Traveling to Jeju Island by Ferry & Embracing Slow Travel
A small island on the way to Jeju Island by ferry
South Korea's Jeju Island, or Jejudo, is popular with Korean and overseas tourists for its beautiful beaches and clean natural environment. It's so popular the flight from Seoul to Jejudo is the busiest in the world, with 10 million passengers every year. The other alternative besides by plane is to go by ferry. The ferry is only slightly cheaper than the plane and takes much longer - but I think it's an exciting part of the journey that makes it part of the holiday experience.
Traveling by plane, the world seems small and distances lose their meaning. Traveling by land or sea, there's something mesmerising about watching the landscape gradually change until finally arriving at your destination.On almost every trip to Jeju Island I've gone at least one way by ferry, and for me it's all part of the fun. There are several different boats you can take to Jeju Island, depending on what city you leave from.
We made a huge eBook about travelling in Jeju Island you can find here that details how to hire bicycles, routes for walking or cycling, using public transport, finding accommodation and having fun!
The ferry experience is a little like being on an old-fashioned cruise ship. It's usually decked out with a bakery, café, cafeteria, convenience stores, video game arcade and a karaoke room. There are also occasionally "love boat" style cabaret singers performing in the main hall. Sound cheesy? It's all part of the fun. But the best part of the trip by ferry is the scenery from on deck. It's definitely the best place to be, with gorgeous islands and plenty of people watching opportunities. There is nothing like lounging on a picnic blanket on the top deck seeing the ever-changing vistas of forested peninsulas, rocky islands, passing ships or just the blue-green sea. It’s like watching the turning pages of a book. The trip always prompts daydreams of one day living on a remote island. In summer, make sure you bring a big hat with a drawstring for up on deck - it can get really sunny and windy. I don’t really recommend the ferry in winter, as the best part is being on the deck and in winter it would be way too cold!
Jeju Island Ferry Seating
We got a surprise on our first trip, when we came to our "seats" we found there were no chairs. The seating rooms are empty and have linoleum floor. There are lockers for baggage, a television on the wall and you share the room with about 15 other people. Luckily we'd brought sleeping mats to lie on because after a while the floor gets quite hard to sit on.Once you get used to it, it’s quite nice sharing a room with other travelers. There's a friendly, community feeling and if you have kids, many Koreans will share food or strike up a conversation.We always go for the cheap tickets, the standard “Ilbanshil" because we spend most of the time up on deck. Other options include hiring private rooms but they are more expensive.
A family picnic on the ferry to Jeju Island
Jeju Island Ferry Terminals
You can book a Jeju Island-bound ferry from 5 places - Mokpo or Haenam (in the south-west) or Goheung, Wando and Jangheung (in the south-east). You can find a complete and current list of ferries, departure times on the Korean Sea Ferry website which is rather hard to navigate and is only in Korean. The easiest way to book ferries is via the Ferries Direct website but doesn’t always have all routes listed. The Incheon ferry has ceased operation following the Sewol Ferry accident and used to be an overnight trip. (We usually take our bikes to Jeju - you can see our latest film about the journey here and our Jeju Island Guidebook here.) Boarding the ferry is about 20 minutes before departure, or 2 hours if you have a vehicle or bicycle.
Check out our Jeju Island eBook & film for tips on travelling in Jeju Island.
And finally a warning on choosing ferries. If you’re catching the ferry from Mokpo, it might seem like a good idea to catch The Pink Dolphin, which takes only 3 hours - but you should probably avoid it. We took the Pink Dolphin a couple of times and both times Jarrod and Seb were sick because of rough waves bouncing the small boat around. The small deck outside was splattered with vomit, so not a nice place to relax and enjoy the view. If you have a strong stomach and the sea is calm you might be okay.... but then there's also the price tag to consider - W50,000 per person.
Ferry Safety
A couple look out at Mokpo city as the Jeju ferry nears the terminal
JEJU ISLAND IS FANTASTIC BUT SIMPLY A MINEFIELD OF CONFUSING OR EVEN MIS-INFORMATION - YOU CAN VERY EASILY GET INTO A PICKLE, OR MISS THE FANTASTIC THINGS ALTOGETHER. THAT’S WHY WE CREATED THIS JEJU ISLAND GUIDEBOOK, SO YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TRIP.
100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!
Following the tragic accident of the Incheon to Jeju Island Sewol ferry on April 16, 2014, some may feel cautious when traveling on ferries in South Korea. Basic OH & S standards are sometimes lacking - passengers are sometimes allowed to sit and even have picnics in front of emergency exits and ferries are sometimes overcrowded. Take the necessary precautions to find your nearest clear exit and find out where the life vests are. It’s likely that the tragedy has led to new laws for better safety standards on ferries to Jeju Island.
Booking Ferry Tickets
Booking the ferry to Jeju Island in advance is a lot trickier than buying plane tickets. It’s not a foreigner friendly process and even for Koreans it's tricky. We tried it once, but after being passed around from one operator to another for 15 minutes, they finally hung up on us. If you can find the route you want, Direct Ferries is a user-friendly booking process. If you can't manage to buy a ticket in advance, you can likely buy a ticket at the ferry port the day before, except during peak season (late July/ early August) or during the busy Chuseok holiday. Arrive at least 40 min before ferry departure and make sure to bring your passport (or alien registration card). If you have a bicycle or car you need to arrive at least 2 hours at the correct departure gate to load your bicycle or car.
If you are short on time, we recommend taking the plane back to Seoul or your next destination city. CheapOAir is one of the easiest ways to get the cheapest plane tickets to and from Jeju Island.
overview of Pro Tips
Bring your passport, hat and maybe a cushion or mat to sit on (the floor can get pretty uncomfortable after a while). Take full advantage of sitting on the deck to see the beautiful scenery, and catch the slow ferry across (unless you have a stomach of steel). We don’t recommend catching the ferry in winter - far too windy and cold to enjoy the trip out on the deck!
Getting Around Jeju Island
Once you get there, you can hire a bicycle to travel around the island, or rent a car from Jeju International Airport. It takes a lot more effort, but traveling to Jeju Island by ferry is a fun and unique experience. For even more essential tips on travelling in Jeju Island, check out our latest eBook Jeju Island - A Slow Travel Adventure Guide. If you're interested in seeing more of Jeju Island, take a look at our new film Jeju: A Bicycle Adventure in South Korea.
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