Living in Jeju Without a Car for Six Months

Many people asked me how I managed to live in Jeju without a car. Jeju is often described as a place where driving is essential — there are no trains or subways, only buses and taxis. Without a car, people assume you won’t get very far.

It is doable. Just not in the way most itineraries are planned.

I don’t drive in Singapore either. Public transport is generally convenient and frequent. Jeju is different. Certain bus intervals can be much longer. Some routes run approximately every 50 minutes, while others operate only a few times a day, with gaps of hours in between. Getting around requires more waiting and planning.

Why I didn’t have a car

I had only planned to stay for about a month. As the weeks passed, returning to Singapore didn’t feel right yet, so I extended my stay gradually, one month at a time.

In Korea, the driver’s seat is on the left and cars drive on the right-hand side of the road. As this is the opposite of Singapore, I wasn’t confident enough to try. So I relied on buses, walking, and the occasional taxi.

Letting go of itineraries

Living without a car meant letting go of the idea of “covering ground.”

Instead of planning multiple stops in a day, I learned to go to one place — sometimes just one neighbourhood — and stay there. A café, time along the coast, a hike up one of the many oreums, or a place of interest was often enough.

Waiting for buses became part of the day rather than something to rush around. Walking filled the time in between. Without the pressure to move quickly, my days naturally slowed down.

What daily life looked like

Daily life without a car came with trade-offs. Some days were easy. Others required patience.

Bus services varied. Routes within Jeju City ran more frequently and regularly, while others were less frequent but generally reliable once I became familiar with them. I moved to a different location almost every month, but staying longer in one area helped. Repetition made things easier — the same bus stops, the same routes, the same timings.

There were inconveniences. Long waits. Rural areas that needed planning ahead. Living this way meant accepting that convenience wasn’t guaranteed and that efficiency wasn’t the goal.

Over time, my days became quieter. Instead of fitting many things into a single day, I spent longer in fewer places.

Living in Jeju without a car did limit what I could do. But it changed how I chose to spend my days. The slower pace brought a sense of calm, away from the constant rush and pressure often present in city life.