Volcanic Drama or Coral Calm
Jeju is the slower side of Korea, but it is not a lie-on-the-sand island. In one day you can climb a crater at sunrise, ferry to a smaller island for lunch, swim at a pale beach and watch sunset from a cliffside cafe. The landscape is what you remember: dark lava, green cones called oreum and waterfalls tumbling to the shore. Jeju's haenyeo, the women divers who harvest shellfish without breathing equipment, are recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
Okinawa adds the slow part to a Japan honeymoon. You can spend a morning floating over coral, an afternoon on a lounger and an evening eating grilled fish with your feet in the sand. The main island offers variety too: Naha's markets and war memorials in the south, the resort coast in the middle and Yanbaru's subtropical forest in the north.
If the beach is the main event, choose Okinawa. If the scenery is, choose Jeju.
Getting There From the US
Neither island has nonstop flights from the mainland US. Each is a short domestic hop from a big city with plenty of US nonstops.
For Jeju, fly into Seoul's Incheon International Airport (ICN), then take a domestic flight of about an hour from Gimpo Airport to Jeju International Airport (CJU). Departures run all day on Korean Air, Asiana and budget carriers. Flights also run from Busan. Jeju City is about 15 minutes from the airport. Jungmun and Seogwipo on the south coast are roughly an hour by car.
For Okinawa, fly into Tokyo and take a domestic flight to Naha Airport (OKA), about two and a half to three hours. Osaka and Fukuoka also have frequent flights. The Onna coast resorts are about an hour by car from the airport.
On both islands, renting a car is the best way to explore. US license holders need an International Driving Permit from AAA. Without one, rental agencies will not hand over a car.
Water Temperatures and Seasons
Okinawa is the warmer, more tropical island. Its rainy season usually runs from early or mid May to late June. Late June through September is the best time for swimming, though storms are most likely from August into early October. April and October are often the sweet spots, with warm water and lower typhoon risk. Winter is mild at around 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit but too cool for most swimmers, though humpback whales visit the Keramas.
Jeju is the warmest part of South Korea but cooler than Okinawa. It is also among Korea's wettest places. Spring brings yellow canola fields from about March and cherry blossoms in late March or early April. The rainy season starts in June. August is the best swimming month but busy with Korean families. Late August and September carry the highest typhoon risk. October and November bring clear days and silver grass on the oreum.
For a swimming honeymoon in spring or autumn, Okinawa is warmer. For hiking and scenery in autumn, Jeju shines.
Resorts and Places to Stay
Jeju's classic honeymoon base is Jungmun Resort on the south coast, which gathers large hotels, a beach, a golf course and coastal walks in one area. The Shilla Jeju and Lotte Hotel Jeju both sit here, with gardens above the sea. Seogwipo city, a short drive east, has local restaurants and small boutique hotels. Grand Hyatt Jeju occupies a high tower in Jeju City with wide views. The east coast near Seongsan and Woljeong-ri suits couples who want sunrise views, private pension houses and stylish rental homes.
Okinawa's resorts line the west coast of the main island, where the sun sets over the sea. Halekulani Okinawa in Onna Village is the polished choice, with a long lawn running down to the water. The Ritz-Carlton Okinawa sits near Nago. Hoshinoya Okinawa in Yomitan is a low-slung resort along a rocky shore. Guesthouses on Zamami or Tokashiki in the Kerama Islands sit steps from the beach.
Okinawa's big resorts run about $300 to $800 a night in summer. Prices are approximate.
Days Together
On Jeju, start in the dark to climb Seongsan Ilchulbong, a tuff cone rising from the sea, for sunrise. The walk to the crater rim takes 20 to 30 minutes on steps. Take the short ferry to Udo and circle it by electric bike past stone walls and pale beaches. Hike Hallasan to the summit crater lake, Baengnokdam, a full day that has required advance online reservations in recent years. Walk an Olle trail near Seogwipo past waterfalls and harbors. See Jeongbang Falls drop straight onto the shore and explore the cool Manjanggul lava tube.
In Okinawa, take the high-speed ferry from Naha's Tomari Port to the Kerama Islands in under an hour and snorkel from Furuzamami Beach on Zamami, where sea turtles are common. Drive the long bridge to Kouri Island and find the heart-shaped rocks at Tinu Beach. Watch whale sharks at Churaumi Aquarium. Walk the cliff path at Cape Manzamo at sunset, then find a Naha bar with live sanshin music.
Island Food
Jeju black pork is the island's signature: thick slices of heukdwaeji grilled at your table and dipped in a salty anchovy sauce. Black pork streets in Jeju City and Seogwipo are packed in the evenings. Seafood is excellent, from abalone porridge to sea urchin seaweed soup and grilled cutlassfish. Tangerines grow everywhere and turn up as juice, chocolate and makgeolli. Cafes in old stone farmhouses and on cliffs are a Jeju obsession. The O'sulloc tea fields have a museum and cafe too.
Okinawan cooking is its own cuisine. Try goya champuru, a stir fry of bitter melon, tofu, egg and pork. Order Okinawa soba with stewed pork belly and rafute, pork belly braised in awamori and brown sugar. At Naha's Makishi Public Market, choose fish downstairs and have it cooked upstairs. Snack on sata andagi doughnuts. Orion is the local beer. Aged awamori, called kusu, is best sipped slowly with water and ice.
Pork lovers will be happy on either island.
Comfort and Safety
Typhoons are the shared risk. Both islands can see flights and ferries cancelled for a day or more in late summer and early autumn. Never schedule your island flight back to the mainland on the same day as your international departure. Travel insurance is wise.
On Jeju, pack for wind. Coastal gusts can be strong even on warm days, so bring a light layer for cliff walks and ferry rides. Bring a flashlight and jacket for the dark climb at Seongsan. Book restaurants for weekend evenings in summer and fall, when the island fills with Korean visitors. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for navigation.
In Okinawa, pack reef-safe sunscreen and a rash guard. Many beaches have jellyfish nets in summer, so swim inside them where they exist and avoid unguarded reef edges, where currents can be strong. US military bases occupy a large part of the central island, so stay farther north for a more local feel.
Matching the Island to Your Trip
For most American couples, the city decides the island. A Korea honeymoon flows naturally into Jeju: three or four days in Seoul, then a one-hour flight south. Many couples split their Jeju stay, with two nights on the east coast for sunrise and Udo and two or three in Jungmun for resort time.
A Japan honeymoon flows into Okinawa: a few days in Tokyo or Kyoto, then a week on the island's west coast, ideally with two nights in the Keramas.
If you are free to choose, think about what you will do each day. Couples who want to swim and snorkel daily will be happier in Okinawa. Couples who like a different viewpoint, trail or village each day will love Jeju.
You can also visit both on a longer honeymoon covering Korea and Japan, connecting through Seoul, which has flights to Okinawa. Start with Jeju's hiking while your energy is high, then finish on Okinawa's beaches.
