Tips · South Korea
Haeundae on foot: the beach and Dongbaekseom's pines
Walk Haeundae Beach to the pines and rocky shore of Dongbaekseom: getting there, swimming rules, climate normals for the best months and nearby coast.
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Short answer: walk Haeundae's sand, then Dongbaekseom's pine-lined shore
Haeundae Beach is Busan's most famous beach, with long sand and a long promenade. This post covers a short seaside walk along that beach and on to Dongbaekseom (Dongbaek Island), also in Haeundae, for its pines and rocky shore. As in the main photo, pines lean out over the rocky shore of Dongbaekseom, with the open sea beyond.
Check the distance from the beach, the length and walking time of the island path, and the nearest subway station and exit in official tourism information before you go. A 2-day plan starting in Haeundae and a month-by-month look at Busan's sea are in separate posts below.
- Haeundae Beach: long sand and a long promenade
- Dongbaekseom: pines over a rocky shore and open sea
- Distance, walking time, nearest station: check official information before you go
- Swimming: only in lifeguarded areas during the official season
Getting to Haeundae from the airport or Busan Station
From Gimhae International Airport (PUS), take the Busan-Gimhae Light Rail to Sasang, then change to subway Line 2 toward Haeundae. It takes about 1 hr-1 hr 20 min to Haeundae and costs about 1,500-3,000 won. Airport limousines include a Haeundae–Gijang route; check official information for fares, stops, times and booking. With a lot of luggage, a taxi (about 25,000-40,000 won) is easiest.
Coming from Seoul, the KTX from Seoul Station arrives at central Busan Station in about 2 hr 30 min-3 hr (about 50,000-60,000 won standard class, varies by time). From Incheon Airport, first get to Seoul Station. Busan Station is connected to subway Line 1; change to Line 2 at Seomyeon, where Lines 1 and 2 meet, to head toward Haeundae. Busan Station is near Nampo-dong, and Nampo-dong and Haeundae are almost an hour apart by subway, so allow time. One transit card covers the subway, buses and light rail.
- Gimhae Airport by light rail + subway Line 2 (change at Sasang): Haeundae about 1 hr-1 hr 20 min, about 1,500-3,000 won
- Airport limousine, Haeundae–Gijang route: check fares, stops and times officially
- Taxi: about 25,000-40,000 won, easiest with luggage
- Busan Station: Line 1 to Seomyeon, change to Line 2 toward Haeundae (Nampo-dong to Haeundae almost an hour by subway)
Haeundae Beach: along the sand and promenade
Start the walk on Haeundae Beach. The sand and promenade run a long way, so you can stroll slowly with the sea beside you. Leave plenty of time to walk from one end of the beach to the other.
If you want to go in the water, follow the rules: swim only in lifeguarded areas during the official beach season, and stay out when waves are high. Check official information for the season dates. Haeundae is very busy and pricier in summer, and beach-area hotels fill up and get pricey in summer and on weekends, so book early.
- Walking time: allow plenty
- Swimming: lifeguarded areas during the official season only (check the dates officially)
- Stay out of the sea when waves are high
- Summer and weekends: book beach-area hotels early
Dongbaekseom: pines leaning over the rocky shore
After the beach, walk on to Dongbaekseom. The main photo of this post shows it: pines lean out over a rocky shore, with the open sea beyond them. It is a different kind of coast from the sand of Haeundae Beach, all rock and pine.
Check the length, walking time, opening hours and rules of the Dongbaekseom path, along with the way from the beach to the island, in official tourism information, and follow any guidance on site. Along the shore, too, stay out of the sea when waves are high.
- What you see: rocky shore, leaning pines, open sea (main photo)
- Path length, walking time, opening hours: check official information
- Way from the beach to Dongbaekseom: check official information
When to walk: May-June, September-October, and the winter sea wind
May-June and September-October are mild and clear, the best times to visit. The figures below are Korea Meteorological Administration 1991–2020 normals for Busan station: average high / average low / monthly precipitation, rounded to whole numbers. October has less rain than May, June and September, at about 80 mm.
July-August is peak beach season and crowded, with rainy spells and possible typhoons. Average highs are about 28°C in July and 30°C in August. Winter is milder than Seoul, but sea winds are cold. January is the coldest month of the year, with an average high of about 8°C and an average low of about 0°C. Normals don't predict this year's weather, so check the forecast just before you go.
- May: high about 22°C / low about 15°C / about 156 mm
- June: high about 25°C / low about 18°C / about 188 mm
- September: high about 26°C / low about 20°C / about 161 mm
- October: high about 23°C / low about 15°C / about 80 mm
- January: high about 8°C / low about 0°C / about 35 mm
Want to walk more? Nearby coast
If you have time left in Haeundae, add another stretch of coast nearby. Haedong Yonggungsa is a temple built on seaside rocks, unusual in Korea. It's on the city's eastern edge, reached by bus or taxi from Haeundae. Gwangalli is a beach a little quieter than Haeundae.
Taejongdae, a clifftop park at the tip of Yeongdo island, and Huinnyeoul Culture Village, a narrow clifftop village, also have fine sea views. But both are on the Nampo-dong side, and Nampo-dong and Haeundae are almost an hour apart by subway. Rather than squeezing them into the same day, put them on a Nampo-dong and Yeongdo day. Huinnyeoul is a residential area, so walk quietly.
- Haedong Yonggungsa: a temple on seaside rocks, by bus or taxi from Haeundae
- Gwangalli: a beach a little quieter than Haeundae
- Taejongdae and Huinnyeoul: Yeongdo, on a separate Nampo-dong day (check the Taejongdae road train officially)
Food, budget and a pre-trip checklist
After the walk, try Busan's signature dwaeji gukbap, rice in rich pork-bone soup (about 9,000-12,000 won), or milmyeon, Busan-style cold wheat noodles in chilled broth (about 8,000-11,000 won). Fish-cake skewers with hot broth at a market stall are good too. Many places sell raw fish and seafood at market price, so check before ordering. A daily budget per person is about 60,000-90,000 won with a guesthouse, subway and market food, or about 150,000-220,000 won with a city hotel, restaurant meals and some taxis.
Entry rules for Korea (including electronic travel authorization for some nationalities) can change, so check official Korean government information before you travel. For winter sea-wind prep, see the winter post; if you are weighing Busan against another sea destination, see the comparison post.
- Dongbaekseom path length, walking time, nearest station: check official information
- Beach season dates: check officially
- Check the forecast just before you go
- Haeundae hotels in summer and on weekends: book early
- Raw fish and seafood: confirm the price before ordering
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FAQ
How long does the Dongbaekseom path take to walk?
Check the length and walking time of the Dongbaekseom path, along with the way from the beach, in official tourism information before you go.
How long does it take from Gimhae Airport to Haeundae?
By the Busan-Gimhae Light Rail to Sasang and then subway Line 2, about 1 hr-1 hr 20 min for about 1,500-3,000 won. With a lot of luggage, a taxi (about 25,000-40,000 won) is easiest.
Can I swim at Haeundae?
Swim only in lifeguarded areas during the official beach season, and stay out when waves are high. Check official information for the season dates.
Which months are best for walking Haeundae's shore?
May-June and September-October are the best times. By the Korea Meteorological Administration normals, October has an average high of about 23°C and about 80 mm of precipitation. Winter sea winds are cold, so bring a windproof layer.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Gamcheon Culture Village · Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Beomeosa Temple, Busan · Alexey Komarov / CC BY 3.0