Jeju Island Travel Guide — Volcanoes, Beaches & Haenyeo Divers

Why Jeju Island?

Jeju is a volcanic island 1 hour by plane from Seoul — and a completely different world. It holds three UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Hallasan Mountain, Seongsan Ilchulbong, and Geomunoreum), over 360 mini-volcanoes called oreum, and some of the clearest water in Northeast Asia. The island is also home to the haenyeo — women free divers who harvest sea urchin and abalone without oxygen tanks, a practice listed by UNESCO.

Recommended 4-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive & West Coast

• Morning: Land at Jeju Airport → pick up rental car (essential on Jeju)
• Lunch: Jeju black pork restaurant in Jeju City
• Afternoon: Hyeopjae Beach — snorkel in summer, coastal walks year-round
• Evening: Hallim seafood market for fresh raw fish

Day 2 — Hallasan Summit Hike

• Early morning: Seongpanak or Gwaneumsa trail (8–10 hours round trip)
• Summit: Baengnoktam Crater Lake — reservation required, worth every step
• Evening: Recover in Seogwipo with dombe-gogi (boiled pork, Jeju style)

Day 3 — East Coast Highlights

• Sunrise: Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) — UNESCO-listed tuff cone rising from the sea
• Breakfast: Haenyeo-run restaurant for sea urchin and seaweed soup
• Afternoon: Manjanggul Lava Tube — one of the world's longest lava tubes at a constant 11°C
• Evening: Sehwa Beach café strip

Day 4 — West Loop & Departure

• Morning: O'sulloc Tea Museum + Innisfree Jeju House amid green tea fields
• Brunch: Aewol coastal café district
• Afternoon: Return car, fly back to Seoul

Must-Try Foods

1. Jeju black pork (heukdwaeji) — fatty, umami-rich; dip in salt and fermented shrimp paste
2. Sea urchin seaweed soup — order at a haenyeo restaurant near Seongsan
3. Galchi-jorim — Jeju hairtail fish braised in spicy sauce; richer flavor than mainland
4. Okdom-gui — grilled red tile fish, mild and delicate; a Jeju delicacy
5. Hallabong / tangerines — peak season Dec–Feb; buy direct from roadside farms

Getting Around

• Rental car is essential: public buses run infrequently between sights
• International driving permit required for non-Korean license holders
• Book your rental car online before arrival, especially in summer
• Kakao Maps app: best for Korean roads and finding hidden oreum

Budget Reference

• Car rental: ₩30,000–50,000/day (~$23–38) including insurance
• Hallasan: Free (advance permit required on Seongpanak trail)
• Seongsan Ilchulbong: ₩5,000
• Manjanggul Lava Tube: ₩4,000
• Daily food budget: ₩40,000–70,000 (~$30–52)