Best Things to Do in Jeju Island, South Korea

Jeju Island sits 90 km south of the Korean mainland in the Korea Strait, a shield volcano that emerged from the sea and has been shaped by centuries of lava flows. The things to do in Jeju center on its volcanic heritage. Hallasan National Park (the extinct volcano’s summit at 1,950m is the highest peak in South Korea) has two main hiking routes: the Eorimok trail (4.7 km, 3 hours return, does not reach the summit crater) and the Seongpanak trail (9.6 km, 4-5 hours, reaches the crater lake at the summit). Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) is a dramatic tuff cone on the eastern tip of the island, rising 182m from the sea; the 1,000-step staircase to the top is steep but rewarding at sunrise. Manjanggul Lava Tube is one of the world’s longest lava tubes, stretching 13.4 km (1 km open to visitors), with lava pillars, formations, and the world’s largest lava column. The Haenyeo (sea women) of Jeju are a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — female free-divers who dive without equipment to harvest abalone, sea urchin, and other marine produce; demonstrations occur at the Haenyeo Museum and at specific village sites. The Jusangjeolli coastal cliffs (hexagonal basalt columns at the water’s edge, similar to Giant’s Causeway in Ireland) are in the southwest.

Best time to visit

April through June and September through November are the best months. Cherry blossoms on Jeju bloom in late March to early April, often 1-2 weeks earlier than mainland Korea. The summer months (July-August) bring heat, humidity, and crowds (Jeju is a major domestic Korean tourism destination); typhoons are possible August-September. Winter (December-February) is cold but beautiful, with potential snow on Hallasan’s upper trails.

Getting around

Jeju International Airport has frequent flights from Seoul’s Gimpo Airport (55 minutes; this is one of the world’s busiest air routes) and Incheon International. Rental cars are the most practical for exploring the island independently; most roads are well-paved. Intercity buses connect the major attractions but on a slower timetable. Electric bicycles are available for the coastal cycling path. The island is 73 km east-west and 41 km north-south — a day is not enough to see it well.

What to eat

Jeju’s cuisine specializes in black pork (heuk dwaeji — a native pig breed, grilled over charcoal in the galbi or samgyeopsal style), abalone (jeonbok, from the Haenyeo’s catch), Jeju tangerine (hallabong), and fresh seafood. The Dongmun Traditional Market is the best place to sample raw seafood (hoe — thinly sliced raw fish). Hallabong orange juice is available at roadside stalls across the island. Galchi gui (grilled hairtail fish) and sea urchin bibimbap are other island specialties.