Jeju is a beautiful island located off the southern coast of South Korea. It is a popular vacation and honeymoon spot for many Koreans, thanks to its breathtaking landscapes and stunning beaches. I knew that it was beautiful coming in, but I didn’t expect it to be so gorgeous.
Jeju Island is quite big, and there are a lot of things to do that could fit in at least a week, if not more. However, if four days is all the time you have in Jeju, you’ll still be able to see many things!
During my 1-month trip to South Korea, I stayed in Jeju for 4 full days and rented a car to explore the island. When we visited Jeju, we had already been traveling for a couple of weeks, so we wanted to have a relaxing time while still seeing the most famous landmarks.
So, if you are looking for the perfect four-day itinerary in Jeju to see the main sights and still enjoy some chill moments at the beach and cute cafés, this post is for you!
As a disclaimer, I must say that we wanted our 4 days in Jeju to be relaxing and chill, so there aren’t a lot of very demanding things on this itinerary. For this reason, it is a perfect Jeju itinerary if you are not a big walker!
A few words on Jeju Island
Also called the Hawaii of South Korea, Jeju island is a volcanic island off the southern coast of Korea, known for its peaceful vibe, stunning beaches, beautiful waterfalls and interesting traditions. Its highest peak is the mount Hallasan and it has many volcanic formations like basalt columns and lava tubes.
Some of the best things to do in Jeju include exploring its natural sites, immersing yourself in its traditions, eating seafood, relaxing at the beach and catching waterfalls.
It is an amazing place to visit with lots of things to see and do.
4-Day Jeju Itinerary with a Car
We spent 4 full days and 5 nights in Jeju Island: we arrived in the evening before day 1 and left in the early morning of day 5.
We took our rental car at Jeju International Airport on the evening when we arrived. More info on that at the end of this post.
Day 1: Jeju City and Hamdeok Beach
On the first day of our 4-day Jeju trip, we decided to explore Jeju City by foot, then to visit a nearby beach as the weather was really gorgeous.
Jeju City
Jeju City is the biggest city in Jeju Island and the closest to the airport. It is big but you can easily visit it in a few hours. Here is what we did after we parked the car near Tapdong Plaza:
- Walked along the coastal path near Tapdong Plaza
- Browsed some shops in Chilsung-ro shopping street
- Ate traditional black pork in Black Pork Street for lunch
- Explored the Sanjicheon area with its river and cute shops. There we had ice cream at Bravo Gelato.
There are plenty of other things to do in Jeju City, and if you have time you can go all the way to the Yongdam coastal area to see the famous Dragon Head rock, but we decided to enjoy some quiet time at the beach instead.
Hamdeok Beach
Located not too far from Jeju City, Hamdeok Beach is famous for its turquoise water, sandy shores and dark, volcanic rocks. It is perfect for an afternoon or sunset walk with its grassy fields, many benches and cute cafés overlooking the sea.
For dinner, you have plenty of options, but we went for a delicious flat fish and noodle restaurant somewhere along the coast: the fish was fresh and the food definitely home made!
Day 2: Seongsan Ilchulbong and Folk Museum
This second day of your Jeju itinerary will be spent in the Eastern part of the island, and you’ll see some of the most famous landmarks of Jeju.
For us, this day was one of the few cloudy (and a bit rainy) days of our trip, but the views were breathtaking still!
Seopjikoji
This small peninsula is located South of the Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone. It is perfect for a nice walk by the sea as it offers beautiful scenic views along its small hills and by its lighthouse. It was also used as a filming location for some dramas and is filled with canola flowers in spring.
Seongsan Ilchulbong
Also called Sunrise Peak, this volcanic crater is one of Jeju’s iconic landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can hike up the mountain in about an hour (you have to buy a ticket to do so), but we simply walked around.
One of the best things to do in Jeju and specifically in Seongsan Ilchulbong is to see the haenyeo performance. These women divers will, at set times, either perform a dance and traditional song, or dive to catch fish. Unfortunately the weather was too stormy on the day we visited so the performance was cancelled.
You can also eat fresh seafood at the haenyeo house just in front of the performance spot!
What are haenyeos?
Haenyeos (해녀) are women divers from Jeju island that dive twenty meters deep to catch fresh seafood, without oxygen tanks. The haenyeo culture was included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
You’ll find haenyeo schools and restaurants dotted around Jeju, and if you like sea food, it is the perfect opportunity to eat traditional Jeju dishes!
Jeju Folk Village
At the end of day 2 of our Jeju 4-day trip, we started going towards the South of the island, where our next accommodation was located. But before reaching it, we decided to grab our umbrellas and visit Jeju Folk Village.
