Seogwipo

Seogwipo (서귀포시, 西歸浦市) is a city and district used to describe the entire southern half of Jeju island. The main city consists of an urban center and port on the coast, directly south of Jeju's most prominent landmark, Hallasan mountain. Urban sprawl has seen the city extend in a strip along the coast in both directions.

Understand

Seogwipo Waterfall

Seogwipo harbour, as seen from downtown.

Covering the entire southern half of Jeju island, Seogwipo, the island's second-biggest city, claims the Jeju International Convention Centre and the Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex with Jeju's fanciest accommodation. Furthermore, as one of the many co-hosts of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, it holds the island's only stadium.

Being spread out along a coastline made out of columnar basalt cliffs and beaches interchangeably makes it a somewhat unusual visit. A coastal wander may see you strolling across a busy summer beach one moment and sheepishly striding through incredibly swank hotel grounds the next. Yet equally likely, one could end up traversing rocks alongside sheer cliffs, dark caves and beautiful waterfalls. It is the second-largest city on Jeju Island, with a population of 155,000 in 2011.

Other destinations

Smaller villages dot the coastline and eastern and western interior. Roughly clockwise from Jeju City:

1 Seongsan – village in the east of the island, close for Udo Island and Seongsan Ilchulbong, a volcanic crater. The village has a number of interesting seafood restaurants and can make for a pleasant overnight stay, but there are no nightlife options (apart from a disproportionate number of marts for the size of the village).

2 Gangjeong – small coastal village just west out of central Seogwipo. Unnoteworthy if not for the fact that it is the proposed site and thus ground zero for the battle over keeping naval bases off Jeju.

Get in

By bus

Buses run from Jeju city on the other side of the island. Seogwipo is a main hub for buses for the southern side of Jeju island and therefore the majority of buses running on this side of the island pass through Seogwipo.

From Jeju beach/downtown area, get bus 100 to the bus terminal. From there, buses leave every 10 minutes to Seogwipo. Fare: ₩3,000. Journey time: 1 hour.

• The Airport Limousine bus (route #600) runs from Jeju International Airport to Seogwipo every 15 to 20 minutes. Journey time is about an hour and 20 minutes. Cost is ₩6000 per person (as of 2023) payable with cash or T-money card. The bus makes stops at about 30 locations, including all the five-star hotels in the Jungmun Resort Area. The final destination is at the Sun Motel in Downtown Seogwipo.

Get around

Downtown Seogwipo to Jungmun.

Seogwipo is spread out in a thin line along the coast from Seogwipo downtown to the east and Jungmun to the west along the main arterial road, Ilju-ro (Highway #1132).

By bus

Like it's northern counterpart, Jeju City, Seogwipo has its own inner-city (shinnae) bus system. Almost all of the buses take the same route along the highway between downtown and Jungmun, but tend to branch out at either end, servicing even a few of the smaller villages such as Daeepyeong-ri in the south-west of the island. In the downtown district there are a pair of bus "terminals" located around a main traffic roundabout from which most depart downtown, else just make your way to the highway. Inner-city buses cost ₩1000.

Long distance inter-city buses mostly follow the same route along the highway as inner-city ones and can also be used to get around. The cost is a little higher but they are faster, only stopping at major locations before zipping out of town to Jeju City. These long-distance buses look more like tour buses than the city buses and go pretty much anyhere on Jeju. Seogwipo has two inter-city terminals. The main inter-city terminal is in the south-east of downtown, near the Jeongbang Waterfall. The second is to the right of the E-mart in front of the World Cup Stadium (tucked in the back of a rather nondescript building). In practicality however, you can get just get on from one of the larger bus stops on either side of the highway around the stadium or Jungmun, and or at the traffic roundabout in downtown.

By taxi

Taxis are also an option – most places are happy to call one for you. However, if you're planning to travel the full 25 km from Jungmun to downtown, the fare will be expensive.

By motorcycyle

There are one or two places that rent scooters in Seogwipo.

On foot

The main city area of Seogwipo, World Cup Stadium and Jungmun all lie in a 25- to 30-km-long thin strip along the coast. Whilst it is downright easy to wander each of the three key areas individually, walking between them would be inconvenient. Having said that, the Jeju Olle hiking trails do run along the coast in this region.

Most places can be comfortably walked to from the nearest highway stop.

See

In Seogwipo town

• 1 Dumoak (두모악). Gallery featuring prints from the photographer Kim Young-gap. 
• 2 Andeok Valley (안덕 계곡). The most beautiful valley in Jeju. The strange rock cliffs surrounded like a folding screen and the clear water flowing leisurely from the flat bedrock create a stylish atmosphere. Andeok Valley was named because seven days after the sky cried, the ground vibrated, and clouds and fog formed, the great gods rose and the stream meandered between the rock walls, making it a place of peace. The sap from the temperate forests such as the Gusil nut chestnut tree, oak tree, juniper tree, camellia tree, persimmon tree, and dampal tree adds freshness. 
• 3 Jeju Sculpture Park (제주 조각공원). This park near Mt. Sanbang is a relaxing walking area where you can discover over 160 different sculptures in a peaceful atmosphere. The sculpture park also has an observation tower. 
• 4 Gaetkak Jusangjeolli Cliff (갯깍 주상절리). Although the access road is cramped and there is an unpaved rocky road by the sea, it is a place where you can feel the sea and hundreds of years of sea scent while stepping on the bumpy rocks. It boasts the best place as a photo zone, fully feeling the appearance of different stones, sea breeze, and sea scent. 
• 5 Seongeup Folklore Village (제주 성읍마을). The "folklore" is a bit misleading, this is actually an authentic traditional Jeju village in which (some) people actually live. While there is a bit of signage in English, to really appreciate and understand this place requires a tour guide or book. Free.  
• 6 Jeju Folk Village Museum (제주 민속촌). Not to be confused with the above, this is a created museum that presents a vivid and lively exhibition of the island's cultural assets. Built on an area of over 150,000 m², the village has reconstructed and moved living structures from varies styles. Get the audioguide: a steal at only ₩2,000. Pace yourself, seeing everything can take up to 4 hours. ₩6,000. 
• 7 Soingook Miniature Theme Park (소인국 테마파크). Here you can get up close to small scaled replicas of some of the most famous structures from more than 30 countries. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Taj Mahal and many Korean sites are part of this interesting display. The two parks are in different parts of Jeju Island. 

• 

  Basalt pillars of Jungmun Beach.

  8 Jungmun·Daepo Coast Jusangjeolli Cliff (중문·대포 해안 주상절리대). A hexagonal rock formed by reducing its volume in the process of solidifying liquid lava like a turtle's back, and is designated as Natural Monument No. 443 and protected. 
• 9 Jeongbang waterfall (Jeongbang pokpo (정방 폭포)), 278, Donghong-dong, 36 chilsimni-ro 214-gil (a kilometer or two east of Seogwipo harbour), ☏ +82 64 733-1530. 09:00-17:40. With Seopeom and Beomseom island in front, the Jeongbang Waterfall is right at the edge of the ocean. Apparently the only waterfall in Asia to fall directly into the sea and one of the "three famous waterfalls of Jeju". ₩2000. 
• 10 Cheonjiyeon Waterfall (Cheonjiyeon pokpo (천지연 폭포)). Cheonjiyeon Waterfall is one of the "three famous waterfalls of Jeju". Cheonjiyeon (meaning a waterfall connecting the sky (ch'eon) and land (ji)) receives a large number of tourists to get their picture taken with the falls in the background. Although there is one main area where water falls over the cliff, depending on how much rain has fallen recently, the stream may spread and cascade down at several points. The water falls into a large, artificial pond that has been created by two small dams to maintain the water at a certain level. ₩2000. 

