First Time in… Jeju?

Welcome to my first timer guides! Each month I’m sharing short, succinct posts for anyone who’s headed to a destination for the very first time. This round is all about Jeju — an island province that is near and dear to my heart!!!

Jeju Firsts

First Thing to Know About Jeju

Although it’s an island and looks teeny tiny next to mainland Korea, Jeju is, in fact, quite large and spread out. I think a lot of first time visitors come, stay in Jeju City, can’t figure out the public transportation system, and then just think the island isn’t anything special.

WRONG! Rent a car and give yourself time to explore the island. You won’t see everything in a weekend!!

First Piece of Packing Advice

Always double check the weather. Jeju runs a bit warmer than mainland Korea, so you may find yourself hot in October (me, I’m the one that gets hot in Jeju in October). It would not be weird to be in flip-flops in the middle of autumn!

First Hotel

I actually wouldn’t recommend staying in a hotel at all. They’re usually centered in Jeju City and Seogwipo while the island is full of the cutest BnBs and inns. Instead, I’m going to direct you to an area — Northeast Jeju. This is my favorite area mostly because I’ll never get enough of Seongsan Ilchunbong! There are a ton of restaurants in the little town by the peak and it’s easy to access Olle-gil from there.

First Order of Business Upon Arrival

Get your car! If you’re American, you’ll need an international driver’s license (I get mine at the nearest AAA store). It’s pretty straightforward, and I usually check between Expedia and Klook to see who has the better deal. (Note — Hertz is through Lotte, so follow Lotte signs!)

First Photo Spot

I mean… I already kind of gave it away — Seongsan Ilchulbong! Also known as Sunrise Peak, it’s really is a stunner and I’ve seen it from about a million different angles at this point. Despite the name, you don’t have to go during sunrise. In fact, I think the most beautiful view is following the trail away from the peak so you can view it from afar.

First Café

Jeju, like the rest of the country, is a mecca of beautiful cafés!! My friend, Hallie, lives here now and has been doing a whole series on her Instagram. Honestly, a good first café would be, quite literally, whichever one is closest to you. I guarantee even in the rural areas, there’s one less than 5 minutes by car from where you’re staying.

If you stay in the Northeast area, then your first café should be Orrrn (오른) It’s super cute and right on the coast, so the views are gorgeous. Plus the coffee and pastries are actually delicious and not just good by Korean standards! Get something citrus-y since Jeju is also known for its citrus, particularly hallabong.

First Meal

Okay you have two options depending on how adventurous your palette is. Considering it’s an island, Jeju is the perfect place for seafood! If you really want to get into it, find a restaurant or tent set-up run by haenyeo. A big one to try is abalone, but I’m not personally crazy about it. Instead, I love, love, love gejang, which is essentially marinated raw crab. It is SO good.

However, if seafood isn’t your jam, then another thing Jeju is known for is its black pigs and thus black pork. Jeju-City has a whole street dedicated to black pork bbq (흑돼지거리), but you don’t need to go into the city if you don’t have to. Just look for the “흑돼지” restaurants.

First Half-Day/Day Trip

Believe it or not, you can do day trips from Jeju. I still love the day I spent on Udo. It’s right off the coast of Northeast Jeju, and you can get a ferry from Seongsan. There are rental cars for the island but also they have shuttle vans that stop off at all the major points. It’s such a pretty island!

First Hike/Trek

Hallasan…. KIDDING. I’d actually hike one of the oreums or follow the Olle-gil, a trail that goes all around the island. I really liked Geum Oreum towards the Northwest coast. It’s a fairly easy hike that should take less around 30 minutes and will give you the most gorgeous view around the island and to Hallasan.

First Souvenir

I have accumulated quite a bit from Jeju over the years, but I will say I think anything OSULLOC Tea Fields will be fun to bring back and give as gifts.

First Not-So-Secret Gem

Noksan-ro come cherry blossom and canola season. This drive has to be one of the prettiest drives in the world when it’s full of pink and yellow blooms. At the end, stop off at Damda Cafe for a coffee and to see their cute cat.

First Disappointment to Avoid

Doing group tours. They’re not bad but after many visits to the island, I can safely say doing your own thing is much better. Most tours in Korea are very… “Okayyyy, let’s go,” which is kind of the antithesis to Jeju’s vibe. It’s all about slowing down and taking your time, so popping in and out of major landmarks really strips back the charm.

Oh, and also doing the Hallasan hike in early spring when everything is dead and allergy season is brutal. *cough*

And there you have it! A very brief first timer’s guide to Jeju. Stay tuned for more!