30 Awesome Things To Do In Jeju Island South Korea

Jeju Island is my favorite destination in South Korea. I’ve traveled around the island, exploring from the Eastern to the Western side. The island is so stunning and has several beautiful landmarks.

In this article, I’ll share my experience and show you the best things to do in Jeju that you will love. You’ll find a map with the list of best places to visit in Jeju island at the end of the article.

1. Visit Jeongbang Waterfalls

Located in the South of Jeju Island, Jeongbang Falls is among the top three famous waterfalls on the island. A unique feature of Jeongbang Falls is that the water goes directly into the sea. 

After purchasing the entrance ticket, you’ll need to walk downstairs to reach the waterfall.

It usually takes about 5 minutes, but you might find yourself stopping many times along the way to enjoy the fantastic view!

• Address: 36, Chilsimni-ro 214beon-gil, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do.
• Opening hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily.

Tips

• Wear comfortable shoes as the stones near the waterfall may be slippery.
• Pack some snacks and water with you.

Getting around Jeju: Renting a car in Jeju gives you the freedom to roam Jeju’s natural wonders as you please. But if you wish to leave the planning to someone else, Jeju tour is the way to go.

2. Visit Aqua Planet

Aqua Planet Jeju in Seogwipo is one of the largest aquariums in Asia.

The aquarium has more than 48,000 animals and plants of around 500 species, with excellent educational, cultural, and entertainment programs. It was great to see so many different types of fish, sharks, penguins, and even dolphins.

The drive from Jeju Airport to Aqua Planet is around 1 hour and 10 minutes, and you will pass by small towns with beautiful views.

You should book your Aqua Planet tickets online for a discount. We spent a few hours here so it was worth it!

• Address: 95, Seopjikoji-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, Korea
• Opening hours: 10 am to 7 pm from Monday to Sunday, with the last admission at 6:30 pm.
• How to get there: From Jeju airport, you can take express bus No. 110 or 110-1 and transfer to No. 721-1/721-2/721-3 at Seongsan Transfer Stop (성산환승정류장). Then, get off at Seopjikoji Beach and walk for 10 minutes to Aqua Planet.

3. See NANTA Show

Be amazed at NANTA Show, a kitchen-based performance combining music, acrobatics, martial arts, and culinary.

This fascinating 90-minute show entertains its audience with the comedic culinary experience of four cooks under pressure. The performers are well-prepared, energetic, and fun. We laughed a lot throughout the show!

You can book your tickets online with a discount. After purchasing, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a voucher. Show your voucher at the theater and exchange it for a physical ticket.

• Address: Jeju Nanta Theater 56-26 Seondolmokdong-gil, Ara-dong, Jeju, Jeju-do
• Schedule: 5 pm from Monday to Sunday.
• How to get there: Bus No. 441-1 or 441-2, get off at Jeju Starlight World Park (제주별빛누리공원).

4. Wander around Camellia Hill

You should not leave Jeju island without visiting Camellia Hill. The park is charming with colorful flower fields, especially the blooming brightly-colored Camellia and Hydrangea flowers.

• Address: 166 Byeongang-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju.
• Opening hours: 8:30 am to 6 pm from Monday to Sunday.
• How to get there: You can take the bus no. 752-1 and get off at Dongbaek Hill bus stop. The park is about 100m from the bus stop. Check the map for assistance.

5. Enjoy a thrilling cart riding experience

Head to Wind 1947 Jeju Extreme Circuit for a fun and memorable time and get your hand on one of their classic vintage carts.

Here, you can ride alone on one of the longest track courses in South Korea while seeing Mount Hallasan’s view.  

• Address: 78-14 Topyeonggongdan-ro, Topyeong-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea.
• Opening hours: 10:00 am to 6:30 pm from Monday to Sunday, with the last admission at 5:30 pm.
• How to get there: You can take the bus no. 612 and get off at Lightning Museum Jeju bus stop. The venue is 270m from the bus stop. Please check the map for help.

6. Visit Jeju Folk Village

Visiting Jeju Folk Village should be on your list of things to do on Jeju island.

Seongeup Folk Village is a small town located at the foot of Hallasan Mountain, and the houses here have black lava rock walls with curvy alleys to block the wind. You can find the local black-haired pigs here, as well.

You can learn more about Seongeup Folk Village in my article. 

• Address: 104, Seongeupjeonguihyeon-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
• Tips: If you join the Eastern Jeju tour, you can get a chance to meet the local guide here and understand more about Folk village culture.

7. Observe the Oedolgae

Oedolgae Rock was formed when a volcano erupted about 150,000 years ago. Its name means “lone rock pillar,” and that’s very much true.

To get there, you have to walk a trail. That’s even more amazing. It’s a part of Olle Trail route 7. The surrounding area is a popular fishing spot, and you might spot people doing scuba diving.

• Address: 791, Seohong-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do.
• Tips: Don’t forget to bring water and snacks while walking along the trail. There are some spots along the way that you can buy in case you forget. 

8. Be amazed at Jusangjeolli Cliff

Jusangjeolli Hexagon Lava Cliff was formed between 250,000 and 140,000 years ago when lava from Hallasan Mountain poured into the Jungmun sea.

The resulting rock formations are perfectly hexagonal. Visiting here, you can listen to the sound of the wave hitting the lava cliff while enjoying the breathtaking view.

• Address: 36-30, Ieodo-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
• Read more: You can learn more about Jusangjeolli Cliff in my travel guide.

9. Enjoy Jeju Woman diver show

Jeju woman diver show is a UNESCO Intangible cultural asset. These women dive into the ocean water without any underwater diving equipment to gather seafood.

As they perform only twice a day (1:30 pm and 3 pm daily) at Seongsang Ilchubong, you should plan so you won’t miss the performance. It takes 10 minutes to walk from the main entrance to the performance area.

For a hassle-free trip, you can join the Eastern Jeju tour, to watch the famous Haenyeo female divers in action.

• Address: 26, Haenyeobangmulgwan-gil, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
• Read more: Learn more about the Jeju woman diver show here.
• Show schedule: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm and 3 pm – 4 pm.

10. Trek Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak

Before or after watching Jeju woman diver show, you can hike up Seongsan Ilchulbong to reach the peak.

After a comfortable 20 – 25 minute climb up, the gorgeous views over the sea and island await.

If you don’t want to reach the peak, wandering around the hill is a lovely experience. The mountain itself is stunning and a great place to take photos.

• Tips: You can read my hiking guide to Seongsan Ilchulbong for more details.
• Address: 284-12, Ilchul-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do

11. Trek Mount. Halla

Trekking Hallasan Mountain, the highest mountain in South Korea, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There are several hiking routes, and you can go to the peak and back in one day.

If you don’t have much time, you can walk the Eoseungsaengak trail instead.

Located in Hallasan Mt., Eoseungsaengak is 1,169m above sea level. It takes approximately 30 minutes to get to the peak.

There are many wooden steps up the trail and some turns, and most of the time, you are surrounded by trees, so you may feel like you’re in the forest.

• Tips: Don’t forget to bring water and snacks with you.
• Read more: Check my Hallasan Mountain guide for more details on routes, opening hours, and tips.

12. Stroll around Hueree Park

Hueree Park is another excellent park to visit on Jeju island. Stroll around the park and enjoy the natural beauty and fresh air.

• Address: 256 Sillyedong-ro, Namwon-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea.
• Opening hours: 9 am to 5:30 pm from April to September and 9 am to 4:30 pm from October to March.

13. Walk along Hyeopjae & Geumneung Beach

Looking for a beach destination? Head to Hyeopjae & Geumneung Beach!

Hyeopjae is one of the most beautiful beaches on Jeju island, famous for its white sand and clear water. It also has plenty of good restaurants and coffee shops nearby.

Located next to Hyeopjae beach, Geumneung is an absolutely stunning beach with a great view of Biyangdo Island.

Crystal clear water with white sand coast and not many tourists around make this beach a sweet spot to escape the crowd. Also, the water is shallow enough to walk in.

14. Visit Hallim Park

A trip to Hallim Park should be on your list of things to do in Jeju, South Korea.

Located about 33km west of Jeju city, Hallim park has a great combination of nature and culture. It takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours to see the garden as it’s enormous.

The most famous sites are two caves (Ssangyonggul Cave and Hyeopjaegul Cave) that feature both a lava tube and a limestone cave.

You can spend an excellent time strolling around the nine different themed gardens, seeing various types of plants, flowers, and trees. There’s also a small zoo with turtles, snakes, peacocks, and other birds.

Also, you shouldn’t miss the folk village near the Bonsai garden. You can learn about Jeju folk village culture and see the traditional houses.

At the folk village, you can find a Korean food restaurant and a small food court nearby selling ice cream, drinks, and beer. There is also a herb cafe in the park selling herbal teas.

•  Address: 300, Hallim-ro, Hallim-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
• Opening hours: 
  • March-September 08:30 am – 7 pm
  • October-February 08:30 am – 6 pm
  • Summer peak season (July 15-August 20) 08:30 am – 7:30 pm.
• Read more: I’ve written a detailed guide to Hallim Park. Check it out to plan for your visit!
• Tour: You can join Jeju Western tour to explore Hallim Park and Spirited Garden.

15. Take the Sanbang Mountain cruise

Taking a thrilling cruise to Sanbangsan is an exciting thing to do in Jeju.

From the cruise, you can enjoy the beautiful view of UNESCO-listed Jeju Global Geopark Sanbangsan. Also, you can see the double-crater volcano –  Songaksan Volcano.

To take the cruise, you can join Jeju Western tour and discover the beauty of Dragon Head Coast, Mt. Sanbang, and Mt. Songak.

16. See Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls

Cheonjeyeon Falls, known as The Pond of God, consists of 3 sections. 2 of them have water, and one only has water when it rains.

The area is a beautiful place to chill and relax as you can enjoy the beauty of beautiful nature. The view from the bridge near the entrance is astonishing, and it’s worth visiting both waterfalls.

Although there are many stairs and walking, the experience is worth it.

• Address: 132, Cheonjeyeon-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea.
• Opening hours: 9 am to 5:30 Monday to Sunday.
• Read more: Check out my Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls to plan for your trip.

17. Try Jeju Horseback Riding

Joining Jeju Horseback Riding is an exciting thing to do in Jeju.

Jeju island is an excellent place to breed horses with its vast green lands, and Jeju horses are famous for their distinctive genetics due to their isolation and domestication.

So, you can understand more about Jeju Culture while participating in Jeju Horseback riding activity.

18. Wander along Gwangchigi Beach

Gwangchigi Beach is a great natural attraction on Jeju island. Wandering along Gwangchigi Beach, you can view the entire scene of Seongsan Illchulpeak.

Near the areas are trendy cafes and restaurants and Aqua Planet Aquarium.

• Address: 224-33, Goseong-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, Korea.

19. Explore Manjanggul Cave

Designated as a natural monument, Manjanggul Cave is one of the longest lava tunnels in the world. It will be a huge miss if you don’t visit the lava tube on your trip to Jeju island.

Manjang Cave was formed 200,000 to 300,000 years ago due to volcanic activity. Currently, you can only visit 1km of this tunnel, even though the whole system is about 13 km long.

Some parts are pretty slippy, and there are small puddles of water here and there, but walking is safe.

Tips: As the ground is uneven, you should bring a decent pair of walking shoes when visiting this cave. Also, don’t forget to bring a light jacket as the temperature is low inside the cave. For more tips, check out my detailed guide to Manjanggul cave.

20. Have fun at Alive Museum

Alive Museum Jeju Island specializes in optical illusions, great for taking photos.

This museum is an excellent place if you enjoy art and creative activities. The walls are covered in remarkable paintings, and visitors can use creative poses to get funny photographs!

Although each picture has instructions, you’re encouraged to be creative and use your style. From fighting with a dangerous snake to becoming an angel, your adventure awaits.

• Address: 42, Jungmungwangwang-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
• Opening hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily.

21. Visit Jeju Toy Park

Activate your inner childhood experience with a visit to Jeju Toy Park Museum. The museum exhibits an extensive collection of toys, including Marvel and Gundam figures, LEGO models of iconic characters, and more.

• Address: 267-7 Donggwang-ro Andeokmyeon Seogwipho-si Jeju-do.
• Opening hours: 9 am to 8 pm from Monday to Sunday, with the last admission at 7:10 pm.
• How to get there: From Jeju Airport, you can take bus No. 365 and get off at Halla General Hospital station. Then take bus No. 282 at Halla General Hospital station and get off at Wonmum Oreum(원물오름) station and walk 150 meters to the toy park.

22. Visit Pororo & Tayo Theme Park

Another fun place to visit for families with kids in Jeju is Pororo & Tayo Theme Park.

