Haeundae Beach (해운대 해수욕장) is by far the most famous beach in Korea. During peak summer days, thousands of visitors flock to this sandy shoreline. Despite having so many people on one beach, it’s not the number of people that crowds it as much as the extraordinary number of rent-able beach umbrellas that are being used. In fact, on August 2, 2008 Haeundae Beach set a Guinness World Record for the number of beach umbrellas set up at one time with a whopping total of 7,937.
Haeundae Beach
Many things at Haeundae Beach can make your experience more enjoyable. For example, for 5,000 each, you can rent a beach umbrella, a beach mat, or an inner tube for the day. And while you relax on your blanket in the shade of your umbrella or in the sun, you will inevitably get hungry.
Parasols, sand, inner tubes, and blue skies
When that happens you can simply walk across the street to one of the numerous western or Korean restaurants and bars, or just stay put and listen carefully for the sound of vendors walking along the beach selling boxes of fried chicken and cold drinks. My favorite bars are the Fuzzy Naval, a loud techno music blaring bar with a western feel and English speaking staff, and Thursday Party with a bit more of a relaxed pub feel. Both are located on the road that goes from Haeundae Station to the beach.
Dongbaekseom Lighthouse
Two other attractions worth checking out while you are visiting Haeundae Beach are the Busan Aquarium and Dongbaekseom Island (동백섬). The aquarium is located right in the center of the beach along the boardwalk, so it’s hard to miss. Dongbaekseom Island isn’t an island anymore. Now it is part of the mainland, forming a small peninsula. You can visit it by walking around either the front or the back side of The Westin Chosun Hotel located at one end of the beach.
Nurimaru APEC House & Gwangan Bridge
If you walk around the peninsula, you will find an old lighthouse with an observation deck from which you can appreciate the architectural beauty of the Nurimaru APEC House, an international conference hall. And in the distance, behind the Nurimaru APEC House, you can see Gwangan Bridge. Whether viewed during the day or at night, the combined view of the two makes it a worthwhile stroll to take.
Nurimaru APEC House & Gwangan Bridge
The Nurimaru APEC House is open for sightseeing from 10:00-17:00. For me, the most interesting thing on the inside is a painting of the 12 symbols of longevity (십이장생), painted by Kim Gyu-Jang (김규장). According to Korean tradition, the sun, cloud, mountain, rock, water, crane, deer, turtle, pine tree, herb of eternal youth, bamboo, and mythical peach are included among these symbols.
12 symbols of longevity
Sitting at my desk and looking back, one would be amiss to pass up an opportunity to visit Haeundae Beach. Even with the hordes of people there, the positive vibes of the beach atmosphere makes this place an authentic escape from the daily grind.
Resources
Haeundae Beach (Korea Tourism Organization)
Busan Aquarium (Korea Tourism Organization)
Dongbaekseom Island (Korea Tourism Organization)
Nurimaru APEC House (Korea Tourism Organization)
Guinness Record Information [PDF] (Busan City)
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March 26th, 2011 at 12:17