Travel
What to expect at Busan beaches this summer
Stars and Stripes
June 10, 2024
Gwangalli Beach (haps Magazine Korea)
Beaches in the Busan region are ramping up efforts to attract tourists ahead of their official opening on July 1st.
To offer more than just scenic views, new attractions and various festivals have been introduced to draw vacationers.
Haeundae and Songjeong Beach
Haeundae-gu announced that it will operate a ‘promotion zone’ at Haeundae Beach from July 1st to September 1st.
This 150m section near Songnim Park will feature a game experience center, a beach film festival, a muscle zone (beach gym), and a photo zone, marking the first introduction of this program.
In addition to the promotion zone, several changes have been made to Haeundae and Songjeong Beach.
The rental system for beach equipment, previously managed on consignment for over 10 years, will now be directly managed to increase transparency and reinvest profits into beach facilities and programs with a project cost of 170 million won.
Additionally, starting this year, safety guards will be deployed 24 hours a day at both beaches to address the increasing number of night-time visitors.
The district has hired 100 private water rescuers and established four night-time enforcement teams to address issues such as camping, fireworks, illegal commercial activities, and safety.
Gwangalli Beach
Suyeong-gu, which oversees Gwangalli Beach, is also preparing for vacationers. The Gwangalli Beach coastal maintenance project will be completed on the 29th, doubling the width of the central beach section from about 20 meters to a maximum of 48 meters, with an investment of 4.44 billion won and about 50,000 cubic meters of sand.
On weekend nights, a ‘car-free cultural street’ will be held. From July 6th to the end of August, vehicle traffic will be restricted from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on an 830m section from Gwangalli SUP Zone to the Aqua Palace Hotel.
This area will feature a photo zone with Gwangan Bridge as a backdrop and a ‘balcony concert’ series, with performances held on the balcony of the Suyeong-gu Living Culture Center on the last Saturday of each month.
Other Beach Festivals
The ‘Busan Sea Festival’ will return to Dadaepo Beach in Saha-gu, featuring performances, fireworks, and interactive events from July 26th for two days.
Songdo Beach in Seo-gu and Ilgwang and Imrang Beaches in Gijang-gun will also host various festivals to attract tourists.
The seven beaches in Busan will officially open on July 1st and operate until August 31st.
Haeundae and Songjeong Beaches have already started partial operations from June 1st.