The park is spacious, and you can spend the whole day here with the kids. The park has an outdoor attraction, a maze park, and an indoor and outdoor animal experience center.

23. Enjoy O’sulloc Green tea field

With its vibrant green tea fields, the O’Sulloc Green tea field is a popular destination on Jeju island for tea lovers.

The blue sky contrasted with the gorgeous green color of the tea is spectacular, an excellent place for memorable Jeju photos!

• Address: 425, Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju, South Korea.

24. Visit O’Sulloc Innisfree Jeju House

You shouldn’t miss the O’Sulloc Tea Museum near the field. At the O’Sulloc Tea Museum, you can learn about the history of O’Sulloc and Korean Tea Culture.

There is a fascinating exhibition of cups and teapots used in Korea during the ancient dynasties.

Also, the museum is an excellent place to purchase good quality tea and other good quality souvenirs. There’s a cafe with a great view. I tried the green tea ice cream, and it was delicious!

Address: 15 Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju-do, South Korea

25. Visit Innisfree Jeju House

If you’re a fan of Innisfree, don’t forget to stop by Innisfree Jeju House, located next to O’Sulloc Tea Museum. It has some exclusive products which are not available in other outlets.

Soap-making activity is a fun activity for all ages. You can bring home our customized souvenir after joining the soap-making session.

There’s also a lovely cafe at Innisfree Jeju House that offers organic food.

• Address: 425, Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
• Open Hours: 9 am to 7 pm (summer) or 6 pm (winter)

26. Explore the Chocolate museum

The chocolate museum is another interesting place to visit on Jeju island. Here, you can enjoy the delicious flavors of chocolate while learning stories and facts about chocolates around the world.

• Address: 551-18 Ilgwa-ri, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea.
• Opening hours:
  • April to July and September to October: 10:30 am to 6 pm.
  • August: 10:30 am to 7 pm.
  • November to March: 10:30 am to 5 pm.
  • Last admission: 15 minutes before closing
• Ticket price: ₩ 6,500 ($5).

27. Try Black pork BBQ

Do you know a street in Jeju city named after this dish?

If you visit the city center of Jeju city, you can find Black Pork street or Dombedon in Korean. The streets are full of restaurants serving its most famous dish – Black pork BBQ.

What is Black pork BBQ?

The Jeju Black Pig is a breed of domestic pig found only on Jeju island. It’s known for providing lots of nutrients.

28. Visit at Jeju Dongnum Market

What to do in Jeju at night?

Exploring the Jeju Dongnum market is a fun thing to do in Jeju at night. Although the shops open until 9 pm, you can still enjoy local food at the food stands until 11 pm.

Be prepared to line up for your food as some stands are crazily busy (which means they are good, I suppose!)

29. Be naughty at Jeju Loveland

Why not spend a morning at Loveland if you’re into quirky stuff?

Loveland is a sculpture theme park based on sensuality and eroticism. A group of Hongik university students created this park to present their projects. Please note that visitors must be over 20 years old to use the facilities.

• Address: 2894-72, Cheonbaengi-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
• Ticket prices: KRW 12,000
• Open hours: 9:00 am to midnight, with the last admissions at 11 pm.

30. See Mysterious Road

Can you believe there’s a road where you don’t need to turn on the engine to climb the hill? As a result of a natural optical illusion, things on this road seem to roll uphill!

My bus went slowly up the road without any effort. The best way to experience it is to get out of your car, take a bottle and see as it slowly goes up, seemingly defying gravity.

Touring Jeju

You can join most of these activities with a day tour. The tours are divided into West Course, East Course, and South Course.

The tour includes pick-up and drop-off service from your hotel, a tour guide, attraction entry tickets, and lunch.

I joined all three courses and had a great time. A minor downside of this tour is that you must rush from place to place, as each course covers five different areas daily.

Where to stay in Jeju?

Yeha Guest House is a lovely place to stay in Jeju city. I stayed there for five days in a private room, and the location was excellent.

You can walk to the Jeju Bus terminal within 2 minutes. Also, from Yeha Guest House, you can take a taxi to the night market and center within 15 minutes.

4G wifi in Jeju

I recommend buying a 4G sim card while traveling in South Korea, or Jeju specifically.

As everything is written in Korean, and most people are not good at English, having a 4G connection will help you greatly while traveling to Jeju.