13 Best Sights in Jeju-do, South Korea

This is a botanical garden, zoo, and cultural experience all wrapped up in one. At this Jeju-themed park, visitors experience the flora of Jeju while winding through a maze of greenhouses, orchards, and reptile enclosures. The walk-in bird sanctuary puts you face to face with peacocks and other native fowl. The water garden, traditional folk village, and bonsai and stone statue park represent the island's artistic heritage. There are even two small lava tubes guests can walk through. If your visit is short, Hallim Park is a great way to experience Jeju's many facets in just a few hours.

Korean travelers regard Geumneung Beach as Jeju's most "exotic," largely owing to its row of palm trees. It also gets some of Jeju's finest sunsets, when the descending sun turns the seascape around Biyangdo (Biyang Island) into a canvas of red, orange, and violet. The beach's shallow depth and concentration of volcanic rocks make it an ideal place for snorkeling. The shallow water also makes the beach popular with family vacationers, especially in summer. The beach has a free camping ground that's open year-round. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; showers. Best for: walking; swimming; sunsets; snorkeling.

In the Jeju dialect, "gotjawal" refers to the thick forests of trees and climbing plants that cover the rocky ground on the middle slopes of Hallasan mountain. These forests are critical to Jeju's ecosystem, as the rainwater that falls here penetrates deep into the aquifer through the highly porous volcanic rock. These forests are home to about 750 species of indigenous plants and dozens of animal species, including several endangered and protected ones such as the exceptionally rare Black-headed Snake. Several gotjawal forests have been designated protected parks, including Gotjawal Provincial Park in southwest Jeju. Five trails make their way through half a square mile of forest. The highlight is the 50-foot high observation tower with breathtaking views over the forest and surrounding landscape. There's also a visitor's center and a cafe. Trekking or hiking shoes are recommended, and dress shoes and sandals are forbidden.

Jeju's dominant topographical feature is Hallasan, an extinct shield volcano that looms 1,950 meters (6,397 feet) over the island. The mountain's lower slopes are covered in dense woods, fields, pastures, and citrus groves that give way to grassy meadows, azalea fields, and forests of dead yew trees at higher elevations. More than 360 parasitic cones cover the volcano's flanks. There are seven hiking trails up the mountain, though the two most popular—the Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails—now require reservations. Both take about 10 hours, and while the hike to the crater at the peak can be a slog, no technical climbing is required and the views over the island are well worth the effort. Beware of the strong winds and sudden change in temperature as altitude increases. Hallasan has camping sites, parking, a visitors center, and bathrooms.

Like most of the beaches on Jeju's northern coast, you'll find plenty of white sand sloping gently into crystal clear water, along with plenty of cafes, restaurants, and other amenities. What really sets Hamdeok Beach apart, though, is that it's right next to a sizable volcanic cone, Seoubong. It's a short hike to the top, where you'll find great views over the coast. The hill is covered in bright yellow canola blossoms in spring and golden cosmos flowers in autumn, too. The beach is just 30 minutes from Jeju International Airport, making it one of the island's most accessible seaside destinations. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

One of the most popular beaches on Jeju's northwest coast is also one of its most picturesque thanks to its white sands, black volcanic rock, emerald sea, and the small volcanic island Biyangdo just off the coast. Gently sloping into shallow seas, the beach makes for a perfect family getaway. The sunsets from here (and nearby Geumneung Beach) are inspiring. The beach is lined with plenty of charming cafes and restaurants, as is the nearby town of Hallim. Also nearby is Hallim Park, an arboretum and one of the island's most popular tourist destinations. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; showers. Best for: walking; swimming; sunsets.

This sandy stretch of beach in the sprawling Jungmun Tourist Complex stretches from Cheonjiyeon Waterfall to the stunning basalt cliffs of Daepo Jusangjeolli. More than one million people visit the beach a year, so it can be something of a sea of parasols in summer. However, it also gets relatively high waves, making it a favorite of Korea's surfer community. Typhoon swells are common in summer. Even if you're not a beach person, the nearby Jungmun Tourist Complex is full of things to see, including the impressive Yeomiji Botanical Garden. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; showers. Best for: swimming; surfing.

The Jungmun Tourist Complex was created in 1978 as a way to promote tourism to Jeju. Apparently, it worked. Today, the sprawling complex includes 10 major hotels, an international convention center, several museums, a golf course, a marine park, beaches, waterfalls, and more. Some travelers go to Jungmun and never leave. One place particularly worth visiting within the complex is the Yeomiji Botanical Garden. The indoor garden alone is home to 2,000 rare tropical and subtropical plants, while the outdoor gardens feature sections in a variety of national styles. It also has an observation tower with views of Hallasan and Jeju's offshore islands.

More than 6,500 feet in circumference and 420 feet deep, Sangumburi is not only one of the largest of Jeju's 360 volcanic craters, but it's also a rare "maar"—that is, it was formed when groundwater came into contact with magma, causing an explosion. The crater functions as a nature preserve, hosting more than 400 species of trees and plants and populations of deer and other animals. The crater is particularly spectacular in autumn, when its flanks are covered in shimmering silvergrass. Its rim offers fine views of Hallasan as well. The crater is an easy five-minute walk from the park gate. 

Like Jeju's other beaches, Sehwa Beach is a captivating medley of white sand, black rock, and jewel-toned water. What it lacks, however, are crowds—and here lies its charm. Still relatively untouristed, this is as tranquil a stretch of coast as you will find anywhere on the island. Sehwa has also attracted its share of hipsters from the mainland, as its trendy cafes and popular Bellongjang artisan market will attest. On the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, and 30th of the month, the beach area also hosts one of northeast Jeju's biggest open air markets, where you'll find locally harvested seafood, carrots, and other produce. Nearby is the Jeju Haenyeo Museum, where visitors can learn about the lives of Jeju's famous female divers, or haenyeo. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: sunsets; sunrises; walking; solitude.

Just 15 minutes by ferry from the port of Seongsan, this small volcanic island used to be a hidden piece of bucolic old Jeju. In recent years, the hip crowd has discovered the place en masse, bringing trendy cafes, restaurants, and bed-and-breakfasts with them. Still, the island's patchwork of fields and pathways lined by volcanic stones walls remind visitors what Jeju was like before tourism transformed it forever. Fields of bright-yellow canola flowers light the island up in early spring; many charge small entry fees. The island also has hiking trails, bike paths, ATV and scooter rentals, scenic coastal cliffs and Seobin Beach, one of the finest white sand beaches in Jeju and East Asia's only beach made of rhodoliths (red algae nodules). On a culinary note, the island is renowned for its peanuts, which locals use to make ice cream, cheesecakes, beverages and other delicacies.

Not so long ago, the Woljeong Coast was a beautiful and relatively quiet stretch of white sand and emerald sea on the road to Seongsan in northeast Jeju. Nothing can remain secret forever, though, and the area is now a bit overrun with cafes, restaurants, and bed-and-breakfasts such as the Lunamar Pool Resort. That said, there are worse ways to spend an afternoon than taking in the captivating seaside scenery over an artisanal cold brew or craft beer. Try the carrot cake at the cafe Gujwa Sanghoe, a beautifully renovated traditional Jeju home with walls of volcanic rock. Some of the cafes have placed colorful wooden chairs on the beach boardwalk; these have become popular photo spots. Woljeong Coast's water is pretty shallow, making it ideal for children. At the same time, the area gets consistent waves, drawing plenty of surfers. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; showers. Best for: sunsets; sunrises; surfing; swimming.

Trekkers and photographers flock to this low-lying, horseshoe-shaped volcanic cone in Jeju's northeast for its gentle, undulating landscapes and its ever changing seasonal foliage. It takes just 15 minutes of easy hiking to reach the top of the cone, where you can take in views of Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak), Udo Island, and some of Jeju's other prominent volcanic cones. You can circumnavigate the entire crater in a leisurely one-hour hike. The cone attracts many hikers particularly in autumn, when colonies of shining silvergrass cover its slopes.