Jeju Island is South Korea’s largest and most popular island, and the go-to domestic holiday destination for many Koreans. Volcanic in origin and a hundred kilometres south of the mainland, Jeju offers an alluring mix of stunning natural beauty, challenging hikes and a unique local culture and gastronomy. An extensive visit to Jeju should therefore be part of any South Korea itinerary.
Pop quiz: what do you think is the world’s busiest flight route? Whatever your answer may be, you’re most likely completely wrong. That’s because the Seoul-Jeju route tops the list by a large margin, with more than fourteen million seats filled annually – sometimes across more than 200 flights a day. In other words: you’ll most likely have no problem getting there.
The main reason for this is that Jeju Island is the ideal destination for people from Seoul to escape their hectic megacity for a while. The entire island oozes a relaxed, subtropical holiday atmosphere, and its unique volcanic landscapes, photogenic coastal roads and lush nature have earned it the nickname “the Hawaii of Korea.”
Even in Squid Game – the Korean series I happened to be watching on my own flight there – one of the characters says she wants to fly to Jeju should she survive the game. You’ll have to watch the season finale to find out whether or not she makes it, but it made me appreciate my own trip even more.
Why Jeju Island is such a unique destination
Today, Jeju is officially an island of peace, and it very much feels this way too. The cynical thing about a title like this, is that it’s usually only given after unspeakable horrors have taken place somewhere in the past. Sadly, Jeju Island is not an exception.
The so-called Jeju 4·3 incident took place in 1948 – two years before the actual Korean War. Left-wing guerrillas started attacking local police stations to protest the upcoming elections that threatened to split the country in two. The reaction of the (essentially South Korean) government was one of extreme repression, resulting in the deaths of around 10% of the island’s population. Official apologies only came in 2003, but since then the victims have been honoured every year.
Outside of the beautiful Jeju 4·3 Peace Park, the island offers little evidence of its dark history. Still, this past – along with its geographical isolation and the fact that Jeju was once an independent kingdom – partly explains why the island feels so different from the rest of Korea. The islanders speak a heavy local dialect, the cuisine is unique – black pork, fresh seafood, tangerines – and they’ve built strong matriarchal traditions throughout the centuries. The island’s iconic haenyeo divers are the most visible symbol of this female-driven culture.
“Jeju Island is a fantastic hiking destination: hundreds of kilometres of beautiful trails run all around the island.”
For the majority of tourists, Jeju is mainly a superb hiking destination. You’ll find hundreds of kilometres of perfectly mapped routes here – covering the entire island if you want to take it on. These hiking trails lead you along dazzling coastlines, through authentic villages and – if you can handle the climb – even to the top of Hallasan: the highest mountain in South Korea. Along the way you’ll often come across surprising (and sometimes even a little naughty) stops. I’ll list the most important sights on Jeju here, starting with the best place to stay if you want easy access to the rest of the island.
1. Seogwipo: the ideal base to explore Jeju Island
Jeju City is the island’s largest town and the closest one to the airport, but I hardly spent any time there. This is not because there’s nothing to do, but because colourful Seogwipo on the south coast, is (in my opinion of course) a much nicer base to explore Jeju from – especially if you arranged a rental car.
Seogwipo is Jeju’s second city, about an hour’s drive from the airport, spread along a dramatic coastal strip with Hallasan in the background. The peak blocks most of the clouds from the north, making southern Jeju significantly sunnier on average.
Seogwipo feels like a compact holiday town, with a pleasant harbour, lots of cafés and restaurants, and plenty of striking street art. Two of the most beautiful waterfalls on the island are located on the outskirts of the city, and it’s one of the best diving destinations in Korea – especially on the small islands of Seopseom, Munseom and Beomseom nearby.
Several Jeju Olle Trails run right through Seogwipo. These famous hiking trails connect almost the entire island and are among the most beautiful ways to explore Jeju (more on them later in this guide).