This folk village showcases what the life of Jeju was like in the 19th century. There are hundreds of traditional houses, local trees and flowers, exhibition halls and spots to try traditional folk games. The whole area is pretty big so it can take around 2-3 hours to see everything.
I highly recommend this visit as it shows very well the history and folk culture of Jeju!
Day 3: Hyeopjae Beach, Tea Museum and Seogwipo
For the rest of our 4-day trip to Jeju, we stayed in the Southern part of the island, towards Seogwipo, the second biggest city of Jeju Island.
We started day 3 with a delicious tangerine-based breakfast at Café Gamttanam. Jeju is famous for its citrus fruits and this is the perfect place to enjoy it to the fullest. The café is located in a beautiful orange grove, and on the right season you can also pick your own fruit! Note: it can be a bit of an Instagram hotspot because it is just so pretty!
Hyeopjae Beach
After a delicious breakfast, we headed to the surreal Hyeopjae Beach, in the Western part of Jeju. I say surreal because I had never seen such a clear turquoise water and white sand stretches in my life (even in the gorgeous Greek islands). All my pictures look edited!
After a relaxing walk by the beach, you can grab a lunch with a view at Café Comma, if you manage to find a seat. It is perfect if you want to grab a quick bite!
O’ Sulloc Tea Musem and Innisfree Jeju store
The climate of Jeju island is perfect for growing tea, and Korea has a highly developed tea culture. O’Sulloc Tea Museum is located next to large tea plantations and it gives visitors an overview of the Korean tea history and tradition. The entrance is free!
The building is beautiful and surrounded by lush greenery. However, to be honest, I felt like the “museum” part of it was quite disappointing, and it seems like the café and tea shop are much more popular. But if you’re there, you might as well buy some souvenirs and indulge in a delicious green tea treat!
Don’t forget to explore the grounds and the tea plantations too!
Next to the museum, you’ll find the Innisfree Jeju House. Innisfree is a famous Korean cosmetics brand that sources its ingredients in Jeju. You can find their stores pretty much everywhere in Korea, but this shop has Jeju-only products and great discounts!
Cheonjiyeon waterfall and Seogwipo
When we visited Jeju Island, we favoured the beaches and other rural areas a bit more, so we left the city of Seogwipo for an evening visit. I am sure there is much more to visit but we were happy to take a break from the city life, so here is what we did in an evening in Seogwipo:
- Cheonjiyeon Waterfall: near the entrance of the city, this 22m high waterfall is one of the main attractions in Seogwipo. It is located in a small park that has pretty paths you can walk around in. To get to the waterfall you have to walk for about 1 km and exploring the whole area can take around 45 minutes (or less). This waterfall is not to be confused with the Cheonjeyeon waterfalls (see day 4 of this Jeju itinerary)
- Seogwipo Olle Market: many stores will be closed at night in Seogwipo, but this market is a night market, meaning you’ll get plenty of things to see! To fully live the Korean experience, we went there to grab dinner in many of the food stalls there, then walked in the neighbouring streets.
Day 4: Jeju coast, waterfalls and basalt columns
Jeju is a volcanic island, and this day 4 of your Jeju itinerary is all about the volcanic marvels of Jeju.
Yongmeori Coast
This scenic portion of the coast was formed by the oldest volcano in Jeju, and its towering cliffs were slowly shaped over the years by the waves coming and going.
Before visiting, check the times of the tides and plan your schedule accordingly! We didn’t do that so we couldn’t walk along the walking path. Walking along the coastal path of Yongmeori coast will take you around one hour.
Cheonjeyeon Falls
Not to be confused with the Cheonjiyeon Waterfall (see end of day 3 of this Jeju itinerary)!
The Cheonjeyeon falls are one of the top things to do in Jeju island, and they were probably one of my favourite things we did. You can admire this three-tiered waterfall in the Jungmun Tourist Complex, a large park with beautiful walking paths in nature and several viewpoints to see the waterfall.
You can park in the car park and enter the complex by paying a small fee of 2,500 KRW (1.6 EUR/1.8 USD). Once you enter the tourist complex, I highly recommend following the waterfall path, then exploring a bit the area and its stunning bridge. I would say that this takes all in all 1-2 hours, depending on your pace.
Note: the waterfall path is shaded by the lush forest but it does have quite a lot of stairs.
Jungmun Daepo Jusangeolli basalt columns
I had seen the basalt columns in Iceland’s epic landscapes, and now it was time to see them in a whole other setting: against the clear blue waters of Jeju Island. This volcanic rock formation is a must-do in Jeju Island.
The cliff was formed when the lava coming from the Hallasan mountain met the sea, creating these beautiful honeycomb-like shapes. It is a popular tourist attraction so you have a car park and a nice area to walk around in.
You’ll have to pay a small entry fee of 2,000 KRW (1.3 EUR/1.4 USD). There is a walking path that allows you to have a gorgeous view over the coast, and I’d say the whole visit can easily take less than 30 minutes.
Tea and bingsu
After a whole day of exploring, we ended our last day of our 4-day Jeju trip with a wonderful tea and bingsu (Korean shaved ice) at Dalin, a beautiful tea house located in a small town around Seogwipo.
Other things to do in Jeju
This 4-day itinerary in Jeju is a relaxing one that doesn’t include a lot of hikes and is very focused and taking things slowly. If you have more time in Jeju or want to switch things up a bit, here are other things to do in Jeju Island:
- Hike Mount Hallasan or visit Hallasan national park (even more stunning in Spring or Autumn)
- Walk the Jeju Olle trail or parts of it (it goes all around the island)
- Check out the Jeongbang waterfall (near Seogwipo, Southern part of Jeju)
- Explore the UNESCO-listed lava tubes (some that you can visit are Hyeopjaegul or Manjanggul)
- Visit the Jeju Arte Museum (North Western part of Jeju)
- Visit the Haenyeo Museum (North Eastern part of Jeju)
- Of course there are plenty more! For ideas of things to do around Jeju (and in Korea in general), tours and tips, I highly recommend you to check the Klook website!
4 Days in Jeju Island with a Car – Practical Info
Do you have to rent a car to visit Jeju Island?
You don’t have to rent a car to visit Jeju Island, and there are plenty of itineraries online that explain how to do it by using public transport. I would however recommend renting a car to explore everything at your own pace and reach areas where you don’t have public transport.
How to rent a car in Jeju island?
If you want to rent a car in Jeju Island, please check first if you need an international driver’s license!
Booking’s platform allowed us to rent a car with SK Rent A Car, a Korean car rental company. We picked up and left the car in Jeju International Airport. It was so easy that I was worried at the end that we had skipped a step!
How is it to drive in Jeju island?
South Koreans drive on the right side of the road (unlike in Japan), the cars will most likely be automatic and the roads are large and in great conditions.
Driving around the bigger cities of Jeju could be a bit stressful if you are not too used to driving because there can be many people around at peak hours, but it is overall very easy.
How long should you stay in Jeju Island?
As I said at the beginning of this post, Jeju Island is really big and there are a lot of things to see and do there. You could easily spend a whole week in Jeju, but I found that 4 full days was a good amount of time to see many things while still enjoying the relaxing vibe of the island.
You’ll find some itineraries for less days in Jeju and honestly I wouldn’t recommend it. It is a beautiful island that really is worth taking a bit of time to explore.
How to reach Jeju Island?
The fastest way to reach Jeju Island is by plane, from Seoul (Gimpo international airport) or Busan (Gimhae international airport), but also from other cities like Gwangju. We left from Busan after 3 wonderful days spent there because it made more sense for our itinerary.
You can also go to Jeju by ferry. This is probably more time-consuming but cheaper, and if you are driving around Korea, it allows you to take your car (or pets) with you at a minor cost.
Where to stay in Jeju Island?
As Jeju is quite big and there are a lot of things to do, we decided on our 4-day trip to book two separate accommodations in different parts of the island. We knew we wanted to explore the Eastern part of Jeju and the South/South-West so we looked into both these areas to stay in.
Since we had a car, we also favored options that were a bit further away from the cities and with free parking.
As always, I found my accommodations on Booking.com, and I can only highly recommend the one we found in the Eastern part of Jeju: Green Narae Pension. The place is beautiful and the owners very kind. Everything was clean and you also get a delicious breakfast served at your door every morning. We really wished we had stayed longer!
What is the best season to visit Jeju Island?
The best time to visit Jeju Island is during Spring and Autumn, as the temperatures will be mild and comfortable to go hiking and explore the island. Summer is also a popular time to visit Jeju island and enjoy its beaches, but keep in mind that South Korea in general tends to be very humid and hot at that time of the year.
I went during the first week of October and the weather was perfect. It is very windy at the beach though! I wore jeans and a jumper on the cloudy day and short sleeves + shorts the rest of the time!
I hope this itinerary of everything you can do in four days in Jeju Island was useful to you and inspired you to visit this beautiful island. If you do visit Jeju, please take the time to fully appreciate its wonders, even if it means seeing less to enjoy more!
