Summer has finally settled in to Busan and we've seen many days un-interrupted by typhoons, rain, and clouds. The humidity is high, the sun is hot, and I can officially say this is the most I have continually sweated in my life.
There is only so much you can do with a sweaty body, and among those things going to THE BEACH tops the list.
Living in Busan makes us some of the luckiest people living in South Korea. Due to its location on the southeast coast of the peninsula, Busan has a four or five beaches that are in easy travelling distance of the city and a couple that actually lie in the city. From our apartment in the east side of Busan, our two most frequented are
1.
Seongjeong beach, a quiet, family-vibed expanse of sand with few facilities, but a nice quiet atmosphere. This beach takes a little more time and effort to get to, but has slightly more space to relax and a cleaner feeling swimming area. Seongjeong also has a surfing area as well as surfboard, windsurfing and wetsuit rentals.
2.
Haeundae beach, the most famous in Busan, and arguable Korea, this beach sometimes sees one million tourists on its busiest days. Because this beach is surrounded by several of Busan's nicest hotels, restaurants (many of them western) and is located on the subway line, it is quite often packed with Koreans and foreign tourists. If you're in the mood for the full Korean experience (crowds) and have some patience to spare, this is the place to be. On the other hand, If you want to listen to the waves crash against the shore while breathing in the smell of salt, you're out of luck. Haeundae is the party beach - at least from July until August when the weather is nice and many Koreans have their summer vacation.
As our moods change, so does our beach choice. However, this past weekend we put in three tough 8 hour days at Haeundae and had no regrets. A run-in with an old co-worker led me to this article about Haeundae in the LA Times:
South Koreans Stay Out of the Sun
and inspired me to do an entry on Busan's beaches..... at least my two favorites.
A Day at the Beach
Spending the day at Haeundae - or any beach- is not for the faint at heart. Do you think you can handle the sweltering heat, the unforgiving UVs, and the surrounding sand without a few preparations? Well if so, then think again, my friend.
As seasoned sun-sitters, we know that having a beach bag that is always ready and waiting by the door is key to making it to the coast early enough to maximize our fun in the sun.
'What is a beach bag?' You ask. 'What do you even PUT in it?' You wonder.
Wonder no more, here are the essentials:
Beach bag (should be large, with an open top such that is sturdy enough to stand on its own without tipping over. Zipper is optional, handles are mandatory)
1)Towels: the number of towels should be equal to 1.5 x the number of beach goers. Each person needs one towel for their chair/to lie on as well as at least 1/2 a towel for possible spills, face sweat wiping, bathing suit changing, etc.
2)Sunscreen: SPF is a personal preference, but I think we've all learned that SPF 4 should really be called 'NOSPF' or ' Burninabottle'. I like to use a good 30 or over on my face, and a more moderate 15 on other areas to allow some sun-kissing but prevent sun-scorching.
3)Sunglasses/hat: These items are listed together because they work together. If you opt against the hat, choose bigger sunglasses. If you don't care for shades then get a giant hat - or, if you're lucky enough to live in Korea, get yourself a giant ajumma visor which doubles as a headband/visor/darthvader face cover.
4)Party mat or tarp: Depending on which beach you'll be visiting, you may or may not need this. If you are at an un-serviced beach you will need a non-sandy surface for your valuables as well as your comfort. We picked up a lovely green model in Japan for about 5$. it folds up nicely and will be there when we need it most.
5)Reading material: I prefer to stock my beach bag with light fare such as Archie comics, Cosmo magazines, and other mindless material. The beach is meant for relaxing, not learning.
6) Water: This is an item that isn't usually kept in the beach bag, but should be put in the freezer/fridge the previous night. Often the pre-chill makes little difference because the water reaches 50 degrees after sitting in the sun for 5 minutes, but it's worth a shot.
7) Money: If you should happen to forget any of the items listed above, any beach worth its salt (ha! a pun!) will have them for sale. But,obviously if you are going to secluded area, money is not going to be much use so stock up on the essentials.
8) The Party Bag : (optional, but not really) This is Tim's department. Our original PB was a green one from Sobey's. Here we have a Korean HITE bag. The party bag is a medium sized insulated bag that, when filled with ice and beer, becomes Tim's #1 reason for going to the beach. I like to mooch off the cold benefits of the bag and stash popsicles or water in it. What you fill your party bag with is up to you. The possibilities are endless, really.
Stay tuned for the next instalment of
'The Beach. Part Two: Things people do at Korean Beaches'
There is only so much you can do with a sweaty body, and among those things going to THE BEACH tops the list.
Living in Busan makes us some of the luckiest people living in South Korea. Due to its location on the southeast coast of the peninsula, Busan has a four or five beaches that are in easy travelling distance of the city and a couple that actually lie in the city. From our apartment in the east side of Busan, our two most frequented are
1.
Seongjeong beach, a quiet, family-vibed expanse of sand with few facilities, but a nice quiet atmosphere. This beach takes a little more time and effort to get to, but has slightly more space to relax and a cleaner feeling swimming area. Seongjeong also has a surfing area as well as surfboard, windsurfing and wetsuit rentals.
 |
| seongjong before it heated up for the summer. |
 |
| blue crush. |
 |
 |
| prepping The Party Bag (see list below) |
2.
Haeundae beach, the most famous in Busan, and arguable Korea, this beach sometimes sees one million tourists on its busiest days. Because this beach is surrounded by several of Busan's nicest hotels, restaurants (many of them western) and is located on the subway line, it is quite often packed with Koreans and foreign tourists. If you're in the mood for the full Korean experience (crowds) and have some patience to spare, this is the place to be. On the other hand, If you want to listen to the waves crash against the shore while breathing in the smell of salt, you're out of luck. Haeundae is the party beach - at least from July until August when the weather is nice and many Koreans have their summer vacation.
 |
| one section of the beach on a 'slow' day. |
As our moods change, so does our beach choice. However, this past weekend we put in three tough 8 hour days at Haeundae and had no regrets. A run-in with an old co-worker led me to this article about Haeundae in the LA Times:
South Koreans Stay Out of the Sun
and inspired me to do an entry on Busan's beaches..... at least my two favorites.
A Day at the Beach
Spending the day at Haeundae - or any beach- is not for the faint at heart. Do you think you can handle the sweltering heat, the unforgiving UVs, and the surrounding sand without a few preparations? Well if so, then think again, my friend.
As seasoned sun-sitters, we know that having a beach bag that is always ready and waiting by the door is key to making it to the coast early enough to maximize our fun in the sun.
'What is a beach bag?' You ask. 'What do you even PUT in it?' You wonder.
Wonder no more, here are the essentials:
Beach bag (should be large, with an open top such that is sturdy enough to stand on its own without tipping over. Zipper is optional, handles are mandatory)
1)Towels: the number of towels should be equal to 1.5 x the number of beach goers. Each person needs one towel for their chair/to lie on as well as at least 1/2 a towel for possible spills, face sweat wiping, bathing suit changing, etc.
2)Sunscreen: SPF is a personal preference, but I think we've all learned that SPF 4 should really be called 'NOSPF' or ' Burninabottle'. I like to use a good 30 or over on my face, and a more moderate 15 on other areas to allow some sun-kissing but prevent sun-scorching.
3)Sunglasses/hat: These items are listed together because they work together. If you opt against the hat, choose bigger sunglasses. If you don't care for shades then get a giant hat - or, if you're lucky enough to live in Korea, get yourself a giant ajumma visor which doubles as a headband/visor/darthvader face cover.
4)Party mat or tarp: Depending on which beach you'll be visiting, you may or may not need this. If you are at an un-serviced beach you will need a non-sandy surface for your valuables as well as your comfort. We picked up a lovely green model in Japan for about 5$. it folds up nicely and will be there when we need it most.
5)Reading material: I prefer to stock my beach bag with light fare such as Archie comics, Cosmo magazines, and other mindless material. The beach is meant for relaxing, not learning.
6) Water: This is an item that isn't usually kept in the beach bag, but should be put in the freezer/fridge the previous night. Often the pre-chill makes little difference because the water reaches 50 degrees after sitting in the sun for 5 minutes, but it's worth a shot.
7) Money: If you should happen to forget any of the items listed above, any beach worth its salt (ha! a pun!) will have them for sale. But,obviously if you are going to secluded area, money is not going to be much use so stock up on the essentials.
8) The Party Bag : (optional, but not really) This is Tim's department. Our original PB was a green one from Sobey's. Here we have a Korean HITE bag. The party bag is a medium sized insulated bag that, when filled with ice and beer, becomes Tim's #1 reason for going to the beach. I like to mooch off the cold benefits of the bag and stash popsicles or water in it. What you fill your party bag with is up to you. The possibilities are endless, really.
Stay tuned for the next instalment of
'The Beach. Part Two: Things people do at Korean Beaches'
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