Many people come to South Korea and miss out on Jeju. A hidden gem and the ultimate getaway for locals and nature lovers. I get it. It's a little further out and may not be considered, especially since you need to take a flight to get to the island, but trust me when I say it's worth it.
After spending a little over two weeks in South Korea, I can definitely say that Jeju was the highlight of my trip. I can easily see it as the place I would love to come back to over and over again. That's how much I loved it!
Jeju is Korea's largest island. There are many factors that make Jeju the ideal destination, especially if you are looking for breathtaking landscapes and a peaceful escape. For one, Jeju has a rich volcanic history. Natural beauty is everywhere to be seen. It offers a tropical atmosphere, almost making you forget that you're still in Korea.
Getting around the volcanic island of Jeju is most convenient if you have a car. You will need an International Driving License if you intend on driving, but you can easily get one before your trip. There are options to book tours if you want to avoid driving, however I chose to drive as it gave me the freedom to explore the island as I please.
Driving conditions were easy to adapt to, since there was not much traffic and roads were smooth, with the exception of speed limits constantly fluctuating. I recommend downloading the Naver or KakaoMap prior to your trip as Google Maps is not really handy when getting around Jeju.
When it comes to food, you can mostly find either black pork or seafood around the island, but there are still a few halal options. One of the first halal restaurants we tried is Wardah Restaurant, a Yemeni restaurant only a short drive from the airport. They have quite a few vegan options. There's nothing like comfort food and that is exactly what I felt we had here, however, I found it to be a bit too spicy for me (though everything we ate was absolutely delicious and packed with flavor!).
During my stay in Jeju, I often found myself constantly keeping hydrated with the island's fresh tangerine juice. Tangerine is the fruit of the island, and you will often find many desserts and treats made with it. It is better known as hallabong.
I visited in the month of September and found the temperature and weather to be perfect at that time. We split our time and days on the island by things to do, according to location. There is a lot to do in Jeju and despite spending only a few days, we did not manage to see everything. I would say we had a good balance of things to do each day, and managed to cover from North to South and East to West regardless.
On our first day, we took the scenic route! We started off with an early breakfast stop one of my favourite café stops, Café Del Moondo, which is right on Hamdeok Beach. They have a lot of pastries to choose from, but if there is one thing you must try, it is the peanut latte.
We continued to Hallim Park. We spent time at the botanical gardens and checked out the Manjanggul Lava Tube Cave. The caves require some walking to get to, but it felt cool inside the cave, so I didn't mind the walk. Though it is one of the largest lava tube caves in the world, there is only one area accessible to visitors. You can expect to see lava shelves and different transformations, which was a pretty cool sight.
Our next stop was the Seongeup Folk Village, where we learned about traditional culture. As we got to the village a little later in the day, we found it to be deserted. If you want to see more about the traditions and customs, you may be better off booking a tour. It was still pretty nice to see the village and the traditional tools used. The ancient village is well preserved and you can see the thatched roof houses dating back to the Joseon Era.
The next day was just as packed as the first. We preferred to get accommodation without breakfast as there is an amazing café scene on Jeju Island, with so many aesthetically pleasing cafés to visit. You may find more about it here, where I talked all about café culture.
If you want to relax on the beach or you are up for some water activities, you can consider stopping by Hyeopjae Beach. Other beaches you can consider include Jungmun Beach, Geumneung Euddeum Beach and Gwakji Gwamul Beach. We passed by.
I loved seeing the clear blue waters, each offering stunning landscapes. Other beautiful sights nearby that you can consider adding to your itinerary include Mount Hallasan National Park, Jusangjeolli Cliff and Cheonyejeon Waterfall. If you want to taste local food or purchase souvenirs, you can also consider stopping by Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market.
We made our way to the O'Sulloc Tea Museum and the Innisfree House. There, I spent a fair amount of time exploring the property, learning about the different skincare products and treating myself to green tea desserts. You can expect to easily spend a few hours if you intend on shopping or trying out some of their workshops. You can make your own natural soap or your own mask. You may also test out the many Innisfree products on display.
Since we had a car and we were constantly on the road, between the different areas of the island, we decided to change hotels along the way to avoid driving back to one spot. One of my favourite things about Jeju is the endless possibilities for scenic routes that you can take. Though there is a local bus on the island, it is limited and this means you may miss out on some of the best sights, hence why getting a car is the best option in my option. There are also tour options if you don't drive, however they will only take you to some of the highlights of Jeju and some of their top tourist spots.
Another restaurant worth mentioning that we visited was Jeju Ttukbaegi, for authentic Korean food. We also came across the Teddy Bear Museum. In the area, we found other museums, such as The Little Prince Museum and Chocolate Land. The area was pretty cool, since it had a 3D art installation and nice murals of the Grimm's Forest. If you are interested in learning about the island's geological history, you can make your way to Jeju Stone Park.
Looking for more beach escapes? If you have a car, you can drive to Udo Island in Northern Jeju, where you'll be greeted with more scenic landscapes. You can take a ferry to get to the island and turn it into a day trip. There is also a Maze Park if you are looking for a fun activity. In the Northern part of the island is also where you'll find the Aewol Coastal Road, known for its breathtaking views of the cliffs, beaches and blue water.
My favourite thing about Jeju has to be nature. Greenery everywhere. Different shades of blue. You can pass by valleys, mountains, beaches and volcanic landscapes, all on one island. My least favourite would be the constant change of speed when driving.
Jeju is full of beautiful spots, especially cafés. I feel like I spent the majority of my days exploring the cafés, and the more we visited, the more beautiful they were. We also went for a short boat trip, which was fun though we almost missed the boat since we got there close to their departure time.
There is a lot of activities on the island and some major tourist spots that we skipped out on, such as the Haenyeo - Women Diver Show. They are quite impressive, as these women dive 10 meters deep without any breathing equipment, to collect shellfish. You can find them in action at Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak). There is a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities on the island and plenty of things catering to different interests to keep you busy.
I loved the island so much and hope to come back someday to visit more than just their beaches, falls and forests. I hope to be able to explore more of its hidden gems and more of the café scene, especially since my list of places to hit was quite long and I missed a few.
Have you heard of Jeju? Let me know!
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