Join the crowds of locals and tourists who come for the views, the fresh ocean air and refreshing dips in the water off Korea’s most famous beach.
Haeundae Beach is Busan’s central beach and most popular summer destination. Work on your tan and float on the water on bright yellow tubes. Enjoy the ocean breeze under one of thousands of umbrellas that turn the 1.5-kilometre (0.9-mile) beachfront into a patchwork of colours. On particularly hot days, there can be 100,000 locals and visitors on the beach. Come to people-watch and observe the bustling atmosphere.
Enjoy the views that stretch along the coastline and back toward the city, from Dalmaji Hill in the east to the modern skyscrapers that shape Busan’s skyline in the west. On a cloudless day, the Japanese island of Tsushima may also be visible out to sea.
People-watching is a popular pastime on the beach and locals dress to be seen. Some women even wear high heels in the soft sand and couples are openly affectionate in public a practice that’s generally frowned upon in the rest of South Korea.
Don’t get up for lunch. Instead, phone around to one of Busan’s pizza restaurants and they can deliver to your umbrella. Drinking on the beach is legal, so enjoy a cool beer in the sun. Despite this relaxed attitude, Haeundae Beach is kept remarkably clean by Busan’s city government who employ workers to scour the beach throughout the day.
Those who like their space may want to visit before mid-morning, when the crowds are smaller. For some relative peace and quiet, sit in nearby restaurants or explore attractions such as the oceanfront Busan Aquarium, South Korea’s biggest.
There is no admission fee to enter Haeundae Beach. Hire tubes and beach umbrellas at stands along the beach.
Drivers can park in a large parking lot by the beach, although spaces are usually only found early in the day. It is easier to get a bus directly from the main train station in Busan.
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