In Seogwipo Region

• 11 Seopjikoji (섭지코지), Seopjikoji, Seongsan-eup, ☏ +82 64-782-0080. 09:00-19:00. Koji means a cape in Jeju dialect. It consists of the bow shaped Gojaut Koji near the sea and Jeongji Koji near the beach. It was a filming place of the Korean drama "All In" So a lot of Korean sightseers visit. Walking along the sea, you may feel like you are in the ocean. Free. 
• 12 Micheon Cave (미천굴), 1010, Samdal-ri, Seongsan-eup (10 minutes away from Seongeup Folk Village towards Seongsan), ☏ +82 64-784-2080. 09:00-18:00. Fresh air, crystal clear water, green fields, and a secondary volcanic cone (oreum) create an awe-inspiring sight. ₩12000(Adult), ₩8000(Teenager), ₩7000(Child). 
• Botanical Garden Yeomiji, 2910 Saekdal-dong, ☏ +82 564-735-1100. The largest botanical garden in Asia, the magnificent glass Yeomiji Conservatory has collected and displayed 1,200 species of subtropical and tropical plants. There are five permanent gardens as well as the temporary horticultural displays and flower show. you can stroll through the traditional outdoor gardens of Korea, Japan, Italy and France admiring the unique classical design of each. 
• Jusangjeolli Cliff of Daepo (주상절리대), 2663, Jungmun-dong (1100 (cheonbaek)-ro), ☏ +82 64 738-1521. 09:00-17:30. Near Jungmun Beach, a popular spot for vacationers and locals, is an impressive pillar rock formation named Jusangjeolli Cliff in Daepo. The formation looks like a piece of art that has been sculpted delicately with a sharp tool. \2000. 

Museums

Why so many museums? You've probably noticed that Jeju has more than its fair share of museums, many of which are not even Jeju-related. In fact, despite having only a little over 1% of the country's poopulation, Jeju island has more than 6% of its museums! Why? In order for Jeju to have plenty of diverse tourist attractions, the provincial government gives substantial tax benefits to museums. This has lead to private galleries or corporations disguising themselves as museums purely for the tax benefits, leading to a perceived decline in the quality of the many commercial "museums" on the island.

• 13 Chocolate Museum (초콜릿박물관), 551-18 Ilgwa-ri, Daejeong-eup, ☏ +82 64 792-3121. 10:30-17:00. This is the second largest museum in the world. The building looks like a fortress of rocks but smells sweet. The hand-made chocolate set from this museum makes a great gift to take away from Jeju. \8000. 
• 14 Green Tea Museum (오설록 티 뮤지엄), ☏ +82 64-794-5312. 09:00-18:00. Located among actual plantations of green tea, this museum is built in the shape of a tea cup. Here you can see tea collecting methods and take pictures in the middle of tea plantations. The O'Sulloc tea museum teaches you about Korean tea culture through a miniature of a green tea production line and many other interesting activities. There is a souvenir shop and of course a green tea-house with green tea and green tea ice cream. A very beautiful modern building, the museum is surrounded with summer-houses, stone towers and soft green grass lawns. Free. 
• 15 World 'Eros' Museum (under the World Cup Stadium), ☏ +82 64-739-0059, fax: +82 64-739-6091. 09:00-20:00. At first glance, Seogwipo's answer to the infamous Loveland, this attraction actually lives up to its title: a museum. A museum that has amassed genuine erotic works of art from the world over and put them on display next to a pile of cheaply Photoshopped "flowers" and some Japanese pornography playing in a traditional house-front with holes poked in the paper screens... but a museum nonetheless. As no information at all is in English a fun game to play is to guess the country of origin of a piece based on how violent the acts depicted are (Hint: the spectrum runs from Chinese at one extreme to Japanese at the other, use clothing styles to check answers.) Probably not a place for children. Check out the 12 vases of the animal-love zodiac. ₩7000. 
• 16 Jeju Teddy Bear Museum (테디베어박물관), 31 Jungmun Tourist Road 110beon-gil, ☏ +82 64-738-7600. 09:00-18:00. Millions of people around the world collect Teddy Bears and they seek out old, unique, and valuable teddy bears for their personal collections. The Jeju Teddy Bear Museum opened especially for the European collectors and is more exciting than ever with special "Teddy Bear" entertainment. Some scenes from the popular Korean Drama "Goong (궁)" was filmed in this museum. \12000. 
• 17 Jeju Shinyoung Cinema Museum (신영영화박물관무비스타), 2381, Namwon-ri, Namwon-eup, ☏ +82 64 764-7777. This is the first movie museum in Korea. It was established by Shin Young-gyun, a movie actor and displays pictures of movie stars.(temporary closed). 

