Jeju Island is one of the most popular destinations in Korea. For foreigners and Koreans alike, this semi-tropical island is the “Hawaii of Korea”. It is recommended that you spend at least three full days there, but what if you only have one day? We spent just one full day in Jeju and decided to make it our mission to get as much done as possible. From sunrise to sunset, this is Jeju in one day.
Seongsan Illchubung Sunrise Island
We started our morning at 3:30 am at this famous spot which is called Sunrise Mountain. This hike is not too difficult but there are a lot of stairs going uphill, so be aware the entire hike is uphill. This hike takes about 20 to 35 minutes depending on your pace. There is only one path up and it is very well built.
When you reach the top there are many benches where you can take a seat and watch the sunrise. Usually, it gets pretty crowded so I recommend coming a bit early so you can get a good spot to watch the sunrise. Going up is fun but coming down during the morning golden hour is the real beauty.
Even if the sunrise isn’t spectacular, the towering cliffs, and beautiful black sand beach at the bottom make this one of the most breathtaking areas on Jeju island. Even if you can’t climb up, if you’re in the area I still recommend you visit the base.
Baekyagi Oreum
An Oruem is a cinder cone created by a volcano. Jeju is a volcanic island, so there are a lot of these large hills dotted across the landscape, and many of them have beautiful hiking trails. This one is located on the east side of the island between Seogwipo and Jeju City. If you hike the entire trail, you can hike up for two hours.
We were a bit tired from the morning hike and just wanted to have a quiet stroll through the hills. It’s a great spot to feel the calmness of nature. When we went there was no one there so we got a good view of Hallasan and enjoyed the view of the fields in Jeju. I recommend you hike any of the Oruems, but I can personally vouch for this one.
Jeju Secret Forest
Secret Forest is a location in the middle of nowhere on the east side of the Island. It became a famous photo spot because of social media. There is an iconic blue van that has tickets, snacks, and treats for the horses. It’s a small forest with large cedar trees that look beautiful if you angle it right. If you like taking pictures I recommend going here, if not there are better places to enjoy the forest in Jeju.
There isn’t a lot to see outside of the forest itself. Apparently there are farm animals somewhere, but we didn’t see them. Secret Forest is in the middle of nowhere, you’ll probably need a car and we had to drive over the bumpiest road in our lives to get there. It was a nice short spot but you only need about 30 minutes if you are just walking through.
The Cliff
The cliff is a cafe and pub located at the south edge of Jeju overlooking a coastal cliff. It has an excellent vibe inside, but I came here for one specific reason: They have a pole. As a pole dancer, I’ve seen this place trending on Instagram and I really had to go. The food and drinks are pricey but this is Jeju so what can you do.
Trying a pole routine on the pole was okay but it’s a bit slippery and there’s not a lot of space to land if you do upside-down tricks. There are a variety of sitting areas and views from inside and out so if you want a place to relax during the day I highly recommend it. It also seems like The Cliff gets lit at night, so if you’re looking for nightlife on the south side maybe check it out.
Osulloc Tea Museum
This is the most famous green tea field in Korea. The name is Osulloc Tea Museum but it’s more of a cafe and a place for food rather than your idea of a typical historical museum. The interior was renovated in 2023 and has a very modern feel. They offer desserts in the main building and in another building they have food and picnic basket sets.
Everything there is so delicious but we love their ice cream. Jeju is famous for growing hallabang (a type of orange), peanuts, and green tea. We get this set that comes with ice cream and pastries with each flavor.
Osulloc is one of the top things to do in Jeju, and we have gone every time we have visited. The food is always delicious and refreshing and we love sitting outside and watching the beautiful nature. Make sure you come during tea season in the spring and summer, or you might see the fields covered in tarps.
Randy’s Donuts
Have you ever seen a movie where a giant donut sign in LA falls down crushing everyone? That’s Randy’s, an American donut chain with only a few locations. For some reason they have two Korea locations, one happens to be in Jeju. I was curious if the massive line was worth it for these famous donuts but YES, IT IS! They are my favorite donuts by far because they are soft but not too bread-y. I recommend their Butter Crumb Raised, it’s a very popular donut and it’s so good. It tends to be a bit expensive but there are a lot of unique flavors such as green onion and croissant donuts.
Fizz Burger
After purchasing your Randy’s donuts you can walk next door to Fizz Burger. Their burgers are Western-style and don’t have that sweet taste Asian burgers tend to have. We ordered their signature Fizz Burger which has Swiss cheese, grilled pepper, and onions, with fizz sauce. It tastes tangy and sweet like barbecue. Also, you have to order their Peanut Shake. It’s the best peanut shake I’ve ever had! It isn’t our favorite burger we’ve ever had, but it’s definitely close and one of our favorite places in Jeju.
Jeju Aewol Coast
This is a nice drive or walk on the northwest side of Jeju Island. This coast is quite long and offers several activities such as cafes, beaches, restaurants, and shops. You can drive along the windy road and enjoy the beautiful blue ocean view. We have visited several times our favorite thing to do is drive along and find a park to watch the sea. We have taken the same picture every visit, and this has become a tradition.
Hamdeok Seoubong Beach
This was a new destination for us. We wanted to find a good spot to watch the sunset. Hamdeok Beach has a lot of things to do, from restaurants and massive sand beaches. There’s lots of room to swim and have a picnic, and several people were taking engagement pictures with the scenic backdrop.
We had a packed day so we decided to take a stroll and gaze at the nature around us. Up on the hill, there are several nice hiking trails overlooking the beach and the ocean with the town far in the background. This hill is definitely a prime spot to watch the sunset, in a perfect location with stunning scenery.
Dongmun Night Market
This is the night market of Jeju Island. It’s open in the day with souvenirs, fish, meats, and more! For me the real fun starts at (what time) when the food vendor section opens. There is so much variety with Jeju’s delicacies like black pork roll, candied tangerines, and more! Vendors do change over time so really enjoy the food from your favorite stands.
The star booth is Handsome YoungMan where they have black pork rolls and lobster! These men don’t just cook but they dance and cook with their gas torches. You are truly entertained by the energy they give. The market gets pretty crowded so usually we bring all our food to our stay or car so we have a place to eat.
Final Thoughts
As we only had one full day we tried to explore as much as we could. From seeing new things to revisiting our favorites. This can be quite intense for one day as we were limited on time but is only possible with a car. Public transportation is the greatest in Jeju so if you have your international license I highly recommend renting a car. We are always happy to come back to what used be to our most exotic destination but it’s always as beautiful as we remember. Until next time Jeju!