The main attraction in the city centre is the huge and covered Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market. This is a bustling market where the whole city seems to hang out in the evening. You’ll find everything here, from souvenirs and food stalls to entire hallways full of live fish. Want to sample the local cuisine? There are a dozen food trucks gathered in the hall next to entrance four. Order some spicy black pork, mandarin mochi or grilled seafood at very reasonable prices. Not to be missed, and you can get a local microbeer straight from the tap to go with them.
Where to stay in Seogwipo?
I stayed at Backpacker’s Home while in Seogwipo. This is a fantastic and very affordable hostel where you can also book a (surprisingly spacious) private room. They have an in-house bar, free parking and a Korean BBQ is hosted every day (if enough people register) in the large outdoor courtyard. Ideal way to make some new friends. Rather sleep in an actual hotel? There are plenty to choose from around the city centre and the average rate is surprisingly cheap.
Other great hotels in Seogwipo
–Hotel Run (budget): a very affordable hotel in the city centre that still offers comfortable rooms.
–Hotel Yeon (midrange): cosy hotel near the harbour, overlooking the sea. Within walking distance of the market.
2. The unique volcanic landscape of Jeju Island
One of the first things you notice on Jeju are the strange stone statues with flat noses and bulging eyes scattered all across the island. These are the Dol Hareubang or “grandfather stones” carved from volcanic basalt. They’re supposed to chase away evil spirits while also serving as fertility idols – busy little guys.
There’s no shortage of basalt on Jeju: the entire island was formed by volcanic activity. Hallasan – nearly 2,000 meters high – is a huge volcano whose lava gushed over the island several times. The traces of these eruptions can be found everywhere: black basalt fields, jagged coastal formations and hundreds of smaller volcanic cones known locally as oreum. These were formed by lava flowing from smaller side vents instead of from Hallasan itself.
Locals sometimes say you can climb a different volcano on Jeju every day for a whole year, and it’s probably not even an exaggeration. The oreum are the reason why you’ll find perfectly rounded green hills, hidden craters and surprising viewpoints all over Jeju. Many of the island’s most beautiful hikes actually take you up one of these cones.
Some of the most spectacular remnants of this volcanism are the many lava tubes hidden beneath the island. These are long tunnels that form when the outer layer of a lava flow cools while the inside continues to flow. Manjanggul (in northeast Jeju) is one of the world’s largest and most impressive lava tunnels, but it was unfortunately closed during my visit (a boulder had crashed onto the entrance path – not fun to get hit by), so I didn’t get to see it.
Places I did visit and found particularly impressive: the almost geometric cliffs of Daepo Jusangjeolli (South Jeju, near Seogwipo) full of hexagonal basalt columns, and Seongsan Ilchulbong’s dramatic crater.
The best day trips on Jeju Island
As far as I’m concerned, a rental car is the best way to explore Jeju. It gives you more freedom and flexibility, and saves you quite some time. Don’t want to be driving yourself around? There are plenty of practical and pleasant day trips by bus to book.
-This is a day trip to East Jeju, to amongst others: Hamdeok Beach, Seongsan Ilchulbong, the haenyeo divers and Manjanggul.
-This one leads you to the South and the West of the island: Hallasan, Daepo Jusangjeolli, Cheonjeyeon Falls, Songaksan etc.
3. Hallasan: climb South Korea’s highest mountain
*pictures by www.tjoolaard.be.
Hallasan can of course be climbed as well – for visiting Koreans it’s almost a spiritual obligation. You’ll have to book a time slot in advance though, and having a certain level of fitness is strongly recommended before your attempt.
Because I’m a surprisingly lazy man and didn’t feel like clambering uphill all day from six in the morning, I decided not to do the climb. Fortunately, just a month later, another Belgian travel blogger visited Jeju and – in the middle of winter, no less – did make it to the top. I’ll let Niel’s (www.tjoolaard.be) share his account:
“Registering for the climb (in my case two months in advance) is absolutely necessary, especially in the high season. So if for some reason you decide not to go after all, please cancel your reservation as well. Spots are limited and someone else will be able take your slot.
Fit beginners with some hiking experience will be able to handle the climb with little trouble. I found the descent tougher than the climb, because the endless stairs were getting tough on my knees. It’s not a dangerous climb at all, but crampons (spikes) are mandatory in winter because of icy spots here and there.
There are two routes to the top. The Seongpanak Trail is the most popular (9.6 km one way). It starts on the east side and goes up relatively gently. The Gwaneumsa Trail is shorter (8.7 km) but steeper and more challenging, and offers more spectacular views. I went up via Seongpanak and came down via Gwaneumsa.
If you set off around 7 a.m., you’ll be back down well before dark. Keep in mind you have to pass the intermediate station before a certain time, or you won’t be allowed to climb to the top. There are plenty of toilets and rest areas along the way, but bring food and a lot of water – there’s no 7-Eleven on the summit. Koreans tend to drag everything up with them, from BBQs to portable stoves for instant ramen. Keep in mind the weather at the top can change quickly (expect strong and bitter winds). Sturdy hiking shoes and layered clothing are a must. Good luck!
4. Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak): hike Jeju’s most iconic crater
Does climbing Hallasan feel a bit too ambitious? There’s a slightly more bite-sized volcano on Jeju to conquer – and what a specimen it is. Seongsan Ilchulbong is perhaps the most impressive sight on the entire island: a huge and photogenic tuff cone rising from the sea to a height of 182 metres in the far east of Jeju. The mountain was created by an underwater eruption, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The climb is extremely popular, and doable in half an hour for anyone not built like an African bush elephant. Reach the top and you can stare directly into the green (since it’s no longer active) crater. It’s shaped like an almost perfectly round soup bowl and feels like a tiny lost world cut off from the rest of the planet.
Seongsan Ilchulbong is also called Sunrise Peak. For many Koreans, watching the sun rise from the summit is an almost spiritual awakening. They start the climb in the early hours before dawn, and on every sunny day there’s a whole crowd of teary-eyed people getting their vitamin D in. The climb is just as worthwhile during the day, so don’t feel like you have to get up at 5 a.m. Don’t forget a flashlight if you do though.
Just off the coast near Seongsan Ilchulbong lies Udo: the largest of the more than sixty islands surrounding Jeju and a pleasant day trip in itself. On it, you can enjoy some wonderful beaches or take several long walks inland.
Tip: if you want to climb Seongsan Ilchulbong before sunrise, it’s best to stay overnight in Seongsan-ri (especially if you don’t have a car): a tourist town at the foot of the mountain. In Hotel HueStay-KeumHo for example, or a bit further but more luxurious in Chuidasun Resort.
5. The Jeju Olle Trails: the best hikes on Jeju Island
Both the climb up Seongsan Ilchulbong and the hikes on Udo are part of the 27 Olle Trails spread all over Jeju. In the local dialect, an olle is a narrow path connecting a house to the street, but in practice it’s a network of perfectly marked hiking trails inspired by the Camino de Santiago. They mainly follow the coastline, and lengths range from four to more than twenty kilometres. Trails start and end in both Seogwipo (Route 6) and Jeju City (Route 18), so you can easily start your adventure from the city centre as well.
The Jeju Olle Trails are among the most beautiful hiking routes in South Korea and one of Jeju’s great tourist success stories. If you’re up for a challenge, you can walk the full 437 km route around the entire island. You’ll have to take at least a month’s leave for that though, but every year many people actually do it. Where there’s a will, there’s an olle waiting for you somewhere on Jeju.
The routes are clearly marked with orange and blue arrows, and the Olle logo – the stylised Jeju pony shown above – helps guide the way. You can even buy an Olle passport, for collecting stamps after completing each trail. If you’re a true slow travel fan, this is the top Korea-experience for you.
I took the photos above on the Songaksan Mountain Trail. This is part of Olle Route 10 in the southwest of Jeju. It’s a magnificent coastal walk taking you past steep sea cliffs, green hills and volcanic landscapes.
6. The Haenyeo divers of Jeju Island: South Korea’s famous female divers
Locally, Jeju is said to be known for three things: stones, wind, and women. The first two speak for themselves once you set foot here, but the toughest examples from the last category are known far beyond Korea. The haenyeo are female divers who’ve been collecting seafood along the coast for centuries. They do this without oxygen tanks and in all weather conditions, often for hours on end. They can hold their breath for up to two minutes and dive to depths of more than twenty meters.
The haenyeo are incredibly tough women, especially when you consider most of them are decades past retirement age. Ninety percent of haenyeo are over sixty, and new recruits are hard to find. Yet you can still see – and hear – them at work all along the coastline. Their distinctive whistles (“sumbisori“) help them expel CO2 quickly, but also act as a positioning and safety signal.
The haenyeo are such an important part of local culture, their tradition was included on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. Many of them used to be the main breadwinners at home, which contributed significantly to the remarkably strong position of women in local society.
Those who want to see the haenyeo at work will need a bit of luck. Not ideal if you’re only on Jeju for a few days. This is why a few of them give a daily demonstration at 2 p.m. on Ilchulbong Beach at the foot of Seongsan Ilchulbong. It’s obviously touristy, but you’re guaranteed to see them dive and you can grab a bite in their little restaurant afterwards.
7. Jeju Island waterfalls: the most beautiful falls to visit
There are many waterfalls on Jeju – again a result of the island’s unique landscape. And if you’ve actually listened to me and booked a hotel in Seogwipo, you can visit two of the most beautiful ones on foot.
The Cheonjiyeon waterfall is located in a green park near Seogwipo Harbour. It’s over twenty meters high and twelve meters wide and plunges into an idyllic pool below. Also in Seogwipo – and perhaps even more impressive – is Jeongbang waterfall. Located on the other side of the city, it’s one of the world’s few waterfalls that flow directly into the ocean. Great place to sit down on the rocks at sunset.
Half an hour’s drive from the city are the Cheonjeyeon falls (yes, just one letter different – don’t get confused). These are three interconnected waterfalls in the Jungmun Tourist Complex, known as the “Pond of the Emperor of Heaven”. The second fall is the highest and most impressive. The first only flows well after heavy rain, and to reach the third (the smallest) you’ll have to tackle quite a few stairs. You can also visit a beautiful temple and the impressively high Seonimgyo Bridge within the same complex.
All of these waterfalls require a small entrance fee (around 2,000 won), which is practically negligible. A visit to Cheonjeyeon can easily be combined with the Daepo Jusangjeolli cliffs and Oedolgae Rock: a twenty-meter-high rock formation shaped like a weird, titanic penis rising from the sea.
8. The best beaches and dive sites on Jeju Island
I visited Jeju in early November. Although the weather was still quite pleasant, it was a bit too chilly to make it a beach holiday. In the right season this would not be a problem though: Jeju sports plenty of gorgeous beaches.
Close to Jeju City is Iho Tewoo, known for its two horse-shaped lighthouses. It has a unique mix of light and dark sand, so you can build two-coloured sandcastles if that’s your thing. On the other side of the city is Samyang Beach: a jet-black beach where people take therapeutic sand baths in summer. Hamdeok Beach is also nearby, and is probably the most famous beach on the entire island. It’s a wide stretch of white sand with turquoise water.
East Jeju is home to several beautiful beaches as well. Here you’re more likely to spot haenyeo. Gwangchigi Beach also features different sand colours and lies along Olle Route 1. It leads you through green fields divided by basalt walls, all the way to Seongsan Ilchulbong. Woljeong Beach in the northeast, is a classic white-sand beach in a sheltered bay and a popular spot for surfers. Sanho Beach on Udo island is another standout.
