This is the first place you want to go to when you visit Busan. Even if you don’t enjoy the sand, ocean, or beach, you will find something to do here!

Haeundae wasn’t always so vibrant. This area used to be secluded from the large communities in Busan (부산) and the District of Busanjin-gu (부산진구). In the mid-1990s, more and more buildings started popping up. Many of these were hotels, shopping centers, and other tourist facilities that have been constructed on the beachfront area.

The white sand beach is about 1.5km long and 30 to 50m wide making it a great walk and the coastline extends further if you want to take a leisurely stroll. The beach gets a lot of traffic during the holidays and summer, but more so in winter for the fireworks display and new years events.

The best way to get here is by subway. You can take Line 2 of the Busan Subway to Haeundae Station and exit from exits 5 and 7. There is both public and private parking nearby as well.

There are plenty of restaurants and bars before reaching the beachfront. There isn’t much of a crowd in the main area in the daytime, especially on a weekday. But wait until the sun goes down, that’s when the partygoers come out. Haeundae Beach is a must-visit during the day and night. You can experience two different vibes.

The day that we went, was a beautiful sunny day as you can see from the photo above. In the pop-up red dome were cute handmade and recycled works of art. Even the dome was made out of recycled floaties tied together. The entrance was adorned by strings of handcrafted wooden beach-themed ornaments.

The artists were selling some of their handmade crafts. There were collections of seashells inside a jar. They would make cute souvenirs! I would arrange the little jars on my shelf or desk at home.

The sun was beginning to set and the romantic color scheme washed the sky slowly. It was seriously golden hour. After sitting on the sand for a bit, we decided to take a walk near the coast. Facing the ocean, there is an island to the right of the coast called Haeundae Dongbaekseom Island (해운대 동백섬). While walking along the coast, I did not expect to see so many attractions. You will reach a red bridge surrounded by bunches of trees. A working picturesque clock tower was presently looking like it came out of a children’s book. Even more suitable to this concept was a mermaid statue on the rocks by the water.

I didn’t expect there to be more relaxing walkways to explore other than the beach. The path hugs around the beach so nicely.

It finally got dark after walking for about an hour or two. This night was a full moon, which I did not know until I Googled because the moon was bigger and brighter than usual.

I have NEVER seen such beautiful moonlight before. The way the light beams across the ocean is just magnificent. This was definitely a part of Mother Nature that I will forever remember in Busan.

This is an enjoyable beach whether you visit in the warm or cold months. The fishcake stalls will get you salivating just thinking about it. You will get absorbed into the youthful energy of Haeundae.

There is no shortage of places to visit during the day to escape the heat and the variety of cuisines to choose from means that everyone can find something to eat. At night, bars and pizza joints get really lively as you head down from the main area located near the subway exits. Everyone of all ages can have fun here.

Sincerely,
Amy♡