Last updated on October 19th, 2024
Renting a car to drive in Jeju is highly recommended. It is the best way to explore the island at your own pace and discover everything it has to offer. But, how to rent a car to drive in Jeju? Don’t worry, it’s a lot easier to do than you think for driving in Jeju.
Jeju is a beautiful island and the only way to explore the beauty of Jeju is by public transport or by car. Diving in Jeju island is a great experience as you can travel in leisure. Taking public transport is very common but not flexible due to not all attractions on Jeju island being linked by public transport. So, self-driving is the best way to explore the beauty of Jeju.
Here is our Complete Step-By-Step Guide for renting a car for your Jeju road trip! This is my true experience of renting a car at Jeju island through RentalCars from Booking.com, rented through AJ Rent A Car. We choose AJ for our 6 days self-driving trip in Jeju as it is the cheapest car rental company provider after a price comparison. Most important, AJ is the budget Avis in Jeju with a high reputation worldwide. English speaking staff supported and no worry about communication problems. Take note that AJ car rental has been integrated into SK Rent-A-Car, another reputation car company in Korea. Still, they are one of the best budget car rental companies in Jeju.
At the end of the travel guide blog, I also include the top 10 useful tips for driving in Jeju Island. Continue to read on!
Find and compare your rental car at RentalCars from Booking.com. Different options and a wide selection of cars with price comparisons! We highly recommended to reserve your car in advance to secure the price and availability.
How To Rent A Car In Jeju Island?
Here is our simple guide on how to rent a car in Jeju Island. Start by renting your car before the trip, pick up and return the rental car, and lastly some useful tips for driving in Jeju Island. Click on below for quick access to each section.
- Renting car in Jeju Island (Requirement and book your car)
- Pick Up your rental car in Jeju Airport
- Return your rental car in Jeju
- Driving in Jeju Island
- Self driving in Jeju Island for 6 days (My itinerary)
Renting A Car in Jeju Island
That is to say, having a car provides a lot of freedom and convenience when traveling through Jeju island. Travel at your own pace and stop for the best view, and access to some places that are difficult to reach by public transport. It is the best thing for self driving in Jeju Island.
Renting a car in Jeju is extremely simple and easy. For group traveler or family, it is the most budget and can consider the cheapest transport in Jeju. However, there are some things to know about renting a car in Jeju. Knowing these differences in advance can save you some money and maybe even a big travel headache.
Before The Trip: Choose Your Car Rental
We would be recommended comparing various car rental companies at RentalCars from Booking.com. There are many different options and a wide selection of cars with price comparisons. Choose your preferable car rental based on your requirements and then booked it online directly!
The rental rate is similar or less, so compare them before you decide on your best rental car. If you are looking for the cheapest car rental company, do remember to compare the price for your best rental car.
- Best Rental Car Company in Jeju: SK Rent A Car, Lotte Rent A Car (KT Kumho), Sixty, Jeju Rent A Car, Tamra, and more
- Car Type: Premium, luxury, standard, SUV, van
- Fuel Type: Diesel, gasoline, LPG, electric (EV), hybrid
- Rental Car Price: Depends on your selection but generally starts from ₩30,000. The cheapest car rental is Kia Morning and Spark. But more suitable for 2 people with limited luggage.
Before The Trip: Book Your Rental Car Earlier
We recommended booking your rental car in advance. Our car was booked about one month earlier through RentalCars.com, rented through AJ Rent A Car, Avis in South Korea. Jeju has many rental car companies and you can make a price comparison at RentalCars from Booking.com for the best option. We don’t have a preference and we just want the best deal with a good reputation. While AJ Rent-A-Car offers the cheapest rental car in our selection, so we just go for it.
Note, AJ car will be integrated into SK Rent-A-Car in 2020, another reputation car company in Korea. But no worry. There are still operational. Alternative, There are still many rental car companies operating on Jeju Island such as Lotte Rent A Car. It is another reputation car rental company in Jeju Island and even South Korea. The pickup procedure is similar to AJ. The only difference is the shuttle bus is located in different parking areas.
