# Jeju: map, what to do and when to go

Volcanic island off South Korea's south coast, with Hallasan, seaside cones, lava tubes and coastal trails

Canonical: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/
Language: en. Extended author commentary and itinerary notes may remain in Portuguese. Dates below belong to individual sources; this is not live availability.

## Direct answer
- **Jeju: how do you get from the airport to Jeju-si and Seogwipo?** Jeju International Airport (CJU) is inside Jeju-si.
- **Jeju: how many days should I stay?** I'd stay four days in Jeju, with the first three nights in Jeju-si and the fourth in Seogwipo.
- **Jeju: how do you book the Hallasan trail?** Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa, the only trails that reach the summit, require a reservation in the park's official system.

## Jeju-si: the old capital and the memory of the 4·3
In the morning, take a taxi or bus to the 4·3 Peace Park, in Bonggae-dong, and set aside two hours for the memorial (check the hours on the foundation's website).
- Jeju 4·3 Peace Park
- Dongmun Market
- Jeju Mokgwana
- Yongduam
- Samseonghyeol

## East: the lava tube, the haenyeo and Seongsan Ilchulbong
Leave early by bus or car for the northeast coast (about 70 minutes by bus from the airport) and arrive at Manjanggul at opening, 9 a.m.; bring a sweater for the cold inside the tube. Avoid the first Wednesday of the month.
- Hallasan
- Seongsan Ilchulbong
- Manjanggul
- Haenyeo Museum
- Bijarim Forest
- Seopjikoji

## Seogwipo: waterfalls, market and the Olle 7 coast
In the morning, move to Seogwipo: bus 281 crosses the mountain along the 5.16 road, and the 600 limousine leaves the airport and passes through Jungmun. Leave your bags at the hotel.
- Jeongbang Waterfall
- Cheonjiyeon Waterfall
- Oedolgae
- Jusangjeolli
- Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market

