Koreans call Jeju the Hawaii of South Korea, which is why many people usually visit the island in the summer months.

However, we discovered on our recent honeymoon that Jeju is actually also very beautiful in winter. In fact, it also has many winter-specific activities available for visitors.

If you’re wondering what you can do in winter in Jeju, here’s a list I’ve compiled for you! Below are some of my favourite activities to do in Jeju during the winter, which you definitely shouldn’t miss out on.

Personally, I would say January is one of the best times to visit if you’re looking to catch the best of winter without suffering too much in the cold!

Catching camellias in full bloom

While it seems odd to be looking for flowers in winter, it is actually the season of camellias in Korea!

They are well-loved for their lively colours and more importantly, their tenacity to bloom in the cold weather. Camellias usually blossom throughout November to March, but their peak season varies by region.

There are a few specific places in Jeju where you can go to view camellias. We picked Camellia Hill, a camellia arboretum that is home to 6,000 camellia trees of 500 different species!

Picking your own hallabongs at a farm

Hallabongs are everywhere in Jeju, from drinks to desserts, and even in the backyards of almost every Jeju resident!

We thought it would be a great experience to try picking our own hallabongs in Jeju. Hence, we ended up heading to Haepoom Farm to pick and bring home hallabongs at a lower price than those sold in the markets.

We really enjoyed the hallabong picking process, which was also faster than we expected! It’s easy to squeeze this into your itinerary even if you don’t have much time to spare.

The fruits made for very nice souvenirs for our families and they also agreed that the hallabongs were delicious!

Hiking up Seongsan Ilchulbong Sunrise Peak

No visitor to Jeju would leave before making a trip to Seongsan Ilchulbong Sunrise Peak, an iconic landmark on the tiny island.

The hike to the top of the crater takes about 30 minutes and is very manageable – even ahjummas and ahjussis have no problem conquering this! This gives you seriously amazing bird eye views of Jeju.

Even if hiking is not your thing, you can also take photos against the magnificent backdrop of Seongsan Ilchulbong, on the black & grey coastline.

Baking your own Jeju Tangerine Meringue Pie

If you’re looking to stay indoors on days where the weather is colder or it snows too heavily, this is the activity for you!

Both the workshop description and reviews claimed that it was impossible to fail. The whole workshop also took slightly under one hour to complete, including baking time, which was impressive! 

I was shocked that I was actually capable of making something like this, considering my terrible, nonexistent track record. I firmly believe that if even I could produce this, anybody can also make a tangerine meringue tart that looks & tastes amazing.

You can read more details about this Jeju Tangerine Meringue Pie workshop here and book this activity via Klook.

Visiting Road 1100 for the best winter views

We were strongly recommended by our kind Airbnb host to visit Road 1100 for the best winter views on our last day.

Almost everyone stops by the road side to take photos or play with the snow. It is quite chaotic even with traffic police around. Hordes of locals and tourists will also make their way there, especially on weekends.

The crowds and car jams may be a little frustrating, but trust me when I say that the views are worth it!

P.S. I also highly recommend renting a car to drive around Jeju, especially if you’re planning to go to places like Road 1100. Buses can be rather unreliable, and you don’t want to be stuck in a taxi with the meter ticking away!

Eating black pork K-BBQ

Most travel guides would have you know that black pork is a must-try in Jeju, and many would be lured to the famous Black Pork Street which is lined with specialty KBBQ. Black pork supposedly has an unusual flavour and a chewy consistency that is not found in your usual pork.

I must preface by saying that not all KBBQ restaurants serving black pork may do them well.

However, we did manage to find one that’s very affordable, super delicious, paired with the BEST customer service I’ve experienced in Jeju: Bondon!

Experienced KBBQ lovers may know that the fat & oil (higher than that of beef & chicken) can burn pork easily. The staff at Bondon not only made sure our pork was crisp, but even managed to put on a whole flaming performance on our grill (not kidding)!

We found that the black pork was indeed much more flavourful, especially when paired with the brown sauce offered.

Eating abalone – lots of it!

I’m not the biggest fan of seafood. However, eating abalone in Korea is a whole other experience that I would never miss out on.

There are a few cities well-known for seafood produce. Busan is definitely one (don’t miss the Jagalchi Fish Market!), and Jeju is another. 

The abalone in both dishes that we tried at Pyeongdae Abalone were supreme. Even though it’s been cooked, you can tell that it’s very fresh. It’s chewy, springy, and firm, with not an ounce of fishiness.

After we finished eating the abalone, my husband remarked that it was better than any other abalone he had eaten in Singapore. The abalone we have here certainly can’t compare to the ones freshly hauled from the Jeju waters!

Eating street food in Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market

I love hunting for street food in every Korean city I visit. However, it was not easy finding it during my Jeju trip because it was winter and no one wanted to be freezing out on the streets.

The good news, however, is that the markets in Korea are full of street food & snack stalls!

I really enjoyed going to Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market for the eyeopening and mouthwatering street food though! I know some other travel bloggers prefer the variety in Dongmun Market as it’s bigger with a lot more stalls.

However, quality and flavour-wise, I really think this market in Seogwipo wins hands-down. The food here is more unique and offers a lot more bang for your buck!

Tip: It might be a little troublesome to travel around Jeju if you’re not driving. If you can and plan to drive, I highly recommend booking a car from LOTTE Jeju Auto House. Otherwise, Consider getting around by booking the following services with Klook:

• Jeju Island Private Chartered Car One-day Tour
• Jeju Car Rental with Driver
• Jeju Popular Sightseeing Private Car Charter

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