Renting a Car in Jeju: The Complete 2026 Guide

Why rent a car in Jeju?

Jeju is a volcanic island roughly 73km wide, and its best bits are scattered around the edges: beaches in the west, waterfalls and coastal walks in the south, sunrise peaks in the east, and Hallasan, Korea’s highest mountain, in the middle. Public transport exists, but buses are slow, indirect and a real time-sink once you leave Jeju City — and many of the island’s most loved cafes, viewpoints and restaurants simply aren’t near a useful stop.

A car changes the trip completely. You can chase good weather, reach a quiet beach before the crowds, drive up for sunrise, and eat where you actually want to rather than where the bus happens to go. If you’ve read our vegan food guide to South Korea, you’ll know Jeju’s best plant-based spots — Five Seventh, And Yu Cafe — are spread across the island and genuinely hard to reach without your own wheels. The same is true for almost everything worth seeing here.

The one rule to sort before you fly: your IDP

This is the single most important thing in this guide, so read it carefully. To legally drive — and to rent — in South Korea as a foreign visitor, you need two documents together: your valid home country driver’s licence and an International Driving Permit (IDP).

South Korea recognises the IDP issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Crucially, you must obtain the IDP in your home country before you travel — it’s a physical paper document that cannot be issued inside Korea and cannot be emailed to you. Turn up without it and the rental desk will not release a car, full stop.

How to get your IDP (it’s easy and cheap)

The process varies slightly by country, but it’s quick and inexpensive everywhere:

• Australia: apply through your state auto club (e.g. RAC, NRMA, RACV). Usually issued on the spot or by post for around $40–50.
• UK: available over the counter at larger PayPoint outlets for a few pounds (no longer at most Post Offices).
• USA & Canada: through AAA / CAA. Must be issued in the country where your licence was issued.

Whatever your country: get the 1949 permit, apply a week or two before you fly, and check the specific rule for your nationality, since a small number of countries use a different document or can convert to a Korean licence instead. When in doubt, carrying the 1949 IDP plus your home licence is the simplest, safest combination.

Where to book a rental car in Jeju

Almost everyone collects their car at Jeju International Airport (CJU), where the major Korean rental brands (Lotte, SK, AJ and others) cluster, along with shuttle pickups to nearby depots. You can book directly with a single brand, but you’ll almost always get a better price — and an English-language booking flow — by comparing across all of them first.

That’s why I book Jeju cars through DiscoverCars: it pulls together the local Jeju suppliers and the international names on one page, shows the total price including insurance options up front, and lets you book in English with free cancellation on most rates. For a foreign visitor who can’t easily phone a Korean depot, that transparency is worth a lot.

What it actually costs

Rental prices move a lot with season and demand, so treat these as a planning guide rather than a quote. As a rough idea:

*Before insurance, fuel and tolls. Peak summer and holiday periods run higher. Always compare live prices.

On top of the daily rate, budget for full insurance (covered below), fuel, and small extras like a toll transponder. Even with those, a shared economy car between two people often works out cheaper per day than repeated taxis to scattered sights — and infinitely more flexible.

Rental insurance in Jeju, explained simply

Insurance is where rental costs can balloon or bite you, so it’s worth understanding the layers:

• Mandatory liability insurance — required by Korean law, covers injury and damage you cause to others. This is typically built into the rental.
• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) — reduces your liability for damage to the rental car itself. Basic CDW usually still leaves a hefty excess (deductible).
• Full / Super CDW — reduces or removes that excess. On an island where tight lanes and kerbs claim a lot of wing mirrors and alloys, I always take the fullest cover available.

You’ll usually be offered insurance both when you book and again at the desk. Compare the two — sometimes adding full protection at the booking stage (or via a standalone excess policy) is cheaper than the upsell at pickup. Whatever you choose, photograph the car thoroughly before you drive off, including existing scratches, so you’re not charged for someone else’s damage.

Driving in Jeju: rules and tips for foreigners

The good news: Jeju is one of the more relaxed places to drive in Korea. The island is small, roads are well maintained, major signs include English, and the coastal ring road makes navigation simple. Still, a few things are worth knowing before you set off.

• Drive on the right, steering wheel on the left — same as the US and continental Europe.
• Speed and traffic cameras are everywhere. Korea enforces limits with automated cameras, and tickets follow you to the rental company. Your navigation app will usually beep to warn you — heed it.
• Speed limits are generally 50–60 km/h in town and 80 km/h on bigger roads, but always follow posted signs.
• Local driving can be assertive. Expect sudden lane changes, scooters weaving, and tour buses on narrow coastal roads. Drive defensively and don’t rush.
• Zero tolerance on drink-driving. Korea takes this extremely seriously with very low legal limits and harsh penalties. Don’t.
• Use a Korean navigation app. Google Maps doesn’t do driving directions in Korea — use Naver Map or KakaoMap, which also flag speed cameras.

Parking, fuel and tolls

Parking is generally easy and cheap by big-city standards. Most major attractions, beaches and trailheads have dedicated car parks, often free or a few thousand won. In Jeju City and busy spots it’s tighter, so a smaller car helps.

Fuel stations are plentiful; most are full-service, where an attendant fills the tank for you — just say the amount or “가득” (gadeuk, “full”). If you rent an EV, Jeju has some of the best charging coverage in Korea, with fast chargers at attractions and convenience stores.

Tolls are minimal on Jeju itself (there’s no expressway like the mainland), so you won’t deal with much. If your car has a Hi-Pass transponder, small charges are handled automatically; otherwise it’s rarely an issue on the island.

A simple way to plan your loop

Because the island is essentially a ring, the easiest mental model is to pick a direction and work around the coast, dipping inland for Hallasan or the mid-island attractions. A rough rhythm that works well:

• West: beaches (Hyeopjae, Geumneung), Hallim Park, sunset coast — and And Yu Cafe if you’re after vegan food.
• South: waterfalls (Cheonjiyeon, Jeongbang), Seogwipo, the Jusangjeolli cliffs.
• East: Seongsan Ilchulbong (sunrise peak), Udo island ferry, quieter beaches.
• Centre: Hallasan trailheads for a day hike if the weather’s clear.

For a full day-by-day plan that combines this with the rest of the country, see our 14-day South Korea itinerary.

Jeju car rental FAQ