First-Time Jeju Guide: Everything You Need Before You Visit (2026)

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Hello Jeju welcome sign at Jeju International Airport
The Hello Jeju sign greets you right after you land · Photo © sunny

Welcome to Jeju! If this is your first visit, planning your trip can feel overwhelming. Should you rent a car or rely on buses? Where should you stay? Do you need cash? This guide walks you through the essentials in the same order I'd plan them myself, with links to more detailed guides along the way.

☀️ Sunny's Tip Bookmark this page before your trip — I'll continue updating it whenever I publish new guides for first-time visitors.
📖 Table of Contents

Follow these steps to plan your first trip to Jeju.

1. Choose the Best Time to Visit Jeju
2. Planning Your Korea Trip
3. Getting to Jeju
4. Submit Your e-Arrival Card
5. Stay Connected & Get Your Money Ready
6. Choose Your Transportation
7. Choose Where to Stay
8. Have a Backup Plan for Rainy Days
9. Check Tide Times Before You Go
10. Save Money: Duty-Free, Tax Refunds & Discount Passes
11. Explore Jeju by Interest

Illustrated map of Jeju Island showing regions and major routes
Jeju's regions and major routes at a glance

1. Choose the Best Time to Visit Jeju

Before booking anything, think about when you want to visit. Jeju feels like a completely different island depending on the season. Spring brings cherry blossoms and canola flowers, summer is perfect for beaches and water activities, autumn offers clear skies and colorful foliage, while winter is the best time to experience Hallasan covered in snow.

There isn't one "perfect" season — it really depends on what kind of trip you're hoping to have. Choosing the right time first will make planning everything else much easier.

2. Planning Your Korea Trip

Many first-time visitors don't spend their entire vacation in Jeju. A popular option is to combine Seoul and Jeju in one trip, giving you the chance to experience both Korea's vibrant capital and its beautiful island.

If you're wondering how many days to spend in each destination or which order makes the most sense, this itinerary can help you plan a smoother trip.

3. Getting to Jeju

Most international travelers arrive in Korea through Incheon International Airport, but Jeju is a separate island, so you'll need one more flight to get there. Fortunately, domestic flights between Incheon (or Gimpo) and Jeju are frequent and easy to book.

If you're visiting Jeju for the first time, it's helpful to understand how the transfer works before you arrive in Korea.

4. Submit Your e-Arrival Card

Before you land, there's one small piece of paperwork worth taking care of in advance: Korea's e-Arrival Card. It replaced the old paper form handed out in-flight, and the same rules apply whether you're landing at Incheon, Gimpo, or here in Jeju.

It only takes a few minutes online, but the timing window is easy to get wrong — submit too early and it expires before you land.

5. Stay Connected & Get Your Money Ready

Once you arrive in Jeju, getting online should be one of your first priorities. You'll need internet access for navigation, translation apps, restaurant searches, and booking taxis. These days, an eSIM is often the easiest option since you can set it up before your flight and start using data as soon as you land.

It's also a good idea to carry a small amount of Korean won. While credit cards are widely accepted across Jeju, cash can still be useful at traditional markets, small local shops, or when using certain transportation services.

6. Choose Your Transportation

How you get around Jeju will shape your entire trip. Unlike Seoul, public transportation is more limited, so it's worth deciding early whether you'll rent a car or rely on buses and taxis.

I've written a full breakdown covering both options — buses and taxis, or renting a car (including EVs and choosing the right rental platform) — in one place, so you can pick what fits your trip.

Driving along Jeju's coastal road with the ocean in view
Cruising along Jeju's coastal road · Photo © sunny

7. Choose Where to Stay

Where you stay can have a bigger impact on your trip than many first-time visitors expect. Each part of Jeju has its own atmosphere, and the best location depends on what you want to see and how you plan to travel. If you're planning to stay in more than one area, choosing your base around your itinerary can also save you a surprising amount of driving time.

Whether you're looking for convenient access to the airport, beautiful beaches, scenic coastal drives, or a quieter base in Seogwipo, choosing the right area will help you make the most of your time on the island.

8. Have a Backup Plan for Rainy Days

Jeju's weather can turn on you without much warning, and I've had more than one trip where a sunny morning became a rainy afternoon within a couple of hours. It happens more often than people expect.

The good news is that a rainy day here doesn't have to be a wasted one. Museums, hot springs, cafés, and even a few waterfalls that only exist when it rains can turn into some of the most memorable parts of your trip.

9. Check Tide Times Before You Go

One thing many first-time visitors overlook is Jeju's tide schedule. Some of the island's most photogenic spots — sandbars, tidal flats, and hidden coastal paths — only reveal themselves at low tide and disappear when it comes back in.

10. Save Money: Duty-Free, Tax Refunds & Discount Passes

If shopping is part of your Jeju trip, it's worth knowing where the duty-free options are before you go. Jeju has duty-free shops at the airport, in Jungmun, and even at the cruise port, and prices and brand selection can vary between them.

Beyond duty-free stores, most regular shops also offer a tax refund for foreign tourists once you spend over a certain amount — it's a separate process from duty-free shopping, and knowing the difference in advance can save you both time and money.

Attraction admission is another place you can save money — Jeju has a couple of discount pass options worth comparing before you buy tickets one by one.

Once you've got the basics covered, these guides go deeper into each part of your trip.

You're ready for Jeju!

Now that you've covered the essentials, it's time to enjoy the island like a local. Whether you're looking for scenic coastal drives, hidden beaches, seasonal flowers, traditional markets, or unforgettable local restaurants, you'll find plenty of ideas throughout this blog.

Happy travels, and enjoy your time in Jeju!

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