Jeju Island Travel Guide: Buses, Rental Cars and Sights (2026)

Jeju City is on the north coast, next to the airport. Seogwipo is on the south coast. Hallasan rises between them, and roads go around or over it, so north–south trips take longer than they look. Most visitors loop the coast: east for Seongsan, south for waterfalls and Jungmun, west for Hallim and Hyeopjae.

If most of your plans are in the south, stay in Seogwipo or Jungmun. For two or three nights with early flights, Jeju City is simpler.

By air. Flights to 제주국제공항Jeju Gukje GonghangJeju International Airport leave from Gimpo in Seoul, Gimhae in Busan and other domestic airports, and there are international flights too. There is no rail link to the island. Bad weather can cancel flights and ferries, so leave slack before an onward international flight.

Entry rules. Jeju has its own visa-free rule for many nationalities who fly or sail in directly and stay on the island. See visas and check your passport in the entry checker.

By bus

Jeju's buses take transit cards. T-money says its cards work on public transport nationwide (see transit cards compared). The Jeju Bus Information System lists these adult fares as of October 2026:

On express buses the extra distance is charged when you tap your card on the reader as you 하차hachaGet off. If you forget, you can be charged the maximum fare.

Limousine 800 runs from Jeju Bus Terminal via the airport to Seogwipo Bus Terminal. Unlike 600, it does not go through Jungmun. Many routes run only every 30–60 minutes. Plan two or three stops a day by bus, and check times in a map app (map apps).

By rental car

A car makes the coastal loop much easier. Korea's Road Traffic Act (Article 96) lets you drive for one year from your date of entry with an 국제운전면허증gukje unjeon myeonheojeungInternational driving permit issued under:

• the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, or
• the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, or
• an agreement between Korea and your country that recognizes permits or licences.

You can drive only the vehicle classes shown on the permit. Rental companies also ask to see your home driving licence and passport, and they set their own minimum age and driving-experience rules. Check these when you book.

Driving times from Kakao Mobility on 20 October 2026, without heavy traffic:

Taxis and hourly taxi tours are another option. Agree the hours, stops and total price in writing before you set off. See taxis.

Seongsan Ilchulbong

성산일출봉Seongsan IlchulbongSunrise Peak is a tuff cone that rises straight out of the sea at the island's eastern tip. It is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. The paid trail to the crater rim takes 30–40 minutes up stairs.

• Hours (Visit Jeju): 06:00–18:00 in November–February, 05:00–19:00 in March–April and September–October, 04:30–20:00 in May–August. Tickets stop an hour before closing.
• Closed: the first Monday of every month (the next day if that Monday is a public holiday).
• Adult ticket: ₩5,000.

Hallasan

한라산HallasanMount Halla is Korea's highest peak, with the Baengnokdam crater lake at the top. The summit trails are Seongpanak (성판악SeongpanakSeongpanak) and Gwaneumsa. Both need a booking on the official Hallasan reservation site.

• When booking opens: 09:00 on the first working day of the month before your hike. For example, January 2026 hikes opened on 1 December 2025. Popular dates sell out on the first morning.
• ID check: staff check ID against the booking at the trailhead, so carry your passport. Notices from June 2026 warn that resold QR codes lead to a one-year ban.
• Cut-off times: you must start before the trailhead closes. For Seongpanak, the official table shows 11:30 in October–March and 12:30 in April–September. The same page also shows an older table with later times, so plan to start early.
• Gwaneumsa: the top section reopened on 24 September 2026 after rockfall repairs.
• Closures: the reservation page lists Tuesday as a "rest day". Trails close on Seollal and Chuseok and in bad weather. Check the calendar before you plan a Tuesday hike.
• Getting there: Seongpanak's car park fills very early. Bus 281 (Jeju Bus Terminal – 5.16 Road – Seogwipo Bus Terminal) stops there.

Shorter trails such as Yeongsil and Eorimok lead to Witse Oreum, below the summit, and have their own cut-off times.

Udo Island

우도UdoUdo Island is a small island off Seongsan, reached by ferry from Seongsan Port. Check the day's sailings before you go, because wind can stop them.

The south coast: Seogwipo and Jungmun

Seogwipo has waterfalls close to the sea, such as Jeongbang Falls, and several Jeju Olle walking routes pass along this coast. Jungmun, about 20 minutes' drive west, has resort hotels and a beach. Limousine 600 links both with the airport.

The west coast: Hallim and Hyeopjae

협재해수욕장Hyeopjae HaesuyokjangHyeopjae Beach is a west-coast beach about 40 minutes' drive from the airport. The Aewol coast is on the way back to Jeju City.

Jeju Olle Trail

The 제주올레길Jeju Olle-gilJeju Olle Trail is a set of numbered walking routes that circle the island along coast and village lanes. Route maps are on the Jeju Olle Foundation site. Visit Jeju notes that Seongsan Ilchulbong is on Route 1.

Visit Jeju calls black pork a Jeju speciality, and seafood restaurants line the coast. For Jeju in September 2026, the Korea Consumer Agency lists these average prices: kimchi-stew set meal ₩9,625, bibimbap ₩10,500, naengmyeon ₩9,750, grilled pork belly ₩17,944 for 200 g. Tips for ordering are in ordering at a restaurant.

• Spring: mild, with flower fields along the coast. Hallasan's later cut-off times start in April.
• Summer: beach season, humid, and the busiest time. Seongsan Ilchulbong opens from 04:30 in May–August. Typhoons can cancel flights and ferries in late summer.
• Autumn: clear days for hiking and driving. Hallasan cut-off times move earlier from October.
• Winter: windy, with snow and ice on Hallasan. Bring proper winter hiking gear for the summit.

Monthly weather is in weather by month.

By bus, cut this to Seongsan in the morning and Seogwipo in the afternoon. Costs for meals and transport are in the budget guide.