How To Rent A Car In Jeju Island
Jeju Island in South Korea is often the highlight of Korea for many, tourist and local alike. Given the moniker the “Hawaii of Korea” and known to many a local as the spot for a honeymoon, Jeju is an island in Korea you just have to visit at least once. Though if you’re like me, you’ll go again and again and still find it amazing and beautiful and worth the trip.
The thing about Jeju though that you’ll hear again and again is how you need to rent a car. Now, don’t get me wrong, you can definitely get around without a car. Public transportation on Jeju Island does exist. It’s just that it’ll make the days longer and fill them with more waiting than you’ll surely want to do on vacation.
That said, if you plan to just stick around one area, like Hamdeok Beach for example, then you don’t need a car at all. Which means, you need to decide from the get go where to stay in Jeju and what you want to see.
Once you’ve decided where you’ll stay and what you want to see, here’s what you need to know to rent a car on Jeju Island.
- How to decide if you need a car in Jeju
- Websites for booking a rental car in Jeju
- How much does it cost to rent a car in Jeju Island?
- Are you a tourist or a resident?
- What you need to rent a car in Jeju
- Where to pick up your rental car in Jeju
- Tips for driving in Jeju
- General tips for driving in Korea
- Korean Navigation Apps
- Additional Driver
- Child Car Seats
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How to decide if you need a car in Jeju
While I don’t recommend renting a car in Seoul, to see the rest of the country with flexibility and the ability to hunt out the hidden gems, a car is super helpful. Check out this guide for a general overview for renting a car in Korea. This article is all about Jeju specifically. So keep reading if that’s where you’re headed.
Look at the following questions and if you answer “yes” to any of them, then you’ll want to rent a car in Jeju when you plan to visit.
- Do you want to be able to see more and travel faster between places and experiences?
- Will you be seeing multiple areas or villages on the island? (Jeju might look small on a map, but if you plan to go from up to down or side to side, it’s more than you realize.)
- Will you be traveling with kids or a lot of stuff?
- Will you be staying in a more remote area?
Websites for booking a rental car in Jeju
There are a ton of rental companies in Jeju, so take advantage of the aggregate sites to compare fully. During high season, make sure you book your car earlier rather than waiting. There are numerous rental car companies but they are in high demand during high travel seasons.
RentalCars: RentalCars has a great selection of rental car options and provides competitive pricing. You can very quickly and easily compare the various companies and availability and booking through them is super easy. You can get all of the necessary information you need regarding pricing, car details, insurance included and cancellation policies.
QEEQ: This popular rental car website has great competitive rates and similarly to RentalCars, provides all of the necessary information on pricing, car details, insurance included, and cancellation policies. They’re a popular Hong Kong based company that now has offices worldwide.
Klook: If you’re already booking your day trips and tours on Klook, then also look into their car rental options. Also founded in Hong Kong, Klook started for tours and packages, but now has rental car companies like Hertz, Avis, and Alamo available.
Lotte Rent-a-Car: Lotte owns just about everything including Korea’s largest rental car company. Lotte is the local Hertz partner as well FYI.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Jeju?
This really depends on what kind of car you go for. You can choose from electric cars too which tend to be a bit more expensive. On average, expect to spend between W30,000 and W60,000 a day.
It’s important to know that the prices do rise during peak seasons and high travel periods in July, August, and October. Book early for travel during those months to get the best deals.
Are you a tourist or a resident?
There are a few caveats with renting a car in Jeju and they have to do with whether you are a tourist or are a long term resident. And long term, in this case, doesn’t mean 15 years like me, but just means any foreigner that has an ARC, or residential visa. This is important to keep in mind when reading the procedure below.
What you need to rent a car in Jeju
Driver’s License + International Driving Permit*
For Tourists: You need to have a valid driver’s license along with a valid International Driver’s Permit that was issued in the same country as your license. Also, though the driving age might be different in your home country, you need to be 21 years old and have been driving a car for at least a year to be eligible.
For Residents: If you have an ARC, technically, you cannot use an IDP but need to have a local driver’s license. Make sure you look into how to get your Korean driver’s license either by exchanging yours or testing.
There are some rental companies that either don’t know the rules fully, or just assume all foreigners are tourists and will let you slide with your IDP and foreign driver’s license but if something should happen on the road, be aware that as a resident, you need to have your Korean driver’s license if you plan to drive.
Passport/ARC*
If you’re a tourist, make sure you also have your passport. If you’re a resident, you should be able to just show your ARC. I will say that when I went to Jeju Island recently and rocked up with my ARC, they were confused and asked for my passport which I hadn’t taken as traveling from the mainland to Jeju doesn’t require a passport being domestic travel and all.
The staff had to call their manager to confirm that I did indeed not need my passport. I’m sure they’re just used to seeing foreigners as tourists and not residents. Just know that you don’t need your passport as a resident.
Credit Card
A credit card is mandatory for payment. Debit cards and cash will not be accepted for payment.
Where to pick up your rental car in Jeju
Because pretty much everyone is flying into Jeju International Airport, the majority of the rental car depots are an easy and short bus ride from the airport. Your rental car company will provide a shuttle bus to their shop. You can either check in with the rental car company’s desk at the airport and see where the shuttle bus picks up, or they’ll likely email you the information.
Pretty much everyone heads out of the airport and heads the same way to find the shuttle buses, so follow the crowd and you’ll get there. If you go out of exit 3 or 5 and then cross the street, you’ll find signs that lead you to the right toward the shuttle bus parking lot. Check out the information board to spot your bus, or just ask someone. All of the drivers there are pretty helpful in my experience.
It works the same way going back to the airport. Plan enough time so that you can drop your car off at the rental car depot and then hop onto their shuttle bus going back to the airport. In my experience, they are going back and forth every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day.
Tips for driving in Jeju
- I wouldn’t recommend renting a car on the mainland and taking the car ferry to Jeju. That is very expensive. You’ll save money by just renting a car ON Jeju Island.
- Most of the roads on the island are pretty wide and well paved and well-maintained.
- Because Jeju Island is a huge tourist draw, remember that most of the drivers on the road will also be tourists that don’t know the roads well just like you. These means that people are making some basic mistakes and last minute turning as they try to figure out where to go and how to get there.
- While most of the drivers on the road might be tourists, there are still local drivers. In my experience, they’re pretty laid back and used to the onslaught of tourists on the road.
- There isn’t usually any major traffic except for in parking lots near major tourist sites during high season.
- The major tourist sights that you’ll be looking for will likely have large signs that will help you find them. If you’re headed to more remote cafes or restaurants, just take it slow to find your way.
- Driving in Jeju is pretty relaxed, much more so than Seoul so if you’re starting there, just know it doesn’t compare at all.
- There are plenty of parking spots in Jeju and you’ll never be left waiting to pull in somewhere.
- There are a lot of speed bumps and average speed is pretty low compared to the mainland so just enjoy that island life and take is slow.
General tips for driving in Korea
- Koreans drive on the right hand side of the road.
- Road signs are generally in Korean and English so even if you don’t read Korean, you can still find your way.
- The roads on Jeju Island switch between being very well paved, wide, and offer a lot more space than the city of Seoul, but there are also dirt roads and turn offs between lava rock walls to watch out for. The roads are open and quite safe generally.
- There are speed cameras on the highways so don’t expect to get pulled over for speeding, but you will get caught if you are so keep that in mind. There are generally signs before you pass these cameras though so they really do try and help you NOT get fined.
- Most cars in Korea are automatic so don’t worry if you don’t drive manual.
- Koreans generally park by pulling in trunk first so don’t be surprised when you pull into the parking lots. Now is the time to practice that pull in backwards parking.
- All drivers and passengers are required to wear seat belts by law.
- You’re not allowed to use a cell phone while driving.
- Koreans use their hazard lights for a lot of things. This took my by surprise as I don’t think I used mine once in my many years of driving in the US. Hazard lights can be used to warn fellow drivers of sudden stopping, to say thank you when someone lets you in, to say sorry if you take over another driver, and of course, in actual hazards.
- South Korea’s drunk driving blood alcohol limit is extremely low. At 0.03%, you really can’t have any alcohol to drive legally on the road. You really shouldn’t anyway, but just be aware that the legal limit is lower than you might expect.
Korean Navigation Apps
The rental cars I’ve used in Korea all had navigation systems built in and they can be changed to English if you ask your rental car staff before you drive away. Get them to do it before you drive away because doing it on your own will be tough if you don’t read Korean.
Naver Maps: Naver is the most popular navigation app in Korea. You need to have an active phone service in order set up the app so either download it and set it up when you’re still home, or do it once you’ve gotten to Korea and obtained a local Korea SIM card or a Korean eSIM.
Kakao Maps: Personally, I prefer Kakao Maps. To each their own really. Among Koreans, you have the Naver users and the Kakao users. You can download both apps and see which one you like better before getting on the road.
Google Maps: I don’t recommend using Google Maps in Korea. It can get you to general locations just fine but doesn’t have the detail you really need everywhere, especially if you plan to go off the beaten path and into the countryside.
Additional Driver
You can add one additional driver to your rental car option. Both drivers must visit the rental company in person in order to register for insurance purposes but there is no extra fee for the additional driver.
Child Car Seats
Rental companies do provide car seats if requested. In Korea, all children under 6 are required to be in a car seat by law.
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