Travel guides › Planning a Trip to Jeju: Flights, Rental Cars and Routes by Area
Planning a Trip to Jeju: Flights, Rental Cars and Routes by Area
Jeju is a volcanic island built around Hallasan, where sea, oreum hills, forest and stone-wall villages sit close together. The island is bigger than it looks, so a good transport plan saves a lot of time. This is a basic guide for anyone preparing a Jeju trip for the first time.
How to get to Jeju
A flight from Gimpo Airport in Seoul to Jeju Airport takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. There are many routes and frequent flights, but airfares rise and seats sell out quickly in peak season and on weekends. Wind and fog can delay or cancel flights, so leave some margin on your return day.
Getting around the island
Jeju's public transport is not as dense as Seoul's, so a rental car is considered the most convenient way. Foreigners who want to rent a car need conditions such as an international driving permit, so check with the rental company before booking. If you do not drive, you can use local buses, tourist taxis and tour products, but buses can run at long intervals, so leave plenty of room in your schedule.
Choosing where to stay
- Jeju City: close to the airport with many markets and restaurants, so getting around is easy.
- Seogwipo and Jungmun: on the southern coast, with resorts, waterfalls and coastal scenery.
- Aewol and Hallim: the west, with many cafes and beaches and great sunsets.
- Seongsan and Gujwa: the east, with Seongsan Ilchulbong and beaches, and handy for Udo.
A 4-day, 3-night route example
- Day 1, west: from the airport, take in Aewol Coastal Road, Hyeopjae Beach, and Saebyeol Oreum or Camellia Hill.
- Day 2, east: see Seongsan Ilchulbong, Seopjikoji and Woljeong-ri Beach, and if possible circle Udo island.
- Day 3, south: tour the Seogwipo market, Cheonjiyeon Falls, the Yongmeori Coast and so on. Access to Yongmeori Coast can be restricted by waves and tides.
- Day 4: walk the Saryeoni Forest Trail or the foot of Hallasan, shop in the city, then head to the airport.
Moving between areas can take over an hour, so it is efficient to cover just one area a day.
Hallasan and the oreum
Hallasan, at 1,947 m, is the highest mountain in Korea. Some trails require advance reservation and have closing-time controls on entry, and the weather changes a lot. If the effort and schedule are a burden, I recommend an oreum instead. Oreum are small peaks formed by volcanic activity that you can climb in a relatively short time for the view. Some oreum designated as protected areas may be closed to entry, so always follow the signs.
Food and environmental etiquette
In Jeju try black pork barbecue, gogi-guksu, braised hairtail and seafood dishes at least once. At markets you can also buy citrus desserts and snacks. Jeju is sensitive about environmental protection, so the basic manners are not leaving trash on beaches and oreum and not entering stone-walled fields.
Official sources
Rules, fares and opening hours change often. Check the latest details on the official sites below.