Visiting Cheju Island (Korea) On Visa Run - Looking for Tips

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Hey Guys,

So I posted the thread “Help Me Decide On An Exotic Visa Run”, a while back, and have visited a number of places since then.

Namely Okinawa, Cebu, and Macau based on your advice. I had a fantastic time.

One of the locations that was also brought up is Cheju Island.

Have any members been there, and do they have advice on places to stay/visit ?

How is Immigration in South Korea ? I assume as an European I can be VISA exempt if I stay for 5 day only ?

I already have a stamped tourist visa for Taiwan so wouldn’t need to go to a representative office there.

Cheers,

-Delonge182

PS: my BFF signature tag can change based on responses =)

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Howdy

glad u liked the other places. Cheju is south koreas hawaii. Koreans love to visit. so im sure its pretty nice. Iv not been there myself sadly. Far Eastern Air Transport used to be the big TW carrier there, but their routes have been taken over by TransAsia from Taoyuan. Its not a daily flight. Every other day I think. Bummer is the flight leaves at 630pm or 710pm. So you lose the first day in Cheju, the good thing is that it comes back late too so your last day in Cheju would be long as well.

check flight schedules at TPE here:

taoyuanairport.gov.tw/englis … p?cnid=512

Its only something like a bit over an hour each way. I dont think you need a visa to south korea, i didnt as a US passport holder.

From Kaohsiung:

kia.gov.tw/english/e_content … tion-2.asp

China Air has one flight per week to cheju leaving at 630am on Sundays only and arriving bout 2 hours later (korea is one hour ahead of taiwan time wise).

China Air has a flight on Wednesdays to Cheju leaving at 1245pm.

TransAsia on Sunday/Wednesday leaving at 7am

So you might want to go with China or TransAsia from Kaohsiung instead of Taoyuan to have more of first day there and come back straight to Taoyuan on TransAsia as its a late flight back?? That will max your time there.

I see that LaoAg in Phillippines is being served by Mandarin Airlines with their Embraer most likely at 435pm on Sundays and Thursdays.

Thats a really short runway, with no ILS . It was served by Makung with a Bae146 the one and only time i went.

its probably part of a package with the only one resort hotel in the city. Enquire with Mandarin airlines. It was very cheap when i went back in 98 with Makung Airlines.

It was only 5000nt for flight there and back and 2 nites in the hotel. The hotel is ok, its not caesars park, and was a bit moldy but survivable.

Better to go with a drinking buddy. GF may think the place is too run down.

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Tips:

Go elsewhere.

That place will be crawling with Korean tourists this time of year, and it is one of the most overrated places in Asia.

Korean food is good though, at least you’ll eat well.

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Thanks for the awesome post Tommy ! I will revise my signature accordingly…

Can you say what you think is overrated Deuce ?

I mean I’ve just been looking at Google Images of the place, and I’ve been pretty much blown away.

I mean look Check It

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:slight_smile: thanks but really im not God. I am a Dog tho.

You can use that "Im not God, but I am a Dog " :slight_smile:

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Jeju is my fav place in Korea, perhaps because of the Halla-san/Maunaloa similarity and the overall “Big Island with kimchee instead of pipikaula” feel. Rule 1: Don’t stay in Jeju-shi. Banqiao looks like Paris in comparison. Rule 2: Rent a m/c or scooter. The bus service is a joke, and rental cars are exorbitant. Chaos on the road is slightly tamer than Taipei, except for the Korean specialty of passing using the turn lane at traffic lights. Rule 3: Don’t go unless you like hiking or oranges, or have a wetsuit. If oranges are the draw, go in October. If hiking, it’s Alishan without the landslides. Plus the added benefit that the main parking area/commercial strip for hiking on Halla-san has “working girls”. You can spot them in the coffee shops, since they wear negligees instead of North Face. This is in keeping with Jeju’s rep in Korea as a honeymoon and/or sex-tour primo destination. These activities are assisted by the local makgeolli (farm style, “milky” soju), sort of congee with a kick.

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Thanks.

I’d like to find a resort/hotel in the vicinity of downtown and things to visit. Any recommendations ? I don’t like taking public transportation much (other than taxis) and am not the big hiker type.

-Delonge

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Rent your m/c or scooter here, up to 125cc, and for hotels I’ve had good results here. I don’t know about resorts… my profile is “stay gone except to sleep”.

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Thanks, I’m not going to rent a scooter though :slight_smile: … I assume relying on Taxis is OK on the island.

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not bout Cheju but if and when you pop over to Laoag, heres a little write up bout what you could do after you get there. maybe take a domestic flight down to boraCAY??

crackingtheegg.wordpress.com/201 … es-taipei/