Jeju Island Bucket List: Top 10 Things to Do in Jeju

Fly just an hour and a half from the capital city of Seoul and you will arrive at South Korea’s resort island, Jeju Island or Jeju.

With breathtaking natural wonders and hundreds of unique attractions, it is no wonder that Jeju Island always comes out on top of the list as the best travel destination in Korea.

To help you get the best out of Jeju Island, we’ve compiled a bucket list of the 10 best things to do in Jeju – try a bit of everything!

1. Get in touch with nature in Jeju Island

When it comes to nature, Jeju Island has it all.

Named as 7 New Wonders of Nature in 2011, the island offers pristine beaches, waterfalls, oreums (volcanic cones), lava tube caves, and many more awe-inspiring natural wonders that are absolutely bucket list-worthy.

To help you decide which spots should top your list, we’ve picked our favorite five.

1) Hallasan Mountain: a dormant volcano at the center of the island with a crater lake on the top, surrounded by a national park with 368 parasitic volcanoes.
2) Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak): a 182m volcanic cone famous for spectacular sunrises.
3) Iho Taewoo Beach: a beach near downtown Jeju City famous for iconic horse-shaped lighthouses.
4) Manjang Caves (Manjanggul): the longest lava tube in Jeju with the largest recorded lava column in the world inside the cave.
5) Jusangjeolli Cliffs: unique volcanic rock formations that look like rectangular pillars near Jungmun Beach.

With so many destinations to visit in Jeju Island, you won’t be able to visit and see all of them in one day (especially if you are traveling by foot or public transportation!).

If you want to make the most of your time in Jeju, here are your best options:

Jeju Car Rental
Jeju Taxi Tour
Jeju City Tour Bus: Hop-On & Hop-Off 1 Day Pass
Jeju 1 Day Bus Tour (+Lunch)
Jeju Small Group Tour (+Lunch)
Jeju Private Van Tour
Jeju Private Mini Bus Tour

The following tours are temporarily unavailable.

Jeju West & East Coast 1 Day Tour

2. Visit unique museums

If this is your first time in Jeju Island, you will definitely be blown away by hundreds of museums scattered all over the island.

In fact, Jeju’s museums are one of the main reasons to visit the island. They certainly offer something more than the classic, boring ones you’ve visited before.

A. Arte Museum in Jeju

Arte Museum is Korea’s largest immersive media art exhibition that presents 10 new, colorful exhibitions through a mixture of light and sound.

Take memorable photos with creative and unique displays at Arte Museum in Jeju!

B. Jeju Nohyung Supermarket Media Art Exhibition

Nohyung Supermarket is a hug-scale media art exhibition that covers a total floor space of 4,000 square meters.

Enjoy a highly immersive visual experience and take stunning photos at Nohyung Supermarket in Jeju!

C. Jeju Natural Stone Art Museum

Displaying a massive collection of natural stone arts, Jeju Natural Stone Art Museum is one of the must-visit museums in Jeju Island.

Get Jeju Natural Stone Art Museum discount tickets here.

If you want to visit other interesting museums in Jeju, check out the below list:

3. Catch some waves

From snorkeling to kayaking, and many more, there is a wide variety of exciting water sports and water-based activities in Jeju Island to choose from.

Choose the perfect watersports or water activities according to your “water” personality!

A. Stick-to-the-basics

B. Adrenaline Junkies

C. Laidback Wanderers

D. Luxury Sailors

E. Underwater Explorer

Jeju Udo Island Submarine
Jeju Seogwipo Submarine

F. A ‘Reel’ Fisherman

G. Non-swimmers

4. Take time to smell the flowers

Jeju Island offers beautiful gardens and parks to wander through and immerse in nature. Here are the five best spots for an idyllic escape with your beloved ones!

1) Hallim Park: a popular park featuring 9 different themed zones such as Palm Tree Road, Jeju Stone and Bonsai Garden, Subtropical Botanic Garden, and two lava caves.
2) Ecoland: a family-friendly theme park where you can explore Jeju’s forests on an 18th century Baldwin steam train.
3) Ilchul Land: a theme park with botanical gardens, a waterfront park, a folk village, a cactus greenhouse, and a small lava cave.
4) Spirited Garden: a beautiful garden with the largest artificial waterfalls in Jeju. Many famous public figures including Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao from China, Nakasone from Japan, and many more visited the garden.
5) Camellia Hill: the biggest arboretum in Asia famous for its forest path and beautiful gardens of camellias.

SEE MORE: Jeju Central Park, Jeju Soingook Miniature Theme Park

5. Hit the trails

A. Walkthrough Olle Trails

In Jeju, there is a series of trails called Jeju Olle-gil, which leads through forests, volcanic cones, and many other best-kept secrets of the island. There are 26 routes in total in Jeju Island.

Read on the blog “All About Jeju Olle Trail” if you want to find out more about Olle Trail!

B. Hike up Hallasan Mountain

Hiking up Hallasan Mountain (Mt. Halla) and to its peak, at 1,950 meters (6,397 feet) above sea level, is one of the experiences you must have in Jeju.

The reward for hiking to the top is the sight of Baekrokdam, a lake-filled crater, and the magnificent view of volcanic cones in the surrounding Hallasan National Park.

It is relatively easy to hike Hallasan Mountain. The hiking courses are less than 10 km in length. Starting at the Seongpanak Entrance, the 9.6-kilometer (6-mile) hike to the summit takes about five hours. Take note that the weather changes constantly and it can be very windy while you are hiking.

6. Savor the authentic flavors of Jeju

If food is a big part of your trip, try at least one of these local specialties when you visit Jeju Island!

1) Jeonbokjuk: an abalone porridge made out of innards of the abalone and rice.
2) Heuk-dwaeji: a juicy and succulently grilled pork belly from Jeju’s native black pig, which is slightly more expensive than regular pork, but well worth it.
3) Jagalchi: a grilled or boiled silver scabbard fish.

SEE MORE: 9 Best Local Restaurants in Jeju Island.

Are you a Muslim traveler? Check out our list of “Muslim-friendly restaurants in Jeju”.

7. Drop by hipster cafes and fine diners

If you feel like you had enough local foods, enjoy fine dining at Maison Glad Buffet. Then drop by one of the trendy beachfront cafes with killer views of the island’s stunning ocean vistas. You can also relax your tired feet and feel rejuvenated at Healing Time, where you can experience the foot bath cafe!

Foot Bath Cafe Experience in Jeju Island

8. Head out for outdoor adventures

When you visit Jeju Island, never miss out on the adventurous activities and experiences that the island has to offer. Make your trip legendary with some of the best adventures below!

9. Soak Up the History and Culture of Jeju

A. Experience Jeju’s local market scenes

Experience the authentic local culture of the island at five-day markets or permanent local markets.

One of the most famous markets is Dongmun Market, located near Jeju International Airport. It is the largest permanent market in Jeju where you can find all sorts of indigenous goods and products such as Jeju citrus fruits.

Compared to other seafood restaurants and traditional marketplaces around, the price of the fish and seafood here is known to be relatively cheap.

SEE MORE: Top 10 Traditional Markets in Jeju Island

B. Time travel back to the late 19th century

Housing a folk village with over 100 traditional houses and 8,000 folk items, Jeju Folk Village Museum is a must-visit place for those who want to learn about the island’s rich history and culture.

Get discount tickets for Jeju Folk Village Museum here.

SEE MORE: Unique Ways to Fully Enjoy Jeju Island

C. Experience the olden time of Korea

If you want to find out how Korea looked in the past, visiting Fairy and Woodsman Theme Park is highly recommended. There are various exhibitions that show the lifestyle of Koreans in the 1960~70s. You can also try on the 1970s school uniform and take photos of yourself in the old-style classroom!

Get discount tickets for Jeju Fairy and Woodsman Theme Park here.

10. Explore Jeju’s other paradise islands

Though Jeju itself is an island, there are beautiful small islets nearby that are also worth traveling to.

Chagwido Island (west of Jeju): a tiny uninhabited island, just a short 10 minutes ride from Jagunae Harbor, famous as a boat fishing destination.
Udo Island (east of Jeju): a popular island situated 3.5 km off the coast of Jeju, famous for its pristine white beaches, particularly Seobin-baeksa Beach, and black lava cliffs.

Feeling inspired? Make sure you put these experiences and activities on your bucket list and cross them off one by one when you’re in Jeju Island!

To find more awesome things to do in Korea, visit Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop!