Gwangalli Beach

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A 1.4 km beach facing Gwangan Bridge. The bridge's lights change at night, drones perform on weekends, and the row of seaside cafés and bars makes it Busan's liveliest nightlife strip.

Gwangalli Beach lies on the west side of Haeundae, in Suyeong-gu. It is a curved sandy beach about 1.4 km long, facing Gwangan Bridge, a 7.4 km double-deck suspension bridge that spans Suyeong Bay and opened in 2003. The bridge changes its lights by season and date, and the combination of beach and bridge makes Busan's most famous night view. It is also the stage for the Busan World Fireworks Festival in November, when you can watch fireworks over the bridge from the beach. Reserve a spot or buy a seat ticket in advance. The most popular recent attraction is the Gwangalli M Drone Light Show. On Saturday evenings (and some Friday evenings in summer), hundreds to over a thousand drones form patterns over the beach for about 10 minutes. It's free to watch. Times are announced on the Suyeong-gu official website, usually 8 p.m. or 7 p.m., and the show is canceled in bad weather. The beach gets very crowded, so arrive early. Behind the beach, along the seaside boulevard, a row of cafés, bars, and restaurants faces the sea, serving grilled shellfish, fried chicken and beer, and raw fish. The window seats on the second and third floors are the best places to see the bridge, and many photo studios rent cameras for night photography. During the day, you can play in the water (open July and August), take a yacht trip from the Suyeong Bay marina (night cruises cost roughly 20,000 to 30,000 won per person and pass under Gwangan Bridge), or eat seafood at Millak Waterside Park. Every August, the Busan Ocean Festival and various beach music festivals are held here. Getting there: take Subway Line 2 to Gwangan Station, exit 3 or 5, and walk about 10 minutes, or walk about 10 minutes from Geumnyeonsan Station. From Haeundae, a bus or taxi takes about 15 minutes. Allow 2 to 3 hours; dusk to night is best. Notes: drone show dates and times can change, so check the official announcement for the Gwangalli M Drone Light Show before you go. On fireworks festival day, traffic is controlled and hundreds of thousands of people gather. Seaside bars are pricey, but you can bring your own beer and fried chicken to the beach. Areas where drinking is prohibited are marked with signs.

Gwangalli Beach

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