Reasons to Visit Jeju Island [2024]
/Jeju Island is an island full of green pastures, refreshing beaches, café’s and stunning views. A perfect holiday getaway for both locals and travellers, here are 7 Reasons to Visit Jeju Island.
Views from Seongsan Ilchulbong, Jeju
I’ve visited South Korea a number of times and have made several attempts to visit Jeju, but somehow something always came up and blocked me from going. This time around, not even a typhoon could stop me from going! I absolutely loved my stay on Jeju Island, and it really was the ultimate escape from the busy streets of Seoul. If you need a reason to visit Jeju, look no further than this list!
Handpicked tours
Choosing a Jeju tour can be overwhelming, so we’ve narrowed down some of your favourites – handpicked and quality checked just for you.
Jeju Island Private Taxi Tour: UNESCO Sights Tour - on this tour with an English Speaking Driver, you’ll visit Jeju’s most famous sights such as Manjanggul Cave, Woljeongri Beach, Seongsan Ilchulbong, Seopjikoji, and Seongeup Folk Village. If you want tour to be longer than 8 hours, you can also extend it per hour for a small additional fee.
Jeju Island Private Taxi Tour: 2 Full days - 5-star rated on Viator. You can customise your itinerary however you’d like and some example attractions you can visit include the O’Sulloc Tea Museum, Teddy Bear Museum, Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, Sanbangsan Mountain. I would also suggest that you add Yakcheonsa Temple, Bijarim Forest and Cheon-Wang Sa Temple to this list.
UNESCO Small Group Day Tour of Jeju Island - South Course - Also rated 5-stars, join a group as you venture to the stunning Hallasan National Park, Jusangjeolli Cliffs, Yakcheonsa Temple, Oedolgae, Cheonjiyeon Waterfall and Seogwi Dawon.
All of these tours are highly rated on Viator and are the best-performing experiences on the website, so you can’t really go wrong with any of them.
Trail leading up to Seongsan Ilchulbong
Other ways to get around Jeju Island
The most common way to get around Jeju Island is by rental car, and there are plenty of rental companies around the island such as Lotte and SK (SK’s website is still in only Korean, so you may have to use a translation app or simply email them). Other than that, Jeju’s public transport is not a bad idea, but they aren’t really catered for tourists as the buses don’t depart that frequently.
Where to stay in Jeju Island
From cozy guesthouses to relaxing luxury resorts - Jeju Island carries South Korea’s flair for memorable accomodation experiences. Here are handpicked hotels for you to stay in!
Where We Stayed: Ventimo Hotel & Residence
The Ventimo Hotel & Residence was the perfect place for our stay! It was new, clean, relatively affordable and central. Plus, it conveniently had free parking. We really loved the modern interior of the rooms and its proximity to amenities.
You can take a closer look at the Ventimo Hotel & Residence by clicking here.
Budget: Jeju Guesthouse
The Jeju Guesthouse provides such value for money for budget-conscious travellers! Located conveniently in Jeju City, it’s equipped with both share and private rooms, and is known for its friendly hospitality.
You can take a closer look at Jeju Guesthouse by clicking here.
Mid-Range: WE Hotel Jeju
The WE Hotel Jeju is a relaxing resort located in the tourist-centric area of Seogwipo. This is a great area to stay in if you want to be close to the major natural attractions on the island.
You can take a closer look at WE Hotel Jeju by clicking here.
Luxury: Grand Hyatt Jeju
When it comes to ultimate luxury in Jeju Island, the Grand Hyatt takes the crown. Located within twin skyscrapers in Jeju City, the Grand Hyatt features all the things you know and love about the Hyatt brand.
You can take a closer look at Grand Hyatt Jeju by clicking here.
1. It Looks Better in Real Life Than Pictures
Cheonjeyon Waterfalls, Jeju
Not that Jeju looks bad in photos, but I was shocked at how beautiful the entire island was in real life. From the blue hue of the waters around Hamdeok Beach, to the hypnotising cascading waterfalls (Cheonjeyeon, Cheonjiyeon, Jeongbang), and the unusual green landscapes around the island (Seongsan Ilchulbong, Mount Hallasan, Sanbang Mountain), I did not expect Jeju to be so pretty!
Hamdeok Beach, Jeju
Cheonjiyeon Waterfalls – not to be confused with Cheonjeyon!
If you’re wondering if Jeju will impress you, don’t worry – it will.
2. There Is Something For Everyone
Lunch break at Orda Café
Whether you’re an avid hiker, traveling with young ones, looking for a romantic getaway or some fun with friends – Jeju has everything. For example, hikers can take on numerous trails around the Mt Hallasan area, while children will have plenty to do by visiting various theme parks (Shinhwa Theme Park, Jeju Dinosaur Island, Dynamic Maze Jeju). The Hello Kitty lover would also love visiting Hello Kitty Island.
Black Pork Street, Jeju City
Trying Jeju’s famous black pork dish! Would recommend A+
For some romance, check out scenic café’s such as Orda Café or ONE AND ONLY, or gardens such as Camellia Hill, Yeomji Botanical Garden and Hallim Park. For a big feast with friends, head to Black Pork Street to try Jeju’s famous black pork. There’s truly something for everyone on Jeju Island.