Closer to Seogwipo to the south lies Jungmun Beach. Bordered by a palm grove, this is one of the largest beaches on the island and an absolute top surfing destination. On the west coast you’ll find Hyeopjae Beach and Gwakji Beach. From the latter, I walked the Handam Coastal Walk: a short but scenic path over lava rocks.
If you want to explore underwater as well, you’ll find the best dive sites in Jeju around Seogwipo. Munseom Island is known for its steep vertical walls and soft corals, while Beomseom Island offers dramatic underwater caves.
9. Jeju Island Sex Museums: Love Land & Other Erotic Attractions
Looking at the outfits in a random K-pop video you wouldn’t immediately think so, but Koreans are generally quite conservative when it comes to sexuality. It’s rarely talked about, as for many the whole topic is still taboo. It’s therefore quite surprising that Jeju has no less than three different sex museums, all of them – I’m being diplomatic here – quite explicit. Obviously these are some of the more unusual things to do on Jeju Island. But you might as well, right?
The museums are here because many Koreans spend their honeymoon on Jeju. In the past marriages were often arranged, so many couples were inexperienced. Attractions providing sexual education or visual stimulation were therefore very popular. Because one should never stop learning in life, I decided to visit two of them myself.
Jeju Love Land is about a twenty-minute drive from the airport and was – I might have issues – the first Jeju attraction I visited. Love Land is an Instagram-worthy sculpture park with nearly 150 explicit and often hilarious artworks of people in all sorts of compromising positions. A disturbing number of these sculptures depict scrawny little guys being manhandled by giant, chubby women – whatever floats your boat, I guess. There’s an indoor exhibition as well, with dollhouses depicting a wide array of historically significant shags. Entertainment for the whole family.
The Museum of Sex and Health is located near Seogwipo and is the largest indoor sex museum in the world. The ground floor takes itself quite seriously, and genuinely tries to educate visitors about sex. You can even put your hand behind a curtain to squeeze an amazingly realistic (and hopefully not secretly the new intern’s) boob – because why not. Deeper into the museum, things gets much wilder, with endless sculptures and paintings depicting the most debased fantasies. In one of the last rooms, you’ll literally walk through what is basically a tunnel of vaginas. Perfect pastime for a rainy day, and you may even learn something.
PS: I skipped the World Eros Museum. It’s the smallest of the three and I was starting to feel a bit awkward about the whole endeavour.
10. Other Jeju Island Museums: best cultural & quirky places to visit
It’s hard to believe on an island of barely 2,000 km², but you can visit more than a hundred museums on Jeju – the vast majority of which are unfortunately not about sex. Going through all of them would take us too far, but I’ll list the most important and some of the strangest ones for you.
–Jeju National Museum: is located near the airport and tells the story of the island’s prehistoric roots and the independent Tamna kingdom that ruled here long before Korea was a state.
–Jeju Haenyeo Museum: museum about the history of the haenyeo, featuring personal stories, utensils and a number of interesting documentaries.
–Jeju Stone Park: extensive outdoor museum on the volcanic geology of the island and the myths associated with it, presented through thousands of stone sculptures – including a lot of Dol Hareubang.
–Jeju 4:3 Peace Park: poignant museum dedicated to the victims of the Jeju 4·3 incident I mentioned in the intro.
–Jeju Dinosaur Island: huge and endearingly old-fashioned amusement park full of life-size dinosaur models and a small zoo (this one unfortunately without any actual dinosaurs).
–Teddy Bear House Museum: the teddy bear version of Madame Tussauds, where cute toy bears depict historical events and famous works of art. Sounds a bit terrifying to be honest.
–O’sulloc Tea Museum: popular stop focused on Korean tea culture, with green tea fields and a café offering matcha desserts.
