Jeju
A volcanic island off the south of Korea, Hallasan at its centre and the sea divers at its edge, with the airport in the middle of Jeju City and Seoul under an hour away.
- Arrival
- Jeju International · CJU
- To the city
- The airport lies in Jeju City itself
- Private jets
- Handled at CJU; runway of 3,180 m
- Best time
- April to May · September to November
The city
Basalt, mandarins and the south coast.
Jeju City faces the mainland on the north shore, with the airport in its midst. The resorts lie across the island on the south coast around Seogwipo, where hotels sit above the cliffs and black basalt runs into the water. Between the two rises Hallasan, white at the summit in winter, its slopes scattered with the small volcanic cones the islanders call oreum.
The island is at its gentlest twice a year. Canola and cherry blossom colour the fields from late March; in autumn silver grass covers the oreum, and in November the mandarin harvest begins. Summer is hot and wet, with the monsoon and the odd typhoon, though the sea is warmest in August.
- Hallasan The mountain in the centre of the island, its summit the one place on Jeju where snow settles.
- Seongsan Ilchulbong A crater on the east coast where crowds gather to watch the first sunrise of the year.
- The haenyeo The women divers of Jeju, whose catch still reaches the island’s tables.
Arriving
One airport, an hour from Seoul.
Jeju International is the island’s only airport, inside Jeju City itself. The Gimpo to Jeju shuttle carries more than a million passengers a month.
- Seoul 55 min
- Taipei 1 h 45
- Bangkok 4 h 45
- Kuala Lumpur 5 h 50
- Istanbul 10 h 55 long-range jet
When to go
April to May, and September to November.
An island climate, softer than the mainland’s, with showers in every month. April and May reach 17 to 21 °C, and September to November cool from 26 to 16 °C with less rain as the weeks go on. June to August bring the monsoon and more than 230 mm a month; winter highs stay near 8 to 11 °C.
- 8° J 62 15°
- 9° F 78 14°
- 12° M 92 13°
- 17° A 134 14°
- 21° M 140 16°
- 24° J 235 20°
- 28° J 267 24°
- 29° A 253 27°
- 26° S 188 25°
- 21° O 83 22°
- 16° N 78 19°
- 11° D 47 17°
Where to stay
On the cliffs of the south coast.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa Basalt and timber on a clifftop by Bill Bensley, a lobby modelled on a hanok, and the island’s one MICHELIN Key.
- The Shilla Jeju A large seaside resort facing the Pacific, with a spa and indoor and outdoor pools.
- Parnas Hotel Jeju Suites designed by 1508 London, nearly all facing the sea, and an infinity pool that runs out towards it.
Where to dine
The best tables on the island.
The MICHELIN Guide for Korea covers Seoul and Busan only. The Flying Hog is listed by La Liste; Yeoumul is the JW Marriott’s Korean tasting room.
- The Flying Hog La Liste Wood-fire grill JW Marriott Jeju, Seogwipo
- Yeoumul Signature restaurant, JW Marriott Jeju Korean seasonal course JW Marriott Jeju, Seogwipo
Flying to Jeju?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.