RELATED: Inwangsan Hike Guide, Day Trip to Seoraksan National Park from Seoul, Guide to Alpensia Ski Resort
3. It’s Easy To Get Around
Dobu-Dong Coastal Rainbow Road
I’m originally from Perth, Australia, and Perth is usually considered one of the easiest places to drive. I find that driving in most places overseas is more difficult – however – driving around Jeju Island was super relaxing. The roads were wide and not overcrowded, traffic signals were easy to follow, and there was ample free parking in most major attractions. South Korean drivers are not aggressive and won’t usually cut you off or make dangerous manoeuvrers, so this isn’t much of a problem either.
Yakcheonsa Temple, Jeju
Getting to Seongsan Ilchulbong was super easy – free parking and wide roads.
If you’re getting close to driving over the speed limit, your car will most likely make beeping noises for you to slow down anyway – which is quite helpful!
4. It’s Not Expensive
South Korea isn’t the cheapest destination in the world, but it’s not that bad either. In particular, visiting Jeju will be a lot cheaper than visiting Seoul. You’ll find that prices for hotels and AirBnB’s are lower, food is cheaper, as well as entrance fees to attractions and local shopping. Even the taxis are cheaper here – a ride from the airport to my hotel in Jeju City cost less than 4,700KRW (about 3.30USD).
We landed and went straight to our hotel in a taxi – it cost us less than 3.30USD!
Jeju Island is often dubbed as the ‘Hawaii of South Korea’, but it’s good to know that it doesn’t come with the price tag of Hawaii! Luckily, a visit to Jeju will not break the bank.
Pilippines Dessert Café in Seogwipo
A Filipino-themed Bingsu cost us less than 7USD
5. Coffee with a View
White staircase at Orda Café in Jeju Island
What I loved about Jeju is the food and café culture. Much like the rest of South Korea, the cafés and restaurants here are just on another level aesthetically. Many café’s in Jeju not only offer tasty menu items, but they also usually come with a view or some other attractive feature. For example, Orda Café offered sweeping views of Seongsan Ilchulbong, as well as a white staircase that goes up to the sky – perfect for Instagram photos. Not only that, but their bakery products and iced coffee were so, so good.
Orda Café, Jeju
Happy days for Ralph at Orda Café!
Another great place to try is the O’Sulloc Tea Museum, which offers matcha versions of everything! Perfect for the matcha lover. Just next door, the Innisfree Jeju House (Innisfree, as in the famous skincare brand), also offers delicious bento boxes.
O’Sulloc Tea Museum, Jeju
Matcha everything! Trying out the green tea cakes at O’Sulloc Tea Museum.
Innisfree Jeju House
Ralph at the O’Sulloc Tea Fields
6. It’s Not That Touristy
Ralph at Cheonjeyon Waterfall
Jeongbang Waterfalls
Despite Jeju’s obvious charms and appeal, it wasn’t that crowded. Even at popular tourist attractions such as Dobu-Dong Rainbow Coastal Road, Yakcheonsa Temple, Cheonjeyon Waterfall, I was often the only one there. I also visited during Chuseok, a public holiday in South Korea!
Cheonjiyeon Falls, Jeju
Intricate details inside of Yakcheonsa Temple
While it’s true that Jeju’s attractions are well known to South Koreans, they’ve somehow gone under the radar with international tourists.
7. Perfect For a Weekend, Perfect For More Than a Week
Ralph at Hamdeok Beach
Whether you’re visiting just for a short weekend getaway, or looking to fill up a week or beyond – Jeju is well suited to any kind of holiday. If you only have two days up your sleeve, it’s still well worth it to visit. The main attractions I would recommend you visit are:
The waterfalls (Cheonjiyeon, Jeongbang, Cheonjeyon)
Yakcheonsa Temple
Hamdeok Beach
Manjanggul Cave
Songsan Ilchulbong
Jusangjeolli Cliffs
Seopjikoji
Orda Café
O’Sulluc Tea Museum & Tea Fields
Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market
Asher at Hamdeok Beach
Ralph at Jeongbang
Asher at Dobu-dong Rainbow Coastal Road
If you have the time, I would also wander through Jeju City itself and visit Black Pork Street, Dongmun Market, Jungang Underground Shopping Center and Chilsung Fashion Street.
Chilsung Fashion Street, Jeju City
Asher at Seongsan Ilchulbong
Got more time up your sleeve? you should consider doing these activities:
A day trip to Udo Island
Sanbang Mountain
Hyeopjae Beach
Mysterious Road
Hiking Mt Hallasan
Bijarim Forest
Spirited Garden
Visiting a maze (e.g. Jeju Kimnyoung Maze Park)
Jeju Love Land (warning – NOT appropriate for children!)
Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market
Views of Seongsan Ilchulbong
As you can see, there’s plenty to keep you occupied for more than a week. Whether you’re a beach lover, a hiker, someone who just wants to chill out at café’s, or looking for a feast – you’ll be able to find this all in Jeju Island.
Beautiful Seoongsan Ilchulbong
Asher at the O’Sulloc Tea Fields
Can you think of any other reasons to visit the beautiful Jeju Island? Let me know if you have any questions below!
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