If you only have a few days in Jeju, I would still recommend flying.

That may sound strange coming from someone who brought his own car to the island by ferry. But a ferry takes time. For a short trip, flying to Jeju and renting a car is usually the more practical choice.

This time, however, I wanted something different. I drove my own car onto a ferry from the Korean mainland and took it with me to Jeju.

On the ferry, I even met a traveler from Germany who was making his way around Korea.

For most international visitors, I would not suggest spending valuable vacation time on a ferry just for the experience.

But if you are doing a longer road trip through Korea — especially if you are already traveling around the Jeolla region before heading to Jeju — taking your own car across can make much more sense.

Once I arrived, I could simply keep driving. There was no rental-car counter to deal with and no need to build the day around bus connections.

Hyeopjae Beach: Starting With the Open Sea

One of my first stops was Hyeopjae Beach (협재해수욕장, Hyeopjae Haesuyokjang) on the western side of Jeju.

After spending hours getting to the island, this was the kind of view I wanted first.

Sea, dark volcanic rocks, open sky, and space.

I did not come here with a long checklist of things to do. I stopped, looked around, and enjoyed being there.

That became the pattern for the rest of the day.

Hyeopjae is one of western Jeju’s best-known beaches, with pale sand, clear water, volcanic rock and an offshore island forming its characteristic view.

Sinchang Windmill Coastal Road: A Road Worth Slowing Down For

From Hyeopjae, I continued along the western coast toward Sinchang Windmill Coastal Road (신창풍차해안도로, Sinchang Pungcha Haean-doro).

This is one of those stretches of Jeju where the road itself becomes part of the destination.

Wind turbines stand along the coastline, with the sea behind them.

What I remember is simple. I was driving. The view looked good. So I slowed down and stopped.

That is one reason I like having a car in Jeju.

Public transportation can take you to many places, but it cannot always give you that moment when you see something through the windshield and decide, “I want to stop here.”

Sanbangsan: When the Landscape Changes

Continuing south, the scenery changed again.

Sanbangsan Mountain (산방산, Sanbangsan) suddenly dominates the landscape.

The coast feels wide and horizontal. Sanbangsan does the opposite.

It rises abruptly above the surrounding area, so you notice it long before you reach it.

But I was not there for a geology lesson. What I liked was the change in scenery.

A few hours earlier I had been looking across an open beach. Now a huge mass of rock was filling the view in front of me.

That contrast is one of the things I like about driving around Jeju. The island can look very different after only a relatively short drive.

Ending at Yakcheonsa Temple

My final stop was Yakcheonsa Temple (약천사, Yakcheonsa) in Seogwipo.

After spending much of the day looking at beaches, roads, wind turbines and mountains, arriving at a Buddhist temple changed the mood again.

The scale of the main temple building immediately catches your attention.

But I did not feel the need to rush around trying to see everything.

I walked around, looked at the architecture, and let the day slow down.

It was a very different way to end a day that had started by the sea.

Would I Take My Own Car to Jeju Again?

For a short Jeju vacation? Probably not.

I would fly and rent a car. It is faster, and most travelers do not have enough time to justify taking a ferry simply to bring their own vehicle.

But for a longer Korean road trip, I would consider the ferry again. Especially if Jeju is only one part of a trip that also includes the southern or southwestern mainland.

Because the part I enjoyed most was not simply having my own car.

It was what the car allowed me to do.

I could change my route. I could stay somewhere longer than planned. And if I saw somewhere I liked while driving, I could stop.

This day was not memorable because I managed to visit four places.

It was memorable because I decided where to stop along the way.

That, for me, is one of the best things about traveling around Jeju by car.

Next, I’ll move from the road to the table — and show you some of the Jeju pork dishes I remember more clearly than the famous black pork BBQ.

Have a question about Jeju or traveling around Korea? Leave a comment below. If I know the answer, I’ll be happy to help when I have time.