Jeju Olle Walking Festival 2026: three days on Routes 19 and 20, and how to sign up from abroad

The 2026 Jeju Olle Walking Festival runs Thursday November 5 to Saturday November 7 along Jeju Olle Routes 19 and 20 on the northeast coast of Jeju. Day 1 starts at Jocheon Manse Dongsan. Pre-registration costs 30,000 KRW (25,000 KRW discounted) through the OLLE PASS app and closes on October 9. The festival moves with you: you walk the trail, and performances, traditional games, village programs and local food are set up along the way. Korea Tourism Organization’s listing puts the turnout at around 10,000 walkers a year, with more coming from abroad each year, including the US, the UK, Canada, Japan, Taiwan and China.

Which day to walk

Each day is a different stretch, and you can do one, two or all three.

Day 1, Thursday November 5, is Route 19 forward: 13 km, 4 to 5 hours. It starts at Jocheon Manse Dongsan, a site tied to Jeju’s independence movement, stops for lunch at Haedong port and finishes at Dongbok-ri Sports Center. On the way you pass Hamdeok Beach and Seoubong Peak, and the Neobeunsungi 4·3 Memorial Hall in Bukchon-ri, a village that suffered heavy losses in the April 3rd Incident.

Day 2, Friday November 6, links Routes 19 and 20: 11.5 km, 3.5 to 4 hours, the shortest day. From Dongbok-ri it runs through pine forest, village lanes and the Gimnyeong Farm Road to Gimnyeong Seopogu Port, then past the metal murals of the GNG Art Village. Lunch is at Gujwa Gymnasium and the finish is Jeju Batdam Theme Park.

Day 3, Saturday November 7, is Route 20 in reverse: 12.9 km, 4 to 5 hours, from the Jeju Haenyeo Museum along the Sehwa to Woljeong coast, with lunch at the Haengwon-ri fishing cooperative. If you are lucky you may see haenyeo, Jeju’s women divers, at work. On this morning the operations booth is at the Haenyeo Museum, not at the finish.

All three are rated two stars out of three for difficulty. With only one day, I would pick by what you want to see: history on Day 1, farm roads and forest on Day 2, the haenyeo coast on Day 3.

Registration and what you get

Register in the OLLE PASS mobile app with the Registration button and pay online. Pre-registration is open until Friday October 9, 2026, and you can get a refund until Monday October 19.

Regular entry is 30,000 KRW. The 25,000 KRW rate covers groups of 20 or more, participants under 19 (bring a valid ID or passport) and participants with disabilities. If you miss the deadline, there is on-site registration at the operation booth for 35,000 KRW (30,000 KRW discounted), cash only, first come first served, and it can close early when souvenirs run out.

What the fee buys is the souvenir pack: a scarf, a Route 19 and 20 label, a festival pouch and a sports towel. One set per person however many days you walk. You collect it at the starting point after an ID check, so carry your passport each day. Everything else on the route, the performances and programs, is open to anyone, registered or not.

Meal tickets are sold separately in the app, also until October 9, and cannot be bought on site. Day 1 is octopus and sea urchin porridge (12,000 KRW) or a vegan hijiki and tofu porridge (10,000 KRW). Day 2 is gimbap with Gimnyeong onion and seaweed (10,000 KRW). Day 3 is mushroom and abalone bibimbap (12,000 KRW) or a vegan mushroom version (10,000 KRW). Bring your own cutlery and a refillable water bottle; the organizers ask for both.

Getting there: the shuttle

The organizers say parking and public transport are very limited during the festival and ask everyone to use the shuttle. Tickets are 4,000 KRW one way, children under 13 ride free, and they are sold only in advance through the OLLE PASS app or Event-us. Pre-orders run until October 19 and may close early. You need ID to receive your tickets, and there is no luggage storage on the bus or at the venue.

From Jeju International Airport, the bus leaves Coach Parking Zone C10 at 8:50 to 9:10 a.m. on Day 1 (35 minutes to the start), 8:40 to 9:00 on Day 2 and 8:20 to 8:40 on Day 3. There are also morning buses from Jeju Citizen Welfare Town Square in Jeju City, and from Jeju World Cup Stadium and Seomun Rotary in Seogwipo. Buses leave every 4 to 5 minutes as they fill.

Return buses to Jeju City and Seogwipo leave the finish at 4:00 to 4:20 p.m. on Day 1, 3:00 to 3:20 p.m. on Day 2 and 3:30 to 3:50 p.m. on Day 3.

Where to stay

Because the buses run from Jeju City and the airport, staying in Jeju City is the simple choice, especially if you walk more than one day. The official route pages also list guesthouses and hotels in Jocheon-eup and Gujwa-eup, right along the route, if you would rather wake up near the start. Since the first airport bus leaves before 9 a.m., fly in the day before.

Before you go

For data, an eSIM is the easy answer. Superalink is a Korean eSIM company; set it up at home and it works the moment you land. Superalink has a 20% discount for Every Ticket readers.

Five apps run a Korea trip: NAVER Map, Konest, Kakao T, WOWPASS and Papago. Every Ticket, the app I am building, is the sixth. Five to run the trip, one to keep it. When you reach the start at Jocheon a pin drops on its own and the day’s walk is recorded. Photograph your Route 19 and 20 label once and it goes onto the festival’s card. Recording runs in the background without draining your battery, and the card is built on your phone, not on a server.

Dates, routes, shuttle times and fees can change. Confirm on the official festival site before you travel.

FAQ

How much does the Jeju Olle Walking Festival cost?

Pre-registration is 30,000 KRW, or 25,000 KRW for groups of 20 or more, participants under 19 and participants with disabilities. On-site registration is 35,000 KRW (30,000 discounted), cash only and very limited.

Can I join without registering?

Yes. All the entertainment along the route is open to everyone. Only registered participants receive the festival souvenirs.

How do I register from outside Korea?

Through the Registration button in the OLLE PASS mobile app, with online prepayment. Pre-registration runs until October 9, 2026, and refunds are possible until October 19.

How do I get to the start each day?

Festival shuttle buses run from Jeju City (including Jeju International Airport, Coach Parking Zone C10) and Seogwipo. A one-way ticket is 4,000 KRW, children under 13 ride free, and tickets are sold only in advance.

How long are the walks?

Day 1 on Route 19 is 13 km (4 to 5 hours), Day 2 on Routes 19 to 20 is 11.5 km (3.5 to 4 hours), and Day 3 on Route 20 in reverse is 12.9 km (4 to 5 hours).