the to-do list if the weather is good (warm) enough.

Tips for travelling in Jeju

  • Driving - one will need a International Driving Permit. Koreans drive at the right side of the road. Get this before flying into Jeju. Note: driving speeds are SLOW in Jeju so do cater for additional 15-30 minutes to get to your next destination. Most drivers do not signal and will cut into your lanes - this is normal. 
  • Accommodation - there are plenty of AirBnB in Jeju. I would choose this if you travelling with family. If there are just 2 travelling together, hotels are plenty as well. Jeju City will be the main city while Seogwipo (at the south) is probably better if you wish to have more peace and quiet. We stayed at an apartment (pension) near Soesokkak Estuary (start of Olle Trail 6) - location is good as it near several restaurants and has several good cafes/bakery. 
  • Food - a few must-try food in Jeju, esp. if you are non-Korean. 
    • Black pork
    • Seafood stew
    • Hallabong - Jeju citrus