–Nexon Computer Museum: museum for tech fanatics, exhibiting the history of the PC and its evolution. You can play a lot of vintage games on Atari systems and the old Nintendo consoles.
–Hello Kitty Island: especially popular with Koreans. Four floors full of Hello Kitty, from furnished rooms and themed cafés to a Kitty History Hall.
Jeju Island travel tips: flights, car rental, best time & practical info
**There are a couple of affiliate links to interesting activities or hotels in this article. Are you thinking of booking a hotel or tour on Jeju? Please do so through one of my links. Doesn’t cost you an extra cent, and it gives me a small compensation for my writing. Thank you in advance.**
Jeju Island Flights
The easiest and fastest way to get to Jeju is by plane, and since just about every tourist in South Korea eventually ends up there anyway, it’s best to fly from Seoul. Up to 200 flights a day operate between Jeju and Seoul. There are plenty of local airlines to book – I went for Jeju Air but it doesn’t really matter, so pick one based on your budget and luggage allowance. The flight takes just over an hour and mine cost about €100.
Driving on Jeju Island
Want to see a lot without having to depend on the (well-working) bus network? You’ll probably need to rent a car. I did so at Lotte Rent-a-Car at the airport and everything went smoothly. If you want to drive around Jeju, you should keep a number of things in mind though:
-You must apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) in your home country in advance (weirdly this is a very amateurish looking paper booklet in Belgium). Your regular driving licence will not count. No international license: no car.
-Driving on Jeju can be quite frustrating at times. The majority of drivers are Koreans from Seoul who don’t even own a car at home. As a result, the entire traffic system had to be made “idiot proof”. Speed limits are low everywhere, the number of red lights and speed cameras is immeasurable and occasionally you’ll see people doing completely unpredictable things (for example, during my drive from the airport to the hotel I saw two separate cars driving on a dark mountain road without their headlights on).
-Don’t rely on Waze and certainly not on Google Maps (barely works in South Korea) for clear navigation. Download the Naver App: a Korean equivalent that works perfectly, is in English and indicates all speed changes and cameras in advance.
When to visit Jeju?
I travelled to Jeju in early November and although the beach season was over, the weather was still quite pleasant. Jeju lies much further south than Seoul, so winters are generally milder. From mid-March to early April, the cherry blossoms are in bloom, so this is one of the most beautiful times to visit. May, June and early autumn have the most pleasant temperatures, but summers are hot. Winters on the other hand, can still be quite cold, especially if you want to hike up the mountain.
How many days do you need on Jeju?
I was in Jeju for five days (four nights), and although I was quite satisfied with my stay, I would have liked it to be a little longer. I visited many of the main attractions, but I still had to skip quite a few things as well. A whole week doesn’t seem unreasonable, especially if you want to do a lot of long hikes.
Stay connected with a local eSIM
Before you arrive in Korea, buy a local e-SIM. I’ve been using Airalo’s eSIMs for years. Airalo is an app that allows you to buy mobile data for just about any country in the world in just a few clicks. Install everything at home and activate the SIM card after landing: that’s it.
Do you need a visa for South Korea?
EU citizens don’t need a visa to enter South Korea for tourist visits of up to 90 days. Normally you have to fill in a K-ETA form online (similar to the ESTA system in the US) but this has been suspended for the EU until the end of 2026 (and maybe longer). Please check before your own trip.
Looking for another trip?
I spent two weeks in Seoul on my trip through South Korea to write a comprehensive travel guide about the capital. Read it behind the link.
Would you rather visit Tokyo instead? I’ve published a complete travel guide on the Japanese capital, as well as in-depth posts on almost every interesting neighbourhood on offer: Akihabara, Odaiba, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Harajuku, Asakusa, Ueno or Marunouchi. Take your pick. Looking for a quieter alternative to Kyoto? Visit Kanazawa instead.
For different Asian trips, read my guides on Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Hanoi. Want something completely different? Go to Texas after reading my posts on Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
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