Jeju Insider

Disclosure: This post contains Creatrip affiliate links. If you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How this site makes money . Plenty of visitors come to Korea for one big event in Seoul, World Youth Day in August 2027 or the Fanomenon K-pop festival in December 2027, and then ask whether Jeju is worth the detour. It is an hour's flight away, and I think it is. This guide covers how to get from Seoul to Jeju, the one entry rule that catches people out, where to stay and a two- or three-day plan. Fares and schedules change often, so check before you book. Last checked 1 November 2026. Quick answer: Fly from Gimpo Airport (GMP) to Jeju (CJU) . It is about an hour in the air, and Gimpo–Jeju is the busiest air route in the world, so there are flights all day. Landing at Incheon? Take the AREX all-stop train to Gimpo (₩4,350 from Terminal 1, ₩4,950 from Terminal 2 with a transit card). Direct Incheon–Jeju flights exist but run only a few times a...

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy or book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How this site makes money . Jeju is the one place in Korea where a rental car really changes your trip: the oreums, the quiet beaches and the villages are spread across an island that buses cover slowly. I live here and drive these roads daily, so this is the guide I'd give a friend: the paperwork foreigners get stuck on, how to book, and what Jeju driving is actually like. Rental rules vary by company and change, so confirm with your provider before you pay. Last checked October 2026. Quick answer: You need your home driver's licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) from a Geneva or Vienna Convention country, and your passport. Most companies require you to be 21+ with at least one year of driving experience ; bigger vehicles often need 26+ and three years. Book online ahead (it is cheaper and cars sell out on holidays), take full in...

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy or book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How this site makes money . Before you land in Jeju you want three things sorted: mobile data, a way to pay for buses, and a map app that actually works in Korea. None of it is hard, but the first-timer mistakes (a Google Maps route that ends at the wrong lane, a T-money card you can't top up) cost an hour on day one. Prices below come from published 2026 guides and change often, so treat them as ranges and check before you buy. Last checked October 2026. Quick answer: Buy a data eSIM before you fly (your phone must be unlocked and eSIM-capable). Buy a T-money card at a convenience store on arrival and top it up with cash. Install Naver Map or Kakao Map and use Google Maps only as a backup. Keep some cash for taxis and small shops. 1. Mobile data: eSIM first For a Jeju trip of a few days an eSIM is the easiest option. You install it on Wi-Fi ...

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy or book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How this site makes money . Most Jeju guides tell you to "take a bus or a taxi" from the airport and stop there. I live in Aewol, about 30 minutes from the terminal, and this is the west-side version: which gate to walk to, which bus, roughly what it costs, and when a taxi or rental shuttle is the better call. Fares and timetables are as published in 2026 and change often, so check the signs at the airport. Last checked October 2026. Quick answer: From Jeju International Airport (CJU), the cheapest way to Aewol is express bus 102 from Gate 4 (about ₩3,000, 40–50 minutes, roughly every 25–55 minutes from morning to evening). A taxi to Aewol takes about 30 minutes and typically costs in the ₩25,000–30,000 range. If you are picking up a rental car, walk to Gate 3 or Gate 5 for the shuttle. Everything leaves from the ground floor, right outsi...

Updated October 2026. Fares and route numbers checked against Jeju's official bus information system. I live in Aewol and ride these buses when my car is in the shop, which is more often than I'd like. Jeju's bus system got a full overhaul in 2017 and most English guides never caught up. The routes are logical, the fares are cheap, and the whole island is reachable — but only if you know how the numbering works and a few unwritten rules. This is everything I'd tell a friend before they got on their first bus here. The short version Buy a T-money card at any convenience store (₩2,500) and load it with cash. Use Naver Map for routes and live arrivals. Google Maps will fail you. Tap in and tap out. Tapping out is what gets you free transfers. Red buses (1xx) are express; blue (2xx) stop everywhere. Pick based on whether your stop is big or small. Buses skip stops where nobody is waiting . Stand up, step forward, make eye contact. A newer island-style stop...

Disclosure: This post contains Creatrip affiliate links. If you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How this site makes money . The coast road near Gwideok, Hallim-eup — the stretch I drive every week. Written by a local. I live in Aewol and run a restaurant here, so this is the itinerary I actually give friends who fly in without a rental car. Most Jeju itineraries assume you have a car. Plenty of visitors don't — you're under 26 and can't rent one, you don't want to drive on the left-hand-drive-but-right-side-of-the-road thing, or you just want to look out the window instead of at a GPS. Good news: Jeju's bus network is better than most guides admit, and the west coast in particular is easy to do car-free if you base yourself in Aewol . This is a three-day plan built around buses, one taxi ride a day at most, and a lot of walking along the coast. It's slower than driving. That's the point. Before you go: the three t...