Ultimate Travel Guide to Jeonju- Everything you need to know when planning your trip!
In this travel guide to Jeonju’s hanok village, we focus on all the more technical details you need to know while planning your trip to Jeonju! We spend a few days in Jeonju and absolutely fell in love with this town! Jeonju’s hanok village is a great addition to your South Korea itinerary and in this guide we will show you how to do so!
You will learn how to get to Jeonju, where to stay as well as what highlights you absolutely should not miss while there! We also delve a little into whether a trip to Jeonju is something for you, in case you are not yet decided, and what the ideal duration of your stay will be!
So, let’s get travel planning!
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A quick Travel Guide to Jeonju Hanok Village
Jeonju is located 2-3 hours south of Seoul and therefore a perfect getaway from South Korea’s capital. More precisely though, when we talk about Jeonju in this guide we usually mean Jeonju Hanok Village, which is actually only a smaller more relaxed part of the way bigger city of Jeonju.
Jeonju is a very old city and it always had some degree of importance in Korea’s history. Which is why the fact that it has such a beautifully preserved hanok village is an absolute tourist magnet for Koreans as well as international travelers!
In this travel guide to Jeonju Hanok Village, we wish to show you why you should travel to Jeonju as well as how you can easily plan your own magical trip with a few key information we will be sharing in this post!
Is Jeonju Hanok Village worth visiting?
Whether Jeonju Hanok Village is worth visiting or not for you definitely depends on your interests and what you wish to see and do. So the better question is, for whom is Jeonju Hanok Village worth visiting?
Jeonju has a lovely hanok village and therefore it is an awesome place to experience what living in Korea might have felt like in the past. Of course it is a more glamoured tourist version of it, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. And, you will too, if you are into the following things:
Does spending a few relaxed days, sleeping in a hanok, roaming through a hanok village in a hanbok and eating your way through Jeonju Hanok Village sound good to you? Then, Jeonju is definitely worth a trip! More on what to see and do in Jeonju Hanok Village further down below.
Can you visit Jeonju as a day trip from Seoul?
Jeonju is located a 2h40min bus ride away from Seoul. So, while you technically could visit Jeonju as a day trip from Seoul, we would strongly advise against it. Even if you do not have a lot of time, consider staying in Jeonju for at least one night.
How many days are enough for Jeonju Hanok Village?
If you plan on only spending time inside Jeonju’s Hanok Village (i.e. no day/ half-day trips outside of the city), an ideal timespan will be to spend 2 nights/3 days in Jeonju. That way you have plenty of time (as well as one full day) to enjoy all the perks of spending time in this lovely hanok village.
How to get to Jeonju?
Jeonju can easily be reached by Express Bus from a number of South Korean cities. Depending on where you travel from, you can even reach Jeonju by train.
Down below you can find an overview of interesting direct public transport connections with travel times and approximate prices.
As mentioned in our Best way to travel in South Korea: South Korea’s Bus System guide, buying tickets for Express/Intercity busses is best done on the day of travel at the bus terminal itself. However, train tickets can most easily be bought in advance on Trip.com*!
Travel to Jeonju by Express/Intercity Bus: 🚌 from Seoul: Travel Time: 2h40min; Price: ~28.600KRW 🚌 from Busan: Travel Time: 3h10min; Price: ~35.600KRW 🚌 from Daegu: Travel Time: 2h50min; Price: ~21.200KRW 🚌 from Gyeonju: Travel Time: 3h20min; Price: ~26.900KRW Travel to Jeonju by KTX (high-speed train): 🚅 from Seoul: Travel Time: 1h44min; Price: ~34.400KRW Travel to Jeonju by regional train: 🚅 from Seoul: Travel Time: 3h-3h30min; Price: ~17.200KRW - 25.600KRW
Travel Tip: If you are looking for a very specific travel connection, download Naver Map, a Korean navigation app you will 100% need to travel South Korea! Because: the Google Maps navigation function is blocked in South Korea. Also the former gives you real time connections with travel times and prices!
Travelling to Jeonju from Seoul
Public transport connections between Seoul and Jeonju are many and they come at various price points. As you might have grasped from the overview above, prices are usually inversely correlated with the travel time. For instance, the fastest way to get to Jeonju from Seoul is by taking the KTX, Korea’s high-speed train. It is, however, also the most expensive option.
There are several regional trains travelling between Seoul and Jeonju as well. Depending on the train you choose, travel times and prices vary. Travelling to Jeonju by regional train is the cheapest but also the slowest option.
Lastly, there are numerous Express/ Intercity busses going to Jeonju on a daily basis. We chose to travel to Jeonju by bus. Mostly because, we travelled to Jeonju from Sokcho via Seoul and simply transferring to another bus at the Seoul Express Bus Terminal was more convenient than having to change from the bus station to a train station before travelling onwards – something you might want to consider too, depending on where you travel from.
Travelling to Jeonju from Busan
Taking an Express or Intercity bus is the only direct travel connection between Jeonju and Busan. Therefore we recommend taking an Express/Intercity bus when travelling from Busan to Jeonju. The Express Bus will take a little more than 3 hours and cost approximately 35.600KRW.
You can also get to Jeonju by taking the KTX or a regional train when travelling from Busan. However, you will have to transfer either in Osong or Suncheon Station (depending on whether you take the KTX or regional train). The KTX option can get pretty expensive though (~50.000KRW+) and will take you between 4-5 hours to complete.