Booking online doesn’t require any payment and you still have the option to cancel or amend your details later on. Do book the car in advance to ensure for lowest price and availability. You can request an extra child seat at a minor charge. Most importantly, make sure the GPS navigation is equipped for free.
Before The Trip: Choosing The Car Rental Insurance
All the vehicles are required to cover basic general insurance, Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) for car coverage protection.
This basic protection is a must according to car rental policy, and optional you can choose the Super CDW at additional charges for full protection.
Before The Trip: Get The International Drivers Permit (IDP)
For foreigners, driving in Jeju and other parts of South Korea, you will need an International Driving Permit (IDP) and a local country driver’s license to rent a car in Jeju island and South Korea. Together with a passport, these are the compulsory documents the driver must bring on the pickup date. You will ask to see your International Drivers Permit (IDP) when you pick up the rental car, so make sure to have this on hand.
The IDP must have been issued within a year by the Embassy or Consulate of your home country registered by the Geneva or Vienna convention. Countries like Indonesia, China, and Taiwan are not accepted for car rental in South Korea due to not being listed under the Geneva convention.
Do check on your application requirement in your home country. The IDP is mandatory and makes sure the driver has the required documentation when picking up the car rental! You will be asked for it when you pick up the rental car, or else your reservation will be canceled. So don’t forget!
Note: All motorized vehicles including motorcycles, ATV, and scooter are required IDP for rental.
How To Pick Up Your Rental Car
After finishing the above step, you are already completed how to rent a car in Jeju before your trip. The next step is the car rental pick-up process after you reach Jeju island.
However, you will not pick up your car rental at the airport directly. All the car rental companies are located at the same Rent-A-Car building nearby Jeju Airport with a free shuttle bus provided. Don’t worry as the picking up process is very easy.
Below are the step-by-step guide on how to pick up my rental car from AJ Rent-A-Car from Jeju Airport,
Proceed To The Car Rental Counter At Jeju Airport
Firstly, head to the car rental company counter at the airport after exiting from the custom check. All the car rental company counters are located at Gate 2.
Show your booking confirmation to the service counter. They will check through your document quickly and direct you to exit through Gate 5 with simple instructions by a small note.
Follow Simple Instruction
The note already covered all the necessary steps for how to go to the AJ center from Jeju airport.
Again, a reminder on the international driving permit and passport to pick up the car.
Take Shuttle Bus To The AJ Center
Exit from Gate 5 and cross the road to the parking area.
Turn right and continue heading to the parking lot follow the instruction to take the free shuttle bus located outside of the arrival hall. The shuttle bus from AJ parked at almost the end of the parking area.
Put your luggage on the bus and be ready head to the AJ center.
The Shuttle bus service run between Jeju airport and the car rental depot every 5 to 10 minutes.
This journey takes around 5 minutes of bus ride to the car rental office.
Sign On Your Car Rental Agreement Form
When you reach the car rental office, take the queuing ticket and wait for your turn. The waiting time is normally very fast. I waited for around 5 minutes to counter serviced two customers before my turn.
The staff will check again your document properly and ask you to confirm again before sign on the rental car agreement form. Only a credit card is acceptable for your car rental payment.
Out of my expectation, I got a free upgrade for my rental car from Hyundai RAY to Hyundai Avante! Thanks to AJ Rental Car.
Note: No cash deposit or debit card is allowed.
Check And Visual Inspect Your Car
Once everything settled, the car rental agency staff direct us to take the car and drove to the exit gate.
Another car agency staff will be waiting at the exit gate for the final inspection to check for scratches and fuel levels recorded. Make sure to check your car’s condition and inspect the car thoroughly.
Note: Don’t skip this process as you might need to ask for paying unnecessary charges that you didn’t do.
Ask For Changing GPS To Your Preferable Language
At the last checkpoint, GPS will be installed, and remember to ask for a quick demonstration and change the language to English (or your preferred language) before you drive off with your car! Only voice guidance will change to English and the characters on the GPS still appear in Korean.
