Fall foliage peaks on Jeju, silver grass rounds out scenery
Halla Arboretum / Courtesy of Research Department for Mount Halla of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
6 spots to catch this year's last autumn scenery
Although autumn foliage has largely passed its peak across Korea this year, those who missed the season still have one last chance on Jeju, the country’s southernmost region, where the colors have yet to reach their height.
According to a 2026 autumn foliage forecast released by the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea National Arboretum, ginkgo trees and oak species at Halla Arboretum on Jeju are expected to peak — defined as when 50 percent or more of their leaves have changed color — on Nov. 16 and maples on Nov. 19.
Around the same time, silver grass blankets Jeju’s "oreum," or small volcanic cones, and its coastlines. Here are some of the best places on Jeju Island to catch the year’s last autumn scenery.
Halla Arboretum
Opened in 1993 in Jeju City, this public arboretum displays about 100,000 plants representing 1,321 species, including native Jeju and subtropical plants. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment designated it in 2000 as a conservation center for endangered wild plants outside their natural habitats. Its forest bathing area offers a refreshing autumn forest walk close to downtown Jeju City.
Admission is free and the walking trails are open year-round until 11 p.m., allowing for evening strolls. Indoor exhibition facilities operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from March through November and until 5 p.m. from December through February.
Yeomiji Botanic Garden / Courtesy of Yeomiji Botanic Garden
Yeomiji Botanic Garden
The private garden in Seogwipo takes its name from a Korean phrase meaning “beautiful land.” It features a large greenhouse and an outdoor area with themed gardens in Korean, Japanese, Italian, French and other styles, making it a good place to see fall foliage.
The garden is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last admission at 5:30 p.m. A full tour takes about an hour and 20 minutes. From November through February, visitors are advised to enter before 5 p.m. to see all the gardens before sunset. Admission is 12,000 won ($8.80) for adults, 9,000 won for those aged 66 and older, 8,000 won for teenagers aged 14 to 19 and 7,000 won for children aged 3 to 13.
Bijarim Forest / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization
Bijarim Forest
Designated a natural monument, this forest in Jeju City covers about 450,000 square meters and is home to some 2,800 "bija" trees — Torreya nucifera, a slow-growing coniferous plant — many of them hundreds of years old. Seeds used in village ancestral rites are believed to have scattered after the ceremonies and taken root, forming today’s forest.
The bija trees are evergreens, but maples, oaks and hornbeams grow among them, giving the forest a distinctive autumnal mood.
The forest is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last admission at 5 p.m. Tickets cost 3,000 won for adults and 1,500 won for teenagers and children.
Saebyeol Oreum / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization
Saebyeol Oreum
Rising above the plains of Jeju City, this parasitic volcanic cone is said to be named for how it stands alone like Venus in the evening sky, or "saetbyeol" in Korean. In autumn, silver grass covers the entire oreum, creating a magical 30-minute walk to the summit. The peak offers views of the sea off western Jeju, making it a popular spot to watch the sunset.
It is open 24-hours and admission and parking are free.
Ttarabi Oreum / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization
Ttarabi Oreum
Made up of three craters and six peaks, this oreum in Seogwipo City on the southern part of the island has a distinctive shape, with gentle ridgelines draped in clusters of silver grass. The summit is about a 30-minute walk from the parking lot.
It is open 24-hours and admission and parking are free.
Mount Songak / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization
Mount Songak
At just 104 meters above sea level, this oreum in Seogwipo is one of just a handful of volcanic cones with a double crater. A 2.8-kilometer loop trail around the mountain runs along coastal cliffs lined with silver grass in the late autumn. Beneath the cliffs lie cave fortifications that Japan authorities built by mobilizing local residents during its 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.