## Hallasan
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-hallasan
Jeju · Half a day or more
The volcano that forms the island, at 1,947 m, is the highest point in South Korea and a national park. Only two trails reach the crater lake Baengnokdam at the top: Seongpanak, 9.6 km to the summit and about 4.5 hours up the east side, longer and with a moderate grade, and Gwaneumsa, 8.7 km up the north side, steeper. Both require a reservation in the park's official system, with a QR code sent by text message to your phone; the park asks for ID and closes the passage at the checkpoints in late morning or early afternoon, depending on the season. If you can't get a slot, or don't have the stamina for about 19 km round trip, take the Yeongsil or Eorimok trails to the Witse Oreum shelter, at about 1,700 m, without the lake. On the Yeongsil trail it is 3.7 km, about 1.5 hours, from the rest area at 1,280 m, which only vehicles of up to 12 seats can reach; if you arrive by bus you get off at the park office, at 1,000 m, and add 2.4 km of road, for a total of about 3 hours 15 minutes to Witse Oreum. From there the trail continues to the South Wall junction. The weather closes in fast up there: check the park's website to see whether the trails are open that day.
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## Seongsan Ilchulbong
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-seongsan-ilchulbong
Jeju · One to two hours
A 182 m tuff cone that rose from the sea in a shallow eruption thousands of years ago and is now joined to the island by sand and gravel. The paid trail climbs stairs to the rim of a grass-covered crater about 600 m across in 30 to 40 minutes; the free trail circles the base to Umutgae beach. The name means sunrise peak, and the opening time follows the light: it opens at 6 a.m. from November to February, at 5 a.m. in March, April, September and October and at 4:30 a.m. from May to August, with the ticket office closing one hour before closing time. It closes on the first Monday of each month. Adults pay 5,000 won.
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## Manjanggul
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-manjanggul
Gimnyeong-ri · One to two hours
A lava tube about 7.4 km long and up to 18 m wide, of which the public walks about 1 km to a 7.6 m lava column. The cave reopened on May 30, 2026, after two years and five months closed because of a rockfall in 2023: the open section now has a deck along its whole length and dimmer LED lighting. It is cold inside all year, around 12 °C to 14 °C, and a sweater is enough. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry at 5 p.m., and closes on the first Wednesday of the month; adults pay 4,000 won.
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## Geomunoreum
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-geomunoreum
One to two hours
The cone that produced the lava that formed Manjanggul and other tubes is the only oreum included in the World Heritage listing, and it can only be visited with a reservation and accompanied by a guide. Departures run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., every 30 minutes, with up to 50 people per group; routes are about 2.1 km (one hour), 5 km (two and a half hours) and 6.7 km (three and a half hours). Reservations open on the 1st of the previous month, at 9 a.m., and leftover slots can be taken on site. It closes on Tuesdays, on Seollal and on Chuseok; no sandals are allowed, and no food beyond emergency candy. Adults pay 2,000 won.
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## Haenyeo Museum
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-museu-das-haenyeo
One to two hours
In Hado, on the northeast coast, the museum tells the life of Jeju's women divers, who dive on a single breath to about 20 m to gather abalone, sea urchin and seaweed, and whose culture was added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2016. The objects on display were donated by the haenyeo themselves, and there is a reconstructed house and rooms on their struggle against Japanese rule. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closes on Mondays; adult admission costs 1,100 won.
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## Jeju 4·3 Peace Park
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-parque-da-paz-4-3-de-jeju
One to two hours
A memorial and museum dedicated to the victims of the uprising and massacre of 1948 and 1949, opened in 2008 in Bonggae-dong, in the interior of Jeju-si. The memorial explains the causes, the repression and the search for truth. It helps in reading the rest of the island: villages, caves and places such as Jeongbang and the Seongsan area hold 4·3 markers. Check the hours and closing day on the foundation's website before you go.
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## Dongmun Market
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-mercado-dongmun
Up to half an hour
Opened soon after liberation in 1945, it is the island's largest traditional market, with fruit, fish, herbs and clothing. The fish stalls sell cutlassfish hoe at reasonable prices, according to the Korea Tourism Organization, and at night the area around gate 8 becomes a street food market. It is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with hours varying by stall, and sits in the old center of Jeju-si.
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## Jeju Mokgwana
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-jeju-mokgwana
Up to half an hour
The island's former government complex in the Joseon period, next to the Gwandeokjeong pavilion, was rebuilt from excavations and is the best place to understand how Jeju-si worked as a capital. It is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; adults pay 1,500 won. From May to October there is free evening opening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., except Mondays and Tuesdays.
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## Yongduam
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-yongduam
Up to half an hour
A lava rock on the coast of Jeju-si that, according to legend, is a dragon that failed to rise to the sky, near the airport. It is a short stop that makes sense in the late afternoon of a day in the capital or between arrival and the hotel.
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## Jeongbang Waterfall
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-cachoeira-de-jeongbang
Seogwi-dong · Up to half an hour
A 23 m fall that drops from the cliff straight onto the rocky shore, near the center of Seogwipo; the island's official tourism site describes it as the only coastal waterfall in Korea that pours into the sea. A staircase descends in about five minutes to the base, between walls of columnar basalt. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5:50 p.m., with last entry at 5:30 p.m., and may close in rough seas or bad weather; adults pay 2,000 won.
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## Cheonjiyeon Waterfall
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-cachoeira-de-cheonjiyeon
Seogwi-dong · Up to half an hour
A 22 m fall at the end of a subtropical forest valley, a short walk from Seogwipo harbor, with a flat, well-kept trail. It is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with last entry at 9:20 p.m., and so works at the end of the day; the official guide highlights the night view.