Phone Number is very important for GPS Navigation at Jeju. Ask help from the car rental agency staff to demonstrate step by step how to search your destination sites using telephone numbers.
Once everything settles, you’re ready to explore the beauty of Jeju with a wonderful road trip!
How To Return Your Rental Car
Return car to the rental company is super easy. Clear instruction will point you to park your car at a parking area when you reached AJ center. The car rental agency staff will check again your car for any damage.
Remember to refill to the full tank or the same amount of fuel level at the time when you received your rental car. Otherwise, refueling charges will apply.
There are fuel stations nearby the Car Rental Depot. So you may just refill at there before you return the car.
After the car return process is complete, proceed to the Billy Car office nearby and wait for the shuttle bus back to the airport. It is just located beside the return car parking lot where you can easily see it.
The whole return process is very fast and easy with approximately 30 minutes. But, it is strongly recommended that you keep some buffer time to return the car before your flight!
As per above, it is pretty easy and simple how to rent a car in Jeju by booking, picking up, and returning your car rental. As easy as 1, 2, 3 steps!
Driving in Jeju Island
Below are a few simple tips for driving in Jeju Island. Just plan your Jeju self driving itinerary based on your interest and you are ready to go.
Below are 10 useful tips for driving in Jeju Island:
- Driving on Left Hand Side
- Driving in Jeju Island is slow and very relax
- Phone Number is the GPS Navigation
- Mobile Data is very important
- Google is not work in South Korea
- Simple Road System
- Ample Car Parking available
- Filling Fuel
- Don’t Do This when Driving in Jeju Island
Tip#1: Driving On Left Hand Side
Similar to the US, cars are driving on the left-hand side instead of the right-hand side. That means, the steering wheel is located on the left side and the car drives on the right. Don’t panic! Switching over is very easy and you can take some time to practice by driving slowly once you get the car. It takes a lot of concentration when you first driving on different sides. Give it some time and it does get easier.
Remember to keep driving a car on the right side of the road. At an intersection, the driver needs to check on the left side, and then the right side. It can be helpful for the passenger to remind the driver as well.
Tips#2: Driving in Jeju is Slow and Very Relax
It’s easy and relaxing to drive in Jeju Island. The road condition and driver’s quality are generally good and polite. Driving at the town area may be slightly challenging but it is much more relaxed than driving in the mainland of Korea.
Tips#3: Phone Number is The GPS Navigation
To use the Korean GPS navigation system, you can type the name of a destination in English. However, the easier navigation method is by phone number.
The last 7 digit of the phone number of the destination can route you to the desired destination.
Tips#4: Mobile Data Is Very Important
For real-time navigation, mobile data is very valuable as all the navigation apps required mobile data. We highly recommend purchasing a 4G SIM card or renting a Wifi egg to keep you online. Just grab a wifi data device at Jeju airport directly if Jeju is your first arrival destination from your home country.
Pro Tips: Pre-book early for cheaper price and collect at SK Telekom once you exit from the arrival hall.
Tips#5: Google is Not Work at South Korea
Google maps are not working in South Korea, including Jeju Island. So you will need to find an alternative app for navigation. Korea-based navigation application like Naver map or Kakao Map is very useful to search for places and restaurants.
Tips#6: Simple Road System
Jeju has a very simple road system and is relatively straightforward with only a few main roads connected all around Jeju. The road sign is general in English and landmarks are signposted. Additionally, most of the roads are flat, and not much traffic. Sometimes, you may route to backstreet with a one-lane road, especially when hunting for local food. But no worry. Just drive and park and follow the others.
Tips#7: Watch Out For Speed Camera
Generally, the speed limit is 70 – 80 km/hour at most of the roads. The village entrance and school area may be reduced to 50 km/hour. We found out there is many speed camera along Jeju roads. The GPS will prompt the driver with loud warnings if speeding toward the speed camera.
Tips#8: Ample Of Car Park Available
The car park at Jeju Island is plenty and normally is free at the restaurant, hotel, and town area. The size of the parking lot is small and you will find some difficulty parking if you are driving a big car.
