Most Beautiful Beaches In The World?

Typical beach - umbrellas & intertubes

Soon after arriving, I heard Haeundae Beach in Busan was the most beautiful beach in the world, which struck me as a bit odd but I was obviously interested in getting to Busan anyway, so why not check out this allegedly beautiful beach.

Having been fortunate enough to live in sunny, sandy, Florida the past decade has offered me some wonderful background knowledge on what a beautiful beach might look like. So, as I made my way to Haeundae, I was certainly intrigued by what the Korean beach scene might have in store.

Haeundae, looking east, before the crowds

I secretly wished I would be greeted by pristine white sand, postcard perfect palm trees & breathtaking views. The reality of it, though, was I figured they would be nice beaches but wasn't going to get my hopes up for some stunning South Pacific backdrop....which, in reality, was a good thing. 

Haeundae looking west, before the crowds

Since visiting Haeundae, I have made a point of checking out a few other beaches on the peninsula & found they all pretty much appear about the same. They aren't terrible beaches & certainly offer great opportunities to relax, splash around a bit & enjoy a minor level of eye candy but the wishful thinking that I might experience something other than brown sand & relatively clear water were exactly that.

It must be understood that many Koreans never actually venture off the peninsula, hence the feeling that Haeundae is the most beautiful beach in their world. If you were from Korea, never left Korea & only visited all the main beaches across the country (w/the exclusion of those on Jeju Island - it's their version of Hawaii), you could certainly contest that Haeundae is in fact the most beautiful beach in the Korean world. 

Haeundae, ready for the crowds

Unfortunately, they really only sever as a delightful respite from the nearly oppressive heat & humidity of the summer months over here, while offering nothing much in the way of uniqueness, sheer beauty or tranquil havens.

I would likely make the comparison to the old guy selling produce off the back of his truck on the outskirts of Tampa who swore up & down he had the greatest sweetcorn in the world. It was only after mentioning I was an Iowa farmboy that he changed his tune & simply said 'Eh, it's pretty good.'  Sure, the beaches in Korea are pretty good but I would certainly have a hard time ranking them amongst the most beautiful in the world.

Common Korean water-ware

Notice the khaki's & long sleeves behind the little girl

Apparently the typical beachwear

Haeundae, bustling in early afternoon, notice the outfits, inflatables & umbrellas

I did notice a couple rather peculiar items in my 'research.' First, most Koreans go to the beach to post up under huge umbrellas (or beach tents if it's a less touristy locale), make a day of it picnicking & lounging, while occassionally making an effort to splash around or float on an inflatable doughnut in the water.The second is a very small percentage of the beach-going populations over the age of 7 actually wear bathing suits. Most everyone shows up in whatever they deem appropriate & whoala, that's what they go swimming/floating in. Shorts, T-shirts (long & short sleeved), hooded sweatshirts, jeans, capris, sweatpants & even dress shirts & khaki's. 

More scenes from Haeundae but pay particular attention to the girl in yellow....

She was a big fan of throwing sand, especially at her father!

These kids were hilarious, the boy was basically eating the sand after awhile

Sporting the banana hammock/man huggers (no, that's not his kid)

On the other end of the spectrum, you get some of the more confident (or likely foreign) sun worshippers willing to strut their stuff in banana hammocks & man huggers....very European, ooh la la!

There are a few more beaches in Busan but I only got shots of them at night. Regardless, Koreans do enjoy spending time near the water, no matter what time of day. There was even a set of steps built right along the water filled w/families & groups of friends eating, drinking & enjoying life at nearly 10 p.m. Like I've said before, they certainly do appreciate their lives & tend to enjoy themselves in all circumstances.


The rest of the pictures are from the various beaches in Busan (Gwangalli, Songjeong) as well as Pohang (Bukbu & Wolpo). I made my way to a few other beaches but either forgot my camera, the batteries had died or I completely neglected to take any pictures but I'm pretty sure you get the idea....the Korean beaches certainly aren't the idyllic sand-scapes I had been lead to believe but I am definitely happy w/the opportunity to splash around in relatively clean waters & have many of the beach goers gawk at my unorthodox choice of apparel.

Gwangalli, in Busan

Waterfront picnickers on the steps in Busan

Songjeong, in Busan

Pohang, looking towards the POSCO facility

Fireworks over Bukbu, Pohang

Bustling nightlife on Bukbu, Pohang

Brown sands & cloud cover, Bukbu, Pohang

Making the most of a cloudy day on Bukbu, Pohang

Looking south on Wolpo, Pohang

Looking north on Wolpo, Pohang

Probably the clearest water in Korea at Wolpo, Pohang

Not perfect sand but definitely less crowded

Pretty rocky beach but the military post adds serious security to the days events

Admittedly, the sight of another waegook (foreigners) is always a beach day bonus! I wouldn't say they are the most beautiful beaches in the world but I'm absolutely happy Korea isn't land locked, just something great about the salty sea air, waves lapping at your feet & not a care in the world except remembering to put on enough sunscreen.

Just happy to see another 'swimsuit'