Jeju itinerary 5 days: Seongsan, Hallasan and the south coast at a calm pace

This Jeju itinerary for 5 days gives you two nights in Jeju City for Seongsan, Udo and a Hallasan hike, then two nights in Seogwipo for the waterfalls and the west coast. Jeju is about 6 hours non-stop from Singapore, so you land in the morning and start the trip the same day.

Five days suit couples, friends and families who want sea, volcanoes and good food without a long flight. Below you'll find each day, why it sits where it does, how to get around an island with no trains, and what to book before you fly.

The 5-day Jeju itinerary at a glance

• Route: Jeju City (2 nights) → Seogwipo (2 nights)
• Flights: non-stop from Singapore into Jeju International Airport, and home the same way
• Pace: one side of the island a day, with a hike or a slow day on Day 3
• Getting around: a rental car is easiest; buses work but take longer
• Good for: couples, friends, families and anyone who likes walking by the sea

Why this order? We start in Jeju City because the airport is on its edge and you'll land tired after an overnight flight. The east coast comes next because Seongsan is best early and Udo's ferries stop in the late afternoon. Hallasan sits in the middle of the island, so it's a natural stop on the way south to Seogwipo, and the west coast comes last because it's closest to the airport for the flight home.

Day 1: Arrive in Jeju City, the market and the sea wall

The overnight flights from Singapore land at about 07:00 to 09:30 Jeju time. The airport is about 10 to 15 minutes by taxi from the centre of Jeju City, so you can drop your bags before lunch. We'd pick up the rental car tomorrow morning rather than drive on no sleep.

Keep today short. Walk through Dongmun Market for snacks and tangerines, then along the coast to Yongduam, a black lava rock by the sea, and on to the lighthouses and beach at Iho Tewoo at sunset. Jeju is known for its black pork, grilled at the table, and Jeju City has whole streets of it for dinner.

Day 2: Seongsan Ilchulbong, Udo and Seongeup

Drive east early, about an hour, to Seongsan Ilchulbong, the volcanic crater that rises straight out of the sea. The climb to the rim takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes on stairs. The summit trail costs 5,000 won for adults, it opens at 06:00 from November to February and earlier the rest of the year, and it closes on the first Monday of each month, so check the date before you plan.

From Seongsan Port, the ferry to Udo takes about 15 minutes. Udo is a small, flat island of stone walls, peanut fields and pale beaches, and many people cycle or take the island bus around it. Ferries stop in strong wind, so treat Udo as a bonus and watch the weather that morning.

On the way back, stop at Seongeup Folk Village, where families still live in thatched stone houses. It's free to walk the lanes; keep to the paths and be quiet, as these are homes.

Day 3: Hallasan, then south to Seogwipo

Hallasan, South Korea's highest mountain, is the centre of the island, and today you cross it. Choose the walk that fits your group:

• The summit, Baengnokdam: from Seongpanak or Gwaneumsa, a long day of roughly 8 to 10 hours there and back. You need a free online reservation, and the summit section closes to new hikers in the late morning, so start early.
• Yeongsil or Eorimok to Witse-oreum: no reservation, roughly 2 to 3 hours up to the open plateau, and a good choice if you want the views without the full day.
• A slow day: Saryeoni Forest Path or Bijarim Forest for an easy walk under the trees, then the Jeju Stone Park for the island's volcanic story.

Carry food and water, since there are no shops on the trails. In the evening, drive to Seogwipo for two nights. It's about an hour from the trailheads, and the town is quieter and warmer than Jeju City.

Day 4: Seogwipo's waterfalls and the Jusangjeolli cliffs

Spend today on the south coast, where everything is within about 30 minutes. Start at Jeongbang Waterfall, which falls straight onto the shore, then walk to Cheonjiyeon Waterfall in its green gorge. In between, cross the Saeyeongyo bridge to Saeseom island for the view back over the harbour.

In the afternoon, drive west to the Jusangjeolli Cliff near Jungmun, where columns of basalt meet the sea. If you have energy left, walk a short stretch of the Jeju Olle Trail along the coast. Finish at Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market for dinner from the stalls.

Day 5: Sanbangsan, the west coast and the flight home

Check out and drive west, about 40 minutes, to Sanbangsan, the bell-shaped mountain above the southwest coast. Below it, the Yongmeori Coast has layered sandstone cliffs shaped by the sea. The path is closed when the tide is high or the waves are big, so it's worth checking on the day.

Then follow the coast north to Hyeopjae and Geumneung beaches, with their clear water and a view of Biyangdo island. The airport is about 50 minutes from here, which suits an evening flight home.

Getting around Jeju (approximate)

• Airport to Jeju City centre: about 10 to 15 minutes by taxi
• Jeju City to Seongsan: about 1 hour by car, longer by bus
• Jeju City to the Seongpanak trailhead: about 40 minutes by car, or the 181 or 281 bus
• Hallasan trailheads to Seogwipo: about 1 hour by car
• Around Seogwipo and Jungmun: 10 to 30 minutes between sights
• Hyeopjae to the airport: about 50 minutes by car

Do you need a car for 5 days in Jeju?

Not strictly, but it makes this route much easier. Jeju has no trains, and buses reach every stop on this page, but they're slower and less frequent on the coasts. To rent a car with a Singapore licence, bring an International Driving Permit (the 1949 Geneva type, which the Automobile Association of Singapore issues), your licence and your passport. Korea drives on the right. If nobody wants to drive, a taxi for a day on the east or west coast is a calm alternative for a small group.

Rough budget per person (approximate, excluding flights)

• Accommodation: about 40,000 to 100,000 won a night per person when sharing a double room
• Food: about 40,000 to 70,000 won a day, less with markets and convenience stores
• Car: about 50,000 to 100,000 won a day for the car plus fuel, shared by the group
• Sights: about 5,000 to 20,000 won a day, since many beaches, trails and villages are free

These are planning estimates, not quotes. Prices move with the season, the exchange rate and how many of you share a car and a room.

What to book early

• Hallasan summit: reservations open at 09:00 Korea time on the first business day of the month before your hike
• The rental car: a few weeks ahead for Korean holidays and the summer, when cars run short
• Flights: early for Singapore school holidays and long weekends, since only a few non-stop flights a day fly the route
• Hotels: a few months ahead for canola flower season (roughly late March to April) and the Korean summer holidays (roughly late July to August)

From Singapore

Scoot and Trinity Airways fly non-stop between Singapore and Jeju, a flight of about 6 hours. The flights leave Changi around midnight to 02:30 and land in Jeju in the morning. On the way home, Scoot leaves Jeju in the morning and Trinity Airways in the evening, which is why Day 5 has a morning and an evening version. You can also fly to Seoul and take a domestic flight of about an hour from Gimpo to Jeju.

Korea (KST, UTC+9) is 1 hour ahead of Singapore (UTC+8) all year. Neither uses daylight saving.

A Singapore passport doesn't need a visa for a short visit of less than 90 days. Singapore is also on Korea's list of countries temporarily exempt from the K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) until 31 December 2026, Korea time, and that covers Jeju whether you fly straight there or through Seoul. Without a K-ETA you fill in the free e-Arrival Card online, from 3 days before you land.

You may read about Jeju's own visa-free entry. That scheme is for nationalities that normally need a Korean visa, and it only works on direct international arrivals into Jeju with a stay of up to 30 days on the island. Singapore passports don't need it.

For trips that land on or after 1 January 2027, check the official K-ETA website before you fly. As of 31 October 2026, no extension beyond 31 December 2026 had been announced. If a K-ETA is needed, apply only on the official site (k-eta.go.kr), at least a few days before you travel.

For 2027, these windows on our Singapore public holidays 2027 page fit Jeju well:

• Hari Raya Puasa: 2 days of leave, Thursday 11 and Friday 12 March, gives Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 March, 5 days. Early spring on Jeju is cool and windy, with the first canola flowers.
• Deepavali: 1 day of leave, Friday 29 October, gives Thursday 28 to Sunday 31 October, 4 days. Trim this plan to the east coast, Seogwipo and the west coast, and keep Hallasan for autumn colour if you have the energy.
• Hari Raya Haji and Vesak Day: 3 days of leave, Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Friday 21 May, gives Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 May, 9 days. That's enough for Jeju plus our 7 days in Korea route through Seoul and Busan.

Planning this trip as a group

• Split on Day 3. Hikers take the summit trail, everyone else takes the forest walks, and you meet in Seogwipo for dinner.
• Book Hallasan carefully. One reservation covers up to 4 people, so a bigger group needs a second person booking at the same time.
• Decide on drivers before you go, since each driver needs their own International Driving Permit, and a group of five or more may need a larger car or two.
• Keep the plan in one place. With Tripmo's group trip planner, each person's ChatGPT, Claude or Grok adds to one shared plan on a map, so bookings and ideas don't get lost in the group chat.

More itineraries

• 7 days in Korea: Seoul's palaces and markets, then Busan by KTX
• Korea itineraries: every Korea plan in one place
• KTX train tickets: when they go on sale, if you add Busan or Seoul
• 5 days in Taiwan: another 5-day trip from Singapore, based in Taipei
• All itineraries

Sources

• K-ETA official website, Notice on Extension of K-ETA Temporary Exemption: the exemption runs from 1 January to 31 December 2026 (KST) for the countries already exempt. Notice dated 23 December 2025; no newer extension notice on 31 October 2026.
• Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore, Visa-Free Entry to Jeju Island: the Jeju scheme is for visa-required nationals on direct flights, up to 30 days; Singapore nationals may enter Jeju without visa or K-ETA until 31 December 2026, directly or via Seoul. Notice dated 2 January 2026.
• Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore, Information about K-ETA: Singapore passport holders are exempted from K-ETA till 31 December 2026.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, South Korea: Singapore passport holders do not need a visa for short-term entry of less than 90 days.
• Korea e-Arrival Card, guide: free, from 3 days before arrival, replaces the paper card.
• Visit Jeju, Seongsan Ilchulbong: adult summit trail 5,000 won; seasonal hours from 06:00 in November to February; closed on the first Monday of each month.
• Hallasan National Park reservation system, notice of 12 May 2025: reservations only for the Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa summit sections; opens 09:00 on the first business day of the previous month; up to 4 people per reservation; QR code and ID; no shops on the mountain; 181 and 281 buses to Seongpanak.
• Automobile Association of Singapore, IDP and its list of countries recognising the 1949 IDP.
• Flights and schedules: published Scoot and Trinity Airways schedules for late October 2026 (Scoot TR812/TR838 about 00:25 to 07:20, TR813 back about 08:55; Trinity Airways TW166 about 02:30 to 09:30, TW165 back about 19:45), approximate and subject to change.
• Drive and walk times: map estimates, approximate.