I recently came back from a spontaneous trip to the “slice of heaven” Jeju Island. One of the best things about being on exchange is exploring the country you’re in, and for me, that’s South Korea. As students with a low budget, no car, and limited time, we had to make the most of our three days there.
I genuinely believe you can make a trip to Jeju Island memorable even with a quick weekend getaway (as we have limited time as exchange students). I enjoyed it thoroughly, even when the Jeju Island weather forecast did not look promising. Jeju Island offers plenty of (low-cost) activities for those who want adventure and relaxation. What more can you ask for?!
This post will outline a three-day trip to paradise with many recommendations for activities, restaurants, and beaches on the island that you can do with friends. This post has everything from hostel recommendations to specific cities to stay in!
TLDR?
Stay at Seom Guest House and YesJun Hostels for a great experience! Book the Hallahasan hike for adventure, go to the waterfalls in Seogwipo and beaches, and use Jeju City for the shopping and museums. Use public transportation to save money!
Flight to Jeju
Most arrived on Jeju Island Friday morning and left early Monday morning, giving us three nights and around three full days of exploring. There are plenty of flights from domestic airlines if you are flying from Seoul, such as Jeju Air. Our flights were around 80 USD round trip. I would suggest booking in advance to save some money, but we booked ours around three days before, and this was the price – not too bad! Also, check for holidays and the weather; weekends such as Chuseok (a national holiday) will be extremely expensive, so beware when booking!
What to Pack for Jeju
I would suggest bringing layers! Jeju Island is known for being super windy, so a windbreaker and rain jacket would be essential. Don’t forget to bring flip-flops, a swimsuit, sunglasses, sunscreen, and maybe mosquito repellent. A towel would also be handy!
Where to stay on Jeju Island for three days
Since you only have three days, I suggest staying one night in Jeju City and the rest in Seogwipo. Both cities are on the opposite ends of Jeju Island, but trust me, it’s worth it! Jeju City is close to the airport and has lots of shopping areas, museums and more “city” activities, whereas Seogwipo is known for its beautiful scenery with beaches and nature. This way, you get the best of both worlds! Plan to first go to Seogwipo and spend your last night in Jeju City so you are close to the airport before your flight. They are around an hour and 45 minutes apart by bus (far, I know), but perfect for catching up on sleep after a long day of activities. On the flip side, you can take a taxi, which would only take around 40 minutes.
Seogwipo, Jeju Island
Seogwipo is located on the south of Jeju island and is known for its gorgeous scenery and calming atmosphere. On our first day, we arrived around 10 am, and took a bus straight to our hostel – Seogwipo Guest House. I can only say positive things about the hostel! It was clean, the view from our room was incredible, and the host was very kind. Upon arrival, you receive a towel and free wifi, and shampoo, conditioner and body soap are provided in the showers. Plus, there was free breakfast and a terrace to enjoy your breakfast on! You can book a female or male room with up to 8 bunk beds, which is excellent for a big group of students! It’s about a 10-15 minute walk from restaurants and a one-minute walk to convenient stores such as CU and GS25.
Jeju City, Jeju Island
Jeju City is where the airport is on Jeju Island, and thus, it is extremely useful to be close to the airport, especially if you have an early morning flight. My suggestion is to book this hostel on your last night. We stayed at YesJun, a 20-minute taxi ride from the airport (you can even hear the flights from the street!). Again, I can only say positive things about this hostel; it is clean and cosy. The host is helpful and there is a kitchen as well!
Activities in Seogwipo and Jeju City, Jeju Island
Waterfalls
Next, we visited three waterfalls! Jeju Island has plenty of waterfalls to visit, and this was definitely a highlight of our trip! The first one, Jeongbang waterfall is a 30-40 minute walk from the hostel. you need to buy a ticket in advance, but a youth ticket 18-25 is only 1,000 won, I believe! It’s worth visiting, but be sure to go before sunset as this one closes around 6 in the evening! Its a stunning waterfall and a great place to get your insta photos 🙂 The next waterfall is not too long a walk away, Sojeongbang waterfall; it’s about 10 minutes from it, and it’s much smaller in scale, and you don’t need a ticket. It’s kind of hidden, but you can easily find the route on Naver Map! The last one we visited is closer to the hostel, Cheonjiyeon waterfall, but it’s open till much later. It’s a calming walk, and this was one of my favourites! The little grandpa statues are all around them, there’s even a wishing well where you can throw a coin in and hope for your wish to come true! There is also a ticket fee for this waterfall, and I believe it was also 1,000 for the south ticket.
Yeongmeori Beach
We tried to go to the beach but didn’t know how windy it would be, so it was a bit of a fail… I’d highly recommend checking the wind and maybe planning on going when it’s a bit lower speed, but it is inevitable to avoid the high winds. The weather in Jeju Island is quite turbulent and often results in windy days like ours. We went to the beach nearby, and unfortunately, you can’t swim in the ocean there, but there is a beautiful view and the famous coast. Again, this was closed the day we arrived because of the wind, but there are cute cafes nearby and a famous temple up in the mountains, so there is always something to do!
Hallasan Hike
Mount. Hallasan is the highest peak in South Korea, and this is a must if you’re already on Jeju Island! You need to sign up for a slot beforehand and bring a form of ID and your ticket to the check-in. It takes about an hour to get there from Seogwipo with the bus. Make sure to bring lots of snacks and water! Also, be sure to check the Jeju Island weather to ensure there are clear skies! It takes around 9 hours to go up and down the mountain. We were lucky the skies were clear, and there wasn’t much wind, so take note of that when you choose to hike! The trail isn’t that difficult, but there are a lot of stairs, and if you have short legs like me – it’ll take you a while to get up and down! Going downhill was more arduous as the rocks were a bit slippery, but if you have good hiking shoes or a hiking pole, you should be fine. Also, bring layers as you get closer to the top, as the temperature drops! I’d also recommend stopping to see the crater and the observatory – it’s a beautiful view and is a perfect time for a quick break.
Museums
Unfortunately, we only arrived in Jeju City in the evening due to our beach fiasco, but here are a few things we had wanted to do but were unable to.
- Chocolate Museum
- Tea museum
Closing
Overall, Jeju Island is beautiful, and we only saw a tiny fraction of it, but we were still amazed by the sites we saw! If you do end up going, choose wisely about where you’ll stay and what you’re most interested in. P.S. Don’t forget to check the weather on Jeju Island! And remember, the wind is STRONG!