Haeundae Beach

해운대해수욕장

Korea's most famous city beach: a 1.5 km stretch of white sand backed by high-rises, with the Dongbaek Island trail, market snacks, and beachfront nightlife.

Haeundae Beach lies on the eastern side of Busan, a crescent of white sand about 1.5 km long and 30 to 50 m wide. Behind it rise dense clusters of high-rise hotels and apartments, including LCT, Park Hyatt, and The Westin Chosun. It is South Korea's best-known seaside beach, drawing as many as several hundred thousand people on a single summer day, and its packed umbrellas are a fixture of news coverage every year. Beyond swimming, here is how to enjoy Haeundae. Walk to the western end of the beach and climb Dongbaek Island (Dongbaek-seom) via its loop trail, about 40 minutes. Along the way you'll pass the Sebong Pavilion, built for the 2005 APEC summit, a mermaid statue, and a lighthouse, with views of Gwangan Bridge and the whole of Haeundae Bay. At the eastern end of the beach are Mipo Harbor and the start of Blueline Park. Behind the beach, Haeundae Traditional Market offers raw fish, grilled shellfish, grilled eel, pork and rice soup, and assorted snacks. Next to the traditional market, the original Gorae-sa shop sells Busan fish cakes. On the eastern side of the beach are the Haeundae Beach Train and the Sky Capsule. Sea Life Busan Aquarium stands right in the middle of the beach. Other highlights include the Haeundae sand sculpture festival (May to June), nighttime beach lights and street performances, nearby Centum City (Shinsegae Department Store, said to be the world's largest department store, with Spa Land hot springs and an ice rink), and the Cinema Palace. The beach is free all day, and paid parasols and shower facilities are available in summer. Getting there: take Subway Line 2 to Haeundae Station, exit 3 or 5, then walk about 10 minutes. From Busan Station it is about 40 minutes. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours for sightseeing, not including swimming. Notes: from July to August, lifeguards and designated swimming zones are in place during the swimming season, and swimming is prohibited in other seasons. The sea breeze is strong, and spring and autumn mornings and evenings are chilly. Restaurants have long queues on weekends and holidays, and seagulls will snatch your food.

Haeundae Beach

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby