5 incredible things to do in jeju - our secret spots with kids

Jeju, a volcanic island is considered one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is known for its beaches, volcanic landscape of craters, Mount Hallasan and hiking trails. One of the most beautiful places in South Korea, Jeju is a popular destination for locals and international travelers and has something for everybody to enjoy all year round.

TRANSPORTATION

by plane: Most big cities in South Korea will have a direct flight to Jeju and some Countries have direct flights to Jeju too (i.e. Vietnam)
by ferry: From Busan there is an option to take the ferry service either with your car or yourself. Though the ferry ride is quite long it can be a good option for people looking for a budget pricing.

Once you arrive in Jeju, renting a car is highly recommended as it is by far the most convenient way to get around. Public transportation system on Jeju island is not as efficient as other cities like Seoul or Busan. Another option would be to hire a personal driver which is possible to be hired on a day by day basis. It’s more expensive and while it might be convenient it’s also limiting as they will only drive you around until a certain time. This is also not a great option if you have kids and will need carseats.

01 - O’Sulloc Tea Museum

In the western part of Jeju island tea plantations are plentiful, known as the Seogwang Tea Garden, this area surrounding the O’sulloc Tea Museum is the largest tea plantation in South Korea at over 0.5 square km.

If you like tea and especially green tea, this tea field is a great area to visit with toddlers and kids. There is no entrance fee, the grounds are large enough for kids to roam around, there are cafés, sculptures and tea fields to get lost in. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of Korean tea.

OPENING HOURS

Innisfree Jeju House: Summer 9:00 – 19:00, Winter 9:00 - 18:00

O’Sulloc Tea Museum: 9:00 – 18:00, open all year around

02 - Geumneung Beach

Located on the west coast of the island, Geumneung beach is less crowded and known to locals. It has smaller waves and shallow waters making it the perfect spot for younger children to have fun in. Our kids loved this beach the most, the small volcanic rock formations are safe and fun enough for them to explore, to find small fish and crabs, the sand is soft and there are restaurants and cafés near by walking distance.

Jeju is truly beautiful and unique in every season and during the fall is the perfect time to still do outdoor activities like hiking and the beach without being in the unbearably hot and humid summer temperatures.

ADDRESS

Geumneung-ri, Hallim-eub, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea

03 - MUNdoji OReum

Mundoji oreum is full of vibrant green energy of untouched forests and it continues through to the peak where there are horses grazing on grass. Once at top you get a great view of Mount Halla-san and several other oreums. Around the area this view of wild and primal dense forest seems like a well trimmed garden spread beneath your feet. Once you past the first few minutes of uphill the rest of the hike is quite easy for kids to attempt. The best part is that this oreum is not as popular and known as the other major ones with lots of tourists. Less crowded, more open space, horses are some of the top reasons we picked this oreum as a great spot to take kids on a light hike.

04 - Bukchon Dol hareubang Park/ art museum

The main symbol of Jeju island, Dol Hareubang means “rock old grandfather” statues can be found all around the island. This art museum/park has put together a wide variety of the statues in different shapes and sizes and, in doing so, illuminates their aesthetic and scholarly importance to visitors as well as future generations. It felt more like a park and museum rather than a tourist attraction - somewhere children and adults could learn.

The whole outdoor spaces takes a good 20-30minutes to walk and explore. There were lots of little photo spots and areas where it was fun for the kids to play in.

The park has a promenade, traditional local garden with walking paths, sculptures, small art gallery, play structures and a tree house like library area which was perfect for the kids. The indoor tree house has a variety of books, bean bags and some toys. The best part is the view you get from inside the tree house.

OPENING HOURS

April-October 09:00-18:00
November-March 09:00-17:00

ADDRESS

70, Bukchonseo 1-gil, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
제주특별자치도 제주시 조천읍 북촌서1길 70

05 - walchong art museum

If you are looking for a day to be spent indoors with experiences to explore interactive exhibits and creativity try the Walchong art museum. We were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful area this museum is located in with lots of restaurants and cafes near by and also a path that goes along a river.

Walchong art museum is located in the south of Jeju island in an area called Seogwipo. The museum showcases the artist Lee WalChong’s paintings and sculptures that depict the every day life in colorful ways. Not only was it educational to learn about the lifestyle of Jeju back in the days but the way he depicts elements are eye catching for kids. Lots of animals, nature and jeju elements are shown through use of traditional materials such as korean rice paper, ceramics and traditional wrapping cloth (bojagi).

Our toddler definitely enjoyed and was amazed at the large scale sculptures and paintings that somehow could look like it’s from a children’s story book.

The gallery also has a roof top area where there were some sculptures and it had a great spot to look out to the ocean.

little street details, gardens, river, ocean views & temples

OPENING HOURS

Monday : closed
Tuesday - Saturday : 10am - 6pm

ADDRESS

South Korea, Jeju-do, Seogwipo-si
제주도 서귀포시 칠십리로 214번길 30(동홍동)

I hope you guys found this post useful to plan things to do in Jeju with kids. If you’d like to read more about our personal experience living there for 2 months, make sure you have a look at this post as well. We hope it will inspire you even more.

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