Songdo Beach 송도해수욕장 in Busan is Korea's first public beach. Whilst not as posh or famous as Haeundae Beach, it's still one of Busan's oldest and more famous beaches. I spent 1 week living there- scroll down to see what's nice, what's not nice, and who would enjoy visiting Songdo Beach!
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Opened in 1913 and recently rejuvenated in 2000, Songdo Beach 송도해수욕장 is Korea's first public beach and one of Busan's most famous beaches. (It's often refered to as Korea's "first beach.")
It's not a posh beach like Haeundae- so not usually on the top of a Busan itinerary. (I wouldn't suggest it if you only had 1 or 2 days in Busan- but it is a great place to visit if you're in Busan for longer and want to go somewhere you'll see more local Koreans than foreign tourists. (It went downhill for a while but was cleaned up in recent years.)
It's also a good place to get away from the crowds and strolling on the sand is a fun and free activity in Busan. (Of course, there'll be more people during the summer, but during spring, fall, and winter, you usually won't see that many people here.)
If you're going to Busan in April, click for what to do!
You'll also get to experience more of traditional Korean life. For example, when the tides were low, I saw old Korean ahjusshis and ahjummas collecting shellfish in the waters. At the restaurants along the beachfront, you'll see Korean ladies roasting the seaweed (gim) to serve as banchan (Korean side dishes.)
It has beautiful blue waters, and a long stretch of white sand (about 800m by 50m. The sand here actually looked nicer than the one at Haeundae, in my opinion.) It's not a super exciting place, but it is a nice and peaceful, local area where you can "get away from it all."
Songdo means Pine Island and it's believed the area used to be a thick pine forest. (No more, sadly.)
Getting There
Korean Address: 송도해수욕장, 부산 서구 송도해변로 100
English Address: 100, Songdohaebyeon-ro, Seo-gu, Busan
Unfortunately, the public transport here is not as convenient. There is no subway station near Songdo Beach, so if you don't want to fork out for a taxi, be prepared to walk up and down steep slopes to/ from the bus stop. (It's on quite a few bus routes .e.g. Bug 26 from Busan Station.)
However, the easiest way to get to/ from Songdo Beach is definitely taxi, especially if you're traveling with elderly relatives. (Luckily taxis aren't expensive in Korea.)
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Korea is spring and fall- I prefer fall as the yellow sand pollution is terrible in spring.
Of course, if you want to sunbathe at the beach and enjoy the Korean festivals, then summer is probably a better time!
Note: click through for the packing list you'll need for each season: what to pack for winter in Korea, fall, spring, and summer.
Activities and Attractions
There is nothing in Songdo that would make me go out of the way to visit, if I only had say, 3 days in Busan.
For example, Haeundae has the Sky Capsule and a lovely coastal walk. Although Songdo is also by the blue ocean, it doesn't really have any walks with good views of the sea. I tried walking to Yeongdo, but the noise, traffic, and pollution made it less than enjoyable.
I do, however, find Songdo Beach (one of the) best place to stay in Busan, if you want somewhere quieter (away from the typical tourist spots), cheaper, and don't mind being not in the thick of things. The sand is so white, with very clean water.
Here are some of the things to do if you're around Songdo Beach:
- Songdo Cloud Trails (also known as Songdo Skywalk): you can do the bridge walk over the water to Geobukseom Island/ Turtle Island
- it's lit-up at night
- you can see it from the rooms in Fairfield Songdo and the other beach-front hotels
- there is a legend associated with the island, about a man falling in love with a mermaid (you'll see sculptures of them on the island)
- this is longer but closer to the water (i.e. less elevated) than the Oryukdo Skywalk)
- I saw people collecting abalone in the waters below the Skywalk!
- Take a good look at the sculptures in the waters
- there are some whale statues in the ocean (there used to be more whales in Korea and whale fishing used to be practiced)
- Take the Songdo cable car ride (Busan Air Cruise 송도 해상 케이블카):
- 부산 서구 송도해변로 171/ 171, Songdohaebyeon-ro, Seo-gu, Busan
- Opens from 9 am to 10 pm, with the last ticket sold at 9.30 pm
- This brings you from Songdo Beach to Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge
- 15,000 won for an adult to take the air cruise and 20,000 won for the crystal cruise (11,000 and 15,000 won for a kid, respectively.)