Do

Marine activities

• Scuba diving. (updated Sep 2024)
• 1 Submarine tours (서귀포잠수함), 40 Namseongjung-ro, ☏ +82 64-732-6060. 09:30-16:30. Located in the harbour, you have the opportunity to experience going down to a depth of 40 m below the water surface on a submarine trip. With a course around 2.8 km long, a tour is a great way to see below the surface of Jeju's splendid seas. Here you can see the world of soft corals and colorful fish all amid a fantastic underwater landscape near Munsom Islet. You may even be lucky enough to see Haenyo hard at work. An hour trip costs ₩45,000 for adults, and ₩25,000 for children. 
• 2 Jeju Water World (제주워터월드), 33 World Cup-ro (take the local or intercity bus to the World Cup Stadium and walk around to the south side; it's in the mouth of the giant, green-lit shark), ☏ +82 64-739-1930. Family-friendly water park consisting of a large indoor section quite literally under the south grandstands and a small outdoor section off to the side. Has a sauna and jjimjilbang attached. ₩21,000 for water park admission (₩8,000 for sauna, ₩10,000 for jjimjilbang). 

Track and Field activities

• Hiking. 3 Songaksan Mountain (송악산). It is a good path to walk while looking at the scenery as the mountains and the sea are harmonized. You can see "Brothers Island, Gapado Island, and Marado Island" the closest, and it is a great place to walk along the promenade while enjoying rape flowers in spring and reeds in autumn. The slope of the road is gentle, and there is also an artificial cave, which can lead to interesting steps.  
• Climbing. 4 Seongsan Ilchulbong (성산 일출봉). is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Jeju Island and is a good place to climb. It also gives a similar feeling to Hallasan Baeknokdam. It lies at the end of Seongsan Peninsula, which protrudes to the east of Jeju. Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak is a water-based volcano created by magma erupting from the water, unlike other oreum on Jeju Island. As the hot magma emitted during volcanic activity met with cold seawater, volcanic ash contained a lot of moisture and became sticky, and Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak was piled up in layers.  

Festivals

Throughout the regions, there are variety of festivals:

• 5 Bangeo Festival (최남단 방어 축제). November 26~December 25, 2022. It is a local specialty festival with the theme of defense held in Moseulpo Port. Raw fish is provided free of charge, and you can participate in the fishing event according to the schedule. 
• 6 Jeju Canola Festival (제주 유채꽃 축제). In the middle of April every year. When spring comes, yellow rape flowers bloom all over Jeju Island. The rape flower festival, designed to praise the beauty of rape flowers, combines the three colors of Jeju's blue sea, stone walls next to the road, and yellow rape flowers to deliver love to lovers and dreams to families. 
• 7 Seogwipo Winter Sea International Penguin Swimming Competition (서귀포 겨울바다 국제 펭귄 수영대회). January 1, 2023. Every January, half-naked swimmers dive into local beaches. The upcoming 23rd Seogwipo Winter Sea International Penguin Swimming Competition will be held at Jungmun Saekdal Beach 

Buy

Jeju Hallabong

• Locally made Hallisan Soju (Korean rice wine).
• Jeju hallabong (citrus fruit akin to an oversized tangerine) are grown predominantly on the southern side of the island so they are both most abundant and cheap from roadside stalls around Seogwipo.

Eat

Being a coastal city on an island, expect the hoe (회, sashimi) to be excellent.

Downtown Seogwipo contains mostly Korean-style restaurants. To illustrate, even the E-mart food court is strictly Korean fare. In the main circle in town there is a coffee shop/restaurant that has some western dishes prepared in a Korean way on the second floor. It has pictures of famous westerners lining the restaurant.

A great more upmarket restaurants, catering to foreign tastes, can be found in and around the Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex.

An interesting culinary option around Seogwipo is sea cucumber. Jeju's iconic women divers (해녀) are scattered around the coast, particilarly near Jungmun, ready to serve it up fresh before your eyes for an average ₩10,000. If you time your approach right, you might even see your meal get hauled in before your eyes. If you're game that is...

• SanbangsanPizza, Andukmyon, duksuri 236-5, ☏ +821095444156, gazet51@gmail.com. 12:00-20:30. Italian traditional pizza Gorgonzola pizza, Capricciosa pizza, Margheritta Pizza ₩15,000. (updated Mar 2015)
• 1 Nammun Restaurant (남문식당), 987-10, Seougeup-ri, Pyoseon-myeon, ☏ +82 64-787-2432. Daily 09:00~21:00. 

Drink

In addition to the ubiquitous number of Korean-style drinking restaurants, there is a small strip with a few western style bars and Korean style clubs. The strip is located on the way from the main circle to the harbor in Seogwipo. On the way down the hill the strip will be located on your left hand side.

• Milano. Great views, cheap booze and good food. Smoked chicked to share (2-4 people), ₩17,000. Highly recommended. Sign is only in Korean, but it is the bar on the way down the hill towards Cheonjiyeon Falls in downtown Seogwipo. Look for the bar with a log-cabin feel. 
• Red Marin. Across the water from Milano in downtown Seogwipo, towards the harbor, is a small waterfront bar called Red Marin. The exterior of the bar looks like an old ship, complete with lights hung over an old mast. Inside, a small store serves as the restaurant, with a large selection of Korean alcohol. Grab a table by the water if you can, and enjoy the view. (updated Jul 2024)
• Gecko's Terrace, 2156-3 Seakdal-dong, Jungmun (about a 10-minute walk west of the information booth and inner-city bus stop outside Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex; buses finish well before midnight and taxis back to downtown Seogwipo are costly so plan ahead), ☏ +82 64-739-0845, fax: +82 64-738-7903. A fairly new entry in the Gecko's Terrace franchise of full-sized proper Western-styled bars and restaurants and the only true expat establishment on the island. The bar has a handful of real beers on tap including Guinness as well as a Western food menu including real, unfrozen steaks and a couple of vegetarian options. Open for lunch as well as in the evening. Prices are at Western levels (think ₩10,000-30,000 a meal). 

Cafe

• 1 The Cliff (더클리프), 154-17 Jungmun Tourist-ro, ☏ +82 507-1312-8866. 10:00 ~ 01:00. (updated Nov 2022)

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Jeju Hiking Inn (구덕게스트하우스), 587-15, Seogwidong (Jeju Hiking Inn is located in Seogwipo City, about a 3-minute walk from the harbor and the Limousine Bus (line 600) that connects you to Jeju International Airport; this bus runs every 10 minutes from 06:20-22:00), ☏ +82 64-763-2380. Check-in: 15:00. from ₩22,000. 
• 2 MIDO Hostel, Dongmundong-ro, ☏ +82 10 5762 7627. Check-in: 16:00 to 22:00, check-out: 11:00. Renovated in 2015, this tidy hostel has single-sex dorms and private rooms, both with bunk beds only. Dorm bunks have private curtains, reading lights, shelves and sockets. Private rooms have private ensuites, TV with Chromecast, and a private terrace. Fully air-conditioned. Breakfast, wifi and towels are included at no extra cost. (updated Jul 2024)
• Jeju Springflower Guesthouse, Daejeong-eup, Hamo-ri 1046-1 (5 min from bus terminal or harbour, see website for map), ☏ +82 70 4273 6668. Check-in: 10:00-22:00, check-out: 10:00. A British owned guesthouse in Moseulpo. Dorm beds from ₩18,000. Private, family, and group rooms available. ₩18,000. 

