Jeju in 3 days: renting a car and the driving rules that surprise visitors
Jeju is an island of spread-out sights: beaches, craters, and coastal roads that buses connect slowly, on fixed routes. For three days, a rental car turns the island into a single driving loop — east coast, south coast, then west — instead of a series of bus waits. The paperwork is simple but strict: Singaporeans need a physical international driving permit, and the permit alone is not enough without the documents below. This guide covers the permit, the rental counter, the driving rules that catch visitors out, and the three-day loop order.
Why Jeju needs a car — bus math vs rental math for 3 days
Jeju's sights are spread around the whole island, and buses run on fixed routes on a fixed timetable. Over three days, that means planning every move around bus departures and accepting long waits between sights that are a short drive apart. A rental car removes the timetable: you drive the loop in the order that suits you and stop where you want.
The rental counter is close to the airport. Shuttle buses run from airport Gate 5 every 10–15 minutes to the rental area, so the transfer from arrivals to the counter is short. Once you have the car, the island is yours for the three days — no more checking the next bus.
The international driving permit: what Singapore license holders must carry
Singaporeans need three things to drive in Jeju: a Singapore driving licence, a physical international driving permit, and a passport. A digital permit is not accepted — the permit must be the physical booklet.
Get the permit from AA Singapore before you travel. It costs S$20 and is issued on the spot. It is valid for 1 year from entry, so a permit issued for a Jeju trip also covers later driving in Korea within that year. Carry all three documents every time you drive: licence, physical permit, and passport.
Renting as a foreigner — which companies take overseas licenses smoothly
The rental companies with counters at the airport are Lotte, SK, AJ, and Rainbow Rent-a-Car. All of them handle overseas licences as part of their normal business, so a Singapore licence with a physical permit is a routine case, not an exception.
Two requirements apply at the counter. The driver must be at least 21 years old with at least 1 year of driving experience, and the credit card must be in the driver's name. Sort both before you travel: check the named driver meets the age and experience rules, and bring a credit card in that driver's name. The shuttle from airport Gate 5 runs every 10–15 minutes, so you can collect the car soon after landing.
Driving rules that surprise visitors: speed cameras, parking, and petrol
Jeju drives on the right; Singapore drives on the left. That single difference explains most of the rules that catch visitors out. Right turns on red are allowed after stopping, but a left turn is only allowed on a green arrow — not just on a green light. A blinking amber light means proceed with caution.
Speed cameras are abundant, so drive to the posted limit rather than to the flow of traffic. For parking, carry cash for small parking fees — not every small car park takes cards. The theme of this section is simple: the rules are the same ones as at home with the mirror flipped, and the two turn rules above are the ones to memorise before the first junction.
A 3-day driving loop — east coast, south coast, and the west in order
Drive the island in one loop, in this order: east coast on day one, south coast on day two, and the west on day three. The order matters because it keeps you moving forward instead of backtracking across the island each day.
Each day covers one coast, which is the right scale for a day of driving with stops. Start the day with the 10–15 minute transfer budget in mind — the same buffer that applies at the airport — and keep the permit, licence, and passport in the car. If your trip also covers the mainland, our Seoul to Busan transport comparison covers the KTX, bus, and flight options for that leg.