Free things to do · Jeju · South Korea
7 free things to do in Jeju
Jeju without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AhmadElq, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 2 days in Jeju without paying an entry fee: Hallasan National Park, Hyeopjae Beach, Hamdeok Beach and Seoubong and Jeju 4.3 Peace Park are all free. Hallasan, the beaches, the Olle Trail, Seongeup Folk Village and the O'sulloc museum are all free, so outdoor days cost little apart from transport.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 7
- Low-cost extras
- 10
- Cost level
- Moderately priced
- Lowest hotel prices
- December–February
Free sights and experiences
Nature · Central Jeju
1.Hallasan National Park
If you are not fit for a 9-hour summit day, take the Yeongsil trail: about 3–4 hours return with the best rock-pinnacle views on the mountain.
- Time needed
- Full day (summit); 3–4 hours (Yeongsil)
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
- Views
- Free
Beach · Hallim and Hyeopjae
2.Hyeopjae Beach
Stay for sunset, which drops behind Biyangdo; arrive before 10am in August to find parking.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Free
- Photo spot
- Views
Beach · Hamdeok and Gujwa
3.Hamdeok Beach and Seoubong
Low tide exposes rock pools that children love; check the tide table and bring water shoes.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
Historic site · Jeju City
4.Jeju 4.3 Peace Park
Allow time for the exhibition hall, which is clearly laid out with English panels, and visit before rather than after a beach day.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
Historic site · Pyoseon
5.Seongeup Folk Village
Walk the lanes on your own; locals may invite you in to explain houses and then sell honey or omija syrup, which you are free to decline.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
Museum · Andeok
6.O'sulloc Tea Museum and Seogwang tea fields
Walk into the tea rows behind the museum for photos, then go early on weekends, when the café queue becomes long.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Experience · Seogwipo
7.Jeju Olle Trail Route 7
Pick up the Olle passport and stamp it at checkpoints, and start early in summer when the coastal sections have little shade.
- Time needed
- Half to full day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Active
- Views
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Central Jeju | Hallasan National Park | Full day (summit); 3–4 hours (Yeongsil) |
| Hallim and Hyeopjae | Hyeopjae Beach | Half a day |
| Hamdeok and Gujwa | Hamdeok Beach and Seoubong | 2–3 hours |
| Jeju City | Jeju 4.3 Peace Park | 1.5 hours |
| Pyoseon | Seongeup Folk Village | 1 hour |
| Andeok | O'sulloc Tea Museum and Seogwang tea fields | 1 hour |
| Seogwipo | Jeju Olle Trail Route 7 | Half to full day |
Worth a small ticket
Nature · Seongsan
Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak)
Climb for sunrise or in the late afternoon; tour buses fill the stairs from mid-morning to early afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Active
- Outdoors
Nature · Gujwa
Manjanggul Lava Tube
Sections have closed for safety works in recent years, so check the official Jeju sites before driving out; bring a light jacket and grippy shoes for the wet floor.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Kids
Nature · Jungmun
Daepo Jusangjeolli Cliff
Come on a day with a swell running; the spray over the columns is far more dramatic than on a flat calm.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Photo spot
- Nature
Nature · Seogwipo
Cheonjiyeon Waterfall
Visit after dark when the path is lit and tour groups have gone, then walk to the Saeseom bridge for harbour lights.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
Nature · Seogwipo
Jeongbang Waterfall
Wear shoes with grip; the black boulders at the bottom are slippery, and the stairs are steep for small children.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Market · Jeju City Old Town
Jeju Dongmun Traditional Market
Come after about 6pm for the night-market food stalls, and buy boxed hallabong here to take home rather than at the airport.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Museum · Jocheon
Jeju Stone Park
Start in the indoor museum to understand the island's geology, then walk the outdoor circuit, which takes about an hour.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Outdoors
Museum · Hamdeok and Gujwa
Haenyeo Museum
Pair it with lunch of abalone porridge at a haenyeo-run restaurant along the Hado or Jongdal coast.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
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Nature · Andeok
Sanbangsan and Yongmeori Coast
The Yongmeori path closes at high tide and in rough seas; check conditions at the ticket booth before buying.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Nature · Hamdeok and Gujwa
Bijarim Forest
Bring insect repellent in summer, and keep to the marked trail; the scoria path is easy for children and older walkers.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
More ways to save
- Hallasan, the beaches, the Olle Trail, Seongeup Folk Village and the O'sulloc museum are all free, so outdoor days cost little apart from transport.
- Rental-car and hotel prices roughly double in late July and August and over Korean holidays; book early or travel in spring and autumn.
- Lunch at noodle and porridge shops or the markets is far cheaper than seafood dinners, which can be expensive for fish such as hairtail and tilefish.
- Price many seafood dishes before ordering, especially at restaurants near the big sights where market-price items are common.
- Guesthouses and pensions outside Jeju City and Jungmun offer good value, especially for families who can cook.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Jeju expensive to visit?
Jeju is moderately priced for most visitors, but 7 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Jeju?
Hallasan National Park: If you are not fit for a 9-hour summit day, take the Yeongsil trail: about 3–4 hours return with the best rock-pinnacle views on the mountain.