A trip to Korea just isn’t complete without spending a few days on Jeju Island. Also known as the Island of the Gods, Jeju Island is considered the Hawaii of Korea. It is a beautiful paradise with hiking trails, jungles, beaches, shopping markets, museums, history and more.
Island of the God’s: Perfect Jeju Itinerary Right Now
Keep reading to discover the perfect Jeju Itinerary for a weekend getaway. We have all the activities you need for a Jeju Itinerary for 2 Days, or a Jeju Itinerary for 3 days including how to get there, where to stay, and the best food on the Island of the Gods!
Where is Jeju Island?
Jeju-do Island is south of the Korean peninsula on a strip of land just 73 km/45 mi across and 41 km/25 mi from north to south. It takes approximately one hour to traverse the entire island in one direction, 2 – 3 hours to make it around the full perimeter.
The island is west of the Japanese Archipelago sandwiched between Japan and China in the East China Sea. It is surrounded by hundreds of smaller, uninhabited islands and coral reefs (as is all of Korea).
How to Get There
There are two ways to get to Jeju Island from Korea. One is by ferry and one is by airplane.
Ferry
A ferry ride is the most scenic slow travel and will offer grand sweeping views of the East China Sea over the course of 3 or 12 hours depending on weather conditions and departure cities.
Direct Ferries Departure Cities to Jeju Island:
- Mokpo
- Nokdong
- Busan
- Usuyeong
Important to Note: Many ferries do not offer seats. Guests are expected to sit on the floor. There are lockers for baggage, but the ride itself is experienced “picnic style”. More at Korean Rooftop.
Air
There are tons of airlines that offer direct flights from the mainland to the Island of the Gods. In fact, pretty much any of the many airports across Korea.
The route between Seoul and Jeju is the busiest in the entire world! On average, the number of annual flights exceed 76,460!
From Asiana Airlines to Korean Air, you can choose any airline.
Direct Airports Departure Cities to Jeju (CJU)
- Gimpo (GMP)
- Busan (PUS)
- Daegu (TAE)
- Gwangju (KWJ)
- Yeosu (RSU)
- Cheongju (CJJ)
- Ulsan (USN)
- Muan (MWX)
- P’ohang (KPO)
What is the Best Airline to Use
With so many airlines to choose from, it can be hard to narrow it down.
Our pick for flying to Jeju Island is Jin Air.
Jin Air offers direct flights for $15. Bags and seats are free, or you can upgrade for a few dollars. It’s really hard to pass up a deal to fly to paradise for $15!
When is The Best Time to Visit?
Jeju Island is beautiful year round with temperatures that very rarely dip below 50°F.
The winter months experience the least rainfall, but will also be the most tepid in temperature. The summer months will be quite rainy, but will be warm and sunny as well with temperatures reaching 85°F.
Late spring and fall are high in tourist activity.
Best Place to Stay on Jeju Island
There are four main areas on Jeju Island to stay.
- Seogwipo
- Jungmun
- Jeju City
- Seongsan
Seogwipo
We opted to stay in Seogwipo.
Seogwipo is located on the central south tip of the island in the harbor. It is near hiking, waterfalls, beaches, and most importantly within walking distance of Chilshimni Food Street (Food and Culture Street).
Jungmun
Close to Seogwipo is the neighborhood of Jungmun. It is a little more spendy than the harbor side of Seogwipo, and full of resorts. The plus side is that it’s also closer to the beaches with unrestricted views.
Whereas in Seogwipo, not everything (like the swimming pool) is included in your hotel stay, over in the resort area of Jungmun they offer more full service hotel amenities.
Jeju City
Jeju City is directly opposite Seogwipo to the north. This is the place for museums, shopping markets and city life.
This is where the airport is located.
Seongsan
Located on the east coast, Seongsan is the quietest and most remote part of the island. This is as close to country life as you’ll get on Jeju. It’s farthest away from the hustle and bustle.
If we came back, we’d probably stay in Jungmun. The area was closer to the beaches and felt less industrial. Though, we wouldn’t be able to walk to Chilshimni Food Street, so it’s a hard decision.
For our Jeju Itinerary guide we focus on activities in Jeju City, and the harbor and beaches of Jungmun and Seogwipo. If you have extra time, we offer additional activities that are worth visiting as well on other parts of the island.
How to Get Around the Island
Kakao Taxi is the main app for transportation in Korea, and it’s the best choice for navigating the island.
Renting a car that will be parked for the majority of your stay isn’t ideal. Taxis are cheap, and the bus system is even cheaper.
For a few dollars you can take a bus to your hotel from the airport, and from there hire a taxi to get you to the main points of attraction.
Restaurants are abundant and will be within walking distance of wherever you decide to stay.
Main Attractions on Jeju Island
No Jeju Itinerary would be complete without three main components.
- Food
- Jungle
- Beach
This is what most people come to Jeju Island planning to do.
But this isn’t everything!
You can spend an entire day hiking Mt. Hallasan for incredible views that are unparalleled. You can shop markets for souvenirs and items only found in this part of the world! You can visit museums and learn history that tell the story of a divided people.
Waterfalls, submarines, hiking, Korean BBQ, and fish markets round out the wonderful offerings of a Jeju Itinerary on the Island of the Gods.