Look for car parks near the shopping mall and tourist attractions. Just park and follow how others to park. Some of the famous attractions will need to pay for the parking, normally at ₩1,000 to ₩3,000.
Tips#9: Filling Fuel
The fuel is not cheap, and some will choose an electric car when driving in Jeju. There is a lot of garage on the Jeju and nearby Car Rental Depot. The attendants will help to fill up and credit cards and cash were accepted. The petrol price may slightly vary even in the same street. We observed that the petrol price at Seogwipo is slightly cheaper in Jeju City.
If you are driving an electric car, recharge stations are available at most hotels and restaurants.
Tips#10: Don’t When Driving in Jeju Island
Don’t drink and drive, I know Korea Soju is very refreshing. Random breathalyzer tests may be conducted by police. Added, don’t use a mobile phone while driving. Most of the roads are well maintained with light traffic except during peak hours in Jeju downtown. Just be patient and careful when driving in Jeju.
Final Tips For Driving in Jeju Island
My final tip on driving in Jeju Island is don’t rush. Don’t forget you are visiting Jeju for a relaxing trip. Most likely you are visiting Jeju for the scenery and enjoying the beautiful view. There are so many beautiful views especially when you are driving on the coast. Be relaxed and enjoy yourself.
Lastly, We have received some questions on any possible driving in Jeju Island without International Driving Permit? The answer is impossible. Driving in Jeju without the IDP is illegal in Jeju Island and even South Korea. The rental car company will make sure you are holding a valid IDP when picking up your rental car. Just apply the IDP before your visit. Alternatively, consider for private day tour if obtaining IDP is impossible.
Driving in Jeju is really quite easy. No complicated area, not much traffic, roads are well-maintained and well-signed. The flexibility of having a car when venturing in Jeju is highly recommended.
In order to rent a car in Jeju, you must have a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) or a valid local driver’s license issued in Korea.
The driving distance from Jeju City to Seogwipo is approximate 40km and it took about 36 minutes of driving journey.
Depend on your selection but generally starts from ₩30,000. You can make a price comparison at RentalCars from Booking.com for the best option.
The cheapest car rental is Kia Morning and Spark. But more suitable for 2 people with limited luggage.
Self Driving in Jeju Island For 6 Days
Self driving in Jeju by rental car is very easy and relaxing. Renting a car in Jeju for self-driving to discover the natural beauty at your own pace is the best way to travel at Jeju Island. My 6 days Jeju itinerary is completed with a round journey by a single driver, ME!
We spend our 6 days watching the gushing waterfall, dipping our toes into crystal clear water at Hyeopjae beach, hiking up to South Korea’s highest mountain – Mount Hallasan, watching the sunrise at the New Seven Natural Wonder of Seongsan Ilchulbong crater, or enjoying a cup of coffee at ocean front view cafe.
We also explore the unique local Korean food, highly recommended by locals. Some of the restaurants are hard to reach by public transport. So we highly suggest renting a car for self-driving if this is permitted by your country.
Hopefully, this guide will help in planning your Jeju road trip! Don’t forget to check out our 6 days wonderful road trip itinerary here.
Jeju self-driving itinerary for 6 days: How To Plan Your Wonderful Jeju Road Trip Itinerary!
- Day 1: Jeju City Exploration
- Say Hello to Jeju! Take my rental car.
- Yongduam Rock | Dongmun Market | Black Pork Street
- Day 2: Jeju West Coastline
- Day 3: Jeju South Coastline
- Day 4: Jeju East Coastline
- Day 5: Hallasan Mountain
- Day 6: All about the beaches and sea
- Hyeopjae and Geumneung beach
- Goodbye Jeju!
Wonder where to stay at Jeju? Continue reading the Ultimate Guide For Your Jeju holiday – Where To Stay In Jeju
Jeju Must Eat Food Guide
For food lovers, please check out our Jeju must eat food guide. Listed our Top 5 Best Restaurant At Jeju:
