Korea’s Top Ten Beaches

Words by David Stowe, Photos courtesy of respective regional offices

July is nothing if not beach season, and the peninsula of Korea has more than enough beaches to go around – over 200 in total, to be exact. To help you make your selection, the country’s top 10 beaches are listed below in their sunny, salty, hand-picked glory. While we can’t guarantee that you’ll agree on every last selection, we can guarantee that you’ll get enough sun and sand to last you well into fall. But be warned: during Korea’s high beach season from July 20th to August 10th, you may be fighting for towel space!

MYEONGSASHIMNI Shinji-do Island, Jeollanam-do

For those intrepid enough to brave the long trip there, Myeongsashimni’s four kilometers of white sand beach may prove to be the most relaxing place in Korea to tan or swim. The beach is located 12 kilometers east of Wando-eup, an Italian-designated “slow city” that has possibly the best seafood eateries in the country.

Amenities near Myeongsashimni are all tucked into the west corner of the beach, which is the busiest area during high season. Camping options and tranquility are both usually found farther along this relatively wind-protected stretch. The water is warm from early June to early October and the beach has a gradual gradient: swimmers have around 20 to 50 meters before hitting deeper water.

Getting There 
The city of Wando is 2.5 hours south of Gwangju or 2 hours southeast of Mokpo by bus. Myeongsashimni Beach is accessible by fairly frequent local bus service departing from the Wando bus depot and crossing over the bridge to Shinji-do Island. Several ferries depart Wando Port for various islands, including Jeju, which is 3 hours distant. Nearby Haenam Peninsula, connected to Wando via bridge, is also worth exploring if you have wheels.

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HAEUNDAE Busan

Perhaps the most famous beach in Korea is located on the southeast side of town in Busan. Although Haeundae is sardine central at the height of summer, you can always opt instead for the annual Polar Bear swim on January 7th of each year. The busy beach is well-known for its year-round festivals and the cornucopia of eateries, clubs, and bars located across the street.

Haeundae’s 1.5-kilometer long stretch of sand lacks the speedos and topless tanning you might see on a European coast, but it is nevertheless THE place to go for people-watching in the ROK – just watch out for parasol turf wars. The opportunity to check out beachgoers negotiating the sand in high heels or fiddling with how many ways they can wrap designer sunglasses around their heads is worth the trip!

Getting There Haeundae Beach is approximately 30-40 minutes by subway from Busan Station or one hour via shuttle bus from Gimhae Airport.

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JUNGMUN Jeju-do

Situated on a unique bay tucked in to the southern coast of Jeju Island, Jungmun’s backdrop of cliffs, waves rolling onto the soft brown sand, and loads of nearby amenities give it a top grade for ambience. Being the most southern beach in the nation also guarantees that this beach’s water is warm enough for both the first and last swims of the season.

Jungmun sits below a row of luxury resort hotels where many guests choose to sit either poolside or in the casinos. Fortunately, these fine establishments are hidden over the top side of the cliffs and therefore not visible from the roughly 600 meters of beachfront. Surfers are welcome at Jungmun, and catamaran tours are available for those who’d like to venture further into the coast’s lovely waters.

Getting There  
The #600 limousine bus leaves from Jeju Airport every 20 minutes and goes directly to Jungmun Resort for about W5,000. The bus takes around 45 minutes — just about as long as driving a car. Plenty of inexpensive lodgings are available at the nearby city of Seogwipo, which is also the terminus of the #600 bus route.

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SEONYU-DO Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do

This archipelago of twenty islands, with four of them connected by foot and bike bridges, is a great place to get away for a long weekend. Visitors can dock via ferry in the village of Jin-ri on the main island of Seonyu-do, which is the starting point of the bridge circuit that includes islands Munyeo-do, Jangja-do, and Daejang-do. The crescent-shaped sandbar beach on Seonyu-do is always a hit, as is Sunset Peak on Jangja-do. Bicycle, scooter, and motorbike rentals are all available, and a small passenger ferry services the islands from 3 to 12 times per day, depending on the season.

For accommodations, beach camping or minbaks are the only overnight options. When packing, keep in mind that fog and mist are common on the islands, and most of the short but steep mountain hikes require proper footwear!

Getting There From Seoul to Gunsan, a train or bus takes 3 to 3.5 hours. From Gunsan Station to Gunsan Ferry Terminal, there is a bus that will take 40 minutes, or a cab will get you there in 15. Seonyu-do is approximately 1 hour’s ferry ride southwest of the ferry terminal.

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GORAEBUL AND DAEJIN BEACH Gyeongsangbuk-do

Driving along the relatively deserted east coast highway, windows down, tunes cranked as beach country rolls by – now that is living! Approximately one hour north of Pohang lies an 8-kilometer stretch of white sand beach – the longest beach on the east coast — which is a haven for up to 5,000 happy campers in the summertime.

On the southern end of Daejin Beach is the village of Goraebul, a name which means “The Whale’s Horn.” You can wade 20 to 50 meters out from shore at Daejin before you hit deep water. A freshwater stream called Seongcheon cuts through the beach, allowing for both salt and freshwater swimming. Fishing for red snapper brings anglers to this town as well.

Getting There  

Goraebul lies just 10 kilometers north of the sleepy city of Yeongdeok. Buses from Seoul to Yeongdeok take a little over four hours.

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HYOPJAE AND GEUMNEUNG Jeju

With 9 kilometers of beachfront to enjoy, the coves of Hyopjae and Geumneung offer the largest amount of semi-contiguous sand on this list. On a sunny day the contrast of the dazzling soft white shore against the cobalt-colored water will require that you shield your eyes with a good pair of sunglasses – if you’ve been to Haeundae, you might’ve already picked up tips on how to wear them.

