The arc of sand
1.5 km below the towers.
StephNurnberg — CC BY 2.0 · Brit in Seoul — CC BY-SA 4.0 · VN.NguyenDucDuy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Weli'mi'nakwan — CC BY 2.0
South Korea's best-known beach, an arc of sand about a kilometre and a half long, lined with towers and hotels on the east side of Busan. It draws millions of visitors every summer and stays open for strolling all year, hosting events such as the sand festival in late spring and parts of the Busan International Film Festival in autumn. The official swimming season is July and August, when parasols go up, lifeguards are on duty and the beach gets very crowded. In other months it is a place to walk, on the boardwalk and on the sand, especially at sunset. From the metro station a pedestrian street of restaurants and shops leads down to it, with the traditional Haeundae Market off to one side. At the western end is Dongbaekseom Island with its coastal path, and at the eastern end the Mipo quarter, where the Sky Capsule and the Beach Train set off along an old coastal railway towards Cheongsapo and Songjeong. The capsule needs booking ahead and costs about 40,000 won for two, per visitor guides. The beach is free, and parasols and floats are rented out in summer. Choose a weekday morning if you want it quiet.
1.5 km below the towers.
Small cars above the coast.
Everyday food near the beach.
Haeundae-gu; Haeundae Station (Line 2), then about ten minutes on foot
July and August, when lifeguards are on duty and parasols are set up. The rest of the year the beach stays open for walking.
It leaves from Mipo Station at the eastern end of the beach for Cheongsapo. Book ahead on the official site, as tickets sell out on holidays; the fare is about 40,000 won for two, per visitor guides.