The regional train is the least expensive option again (~20.000-30.000KRW). However, depending on the connection you choose your travel time will be somewhere between 5-7 hours.
How to get to Jeonju Hanok Village from the Jeonju train/bus station?
Once you reach Jeonju, be it by taking the Express Bus or train, you will find yourself either at Jeonju Station or at the Jeonju Express Bus Terminal. From here you have 2 possibilities to get to your accommodation inside Jeonju Hanok Village: either you take the local bus or a taxi.
If you decide to take the local bus, you have numerous options. For real-time bus information simply check on Naver Map what bus leaves next once you arrive at either station. Taking the local bus is a great option if you do not have heavy suitcases.
In case you have more luggage, taking a taxi might be the better option. We did the latter, which is why we can say: do not expect the taxi drivers in Jeonju to know any English! If you want to avoid any miscommunication, download the free Korean app Kakao Taxi!
For more information on how Kakao Taxi works (and a quick anecdote on how we struggled to get to Jeonju Hanok Village due to language barrier😆) head to Best 4 Free Apps that will make travelling through South Korea so much easier!
Where to stay in Jeonju Hanok Village?
Since Jeonju Hanok Village is famous for its, well, hanok, it is kind of a given that you should stay inside a hanok at least for one night. We say, at least for one night, because it is a really awesome but truthfully not necessarily a comfortable experience.
Sleeping on the ground does take a toll on your back, especially if you are used to sleeping in a comfy bed at home. We ignorantly booked a hanok stay for three nights and let’s say, our backs were killing us by the end😆. So, a little heads up there.
When it comes to choosing a hanok stay, you are spoiled for choice. Unsurprisingly, Jeonju Hanok Village is filled with hanok stays! Typically prices range from 59.000KRW/night to 101.000KRW/night (~40-70€/night). If you are looking for a place to stay with a real bed within Jeonju’s hanok village, you will need to pay more.
As a Tip: Booking a hanok stay in Jeonju is something you should do in advance, especially if you plan on travelling there during a busy season! Jeonju is quite a popular destination among Koreans, which is why the best Hanok stays – at least in terms of what you get for your money – are booked out quite quickly!
Our top picks for your Hanok Stay in Jeonju: Traditional Hanok Stay : 🏡 Check out Jeonju Jeongdam Jeontonghanogpensyeon* Deals start at 60.000KRW/41€ per night | Reviews: 9.1 on Agoda Why? Great reviews, location and breakfast possible. 🏡 Check out Jeonjuhanog Baggane* Deals start at 48.000KRW/33€ per night | Reviews: 8.1 on Agoda Why? We stayed here & can recommend: Cheap and great location, no breakfast though. 🏡 Check out Laon Hanok Gguljam* Deals start at 72.000KRW/50€ per night | Reviews: 8.5 on Agoda Why? Stunning café with view, great reviews and breakfast included. Hanok Stay with Western bed option: 🏡 Check out Jeonju Dwaejikkum Hanok* Deals for rooms with western beds start at 200.000KRW/137€ per night | Reviews: 9.0 on Agoda Why? Western beds available, great location and reviews!
As mentioned above, we stayed at Jeonjuhanog Baggane*. This hanok stay is located right in the centre of Jeonju hanok village and can be accessed by a really stunning walkway! The owner of the guest house is a lovely lady that lives here as well. She is renting out a few rooms of her hanok to tourists and does a really awesome job in doing so!
What to see and do in Jeonju Hanok Village?
Jeonju Hanok Village is a great place to spend a few relaxed days away from the busy city of Seoul. Especially, if you are interested in delving a little deeper into life in South Korea during the Joseon dynasty! Down below you can find a list of experiences you should not miss out on while in Jeonju Hanok Village!
Must-Do's in Jeonju: 🍵 Drink tea in a traditional Korean tea house. 🛏️ Spend the night in a hanok stay. 🎎 Rent a hanbok for a few hours. 🎨 Explore Jeonju's stunning mural village. 🍜 Roam the streets of Jeonju Hanok Village and eat all the food! 🖋️ ... and more!
In our 3-day Jeonju Hanok Village itinerary, we share how you can easily spend three magical days in Jeonju! Along with more detailed information on each individual highlight and activity and what not to miss!
What & where to eat in Jeonju
In South Korea, Jeonju is somewhat known as a food hub. What undermines this even more is the fact that Jeonju is also famous for bibimbap! The latter is the most popular Korean dish among foreigners and kind of our favourite as well. So, if you like bibimbap or in general trying new dishes, all the more reason for adding Jeonju to your itinerary!
We compiled a list of a few must-try dishes, including where to find them and their respective prices, while in Jeonju in a separate guide: 10 Awesome Dishes you Need to Try in Jeonju Hanok Village!
Travel Guide to Jeonju: Final thoughts
As we hope you could grasp from this post, Jeonju Hanok Village has much to offer! Food, culture and history are located all in one place and a beautiful one at that! While slightly on the more touristy side of things, it is nonetheless a great city to delve deeper into Korean culture and an experience we can absolutely recommend!
With this travel guide, you should be able to plan your own adventure to Jeonju Hanok Village and we hope you end up liking it as much as we did!
