South Korean Beaches

South Korean Beaches

South Korea, being surrounded by ocean waters on three sides, has a great variety of beaches ranging in different sizes. So if you want to spend your summer vacation in Korea, it's an absolute must that you visit one of its beaches.

The months of July and August in South Korea are extremely hot with temperatures rising to 30 degrees Celsius or more. This is why most of the beaches around the nation open in early July and close toward the end of August.

If you're looking forward to splashing around in the sea, why don't you visit South Korea in mid-summer, when the heat reaches its peak? Yet despite this being the ideal season to visit, you can still enjoy a wide array of tourist activities at the beaches all year round such as festivals, water sports and watching the sunrise, in addition to swimming.

Listed below are just some of South Korea's wonderful beaches along with information to help you decide which one(s) to visit. Of course we could not list all of the beaches here and for full details on all of them please click here

Sokcho Beach - Is famous for its expansive white sands and clear waters, is also well known for its spectacular views against the backdrop of pine groves. There are many tourist sites nearby including Mt. Seoraksan, which give tourists the chance to easily visit other places as well. This is a great vacation site as it has various visitor facilities (parking lots, campsites, etc.) as well as lodging. In addition to swimming in the ocean, you can enjoy ocean fishing in Jodo Island. Next to a breakwater is a fisheries market where you can indulge yourself in fresh raw fish, but the biggest benefit Sokcho Beach has to offer is its convenient transportation. It is close to the Express Bus Terminal (about 500 meters) and it is so easy to find that even foreigners unfamiliar with the area will have no problem sighting it.

Gyeongpodae Beach- Is the largest beach on the east coast and is about a kilometer away from Gyeongpodae, which is a famous site for viewing the sunrise and moonrise. The greatest pride of Gyeongpodae Beach is the coast, which is covered with fine, clean sand. The sand quality is quite nice, making it the perfect spot to enjoy a hot sand bath or a walk, barefooted. Another of Gyeongpodae Beach's assets is that there are a wide variety of things to enjoy in addition to swimming. You can tour Gyeongpodae Beach in the Gyeongpo tourism carriage and enjoy recreational sports including banana boating, jet skiing and water skiing (When the beach is open from early July to the end of August from sunrise to sunset.). Every year, at the end of July, a Summer Beach Art Festival is held. Many cultural events such as folk performances and the Ocean Art Festival lure the people's attention.

Naksan Beach - Is a famous site on the east coast along with Gyeongpo Beach. The beach boasts clear waters, thick pine groves and various facilities including lodging complexes and convenience stores. The quality of the sand is also good, making it a great beach to visit. Naksan Beach is also popular since it's located close to Mt. Seoraksan, a national park; Uisangdae Pavilion, where the view of the sunrise is breathtaking; and Naksansa Temple, where the huge white statue of Gwaneum is situated. There is a wide array of seaside events in the summertime, but the largest event of all is the sunrise celebration on January 1.

Guryongpo Beach's name comes from the myth of nine dragons that appeared from the ocean and flew up into the sky. The beach is characterized by its crescent-shaped coastline and charming pine groves behind the beach. Although the beach is not especially large, the view of the coast is beautiful and there are many facilities for visitors, which gets very crowded during the holiday season. This area is especially popular among those who want to enjoy swimming and fishing since the waters are clear, and people can enjoy fishing off the rocks along the seashore as well.