- the Crystal cruise has a glass bottom so you'll get to see the ocean beneath you
- Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge 송도용궁구름다리: for great views of the ocean
- 부산 서구 암남동 620-53 암남공원 안/ Inside Amnam Park, 620-53 Amnam-dong, Seo-gu, Busan
- If you don't want to take the cable car, you can take a taxi from Songdo Beach (for about 4000 Won)
- Last entry is 4.30 or 5.30 pm
- Closed during extreme weather conditions, on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month, on New Year's Day, and on Chuseok Day.
- There is a 1000 Won admission charge
- at night, there's usually someone setting off some sparklers and fireworks on the beach, which is nice to see. (I stayed at Songdo then Signiel Haeundae, and saw more fireworks at Songdo then Haeundae.)
- Once in a while, there are buskers too, but the standard is quite low for Korea. (Off tune- the buskers in Seoul are amazing!)
Festivals
The beach hosts various festivals each year:
- January: Sunrise Festival
- February: Daljip Festival in February
- August: Summer Sea Festival and Hyeonin Song Festival
- October: Mackerel Festival + Songdo National Marine Sports Competition
Tips for Visitors
- Pack Smart: Essentials include sunscreen for protection against the sun, a hat, sunglasses, a towel, and a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated. Don't forget your camera for beach photography and a good book for some relaxed reading.
- Beach safety cannot be overstated. Always swim in designated areas and keep a keen eye on weather conditions. (I did not see any lifeguards in spring.)
Accommmodation
There aren't any luxuty hotels at Songdo Beach, unlike Haeundae, where you can find Park Hyatt and Signiel Busan.
It's mostly 3-star hotels (or lower here.) There are a few hotels that have a magnificent view of the water though, such as:
- Fairfield by Marriott Songdo (3-star hotel): I stayed here for 1 week as it had the best reviews out of all the hotels in the area. The rooms are nice, clean, modern, and boast amazing seaviews. It is actually part of the Marriott chain, so the hotel staff speak great English (for a hotel in Korea.) It is, however, much more expensive than the other Songdo Beach hotels (almost 3x the price of some on this list, but cheaper than most of the ones around Haeundae.) There is a convenience store in the hotel- great for grabbing instant ramyeon!
- Grab The Ocean Songdo: 4-star hotel but one-third the price of Fairfield!
- Busan Beach Hotel
- Wyndham Grand Busan Ljin: this is a new 5-star hotel at Songdo Beach, located at one end.
The hotels in the Songdo Beach area are separated from the actual beach by a busy, winding road, where cars travel quite fast. There aren't many traffic lights on the road and zebra crossings appear to be suggestions, not traffic rules, in Korea, so crossing the road may be a bit difficult for older folks who walk more slowly. (Most of the hotels are a walk from the traffic light. At Haeundae, in comparison, you do not have to brave the traffic to get from the beachfront hotels to the waters, but it's much more crowded. Gwangalli Beach is a good in-between these 2.)
Dining Options
There are many eateries along the sandy Beach. Mostly small restaurants but you'll find everything from a family-run restaurant to a chain restaurant, such as Yoogane Dak Galbi.
Some of the eateries are quite famous and have appeared on Korean news channels, such as a hoe restaurant that I tried. (Korean raw fish, is an interesting food to try in Busan and Songdo Beach is the perfect spot if you're feeling adventurous.)
During the day, you'll see food trucks on the beachfront selling Korean traditional snacks. At night, it changes to a roast chicken truck!
Here's what I tried and how I rate it:
- Kalguksu: soso
- Korean Fried Chicken: tasty, of course, but there were a few slivers of bone in the chicken
- Hoe: would not have it again
- Cafe Chains: meh. There are a lot of better cafes in Busan.
Nearby Attractions and Excursions
- Songdo Beach is close to Yeongdo, where you can find Samjin Eomuk and Taejeongdae. I highly recommend visiting Taejeongdae on the same day as Songdo Beach! (Otherwise, Taejeongdae is a bit far away from central Busan.)
- You're only 3km from Jagalchi Fish Market (Closest subway: Jagalchi Station), about 12 minutes from Nampo station (by bus), and relatively close to Gamcheon Cultural Village
Any questions about Songdo Beach Busan? Let me know in the comments, or feel free to share your own experiences there! Or ask in my Korea travel Facebook group where I give out free stickers to the most active participants 🙂
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