Jeju Island
South Korea South Korea 🌤️ 12°C · Now ★ Best Time Now

Jeju Island

South Korea

#Nature #Volcanic #Olle trail
South Korea

Jeju Island at a glance

Daily budget

$70+

Budget tier · excl. flights

Direct flights

From major hubs

CJU (Jeju International)

Visa

Visa-free 90 days

For most Western passports

Exchange

$1 ≈ ¥150

JPY · ECB rate

Best time

Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov

Now is ideal!

Climate

Maritime temperate (warmer than mainland)

Now 🌤️ 12°C

Local time

23:48

KST (UTC+9)

Language

Korean + Jeju dialect

limited English

Why visit Jeju Island?

Jeju Island is South Korea's largest island and a UNESCO triple-crown holder — World Natural Heritage 2007 + Global Geopark + Biosphere Reserve, the only place to hold all three. Volcanic origin gives it Mt. Hallasan (1,950m, Korea's highest peak) at the center, Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak — UNESCO crater 5,000 years old, sunrise hike iconic), Manjanggul Lava Tube (UNESCO 7.4km lava tube, world's longest), and 26 Olle walking trails along coast. Korean honeymoon + healing destination, with iconic black pork BBQ (Heukdwaeji), tangerines (Jeju gives Korea 30% of its tangerines), and haenyeo female free divers (UNESCO intangible heritage).

Iconic Jeju cuisine: Heukdwaeji black pork BBQ ($25-40 per person at Donsadon), Abalone porridge (Jeonbok-juk, $13-18 — Bansungdae canonical), Jeon haemul tang (seafood pancake hot pot, $20-30), Omegi-tteok (Jeju barley rice cake, $5-8), Hallasan Bo Ricky beer + soju ($3-5), Jeju tangerine juice ($3-5), Pork belly samgyeopsal ($15-25 per portion).

Bottom line: Jeju is Korea's volcanic island paradise + honeymoon destination. 3-4 days hits east + west + Hallasan.

Things to do in Jeju Island

Highlights

Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak)

UNESCO 5,000-year-old crater + sunrise hike iconic.

₩5,000 ($3.50) Open before sunrise (~5:00)-19:00 1 hour hike
Tip: Sunrise around 6:00 + 30 min — arrive 5:00. Bring jacket (windy).

Mt. Hallasan

1,950m Korea's highest peak; UNESCO. 5-7h round trip.

Free Trails open 5:00-12:30 Full day
Tip: Eorimok or Yeongsil trail easier; Seongpanak goes to peak. Reservation required for Seongpanak/Gwaneumsa peak.

Manjanggul Lava Tube

UNESCO 7.4km lava tube; 1km walking section.

₩4,000 ($3) 9:00-18:00 (closed 1st Wed) 1.5 hours
Tip: 13°C inside year-round — bring jacket. Closed 1st Wed of month.

Travel cost

Per person, per day (excludes flights)

Hostel + local food + public transport

$70

≈ ¥10,500 JPY

Per person / day (excl. flights)

🏠Hotel
43%$30
🍽️Food
26%$18
🚇Transit
17%$12
🎫Activities
14%$10

📅 Total cost by trip duration (incl. flights)

3 days

$280

≈ ¥42,000

5 days

$440

≈ ¥66,000

7 days

$580

≈ ¥87,000

Flight estimate: $80-300 from Asia (CJU world's busiest route from Seoul); $850-1,500 from US/EU via ICN (round-trip estimate)

💡Jeju needs car rental (₩50,000 ($35)/day) — public transport limited. Stay east (Seongsan) for sunrise + west (Aewol) for sunset. Heukdwaeji black pork BBQ is canonical Jeju dinner ₩40,000 ($28)/person.

Monthly weather

Currently in Jeju Island: 🌤️ 12°C

🌤️

Jeju Island now (May)

High 21°C / Low 16°C· Mild★ Best Time

Jan

🍂

9°

3°

Cool

Feb

🌥️

10°

4°

Cool

Mar

🌥️

13°

7°

Cool

Best

Apr

17°

11°

Mild

Best

May

🌤️

21°

16°

Mild

Best

Jun

🌤️

24°

20°

Pleasant

Best

Jul

☀️

28°

23°

Hot

Aug

🔥

30°

25°

Hot

Sep

☀️

26°

21°

Pleasant

Best

Oct

🌤️

22°

16°

Pleasant

Best

Nov

17°

11°

Mild

Best

Dec

🌥️

12°

5°

Cool

This MonthBest TimeOther

Practical information

Getting there
CJU Airport to Jeju City: bus 600 ₩5,000 / 30 min. Taxi ₩15,000 ($11) / 20 min.
Getting around
Rental car essential (₩50,000-80,000/day). International driving permit required. Bus 781/782 (East) + 781/782/731/732 (West) supplement.
Money & payments
KRW. ATMs at airport + Jeju City. Cards universal at hotels.
Language
Korean + Jeju dialect (very different from Seoul Korean!). English moderate at Jungmun resort area.
Cultural tips
Jeju has unique haenyeo (female free divers) culture — visit Haenyeo Museum. Cover shoulders at temples.

Money & payment

Currency

KRW.

Card acceptance

Universal at hotels + restaurants. Cash for markets.

Tipping

Not customary in Korea.

ATM

Woori + Citi at Jeju Airport free for foreign cards.

Recommended itinerary

Jeju Island 3-day route

Day 1 East Coast — Sunrise Peak

06

06:00

Seongsan Ilchulbong sunrise hike (1h)

Iconic UNESCO crater with sunrise views

09

09:00

Breakfast — Jeju traditional jeon at Seongsan

Korean pancakes ₩10,000 ($7)

11

11:00

Manjanggul Lava Tube (UNESCO)

1km walking section of 7.4km lava tube

13

13:00

Lunch — abalone porridge at Bansungdae

Jeju specialty ₩18,000 ($13)

15

15:00

Bijarim Forest + horse riding

Ancient juniper forest + Korean Jeju horse riding ₩30,000 ($21)

20

20:00

Heukdwaeji black pork BBQ at Donsadon

Jeju black pig pork belly ₩40,000 ($28)

Day 2 South + Central — Hallasan

07

07:00

Hallasan Mountain Eorimok or Yeongsil trail

Mt. Hallasan 5-7h hike to peak; trails free

🎫 14% off — Book lowest price
13

13:00

Lunch at Yeongsil — kalguksu

Knife-cut noodles ₩9,000 ($6)

16

16:00

Jeongbang Waterfall (falls into ocean)

Only Asian waterfall directly into ocean; ₩2,000

18

18:00

Jungmun Beach sunset

Black volcanic sand + Yongmeori Coast nearby

20

20:00

Resort dinner at Lotte Jungmun

Korean fine dining ₩60,000 ($42)

Day 3 West Coast + Departure

10

10:00

Hallim Park + Hyeopjae Beach

Tropical garden + emerald sea + sunset

13

13:00

Lunch at Aewol — Cafe Bombom (sea view)

Famous instagram cafe; brunch ₩15,000 ($11)

15

15:00

Yongmeori Coast (dragon head rocks)

Volcanic basalt formations + ocean views

18

18:00

Jeju City — Dongmun Market

Traditional market + omegi-tteok + tangerines

20

20:00

Final dinner — Jeju seafood at Sungsan-po

Conch + abalone hot pot ₩50,000 ($35)

Where to stay

Click each district to compare hotel deals

Jeju Island hotel price comparison

Compare Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com prices in one place

* Centered on Jeju City (north) — the most hotel-dense area in Jeju Island

Top tours & activities in Jeju Island

Top-rated by travelers

Frequently asked questions

Most common questions from travelers to Jeju Island

Q How much per day?
A

Budget $70, mid $140, luxury $310+. Pricier than mainland due to island logistics.

Q How many days?
A

3-4 days. East coast (Sunrise Peak + Manjanggul) Day 1; Hallasan or south (Hallim/Cheonjeyeon) Day 2; West coast (Hyeopjae + Aewol) Day 3; Olle Trail Day 4.

Q Best time?
A

Mar-Jun mild (15-22°C, cherry blossom Apr 5). Sep-Nov autumn. Avoid Jul-Aug (typhoons + crowds). Tangerine season Nov-Feb.

Q Visa?
A

Jeju has separate visa-free policy (30 days for most passports including China).

Q Safety?
A

Very safe. Watch for jellyfish at beaches Jul-Aug. Wind can be strong at Sunrise Peak.

Q English?
A

Moderate at Jungmun resorts. Limited elsewhere.

Q Famous food?
A

Heukdwaeji black pork BBQ at Donsadon (canonical ₩40,000/person), abalone porridge at Bansungdae (₩18,000), seafood pancake hot pot, omegi-tteok rice cakes, Hallasan beer. Aewol cafés instagram-famous.

Q Car rental?
A

Essential. ₩50,000-80,000/day. International driving permit required (apply at home country). Highway speed limits ₩100/km strictly enforced by speed cameras.

Q Sunrise Peak hike?
A

1km uphill trail; 30 min one way. Open before sunrise (~5:00). Bring jacket (windy at top). Sunrise 6:00 in summer / 7:30 in winter.

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