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## Oedolgae
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-oedolgae
Up to half an hour
A rock pillar of about 20 m rising from the sea west of central Seogwipo, with pines on top. The official guide lists it as the starting point of Olle trail 7, and a stretch of this coast is the simplest way to walk the Olle without giving up a whole day.
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## Jusangjeolli
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-jusangjeolli
Jeju · Up to half an hour
On the Jungmun and Daepo shoreline, hexagonal basalt columns formed by lava cooling quickly on meeting the sea line up like a wall. The visit is short, and the hours follow sunset, generally 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the Korea Tourism Organization.
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## Yongmeori Coast
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-costa-de-yongmeori
Jeju · One to two hours
At the foot of Sanbangsan, tuff cliffs about 700 m long and 25 m to 40 m high were carved by the waves into layers and cavities. The path runs right along the water and closes at high tide, in waves or in bad weather: standard hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m., and it is worth calling 064-794-2940 or checking the official Instagram @6sot_official on the day. Adults pay 2,000 won. Sanbangsan, just above, has a staircase up to the Sanbanggulsa cave temple.
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## Hyeopjae Beach
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-praia-de-hyeopjae
Jeju · One to two hours
Pale sand, shallow water and the silhouette of Biyangdo opposite make Hyeopjae the best-known beach in the west and a favorite of families with children. The official season, with lifeguards, covers the summer, from late June to early September, with dates and hours announced each year. Outside it the beach stays open, without swimming service, and is worth it for the sunset.
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## Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-mercado-maeil-olle-de-seogwipo
Up to half an hour
A covered market in central Seogwipo, open all year, with fresh fish, citrus, omegitteok and hallabong juice. The roof makes it a good rainy-day plan, and at night part of it works as a food market.
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## Bijarim Forest
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-floresta-de-bijarim
Jeju · One to two hours
More than 2,800 bija trees, a conifer in the yew family, 500 to 800 years old, grow over 45 hectares in the east of the island; Jeju's official guide presents it as South Korea's largest natural forest monument. Route A is almost entirely flat and is the one the official site recommends for pregnant visitors, strollers and wheelchairs; B has stretches of stone. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry at 5 p.m.; adults pay 3,000 won, and no food or drink is allowed in, except water.
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## Saebyeol Oreum
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-saebyeol-oreum
Jeju · Up to half an hour
One of the best-known cones in the west, 519.3 m high at the top, reached in 20 to 30 minutes by a trail with steep stretches. In autumn the hill is covered in silvery grass. It is also the stage of the Jeju Fire Festival, in March.
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## Seopjikoji
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-seopjikoji
Seongsan · Up to half an hour
A headland on the east coast with grassland, rocks and a view of Seongsan Ilchulbong; in spring it is surrounded by canola flowers. It makes sense as an addition to Seongsan, not as a destination of its own.
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## Seongeup Village
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-aldeia-de-seongeup
Jeju · One to two hours
An old walled town in the interior of Pyoseon, a county seat since 1423 and inhabited for about 600 years, with preserved walls, traditional houses and short lanes, the olle, that lead from the street to each house. The whole village is national folklore heritage, and residents act as volunteer guides. Because it is a residential neighborhood, a visit calls for discretion and respect for the yards.
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## Hamdeok Beach
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-praia-de-hamdeok
One to two hours
On the northeast coast, about an hour by bus from the airport, the beach of pale sand and shallow turquoise water is a favorite of families. Next to it, the small Seoubong cone can be climbed in a short time and shows the beach and Hallasan from above.
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## Soesokkak
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-soesokkak
Up to half an hour
A gorge in Seogwipo where the fresh water coming down from Hallasan meets the sea and forms deep pools between lava walls. The way to see it up close is by boat: on the tewoo, Jeju's traditional raft, or in rowing boats for two or three people.
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## Jeju Stone Park
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-parque-cultural-da-pedra-de-jeju
One to two hours
A museum and ecological park in Jocheon dedicated to the island's stone culture, with dol hareubang, gate pillars and tomb statues displayed outdoors and a traditional thatched-roof house. It closes on Mondays and on January 1, Seollal and Chuseok; guided visits, lasting one hour to an hour and a half, leave from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a break at midday, and a reservation is recommended.
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## Samseonghyeol
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-samseonghyeol
Jeju · Up to half an hour
In central Jeju-si, a protected grove holds the three holes from which, according to legend, the founders of the Tamna kingdom emerged. There are traditional ceremonies on April 10, October 10 and December 10. The visit is short and fits into the same outing as Jeju Mokgwana.
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## O'sulloc Tea Museum
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/jeju/#g-lugar-o-sulloc-tea-museum
Up to half an hour
A tea museum beside large green tea plantations in the southwest of the island, with tea-related objects, a tea house and sweets made with green tea. It works as a break during the day in the west.
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**Jeju: how do you get from the airport to Jeju-si and Seogwipo?**
Jeju International Airport (CJU) is inside Jeju-si. Buses leave from the ground floor of the terminal. The old center of Jeju-si and Dongmun Market are about 20 minutes away by bus. For Jungmun and Seogwipo, the 600 limousine leaves in front of gate 5, from 6:00 to 22:40, at intervals of 16 to 40 minutes, and stops at several hotels up to the Seogwipo KAL Hotel; the adult fare ranges from 1,300 to 5,500 won, depending on the stretch, per the table on bus.jeju.go.kr.

**Jeju: how many days should I stay?**
I'd stay four days in Jeju, with the first three nights in Jeju-si and the fourth in Seogwipo. The first day is for the old capital and the 4·3 Peace Park, which explain the island; the second, for the east, with Manjanggul, the Haenyeo Museum and Seongsan Ilchulbong; the third, for Hallasan, with the reservation made the month before; and the fourth, for the waterfalls and coast of Seogwipo. Anyone with more time can add the west coast, from Yongmeori to Hyeopjae beach, in a day by car from Seogwipo, and Udo, preferably sleeping a night in Seongsan to catch the morning ferry. Fewer than four days forces a choice between Hallasan and the east.

**Jeju: how do you book the Hallasan trail?**
Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa, the only trails that reach the summit, require a reservation in the park's official system. The system releases next month's slots on the first business day of each month, at 9:00, and on the first day there may be a virtual queue. The QR arrives by text message to the phone you provided; without it, you don't get past the checkpoint. Cancel in the system if you are not going, because someone who doesn't show up without canceling is barred from reserving for three months, and for a year the second time. If you missed the window you can climb via Yeongsil or Eorimok to Witse Oreum.

**Jeju: how do you climb to the summit of Hallasan?**
Only two trails reach the crater lake Baengnokdam at the top: Seongpanak, 9.6 km to the summit and about 4.5 hours up the east side, longer and with a moderate grade, and Gwaneumsa, 8.7 km up the north side, steeper. Both require a reservation in the park's official system, with a QR code sent by text message to your phone; the park asks for ID and closes the passage at the checkpoints in late morning or early afternoon, depending on the season. Someone who leaves Seongpanak at 9:00 risks being turned back in the middle of the trail. If you can't get a slot, or don't have the stamina for about 19 km round trip, take the Yeongsil or Eorimok trails to the Witse Oreum shelter, at about 1,700 m, without the lake. The weather closes in fast up there: check the park's website to see whether the trails are open that day.

**Jeju: how do you get around the island by bus?**
There is no train or subway. The bus network has express lines between regions, blue long-distance lines and green local ones; according to the table on the official site bus.jeju.go.kr, adults pay 1,150 won with a card or 1,200 in cash on regular lines, and on express lines 2,000 won with a card up to 20 km, with a surcharge by distance up to 3,000 won; anyone paying cash on an express always pays the 3,000. T-money cards work on all buses: tap the card when you board and when you get off. Some lines do not accept cash. Line 281 links the Jeju-si terminal to Seogwipo along the 5.16 road and stops at Seongpanak, the Hallasan trailhead; it runs from 6:00 to 22:00, about 45 minutes from Jeju-si to the trailhead and 50 from Seogwipo. Plan routes on the official site bus.jeju.go.kr.

**Jeju: is it worth renting a car?**
For the west, the interior and the oreum, a rental car gets you more than the bus. Foreigners must present a passport and an international driving permit. July and August are high season and rentals get more expensive. The roads that cross Hallasan, the 5.16 and the 1100, are winding and get fog and snow in winter. Udo restricts the circulation of cars from outside: on the island, use buses, bicycles or a rented electric car, and check the official page for the exceptions (among them, chartered 16-seat buses and electric or hydrogen rental cars) before taking a vehicle.

**Jeju: how do you visit the west coast and Yongmeori?**
A day from Seogwipo, best by car. In the morning, the Yongmeori coast (9:00 to 17:00, last entry at 16:30, 2,000 won), which closes at high tide or in waves: confirm by phone at 064-794-2940 or on Instagram @6sot_official before setting out. Just above, the Sanbangsan staircase leads to the Sanbanggulsa cave temple. In the afternoon, continue along the west coast to Hyeopjae beach for the sunset behind Biyangdo; from there, the bus takes about 70 minutes to the airport.

**Jeju: how do you get to Udo?**
The largest of the neighboring islands is about 15 minutes by ferry from Seongsan or Jongdal; from Jeju-si, allow about two hours by bus to the port, or sleep a night in Seongsan to catch the morning ferry. It has a 17 km circuit, covered in two to three hours by electric bicycle, scooter or the island's bus. The island restricts the circulation of cars from outside; check the exceptions on the official page before taking a vehicle. The highlights are Seobinbaeksa beach, made of calcareous algae fragments, Hagosudong beach, the Udobong lookout, at 132 m, and the Geommeolle sea cave, accessible at low tide. Admission to the marine park costs 1,000 won for adults, in addition to the ferry, which may not run in rough seas.

**Jeju: when is the best time to go?**
April, May, October and November; from June to September the heat is humid, rainfall is higher and storms and typhoons are a risk, and in winter strong wind and snow on Hallasan change how you plan the trails.

**Jeju: do I need cash?**
Credit cards are accepted in most shops, but it helps to have some cash for market stalls and for the bus, where the transit card is the most practical method.

**Jeju: is it safe?**
South Korea has a reputation for high public safety, highlighted by Jeju's own official guide; on a trip to the island, the risks that weigh most come from nature and traffic. On Hallasan, altitude, distance and fast-changing weather cause exhaustion, falls and heart problems, and the park recommends that anyone who is unfit or has a chronic illness stick to the trails up to Witse Oreum. On the coast, waves and tide close paths such as Yongmeori and can suspend ferries; at the beaches, swim only in season and in the lifeguarded area. In summer and early autumn, follow the meteorological service's storm and typhoon warnings. Emergencies: 112 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance; the island's tourism hotline (064-740-6000) answers in English, Chinese and Japanese, and the national 1330 line also has service in other languages.


## In the Nilo app
- Plan these 4 days on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/guide/jeju/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-itinerary
- Mark your hotel on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/map/jeju/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-stay

## Full editorial guide (Portuguese)
https://nilopelomundo.com/llm/jeju.md