The two coves are highly sheltered and the water is shallow even 100 to 200 meters out from the shore. Fresh seaweed is available for free at the beach (rinsing advisable) and the nearby Hallim Park located just a stroll across the road offers plenty of distractions from your likely-sunburned skin. Sunsets at Hyopjae and Geumneung are awe-inducing, especially with the small island of Biyang-do hanging in the foreground. Plenty of accommodations are nearby. Both beaches are great at any time of year but be warned: in July and August, the area is packed with inner tubes, turtle water wings, and loads of whistle-wielding beach patrollers who may flag you down if you stray out to water levels above your navel!

Getting There 

Hyopjae and Geumneung are located immediately next to each other, about 45 minutes southwest of Jeju City.

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BOGILDO Jeollanam-do

If you’re still trying to figure out why everyone in Jeollanam-do is so friendly, a trip to the lovely Bogildo Island may be in order. The island’s main port town of Cheongbyeol offers rental bikes, scooters, and other amenities. Two sand beaches, Tong-ri and Jung-ri, are close to the port. However, most people overnighting prefer to travel a bit farther to the 1.4-kilometer Yesong-ri blue-pebble beach, which lies just below an idyllic pine forest. Yesong-ri has both minbak accommodations and camping spots.

A short bike ride from Cheongbyeol will get you to a set of gardens called Yun Seondo, which offer rest and respite for visitors in search of meditation in yet another beautiful setting.

Getting There There are two ways to get to Bogildo. From downtown Wando-eup, take a 15-minute bus ride to Hwaheung Port, from which there is a 30-minute passenger ferry 12 times per day to Sanyang Port on Nohwado Island. From Nohwado, take a free shuttle bus across the bridge to Cheongbyeol Port on Bogildo. Alternatively, a car ferry leaves from Land’s End Village (Ddanggeut Maeul) at Haenam Peninsula 12 times per day and takes 45 minutes to arrive at Cheongbyeol Port.

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DEOKJOKDO Incheon

There are only two ways to get to this little slice of beach paradise, and both involve long boat rides. Located roughly 70 kilometers southwest of Incheon Harbor, Deokjokdo offers ultimate seclusion, as the 2.5 kilometers of fine tan sand at Sapori Beach only house a few minbak accommodations. Personal bicycles can be brought to the island via ferry and may be recommended depending on your plans.

For the ambitious traveler, the 300-meter Bijobong Peak offers a fine view of the entire island. The shelterless Bat-Jireum Beach has enough room for tents for those who may disdain to have a roof blocking their view of the stars. Be careful: if you hit a prolonged patch of superb weather on Deokjokdo, you just might be tempted to quit your job.

Getting There 

There are two ways to get to Deokjokdo. From Yeonan Pier in Incheon, take a hydrofoil for W50,000 to arrive at the island after 1 hour and 15 minutes. Alternately, from Oido Station, take a taxi to Bangameori Pier, and from there take a 2-hour boat trip for W40,000. Boats from either port run anywhere from two to seven times daily, depending upon season.

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MANSEONG-RI Jeollanam-do, Yeosu

Billed as the only “black sand” beach in the country and boasting folklore remedies for ailments from fatigue to skin problems, Manseongri’s dark sands are worth a visit – if even just for the delectable sushi or blue crab soup sold at its beachside restaurants. The beach is located 10 minutes northeast of Yeosu, and visitors must pass through Marae 2nd Tunnel, the longest natural rock tunnel in Korea, in order to arrive.

As Yeosu is hosting the World Expo this year, a boat cruise and visit to one of the city’s own beaches should also be a stop for Manseongri visitors. And if Manseongri beach appears to be afflicted with “black sand envy” (it’s more of a dark brown in color, and is more pebbly than soft to boot), there’s no need to panic. The artificially created Mosageum beach just three kilometers further north boasts a smaller and darker beachfront.

Getting There 

Yeosu is now serviced by KTX, which takes 3.5 hours from Seoul, as well as Yeosu Airport. Shuttle buses from the airport take about 45 minutes to get to the city. Express buses from Seoul take 5 hours and are available as an inexpensive alternative. Taxis are a relatively cheap option to hop from beach to beach.

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KYEONGPODAE Gangneung

Once you get to Gangneung and nearby Kyeongpodae beach, you might decide that this is as far as you are going to make it for the weekend. This 6-kilometer expanse of fine brown sand is famous for both its beauty as well as the “party hearty” crowd of college visitors letting off fireworks nonstop between moonrise and dawn. (Hint: If you desire sleep, get a place a block or two back from the beach.) There are plenty of camping facilities, restaurants, coffee shops, and bars in the area.

In daylight hours during the beach’s official July 5th to September 5th season, thousands of people flock to its shores for swimming, tanning, and water sports. The crystal-clear waters get deep quickly and the current can be quite strong. Nearby, Kyeongpodae Lake has a 4-kilometer circuit road at the west end of which you will find Chodong Sundubu Maeul or “Tofu Village” – an enclave of 10 or 12 restaurants specializing in nothing but spicy tofu.

Getting There

Gangneung is roughly 3 to 3 1/2 hours from Seoul by car or bus. The 6-hour train takes longer, but is beautifully scenic – if you have time, consider taking it there and the bus back. From the Gangneung bus terminal the local #202 bus arrives at the beach in 20 minutes while a taxi will take 10 minutes. Kyeongpodae is quickly becoming an upscale locale so you might want to pay a visit sooner rather than later.

Source: http://www.10mag.com/2012/07/12/top-beaches-korea/, Jul 12, 2012