Discover Jeju City and find hotels

Jeju City can be explored through a variety of interests. When looking for a hotel, it may help to consider in advance whether nature, local cuisine, or the island’s traditions will be the focus of your stay.

Yongduam Rock: Coastal formations and legends

Yongduam Rock is an estimated ten-meter-high stone formation on Jeju’s northern coast. Strong winds and waves have shaped it like a dragon’s head. From Yongduam Rock, you can watch haenyeo, or female divers, gathering seafood. Two perspectives meet here: a formation shaped by natural forces and the divers’ work in the sea.

The rock is associated with a legend about a dragon that stole precious jade from Hallasan and was struck by an arrow from the mountain deity. Another tale tells of a white horse that dreamed of becoming a dragon, was captured by a soldier, and turned to stone. The stories describe different mythical figures associated with the same place.

Dongmun Traditional Market and local dishes

Dongmun Traditional Market was established shortly after Korea’s liberation in August 1945. Its offerings include Jeju specialties such as Omegi rice cakes, buckwheat pancakes filled with radish, sliced raw fish, and bread-shaped octopuses. The selection therefore ranges from rice cakes and pancakes to seafood. Individual dishes may vary. For travel planning, these examples give a concrete impression of the local dishes associated with the market.

Natural history, folklore, and marine life

The Jeju Folklore & Natural History Museum presents the traditional culture and natural environment of Jeju Island. Its exhibitions cover natural history, folklore, and Jeju’s marine life, and also include an interactive Jeju Experience Center. The Sea Exhibition Hall displays the 13-meter-long skeleton of a Bryde’s whale.

The museum’s profile combines broad subject areas with a specifically named exhibit: natural history, folklore, and marine life provide the thematic framework, while the whale skeleton highlights one particular aspect of marine life. This gives you a sense of the different interests the museum addresses without reducing its exhibitions to a single theme.

Jeju Samseonghyeol and the island’s traditions

Jeju Samseonghyeol is a revered site with three mythical holes in the ground, considered the origin of Jeju’s mythical founders—Go, Yang, and Bu. An exhibition hall and a media gallery are dedicated to presenting the traditions associated with this site. The focus here is therefore on the founding story and how it has been passed down. Unlike the museum’s broader profile, Samseonghyeol centers on one specific mythical origin story.

Activities listed include a Seonbi experience, as well as Tuho and Gulleongsoe. Check whether these are currently available before your visit. Jeju City’s varied highlights range from coastal formations and marine observation to local dishes and natural-history and mythical stories. These differences can help you decide which topics you would like to explore further during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Seogwipo

Go to the broader travel overview: Jeju-do.