There are no jjimjilbangs in downtown Seogwipo, and only one in the greater city, quite literally located under the World Cup Stadium (the southern grandstands to be precise):

• Jeju Water World (take the local or intercity bus to the World Cup Stadium and walk around to the south side; it's in the mouth of the giant, green-lit shark). A rather large jjimjilbang located near the beach and attached to an indoor water theme park. Has the usual heated rest rooms and ice room but also smaller darkened sleeping rooms for not just women but men too. Promise of a Nintendo area in the near future. For your sleep, expect a pair of cotton pyjamas, sauna access and a patch of warm, hard floor. Despite its immense size, this place takes the Korean running gag about insufficient sleeping mats to a whole new level of cutthroat with even fewer than a standard sized premises. ₩8,000 for the sauna alone, ₩10,000 to stay (₩21,000 for water park admission). 

Mid-range

• Shinsung Hotel. Hotel with internet and jacuzzis in most rooms. Many rooms have a nice sea view. Rooms numbered -01,-02 and -03 face the sea, so ask if you want a sea view ₩50,000 for a double room per night.. 
• 3 Somerset Jeju Shinhwa World, 139 Sinhwayeoksa-ro 304 beon-gil, Andeok-myeon, ☏ + 82 64 908 8800, reservations@shinhwaworld.com. The property offers 3 types of family suites with indoor and outdoor children's playgrounds. ₩300,000 and up. (updated Jul 2024)

Splurge

The fanciest and most expensive hotels in all of Jeju tend to be situated within the Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex alongside Jungmun Beach, west of downtown Seogwipo:

• 4 The Shila Jeju (제주신라호텔), 3039-3 Saekdal-Dong, ☏ +82 64-735-5114. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. 5-star hotel. The Shilla Jeju is set in its own private 21-acre cliff-top gardens at the centre of the comprehensive Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex on the South coast of Jeju lsland. Since the opening in 1990, as Korea's first 5 star resorts, The Shilla Jeju has been the most prestigious venue in the Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex. 
• 5 Kalhotel (서귀포칼호텔), 486-3 Topyeong-dong, ☏ +82 64 733-2001, kalhotel@airtotalsvc.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. 4-star hotel. 225 guest rooms in a 9-floor building with either ocean or mountain views. Traditional on-dol rooms as well as suites. ₩200,000 p/n. 

Hotel

There are a total of 13 five-star hotels in Jeju Island.

Examples include Grand Hyatt Jeju, Maison Glad Jeju, Ramada Plaza Jeju, Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju, Marriott Hall Jeju Shinhwa World Hotel & Resort, Howard Johnson Jeju Hotel, Sweet Hotel Jeju, Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino(postponement of reopening), Lotte Hotel Jeju, Jeju Shilla Hotel, Grand Chosun Jeju, CS Hotel & Resort, and Lotte Jeju Resort Art Villas.

• 6 Lotte Hotel Jeju (롯데호텔 제주), Jeju Lotte Hotel Jeju, 35, Jungmun Tourist Road 72beon-gil, ☏ +82 64-731-1000. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. (updated Nov 2022)
• 7 Jeju Shilla Hotel (제주 신라호텔), 75, Jungmun Tourist-ro 72beon-gil, ☏ +82 64-735-5114. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. (updated Nov 2022)
• 8 Grand Josun Jeju (그랜드 조선 제주), 60 Grand Chosun Jeju, Jungmun Tourist-ro 72beon-gil, ☏ +82 64-738-6600. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. (updated Nov 2022)

Go next

Jeju City, the capital of the province, is easily accessible by bus. But you already know this, because you must have come through Jeju City to get to Seogwipo. Until the Seogwipo airport gets built (there is still no timeframe for completion as of 2023) you'll only be able to go elsewhere in Jeju.