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Jeju City (제주시), also known as Jeju-Si, is the largest and capital city of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, South Korea, taking up the northern district of the island.

Understand[edit]

Jeju City
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Yongduam Park in central Jeju City. Here be dragons.

Predominantly the administrative and population capital of Jeju Island, Jeju City is also likely the first and final stop for tourists, playing host to Jeju International Airport as well as the major domestic ferry terminal.

The city is fairly large yet compact, located on the north side of the island and sandwiched between Mt Halla and the coast.

Orientation[edit]

Map of Jeju City.

The city consists of the old downtown (Jungangno 중앙로) to the east and the surrounding areas of Tapdong (답동, a port district north of Jungangno, also romanised as Topdong) and Yongdam (romanised differently on almost every sign: if it helps, there's nowhere else on Jeju with a similar name, the rock seems to be spelled Yongduam—영두암—and the surrounding suburb Yongdam—용담 -- on Naver). The inter city bus terminal lies just south of Jungangno.

Tucked slightly inland to the southwest lies Shin-Jeju: Jeju's new high rise commercial quarter and where the modern Korean highrise apartments reside. A humongous traffic intersection in Shin-Jeju acts as a western hub, feeding cars and buses across the entire west side of the island across one of three major highways: one coastal, one interior and the alpine 1100 metre road.

Finally, on the coast both north of Shin-Jeju and west of Jungangno lies Jeju International Airport.

Get in[edit]

By plane[edit]

1 Jeju International Airport (CJU IATA). The airport has risen to be South Korea's second busiest in the 2010s and has domestic connections to basically all other South Korean airports as well as international connections to other Asian airports. In 2015 its passenger numbers reached more than 25 million and the tendency points towards more future growth. The route Seoul Gimpo-Jeju is the busiest in the world by passenger numbers. Jeju International Airport (Q482497) on Wikidata Jeju International Airport on Wikipedia

By bus[edit]

Inter-city buses and the Airport Limousine (inter-city bus #600) travel frequently between Seogwipo on the south side of Jeju for ₩3000 or as low as ₩1000 from nearby rural townships. Intercity buses will terminate at the Bus Terminal, but all arriving via the west side of the island will pass by the stop outside Halla Medical Center.

By boat[edit]

Daily ferries go between Jeju and the mainland. See the main Jeju page.

Get around[edit]

By bus[edit]

Jeju City has an inner-city (shin-nae) bus system that is equally as efficient as it is poorly marked for tourists. Bus shelters have lists of stops in Korean only, but the stop names are mostly fairly non-descript and require you to have local knowledge or a map to make any sense out of them. Bus maps are not available from tourism centers, but English station lists can be obtained, the relevant information from which is reproduced below:

  • Jeju International Airport - 36, 37, 100, 200, 300, 500
  • Jeju Ferry Terminal - 92
  • Inter-city Bus Terminal - 26, 31, 63, 100, 200, 300, 502
  • Halla Arboretum - 63, 300
  • National Jeju Museum - 100
  • Culture and Art Center - 300
  • Tapdong - 92
  • Yongdam Junction - 36, 37, 63, 300, 500
  • Fifth-day Folk Market - 36, 37, 63
  • Jungangno - 36, 37, 92, 100, 500
  • Dongmun Market - 100, 300
  • Shin-jeju Junction - 26, 31, 36, 37, 92, 100, 200, 300, 500, 502
  • Halla Hospital (Medical Center) - 26, 31, 37, 92, 200, 300, 500, 502

If this system was not frustrating enough as it is, you may have to transfer to go most places and the announcements tend to be quieter than on the mainland. Listen out for this when having to transfer between buses. Buses cost around ₩1,000.

On foot[edit]

Nothing in downtown Jeju is more than approximately 2 km from anywhere else so whilst not convenient, walking is quite feasible, and sometimes even faster. This includes the areas of Yongdam, Tapdong, Jungangno and the inter-city bus terminal.

See[edit]

Yongduam Rock.
Wooden Government Complex. Frogs are conspicuously absent.
  • 1 Yongduam Rock and Yongyeon Pond (용두암), Yongdam (Take the #36, #37, #63, #300 or #500 to Yongdam Junction and walk, or just wander over from downtown or Tapdong.). A large piece of volcanic rock said to be the solidified remains of Yimugi, a water dragon. Whilst the legends behind just how he got himself turned to stone in that position vary, it hasn't diminshed his influence, as the surrounding suburb is called Yongdam by extension: literally "Dragon's Head Rock". Just about 100m to the east one can find the lesser known, but probably prettier Yongyeon Pond, a picturesque canyon straddling a pleasantly turquoise pond with a pavilion perched overhead. Again, a dragon features heavily in the legendary history of this site, but simply that it visited. A festival is held here in May. If all this talk of dragons is making you want to sit on a horse for some reason, then there is an old guy out the front who aggressively and inexplicably offers this service for a fee. Both sites are lit up spectacularly at night. Free.
  • [dead link] Jeju Old Government Offices (Jeju mokkwana (제주목관아)) (In downtown, follow the signs to the wooden gate), +82 64-728-8665. A comparably nice set of Joseon-era historical buildings in central downtown Jeju City. What's unusual is the existence of a nicely landscaped square pond in the complex, and its tumultuous history of getting built in lieu of a well, destroyed due to an irrational hatred of noisy frogs and ultimately rebuilt. ₩1500.
The world's largest known lava column, in Manjanggul Lava-tube.
  • 2 Iho Tewoo Beach (이호테우 해변). is close to Jeju Airport, and it is enough distance to ride a bicycle. There are white and red pony lighthouses, the slope of the beach is gentle, and there is a pine forest nearby, so it is a good place to enjoy the scenery and take a walk.
  • 3 Hangpaduri Hangmong (Anti-Mongolian) Historical Site (제주 항파두리 항몽 유적), 50, Hangpaduri-ro, Aewol-eup, +82-2-1330. A special defence unit of the Goryeo kingdom rebelled against the invading Mongolian army in 1270, and eventually retreated to Jeju Island for a last stand. They held off the Mongolian forces here for 2 years before they were all killed at a fortress built here. Free.
  • Loveland (제주 러브랜드), 680-26, Yeon-dong (on the road between Jeju City and Seogwipo, ₩1,500 by intercity bus, about ₩10,000 by taxi.). Jeju's most eccentric and internationally infamous attraction and almost a reason in itself to visit Jeju, this bizarre sculpture park was created by graduates of Seoul's Hongik University. Few of the (over 140) exhibits are generally shocking, and it makes for some interesting holiday snaps that you won't want to show your parents. Although you will likely see some Korean families in the park, this is one where you should definitely leave the children at home or in the attached playground. Has a sex shop attached, naturally. Elsewhere on Jeju you will find phallic representations are an ancient symbol of the island. Amusingly, the Chinese government prevented the opening of an imitation loveland in Chongqing. ₩15,000.
  • Gold Cave (화암동굴), 2487 Hyeopjae-ri, Hallim-eup (Hyeopjae biyangdo-gil, Hallim-eup), +82 64-796-0001-4. The gold cave is a rare lava tube that remains its original shape. It's blocked off from the public.
  • Hallim Park (한림공원). Take a stroll through a 27,000 m² botanical garden including 2 caves. The park is divided into 16 gardens, including a tropical garden, garden of Washington palms, a garden of foliage plants, and a bonsai gardens with bonsai trees that are over 150 years old. Also has a Folk Village.
  • Bijarim Forest (비자림), 3164-1, Pyeingdae-ri, Gujwa-eup, +82 64 783-3857. If the purpose of your travel is to recharge your tired body, Bijarim will more than serve your needs. It is the first forest bathing park in Jeju Island, and the largest of one species of tree in the world. In the center of the forest stands a Japanese Torreya tree that is more than 800 years old, and known to be the oldest tree on Jeju. One can feel the energy of time this ancestral tree, which reaches 25 meters in height and has a perimeter of 6 meters. there are two walking paths in Bijarim : one takes two or three hours and a short trail takes about 30 minutes. if time allows, it is recommended that you slowly walk the longer course and enjoy the scenery.
  • Bangae Oreum (방애오름), Sahn 45, Gyrae-ri, Jocheon-eup, (Bijarim-ro, Jocheon-eup), +82 64 710-6072. Bangae Oreum, there are four peaks in the west and southeast while it is flat in the south. There is grassland in the crater of the oreum.
  • Haenyeo Museum (제주 해녀 박물관), 3204-1 Hado-ri Gujwa-eup. Museum dedicated to the Haenyeo (female divers). ₩1,100.
  • Manjanggul Lava-tube (만장굴) (Jeju North Coast), +82 64 710-7908. A 7 km deep cave, of which only a 1 km part can be accessed by the public. The tube is up to 23 m high and has been created by lava streams running through. Bring a jacket, since it is fairly cold and water drops from the ceiling. The lava-tubes can be reached by taking the coastal bus from Jeju, then walking the 2.5 km from the bus station. It's possible to hitchhike as most cars on the road from the bus station will also be heading to the lava tubes. One of Jeju's three UNESCO World Natural Heritage rated attractions. ₩2,000.
  • Gimnyeong Snake Cave (김녕사굴), Sahn 7, Gimnyeong-ri, Gujwa-Eup (Gimnteong-gil, Gujwa-eup). The Gimnyeong Snake cave is a 700-meter-long S-shaped lava tube. It is also called snake cave for its internal shape. The entrance of the cave bulges like a head of a snake and it becomes thin as you go deeper into the cave.
  • 4 Jeju April 3rd Peace Park (제주 4·3 평화공원), Myeongrim-ro 430 (Bonggye-dong San 51-3), +82 64 710-8461. 09:00-18:00. This museum is about the tragic incident of the 3rd of April, 1948. There were a series of events on Jeju island during the Korean War that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 30,000 Jeju islanders. Free. April 3 Jeju Peace Park (Q12616407) on Wikidata Jeju 4.3 Peace Park on Wikipedia
  • 5 Nexon Computer Museum (넥슨 컴퓨터 박물관), 3198-8 1100-ro, +82 64-745-1994. Apparently Korea's first dedicated computer museum, housing over 4,000 working examples of antique computers and video games. ₩8,000. Nexon Computer Museum (Q17042632) on Wikidata Nexon Computer Museum on Wikipedia

Folk villages[edit]

  • 6 Folklore and Natural History Museum (제주 민속자연사박물관). The museum is divided into four exhibition halls: natural history, folklore, special resources, and an audio-visual room. It contains natural history of the island as well as relics, animals and plants that are found around the island. The stuffed animals are popular among children.

Other attractions[edit]

  • Lava tubes and other volcanic sights. Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the "nature" category. Mount Halla (Hallasan) dominating the island is a dormant volcano and there are underground caves with lava tubes to explore on Geomeunoreum. Seongsan Ilchulbong is a tuff cone crater in Seogwipo. All three are very popular attractions and accessible.
  • 7 Bultapsa Five-Story Stone Pagoda (불탑사). This pagoda was damaged during the Korean War, commonly called the 6.25 War in Korea. The original pagoda was at Wondang Temple, which is said to have been founded by King Choongryeol during the Goryeo Dynasty. The present structure was reconstructed in the 1950s. The angle on the baseline of every corner of the Pagoda looks dynamic due to its turning shape. Jeju Bultapsa Five-storey Stone Pagoda (Q12599276) on Wikidata

Natural landscapes[edit]

  • Jeju Yongduam Rock
    Yongduam Rock and yongyeon Pond, Yongdam. A large piece of volcanic rock said to be the solidified remains of Yimugi, a water dragon. Whilst the legends behind just how he got himself turned to stone in that position vary, it hasn't diminshed his influence, as the surrounding suburb is called Yondam by extension: literally "Dragon's Head Rock". Just about 100m to the east one can find the lesser known, but probably prettier Yongyeon Pond, a picturesque canyon straddling a pleasantly turquoise pond with a pavilion perched overhead. Again, a dragon features heavily in the legendary history of this site, but simply that it visited. A festival is held here in May. If all this talk of dragons is making you want to sit on a horse for some reason, then there is an old guy out the front who aggressively and inexplicably offers this service for a fee. Both sites are lit up spectacularly at nigh.

Landmarks[edit]

  • 8 Mysterious Road (신비의 도로). Called the Mysterious Road or the Goblin Road, this is a strange place where if you park your car on a downhill road, the car that has to go down does not go down, but rather steps back toward the uphill. In fact, the side where the uphill road is visible is a downhill road with a slope of about 3 degrees, so it seems to be going up by a simple optical illusion. Due to this phenomenon, Dokkaebi Road has become a tourist attraction due to word of mouth, and various safety facilities are being added (as of Oct 2022) to prevent accidents caused by it, and a tourist park is expected to be created soon.

Do[edit]

Obanggaksi chum (오방각시춤, literally "the dance of maidens from the five directions," as Obang traditionally refers to east, west, north, south and center), a traditional dance of Jeju.
  • Glass Castle (Yuri wi seong(유리의성)), 3135-1 Jeoji-ri, Hangyeong-myeon (inner western portion of the island; take an inter-city bus to Hallim and a taxi from there). One of Jeju's two theme parks specialising in glass sculptures. Also offers an optional hands-on studio experience where visitors can craft their own works. ₩9,000 plus studio fees.
  • Kimyoung Maze, San16 Gimyong-ri Ggujwa-up (about 500 m down the road from the Manjanggul lava-tube cave). A Jeju-shaped hedge maze which is interestingly complex and fun to walk through. The hedges are evergreen so it runs all year round. The maze claims fewer than 5% of visitors complete it in under 5 minutes, and the layout tends not to favor blind-luck too heavily so try timing yourself. ₩3,300 discounts off-peak.
  • Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival, Saebyeol Oreum area on Route 95, Bongseong-ri, Aewol-eup, Bukjeju-gun (take a 50-minute bus ride from Jeju City Bus Terminal). The Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival originates from the traditional harvesting of the grasses found in the local domestic farm animal pastures, which were annually set in fire each winter by the villagers as a way to exterminate harmful insects. It has been held annually since 1997. It is held during the holiday of Daeboreum (which is the 15th day of the first lunar month of the year, typically February). It gets extremely busy directly after the festival finishes (19:00-20:00), so it's sometimes worth staying around for a beer or a meal for an hour or two until the worst of the traffic has gone.
  • Halla Arboretum (Halla sumokwon (한라수목원)) (Take the #63 or #300 up to the carpark, or walk up the hill from Shin-jeju. Alternately, there is a rear entrance up the hill south of KC TV in the carpark of the Korean Military HQ.). Take a stroll through some botanical gardens. This is actually one of the nicest arboretums in all of South Korea, as it is both well-established and located up on the lower flanks of Mt Halla at the back of Jeju city. The gardens wind themselves over the foothills, giving tantalising views of the coast and Mt Halla through the trees. The ~2km walk from the arboretum to the rear entrance at the military complex is also pleasant and follows the southern limits of Jeju City through a rather atmospheric pine forest. Free.

Work[edit]

Buy[edit]

Comfort food from Jeju-Si for those times when you're feeling orange.

Previously, cash was mainly used, and card use is now useful. However, there may still be many places that use cash, so it's good to take it.

Dongmun Traditional Market, some utterly humongous traditional markets exist in Jungangno. As expected, they sell a lot of fish. Furthermore, modern, Western-style shopping can be found in the underground mall out on the main road.

Department stores such as Lotte and E-Mart exist in Shin-Jeju.

  • One Jeju specialty is brown colored clothing. These have been dyed via juice from the persimmon fruit, which is the traditional way of dying clothing.
  • The iconic stone statues, usually in pairs, are called grandfather statues and are for protection. Many places sell small stone replicas of them made of Jeju basalt (volcanic stone). If aircraft weight restrictions are a concern, check the back of the statue for vugs (cavities) as it's entirely possible to find the odd one as light as a feather.
  • Citrus fruit (hallabong and mandarines). The specialty citrus of Jeju is the hallabong (dekopon in Japanese) something akin to an over sized tangerine which has a very distinctive plump bulge on its top. Its fame comes from its sweet taste and peelability. Do not be at all surprised if, when arriving back on the mainland, your bag pops into the baggage claim tucked between many crates of hallabong. Mandarin oranges are also a major Jeju product.
  • Jeju hallabong chocolate. These come in varieties. The first is a plain flat chocolate with a layer of hallabong flavor sandwiched in the middle. The second however is shaped like a little grandfather statue and is primarily the "flavor" component of the first with a tiny slither of chocolate on the back. The latter tend to be a little less flavorsome (ironically) but are cute enough to make nice gifts. If hallabongs aren't your thing, fear not, for they also come in orange, kiwi, green tea and purple cactus fruit (somewhat a mixed berry flavor) varieties. There are crunch chocolates too, less unique but very tasty.
  • Jeju kamgyul (citrus) wine. Similar to Japanese sake but with a fresh citrus finish. At only ₩5,000 for an entire 750-mL bottle though, honestly, you can't complain even if it isn't quite your thing.
  • Green tea. Although perhaps not as famed as Boseong, the entire Western end tip of the island is littered with tea plantations.
  • Ganse dolls. A souvenir of the Olle hiking coastal trails, they are cute little (15 cm) plush ponies on mobile phone straps handmade out of used clothing (and thus individually unique) by the women of Jeju. Profits go to developing and maintaining the island's hiking trails and they're available from tourist information centers and many budget accommodation. ₩15,000.
  • Shop at Jeju Folk Arts Complex. This place is practically a big gift shop of beautiful traditional art. Prices of items at the Jeju Folk Arts Complex are cheaper than those you find elsewhere.

Souvenir shops, craft stores and fruit stands exist almost everywhere on the island, but if you are looking for more mundane daily goods, your best bet is to head into Jeju City or Seogwipoi which have the usual array of Korean conveniences including some Lottes and an unusually high proportion of E-marts (both of which also contain large souvenir shops).

Eat[edit]

Being a seaside town, there are many great seafood restaurants available, so just take your pick.

The people of Jeju have evolved various lifestyles, depending on whether they live in fishing villages, farm villages, or mountain villages so specialties vary within the region. Life in the farm villages was centered on farming, as it did around fishing or diving fishery in fishing villages, and did around dry-field farming or mushroom/mountain-green gathering in the mountain areas. As for agriculture, the production of rice is little. Instead, beans, barley, millets, buckwheat, and dry-field (upland) rice are the major items.

The most well known fruit is the hallabong. It has been grown here as early as the era of the Three Kingdoms, and were offered as presents to kings along with abalone as special products of Jeju. Grilled pork from black-haired pigs is also a local specialty.

Foods from Jeju mainly made with saltwater fish, vegetables, and seaweed, and are usually seasoned with soybean paste. Salt water fish is used to make soups and gruels, and pork and chicken are used to make pyeonyuk (sliced boiled meat). The number of dishes set on a table is small and few seasonings are used. And usually, small numbers of ingredients are required to make dishes native to Jeju. The key to making Jeju-style foods is to keep the ingredient's natural flavor. The taste of the food is generally a bit salty, probably because foods are easily spoiled due to the warm temperature. In Jeju, there is no need to prepare Kimchi for the winter as in mainland Korea. It is quite warm during the winter and Chinese cabbages are left in the field. When they do prepare Kimchi for the winter, they tend to make few kinds and small amounts.

Restaurants are scattered across the entire island, usually near highway intersections, but the majority naturally lie around the coast and particularly in the urban centers of Jeju City and Jungmun/Seogwipo.

For non-Korean dining, the best option is Gecko's near Seogwipo (see details in the drinking section). In Jeju city there are some options. There is a Mexican restaurant near City Hall/Sinsan Park named El Paso that apparently serves up mediocre but passable Mexican fare. In Shin-jeju there is also an Indian restaurant named Rajmahal that serves up quality spicy Indian dishes. There is also another place with Pakistani/Indian cuisine called Baghdad Cafe around the City Hall/Sinsan Park area.

The representative food you have to eat in Jeju-Si:

  • Jeju Hallabong
    Jeju citrus (제주 감귤) refers to all citrus fruits, a specialty of Jeju Island. It can be largely divided into Jeju Island traditional citrus fruits and Jeju Island cultivated citrus fruits. Jeju Island has held the "Jeju Tangerine Festival" since 1981 to promote the excellence of Jeju tangerines to create demand, inspire farmers' motivation to produce, and provide a venue for harmony among residents.
  • Silver hairtail (은갈치) is very famous in Jeju Island. Jeju silver hairtail is caught by fishing, so the silver color of hairtail is not damaged. The freshness is very good and the price is on the high side.
  • Umu pudding (우무 푸딩) is a pudding made by boiling agar for a long time, not gelatin. Agar, which is used as a raw material for agar, is rich in dietary fiber and low in calories, so it is also good as a well-being health food. The texture is somewhat watery, and it is not as dense as regular pudding, so you can drink it.
  • Jeju Hallabong (한라봉) has been cultivated in Jeju Island in earnest since the 1990s, and it has established itself as a representative specialty of Jeju Island, and in 2015, "Jeju Hallabong" was registered in the geographical labeling system. It is so sweet and refreshing that it is called a honeyed orange. The texture of the pulp is a little hard like an orange, but it is more watery than a tangerine, so it is very cool if you eat it cold.
  • Jeju black pork (흑돼지) is as a result of a survey of Jeju tourists' preference for traditional Jeju food, the food culture using black pork is representative of Jeju.

Some other dishes worth trying:

  • Bangeo Hoe (방어회) is a raw fish dish of yellowtail fish. Every November, the Bangeo Festival is held.
  • Seongge guk (성게국) is mustard soup which is served in the ancestral ceremony or to welcome guests.
  • Jaradom Mulhoe (자라돔 물회) is Jeju-style cold fish soup. Traditionally, it has been a summer specialty in Jeju.
  • Yesodam (예소담), 544 Sinbuk-ro, Jocheon-eup (1 minute walk from Hamdeok Beach bus stop), +82 064-784-0888. 9:30-20:00 (Closed on Tuesdays). It sells famous meat noodles in Jeju Island. It has a strong soup and is recommended by Jeju residents. 9,000₩.

Budget[edit]

Mid-range[edit]

Opposite Hotel Impress there is a row of seafood restaurants. The one closest to the sea has very friendly staff and serves a great meal.

  • Modu-modu (모두모두), Jeju-si (Just up the hill and on the right from KCTV, if you reach the military HQ you've gone too far.), +82 64-744-5555. A rather large and upmarket Korean restaurant. The restaurant is built in the oddball "mushroom" style with outdoor dining in summer. The food (and the interior design alike) is a modern fusion of Chinese and Korea styles. Mostly serves large expensive group dining platters and course meals, but has an extensive lunch special range for under ₩10,000. Featured in a 2010 SBS K-drama.
  • 1 Olae noodles (올래국수), 24, Yeondong Guiarang gill, +82 64-742-7355. Daily 08:30-13:00.
  • 2 Sister's Noodles (자매국수), 6, Tapdong-ro 11-gill, +82 64-727-1112. Daily 09:00-18:00.

Splurge[edit]

Drink[edit]

Hallasan soju (한라산 소주). This is a soju brand from Jeju-Si which is famed for its unique flavor.

Try Hallasan Soju the local brand of Korean rice wine, soju. Expect to pay ₩3,000 a bottle in a restaurant or ₩1,000 in a shop. Very strong.

Except for Gecko's in the South, there aren't any other genuine Western pubs on the island, but there are some good options. In Jeju City, all the real partying establishments are in Shin-Jeju, about a ₩5,000 taxi ride from Jeju city proper. Some of the establishments in this area rumored to be worthwhile are La Vie, Boris Brewery, Modern Time, Blue Agave, and GP.

There is also Led Zeppelin, a vinyl bar which as the name suggests is focused on album-oriented rock, and has a massive selection of records, CDs, tapes, and DVDs. Song requests are the main pastime and the sound-system rules. Off the main drag in Shin-jeju next to the Indian restaurant.

Bar[edit]

  • 1 La Via (라비에), 17th floor of Sinseong-ro 13-gil, +82 507-1341-1138. 18:00-03:00.
  • 2 Led Zeppelin (레드 제플린), 37 Shingwang-ro, +82 1025602291. 19:00-00:00.
  • 3 Naedo Music Market (내도음악상가), 2nd floor, 106 Teu Haean-ro, +82 507-1338-9262. 17:00 ~ 24:00.

Cafe[edit]

  • 4 Abebe Bbakery (아베베 베이커리), Next to Gate 12 of Dongmun Market, Dongmun-ro 6-gil, +82 507-1414-0750. 10:00 ~ 21:00.

Sleep[edit]

Budget[edit]

Jjimjilbangs are fairly common across Jeju city. With all of them, expect to pay under ₩10,000 for sauna access, a locker in which to put your stuff, cotton pyjamas or a robe and a patch of heated floor to pass out on. Most are listed below:

  • Dong-cheon, Jungangno (down a little alley on the south side of the road, near the stream at the east end of the underground shopping mall). Jjimjilbang downtown.
  • JeJu Joyland, Aewol-eup, Aewol-ri, 82 (take the bus 37at Jeju airport and get off at last station Hagwi then transfer to bus going Aewol (5 min from Aewonro bus station)), +82 10-3131-5270. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A log cabin pension, family/group rooms available, kitchen, washing facilities, WiFi.
  • Tap Changito, Tapdong (from Jungangno, walk down to the harbour and turn left; it's behind the E-Mart near a Dunkin' Donuts). Despite having ocean views, this jjimjilbang on the north side of town mysteriously lacks any windows on the inside. Three main spas, with the largest in the men's being myseteriously garlic scented. Sleeping mats are eschewed in favour of a great big foam thingy across the entire floor. Headrest cubes still in short supply, so use towel bundles. More open plan than most so can get noisy. Also has a cinema and comic book library. ₩8000.
  • Ilchul Bulgama, Gu-jeju (opposite the Culture and Arts Center near Samseonghyeol).
  • Yeha Guesthouse (cheap & clean), 561-17, Samdo 1-dong, +82 64 713-5505. Beautiful guesthouse (hostel) near the Jeju Bus Terminal. English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean are spoken. Domitory, double, Double+1 single and Double+2 single rooms are available. Shared room ₩19,000.
  • Jeju Burim Jimjilbang, Sin-jeju (between Jeju Grand Hotel and Marchen House Apartments in Shin-Jeju). Jjimjilbang on the west side of town.
  • Yongduam Sea Water and Sauna Club, Yongdam (on the coast road near the Leisure and Sports Park). Another jjimjilbang on the north side of town. Convient to pop into after visiting Yongduam Rock to see the illumination at night.
  • 1 Hani Guesthouse, Hallim-eup, Geumneung-ri, 1258 (take a bus from the Jeju-si local bus terminal gate No.11, get off at Guemnueung-ri (금능리) bus stop (1 stop after Hallimpark)), +82 64-796-5000. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Aimed at younger travellers. A hotel like atmosphere with all the usual amenities like a communual kitchen/lounge area, washing facilities, PCs, WiFi. Dorm: from ₩18,000, private standard/deluxe room available.

Mid-range[edit]

If you are not looking for luxury, minbak (guesthouses) abound on Jeju, and due to its reputation as a honeymoon getaway, there is a wide variety of other accommodation. Outside of the peak tourist seasons (such as Korean national holidays and July–August summer holiday season), and as long as all you're looking for is a clean affordable room, don't be afraid to come to Jeju and find accommodation as you travel. In Jeju City, Seogwipo and the smaller towns there is an abundance of rooms in small guesthouses with character.

There are several motels next to the bus terminal in Jeju City at around ₩30,000 a night. They are fairly obvious to find as all three are in a row with lit signs and the ubiquitous motel logo of South Korea and are called You-cheong, Oh-cheon, and Nam-san.

For larger hotels, the majority are in the urban centers of Jeju City and Seogwipo with the most luxurious 5-star options on the entire island within Seogwipo's Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex. Refer to the individual city pages for listings.

For budget travellers, jjimjillbangs are pretty ubiquitous in Jeju City but outside of the capital city's limits, the only other jjimjillbang options exist under the World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo.

  • Hotel Impress. Great seaview with large comfy beds, a PC, TV and a couch. Bar upstairs. Large windows give it plenty of sunshine. ₩50,000 for seaview rooms, ₩40,000 for others.
  • CF's Motel. A nice, if slightly tacky motel near the seafront. Some rooms have round or heart-shaped beds (ask at the front desk). Some rooms have a small bath. ₩40,000 per room. ₩5,000 extra for rooms with a PC.

Hotel[edit]

There are a total of 13 five-star hotels in Jeju-Si.

Examples include Grand Hyatt Jeju, Maison Glad Jeju, Ramada Plaza Jeju, Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju, Marriott Hall Jeju Shinhwa World Hotel & Resort, Howard Johnson Jeju Hotel, Sweet Hotel Jeju, Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino(postponement of reopening), Lotte Hotel Jeju, Jeju Shilla Hotel, Grand Chosun Jeju, CS Hotel & Resort, and Lotte Jeju Resort Art Villas.

Camping[edit]

You can enjoy camping and glamping in Jeju-Si.

Connect[edit]

Stay safe[edit]

Cope[edit]

Go next[edit]

Seogwipo, a more upmarket and tourist oriented city on the south side of the island and home to the Jungmun Tourist Complex.

Alternately, use Jeju City as a base to explore the island's interior and attractions:

  • Hallasan Mountain, Seongsan Ilchulbong and Manjanggul Lava Tube, the three UNESCO rated natural sights of Jeju.
  • Loveland, the infamous theme park in central Jeju.

The nearest city on the mainland is Mokpo, a serene medium-size port city.

There are also flights to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, and Hanoi.

This city travel guide to Jeju City is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.