Jeju Island travel guide: planning your stay

Getting there and choosing your base

Jeju International Airport (CJU): On the edge of Jeju City. Most flights come from Seoul Gimpo and Busan Gimhae, with some international routes from Japan and China. The 600 airport limousine bus runs express to Jungmun and Seogwipo, so a southern hotel near one of its stops is easy to reach without a car.
Car hire desks: Local and international firms rent cars at the airport, and an International Driving Permit is required. Many sights are spread round the coast, so drivers have far more choice of where to stay than bus users.
Ferries from the mainland: Services from Busan, Incheon and Mokpo stopped in 2024. The remaining routes, such as the car ferry from Yeosu, are slow and infrequent, so most visitors fly.

Areas to consider

Jeju City

Suits short trips, late arrivals and budget stays close to the airport and the intercity bus terminal. The city has few sights of its own, so look up bus routes from the hotel to the coast and Hallasan if you are not driving.

Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex

Suits resort holidays, as the island's top-end five-star hotels are concentrated here on the south coast. Find the nearest stop for the 600 airport bus, which decides how easy arrival and departure are without a car.

Seogwipo town

Suits bus-based trips to the southern sights, with guesthouses and mid-range hotels in a smaller town than Jeju City. Small guesthouses vary a great deal, so confirm whether the bathroom is private or shared.

Seongsan and the east coast

Suits sunrise walks up Seongsan Ilchulbong and day trips to Udo, whose ferries leave from Seongsan Port. Buses outside the two main towns run to timetables rather than every few minutes, so check the service from the nearest stop before booking without a car.

When to go

Rain is heaviest from June to September and the island is windy all year, with typhoons a risk in summer. Rooms are hardest to find during the July–August school holidays and on Korean national holidays. Outside those periods, guesthouses often have space at short notice, so travellers without fixed plans can book a night or two ahead.

Before choosing a room

Minbak are small family-run guesthouses; check whether breakfast is included and how late you can check in after an evening flight.
Jjimjilbang bathhouses with sleeping areas are common in Jeju City but rare elsewhere on the island, so do not count on one as a fallback in the south or east.
If you are hiring a car, confirm the hotel has on-site parking and whether there is a charge, especially at city-centre hotels in Jeju City.

Sources and planning resources

Facts checked on 30 October 2026. Transport services, taxes and hotel offers can change. Confirm the details for your trip before booking.