Islands

For most first-time visitors, Jeju is the island: fly from Seoul’s Gimpo or Busan’s Gimhae in about an hour, since no passenger ferry runs from either city. Add Udo, 15 minutes by boat from Seongsan Port (₩11,000 return). From Seoul, Nami Island is the easy day out; from Yeosu, Odongdo is a free walk along a seawall. Ulleungdo needs two nights and a spare day for the weather.

Korea has thousands of islands, but only a handful work for a short trip without a car or Korean. The ones below are sorted by where you will be based and how much effort they take. Fares and times were checked on operators’ and local governments’ Korean pages on 26 October 2026.

Which island fits your trip

Your situation	Do this
First trip, one island only	Jeju: fly in, stay 3 nights or more
Already on Jeju with half a day	Udo from Seongsan Port, or Gapado from Unjin Port in the south-west
Based in Seoul with one free day	Nami Island by ITX train to Gapyeong, or Ganghwa Island for history
A long layover at Incheon Airport	Muuido, joined by bridge to the airport island
Travelling Seoul–Busan by KTX	A night in Yeosu: walk to Odongdo, ferry to Geumodo for the cliff trail
In Busan with a car or a tour	Hallyeohaesang’s islands from Tongyeong, or Oedo garden from Geoje
Two or three spare days and a taste for the remote	Ulleungdo by ferry from Pohang or Gangneung

If you have only a week, Jeju and one short ferry hop is plenty. Leave the long crossings for a second trip.

Island ferries and fares at a glance

Island	From	Crossing	Adult fare	Good to know
Udo (Jeju)	Seongsan Port	About 15 min, every 30 min from 08:00	₩11,000 return, park fee included	Last boat back 17:30 in Oct, 17:00 Nov–Feb
Gapado (Jeju)	Unjin Port, Moseulpo	10 min; 6 sailings 09:00–15:50	₩15,500 return with park fee, plus ₩2,600 fuel surcharge in Oct–Nov 2026	Passport needed to buy a ticket
Nami Island (Gapyeong)	Gapyeong wharf	About 5 min	₩19,000, ferry included	Open every day of the year
Odongdo (Yeosu)	Seawall from the Expo area	15 min on foot	Free	Dongbaek train ₩1,000 each way
Ulleungdo	Pohang or Gangneung	2 h 50 min to 3 h	From ₩66,500 (Gangneung, weekday)	Wind cancels sailings, above all in winter

From each operator’s site, checked 26 October 2026. The short hops need no booking, but Ulleungdo does. For every route, carry your passport: ferry companies check ID when you board.

Jeju and its small islands

Jeju is Korea’s largest island and its main holiday destination, with Hallasan, the sea-cliff crater of Seongsan Ilchulbong, lava tubes, waterfalls and beaches. Almost everyone flies: there are flights through the day from Gimpo and Gimhae, and some Asian cities fly direct. If you need K-ETA for the mainland, you need it for Jeju too; nationals who normally need a visa may qualify for Jeju’s own 30-day visa-free entry. See K-ETA.

Udo is the classic add-on. Boats leave Seongsan Port, next to Seongsan Ilchulbong, every 30 minutes, and tickets are sold at the port on the day. The island is about 17 km around, so most visitors rent a bicycle or an e-bike near the pier. Most rental cars from the main island are banned on Udo until 31 July 2029.

Gapado is quieter: a small island of barley fields off Jeju’s south-west corner, 10 minutes from Unjin Port at Moseulpo. The operator, Beautiful Island Nation (아름다운 섬나라), recommends booking ahead; online bookings close the day before, and the return time depends on the boat you go out on. Every adult needs an original ID, so take your passport. The barley is greenest from mid-March to mid-May, when the island’s festival adds sailings every 30 minutes. Olle Trail route 10-1 crosses the island in 4.2 km (see the Jeju Olle Trail).

The same company sails on to Marado, 30 minutes from Unjin Port, for ₩21,000 return with the park fee (plus a ₩3,600 fuel surcharge in October and November 2026).