Jeju Itinerary 2 Days
2 days on Jeju Island will offer you plenty of time to explore the best this little paradise has to offer. We recommend splitting your time between museums and history for day 1, and hiking and the beach for day 2.
Day 1:
- Dongmun Market | 3 – 4 Hours
- 4.3 Peace Park Museum | 4 Hours
- Chilshimni Food Street
From the airport you can hail a taxi to take you straight to Dongmun Market. This is a quick jaunt from the airport and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
Dongmun Market is a traditional market that has been a staple of the island for nearly 100 years. Historically, it was a fish market but has expanded to include textiles, black pork, vegetables and farmers’ goods, hallabongs and chocolate, street food and more.
It’s truly astonishing how many vendors are packed inside the halls and aisles. There is nothing that you can’t find here.
Family Tip: Be sure to try some famous Jeju peanut ice cream here!
Plan to spend no less than 3-4 hours here!
Heading south from Dongmun Market, your next stop should be the 4.3 Peace Park Museum.
This museum offers a self guided tour that will give you all the history of the Korean War and how North and South Korea became divided. It is a remarkable account told through words, videos, and pictures that includes the part that the Japanese, American and Russian forces played in shaping what is the current climate today.
There is both an indoor and an outdoor section, and we recommend a minimum of 2 hours for each.
From here, continue even farther south to the harbor and finish up your day on the Food and Culture street of Chilshimni Food Street.
There are three choices of food to pick from.
- Fresh Seafood
- Black Pork
- Korean Chinese Food
The Fresh Seafood is unparalleled, both in freshness, preparation and in price. We are talking $100 a plate.
The Black Pork is famous on Jeju Island and is served Korean BBQ style.
Korean Chinese Food is like no other type of Chinese food you’ve ever had before and will change the way you eat, and think about Chinese food forever.
Take your pick, you can’t go wrong, and you can come back the next day to try something new.
Day 2:
- Jungmun Saekdal Beach | 2 – 4 Hours
- Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls | 4 Hours
- Chilshimni Food Street
Whether you stay in Seogwipo, or Jungmun you’ll be in close proximity to where you want to be to spend the 2nd day of your Jeju itinerary.
Jungmun Saekdal Beach is a gorgeous stretch of beach with thick sand granules, warm water, and an easy tide.
There are showers, restrooms, and a restaurant on the cliffside if you get hungry. There are also lots of vendors that sell famous Beondegi silk worm pupae, and fun collectibles along with a visitor’s center.
After soaking up the sun, it is a short walk across the street to the Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls.
There are three waterfalls that make up Cheonjeyeon with a gorgeous white nymph bridge that crosses over the river.
The waterfalls are incredible, but they are a hike to get to. They are enclosed in the forest, surrounded by dense, gorgeous jungle with hundreds of stairs to each site.
While you may not be rock climbing per se, there is no wheelchair accessibility.
After your epic real life stairmaster routine on the Island of the Gods head back to Chilshimni Food Street and pick one of the three food options you didn’t try on Day 1.
Jeju Itinerary 3 Days
With one extra day, you’ll want to head to the harbor of Seogwipo.
Day 3:
- Jeongbang Waterfall | 2 – 4 Hours
- Cheonjiyeon Falls | 2 – 4 Hours
- Seogwipo Submarine | 2 Hours
- Chilshimni Food Street
Jeongbang Waterfall is the only waterfall in Asia to empty directly into the ocean. It requires walking down a set of steep stairs, and crossing big boulders to stand in its mist, but it’s a beautiful sight.
Located in the opposite direction of the harbor is Cheonjiyeon Falls, and is another gorgeous waterfall located on the harbor side of Jeju Island. It offers a peaceful stroll through a beautiful forest and offers lots of opportunities to see and study the entomology of the surroundings.
? Family Tip: Be sure to get a free stroller at the visitor center.
Also at the harbor is the Seogwipo Submarine which will take you 40m deep into the coral reef surrounding one of the outlying islands of Jeju. It’s one of the more pricey activities on this Jeju itinerary but it’s a unique experience and definitely one to remember.
? Family Tip: If you have more than 3 people in your party, make sure they give you a second viewing portal on the sub.
Extra Activities on Jeju Island
- Manjanggul Cave (East)
- Lava Tube Caves
- Hallim Park (West)
- Scenic Gardens and Folk Village
- Bijarim Forest (East)
- 800 year old nutmeg trees
- Seongsan Ilchubong Peak (East)
- Hydrovolcanic eruptions that created sunrise peak
- Hike Mt. Hallasan (Central)
- The very mountain that formed Jeju Island (hike takes 10 hours minimum round trip)
- Udo Island (East)
- Beautiful island off the east coast of Jeju island
► For Kids: Kids will love visiting the Island of the Gods. This Jeju itinerary is based with kids in mind, but adults will love it too. It has components of worldschooling, biology, ecology, and gastronomy. Not to mention, adventure and exploration too!
What does island life mean to you?
► What We Learned: Jeju Island has the best Korean food in Seogwipo!
What is your favorite thing to do on the beach?
► Nap-Time Version: The perfect Jeju Itinerary for 2 Days, or for 3 days including how to get there, where to stay, and the best food on the Island of the Gods!
Looking for more fun filled activities throughout Korea? Check out our 101 Actually Fun Things to do with Kids in Korea and don’t miss visiting an authentic traditional Korean bath house Jjimjilbang.
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