Hello everyone.
Are you planning a trip to Jeju Island?
Have you heard about Udo? A small island next to Jeju?
Udo is a small island next to Jeju Island with about 2000 residents. It is famous for its beautiful land attracting about 9000 visitors per day during peak season, which is five times more than the average. So you should probably visit during the off season.
Udo is a must visit island when you go to Jeju, so you might want to know more about Udo if you are planning a Jeju trip. Today, I'll tell you more about Udo.
Let me tell you the most important thing before we go in. If you are planning to visit Udo, you need your ID. Foreign tourists should make sure to bring their passports to visit Udo.
📌 Start
First, using rental car is restricted on Udo. So you'll need to explore the island using personal mobility or buses. Therefore, the best time to visit is from March to June and September to November, when it is neither too hot nor too cold.
The time requires to tour the island varies from person to person, but it generally takes about 2 to 5 hours. If you plan to enjoy swimming or stay overnight in Udo, you might consider staying for one night.
Now, let's find out how to get to Udo. To get to Udo, you need to take a ferry from either Seongsanpo Port Passenger Terminal or Jongdal Port. It's easier to use Seongsan Port because there are more ferry departures.
📌 Getting to the port
There is a bus stop near Seongsan Port, about a five minute walk away. So if you are taking the bus, use Naver Map to find the most convenient bus from your starting point. If you are taking a taxi, you can go directly to the front of Seongsan Port. If you are using a rental car, you can park it in the parking lot at Seongsan Port.
📍 Seongsan Port: https://naver.me/G7KDzOAR
As I mentioned earlier, the use of rental cars is restricted on Udo. However, if one of these applies to you, you can pay an additional fee to bring your rental car on the ferry. For bicycles or motorcycles, you need to inquire separately, but generally you can take them on the ferry by paying an additional fee.
📌 Port
When you enter the port, you need to fill out a declaration form one to go to Udo and another for the return trip. So fill out two forms in total. The instructions are in English, so just follow them. Take the completed declaration forms along with your ID or passport to the ticket booth to purchase your tickets.
From Seongsan, you can choose to go to either Udo Cheonjin Port or Haumokdong Port. For sightseeing purposes, it's better to go to Cheonjin Port, so select that option.
Ferries run every 30 minutes. The first and the last ferry times vary each month. Note that the last ferry can be crowded, so don't wait until the last ferry. Take the one before the last or even earlier.
After purchasing a round trip ticket, follow the sign to the boarding area and wait until it is time to board. There are no assigned seats on the ferry. You can take off your shoes and sit anywhere on the floor indoor or stand outside. Be mindful of safety.
After 10 to 15 minutes, you will arrive at Cheonjin Port.
📌 Bicycle/bus
To explore Udo, you can use personal mobility or buses. Personal mobility options include electric cars with two seats, two seats plus one child seat, open type or single. And there are electrical bicycles. Some of these options requires driving permit.
The price change frequently and there are different by stores, so it is hard to give an exact amount. But here are some rough estimates. Recently, five seats, real electrical car rentals are available.
Next, let's look at the bus options. There are two routes. One route goes to the main tourist attractions and the other follows the coastal road. Both routes have 20 minute intervals. If you purchase a bus pass, you can use both routes all day without any restrictions. Note that both routes run counter-clockwise on odd number days and clockwise on even number days.
Also, the last bus type varies by season, so make sure to check the schedule to avoid missing the ferry. Bus time is posted on every stop, so check that out. Generally, the buses stop running around 5 p.m.
🔽 Coastal Bus Route
🔽 Attraction Bus Route
📌 Route
If you're using personal mobility, you can follow the coastal road and stop wherever you want to sightsee.
📌 Main Attractions
Let me introduce you to some major attractions in Udo.
📍 Seobin Baeksa (Sanho Beach) https://naver.me/x9J5nhxS
Known for its white sandy beach. The sand here is composed of red algae that have been washed ashore and accumulated. Such formation are rare globally and have significant academic value. So the sand is designated as a natural monument, so removing any sand is strictly prohibited and protected. Taking sand from here is illegal.
📍 Udobong https://naver.me/5Z0vjnbI
Udo means Cow Island because the island is shaped in cow and Udobong represents the head of the cow. You can enjoy beautiful scenery and you can see a view of Seongsan Ilchulbong with a simple 40 minute climb.
📍 Hagosudong Beach https://naver.me/5EQUBSNt
Known for its fine sand and clear blue water, this is a popular spot for many beach goers.
📍 Biyangdo https://naver.me/FqSiumca
Another small island attached to Udo, Biyang is the latest volcanic formation in Jeju. It is famous for its romantic sunsets and many people come here to camp overnight to see the sunset.
📍 Geomulle https://naver.me/FZJVUySV
This area features a black sand beach formed by weathered volcanic rock. You can also see sculpted cliffs and Dongangyeong Cave, which is said to have been home to whales.
📌 General Tips
One thing I would like to mention is that Udo is famous for its peanuts due to its soil and climate, which are ideal for peanut cultivation. So when you visit, make sure to try Udo peanuts and Udo peanut ice cream. Although I don't have many specific tips, based on my own experience and stories from my friends, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Udo has been well-known for filming location for many movies and dramas, attracting many tourists. So now Udo has become more touristic place compared to the past when it was just nature and nature. While this has made it more convenient, the natural charm has diminished a bit. Because of that I personally didn't find it different from Jeju Island. So if your schedule is tight and you're already busy with Jeju Island, you can skip Udo.
Udo gets extremely crowded during the summer peak season, so it is best to avoid visiting in summer. Additionally, in winter, heavy snowfall can cause ferry cancellations. Therefore, spring and fall with their pleasant weather are the best time to visit.
My friends and I explored Udo using electrical cars. The rental cost was about 30,000 won for 3 hours. There was also a four day pass for 40,000 won, but we opted for the three hour rental, getting two cars for three people. After using it for about a bit, it became tiresome and inconvenient to ride. The cars weren't very fast and seemed a bit old and we were worried they might break down. However, they were convenient since we didn't have to worry much about parking and it was easy to stop and take photos. Be cautious though, as there is only one road on Udo and you have to share it with cars and buses. If you're not comfortable driving, there is a risk of accidents. Although cars don't go very fast, accidents do happen occasionally.
If you rent a personal mobility, you can quickly tour Udo in about 3 hours. For more leisurely visit, plan for 4 to 5 hours.
Does it worth visiting? If you're going there for the first time, I recommend it. It was my first time after my childhood visit and it felt like an adventure exploring the sights with the electric car. It was fun. It felt like I was doing some kind of activity. However, waiting for the ferry and such can be a bit tiring.
Today I went over Udo, a small island next to Jeju Island. As I mentioned earlier, if your Jeju itinerary is packed, It's okay not to make a difficult visit to Udo. However, taking a half day trip to Udo on the day you visit Seongsan Ilchulbong might be a good idea.
Many people have asked me about Udo, so I made this video and is sharing my personal experiences. I hope it helped you to plan. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or refer to my blog.
Also, if you want to watch the full video of my Udo trip, I have added English subtitles so you can check it out by the link below.
That's all for today's video. Thank you for watching. I'll see you in the next one. Thank you. Bye.
📌 Where to start planning: https://www.yourkoreafriend.com/blog/categories/start
📌 Naver Map list: https://naver.me/FlxtqUpI
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