Islands near Seoul: Nami, Ganghwa and Muuido

Nami Island is a long river island near Gapyeong, planted with avenues of trees and made famous across Asia by the drama Winter Sonata. Take the ITX-Cheongchun train to Gapyeong Station (about an hour from Yongsan), then walk about 20 minutes or take a short taxi to the wharf. Admission of ₩19,000 for adults includes the return ferry. From 18 September to 22 November 2026 the first boat leaves at 07:30. More fan detail is on the K-culture page.

Ganghwa Island, in Incheon, is big, rural and full of history: UNESCO-listed dolmens, the coastal forts where Korean troops fought French and US warships in 1866 and 1871, and the Peace Observatory looking across to North Korea (adults ₩2,500; take your passport, as it lies inside the civilian control zone). There is no railway, so go by car, intercity bus or tour, and allow a full day. The history and natural history museums by the Bugeun-ri dolmen close on Mondays.

Muuido is joined by bridge to Yeongjong Island, home of Incheon Airport. It has Hanagae Beach, low-tide walks to Silmido and a 245 m summit trail, which makes it a good escape on a long layover or the day before an early flight.

The south coast: Yeosu, Tongyeong and Geoje

The south coast breaks up into hundreds of islands, much of it protected in two marine national parks: Hallyeohaesang, from Geoje to Yeosu, and Dadohaehaesang further west. See national parks for both.

In Yeosu, Odongdo is a small wooded island joined to the shore by a seawall, about 15 minutes on foot. More than 3,000 camellia trees flower from February and peak in March, and paths circle the island past sea cliffs and a lighthouse. Entry is free. Further out, Geumodo has the Bireong-gil, an 18.5 km cliff-top trail in five sections; the whole route takes about 8 h 30 min, so most walkers do one or two sections. Ferries leave from Dolsan’s ports.

From Tongyeong and Geoje, between Yeosu and Busan, boats run to the islands of Hallyeohaesang. The best known is Oedo Botania, a privately run garden island reached only by tour boat from Geoje ports such as Gujora, Jangseungpo and Wahyeon. Garden admission is ₩11,000 for adults, charged on top of the boat fare, and the boat company sets your time ashore. Ask the operator about the return time before you buy.

Ulleungdo: Korea’s far-east island

Ulleungdo is a steep volcanic island far out in the East Sea. There is no airport yet, so it is a ferry trip:

• From Pohang, Daejeo Ferry’s day boat takes 2 h 50 min to Sadong port; the cheapest economy fare is ₩81,000, plus a fuel surcharge. Ulleung Cruise also sails overnight from Pohang’s Yeongilman Port and carries cars.
• From Gangneung, Seaspovill’s boat takes 3 hours to Jeodong; a standard weekday seat costs ₩66,500.
• On to Dokdo, boats from Ulleungdo take 1 h 40 min each way (₩60,000).

The island has three ports, and each boat uses a different one, so check where yours arrives before you book a room. Sea conditions cancel sailings more often here than anywhere else, and east-coast routes have paused in winter in past years. Plan at least two nights and leave a free day before any flight home. Timetables and refund rules are in our ferries guide.

Tips for island trips

• Take your passport. Korean ferries record every passenger, and foreign visitors show a passport at the ticket office or gate.
• Watch the last boat. Small-island services finish in the late afternoon, and earlier from November. Missing it can mean a night on the island.
• Keep a spare day. Wind, fog and typhoons cancel ferries; the operator refunds, but your flight home won’t wait. Typhoons are most likely from July to September (see weather).
• Check for fuel surcharges. Some operators add one on top of the fare and announce it in advance.
• No ferry, no ferry risk. Odongdo, Ganghwa and Muuido are reached by road or causeway, so a rough sea won’t strand you there.
• Pack for the sea. Island paths are exposed, so bring a windproof layer even in summer, and check the tide table for low-tide walks.

Where to next

For the coast itself, see national parks and hiking. The Jeju guide covers the island once you land, and ferries in Korea has the long-distance routes, including the boats to Jeju from Mokpo and Wando.