Well, if you are fast-paced and wish to cover only the most important attractions, only, then I would suggest
Day 1,
7.00am hike Hallasan Yeong Sil trail (5 hours to and fro, covering 5.1 km),
1.00pm Jusangjeolidae
2.00pm Lunch at Jungmun area
2.30pm Cheonjeyeon waterfall
3.30pm Pacific Land Dolphin Show (Discount ticket available now)
5.00pm Some indoor museums: eg: Teddy Bear Museum Jeju (discount ticket available now)
6.30pm Some indoor museums: eg: Kpop Play (discount ticket available now)
Day 2,
Seongsan Ichulbong for the sunrise and the rest of the day in Udo Island. or Udo island first and then Seongsan Ichulbong for the sunset for those who like to sleep in.
Although I myself did not manage to put both plans in a single day, I highly encourage you to do so, simply because of their proximity.
Udo Island – a Mini Jeju
Jeju itself is an island, but do you know there are about 30 tiny islands surrounding it? Udo island is one of them, located 3.5 kilometers off the eastern coast, conveniently accessible from the main island through Seongsan Port, a ferry terminal within walking distance from the Seongsan Ichulbong, the number one attraction in Jeju Island.The Udo island is considered a popular holiday location by the Koreans. If you say Jeju island is the Hawaii of South Korea, then Udo island is Hawaiian’s Oahu.
Mini Jeju: In Udo Island, one can find a variety of instaworthy beaches (white sand, black sand, rock formations), some scenic climbs, romantic lighthouses, fields of flowers, pretty much everything you should be exploring in Jeju main Island itself if you have more days to spend of course. However, in Jeju islands, these places are often far from each other, so Udo will be a much convenient alternative.
However, there is one downside for those who have already rent a car for their Jeju road trip: no rental cars are allowed to drive into Udo island. So your best bet, is to rent an ATV, bike or utilize the bus. Take note that if you are renting any motorized vehicle (ATV, scooter), an international driving permit is a must. The Koreans are quite strict about it.
A day in Udo Island
7:30 AMIf you are not based in Seongsan, then plan an early start from Seogwipo.
I’m assuming all travelers to come from Seongwipo since it is a more popular travel base on Jeju island. If so, do start your day early because it will be an hour ride from Seongwipo to Seongsan Ichulbong. GPS phone number for Seongsan Port is +64 782 5671.
- Stay near the Seongsan Ilchulbong for an even earlier start or if you are a sunrise chaser. My recommendation is the humble Sunflower Minbak / Santiago for budget traveler or the luxurious Cloud (click to see on booking.com) for a memorable honeymoon trip.
- Seogwipo City especially the Jungmun area is a classic base for travelers due to its proximity to all the most famous attractions in the southwest and also you will have access to restaurants, cafés, and convenience stores. Check out Hera Castle Pension (click here to read booking.com reviews) for budget friendlier choice (and still stay as near to the falls and attractions as possible) or The Seas Resort and Hotel (click here to check booking.com review) for luxurious travelers.
- For those who wish to spend a night in Udo Island, I highly recommend White Castle Pension (click here to read booking.com review) for its great location (Just across the street from the White sand beach) and pretty views from the rooms! Also, it is one of the cheapest accommodation on Udo island (From 50 USD per night for a spacious room for 2).
8:30 AM
The port frenzy kicks in.
To get the ferry ticket, you will need to grab 2 copies of the declaration form from the long table in the main hall, complete it (the form is available in Chinese and English), prepare your passport and queue up at the ticket counter.
• The return ferry ticket costs 8,500KRW
• Ferries leave every half an hour from 7.30am till 5 during winter or 6 pm in other seasons.
• I’ve seen people getting turned away at the counter for they forgot their passport. don’t make that mistake. After getting your ticket, go straight to the ferry terminal. Ferries leave the port on the dot and the journey will take 15 minutes.
9:15 AM
Touchdown in Udo!
The ferry will pull into Cheonjin Port in Udo Island. We went straight to the ATV, motor, bike rental first as we are planning to tour the island on a bike, well coz we figured that having the flexibility of stopping anywhere anytime is a great bonus.
However, I am going to be bloody honest here, this decision nearly cost my life! Although most of the coastal road looks flat, they are actually slight slopes, which means more exercises. If you are a tofu like me or you seldom work out, then this day will become your leg day and the seemingly harmless “flat ground” will rip your legs apart. So, be real to yourself, take an electric bike that will cost slightly more but you’ll get to keep your legs.
The full Udo Olle is 16.1 km, but you don’t have to do everything if you don’t feel like traveling the distance. Instead, you can focus on the highlights below:
9:40 AM
We took a left and ride about 5 minutes before reaching Bongkkeurang, a burger store famous for its specialty coffee and homemade rainbow bun black pork burgers. If you haven’t tried black pork in Jeju, here is a great chance as it is a staple food in Jeju and especially Udo. For Muslim travelers, keep calm and ride on as there are more halal local delicacies to savor along the road.
10:40 AM
Ride further north, after a couple instaworthy pit stop, you will arrive to Seobin Baeksa or as some likes to call it, Udo Sanho Beach (phone number for GPS: +64 728 3393).
11.40 AM
And it's almost lunch time!
The golden rule in Jeju island (which also applies in Udo island), never allow yourself to eat too much. The reason is that you’ve got a lot more food to try! Next local delicacy in our must-eats list is Udo’s special cheesy fried rice called Hallasan rice.
Now, can you see why it is named the Hallasan Fried Rice? The rice resembles the mountain, and the egg represents the volcanic lava.
1:10 PM
At about 12:40, we decided not to go further north but instead to turn back and head towards the east for Geommeolle Beach. ( Contact number for GPS is +64 728 3394).
1:40 PM
Go southward and you will see the entrance to the Udobong Peak (GPS number: +64 728 2742). This is said to be the highest spot on the Udo island, offering an unobstructed vista of the island and Jeju on clear days.
If you happen to visit from late March to April, you will be enveloped in a yellow field of dreamy Canola flowers. This scene is featured heavily in Korean dramas and have a romantic vibes around it. So why now come live your Korean drama daydream?
2:00 PM
Now, if you make your way back to the port now, you will reach at about 2:30pm and catch the 3pm ferry back to Seongsan Port. Then you will have about 3 hours to explore in Seongsan Ichulbong before catching the sunset at 6pm (winter timing).
3:00PM to sunset
Now, let's explore the most iconic geographical feature on the Eastern End of Jeju Island— Seongsan Ilchulbong (성산일출봉, 城山日出峰).
Read the article below to find out everything you need to know from hiking time to things to do or see!
The Verdict
Udo Island – Is it worth visiting at all?
My answer: definitely a yes! When you are here, you are in for a treat— a real rest. What we call a holiday within a holiday. Udo island’s laid back vibe is everything you need to forget about your worries and Hakunamatata on, I definitely can see why from my own experience. As people say it, Udo is a mini-version of Jeju island which can be fully explored within a few hours rather than a few days.
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Thank You for Reading! This post is based solely on my honest opinion or personal experience. If you have a different opinion, feel free to share your thoughts with me by commenting below!
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