Busan has several public beaches, and Haeundae is the best known, so it is the usual starting point. The city’s official beach listing names seven. This guide compares five of them (Haeundae, Gwangalli, Songjeong, Songdo and Dadaepo) so you can match a beach to the kind of day you want. Ilgwang and Imnang, in Gijang County, are on the official list too, but we found no description of them in our sources, so we leave them out. Visit Busan lists the same 1 July to 31 August 2026 swimming dates for them as for Gwangalli.
Every fact below comes from a named official source, checked on 30 September 2026. Where sources disagree or say nothing, we say so. Swimming dates are for 2026 and the 2026 seasons have ended; we did not find 2027 dates when we checked.
The short version
- Haeundae: the best-known beach, with the longest official swimming season.
- Gwangalli: known for evening views of Gwangandaegyo Bridge, with restaurants and cafes behind the sand.
- Songjeong: described by the city as a hot spot for surfers, and by the Korea Tourism Organization as suited to families with young children.
- Songdo: described by the city as Korea’s first public beach, with parks and walking paths nearby.
- Dadaepo: wide, shallow sands and a sunset setting, with a musical fountain in season.
Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장)
Known for: The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) calls Haeundae the most famous beach in Busan. It describes a white sand beach roughly 1.5 kilometres long and 30 to 50 metres wide, in front of a shallow bay. KTO also says the beach hosts cultural events and festivals throughout the year, and that nearby facilities include Dongbaekseom Island, Busan Aquarium, a yachting dock and BEXCO.
Where: 264 Haeundaehaebyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu.
Getting there: Visit Busan says to walk 15 minutes from Exit 5 of Haeundae Station on Busan Metro Line 2, or to take bus 139, 307 or 1003 to Haeundae Beach.
Facilities: KTO lists parking as available and a beach-area accommodation capacity of 120,000 people. Visit Busan lists ramp access, wheelchair rental, accessible parking and an accessible bathroom.
Swimming season: 26 June to 15 September 2026 (Visit Busan). This is the longest of the season dates listed for the beaches in this guide.
Phone: +82-51-749-7611 (KTO information line) or +82-51-749-5700 (Visit Busan).
Gwangalli Beach (광안리해수욕장)
Known for: KTO says the beach is 1.4 kilometres long and 25 to 110 metres wide, and famous for its fine sand. It adds that many people come in the evening to see the lights of Gwangandaegyo Bridge, and that the area has restaurants, cafes and fashion stores. Visit Busan describes it as one of Busan’s signature beaches, loved for its night views, and mentions Saturday drone shows and waterfront dining.
Where: 219 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro, Suyeong-gu, west of Haeundae Beach according to KTO.
Facilities and hours: KTO lists the beach as open 24 hours all year, with parking available at 300 won for every 10 minutes. Information line: +82-51-622-4251.
Swimming season: 1 July to 31 August 2026 (Visit Busan).
Songjeong Beach (송정해수욕장)
Known for: The Busan city government calls it a hot spot for surfers. KTO describes a beach 1.2 kilometres long and 30 to 60 metres wide, with shallow water that suits families with young children, and many raw-fish (hoe) restaurants nearby. Jukdo Park sits at the north end, by the entrance to Songjeonghang Port; KTO mentions the harbour’s white and red lighthouses and the view from Songiljeong Pavilion.
Where: 62 Songjeonghaebyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu.
Facilities and hours: KTO lists parking as available, an accommodation capacity of 140,000 people, and no closing day (open all year). Information line: +82-51-749-5800.
Swimming season: 26 June to 31 August 2026 (Visit Busan).
Songdo Beach (부산 송도해수욕장)
Known for: The Busan city government says Songdo was first opened in July 1913 and is the first public beach in Korea. KTO gives its size as 800 metres long and 50 metres wide, and says it was rebuilt over five years from 2000. Nearby are Jagalchi Seafood Market and Amnam Park, which KTO describes as a coastal ecological park with an observatory and a 3.8-kilometre promenade. Visit Busan also names Songdo Marine Sea Car and Yonggung Suspension Bridge.
Where: Seo-gu. Our sources disagree on the street number: KTO and Visit Busan give 100 Songdohaebyeon-ro, while the city’s beach page gives 50. Use a map app.
Facilities and hours: KTO lists parking as available and hours of 06:00 to 23:00, without saying whether that refers to the beach or a facility. Information line: +82-51-240-4000.
Swimming season: 1 July to 31 August 2026 (Visit Busan).
Dadaepo Beach (다대포해수욕장)
Known for: KTO says the beach was formed by sand deposited by the Nakdonggang River, with shallow water and a wide sand beach suitable for children. Paddleboarding and kiteboarding are named as water activities. A plaza at the entrance has a large musical floor fountain, which KTO says runs from late April to October. Visit Busan calls it one of Busan’s signature sunset spots and lists Dadaepo Beach Park, the Morundae walking trail and the Gowooni Ecological Trail nearby.
Where: 14 Morundae 1-gil, Saha-gu.
Facilities and hours: KTO lists the beach as open 24 hours all year, and parking as not available. Information line: +82-51-220-4912.
Swimming season: 1 July to 31 August 2026 (Visit Busan).
Choosing between them
These are our suggestions, based only on the descriptions above:
- Longest swimming window and a listed subway route: Haeundae.
- An evening beach walk with a bridge view: Gwangalli.
- Surfing, or a beach with raw-fish restaurants nearby: Songjeong.
- A beach with history and coastal walks: Songdo.
- Sunset and wide sands: Dadaepo. There is no parking listed, so plan your transport.
The city notes that showers, changing rooms and lifeguards are provided in the summer season. We did not find official statements about facilities outside the swimming dates.
First-time visitor tips
- Pick one beach, not five. Each has its own character, so our suggestion is to choose by the kind of day you want rather than trying to see them all.
- Check the season before packing swimwear. The 2026 swimming seasons have ended and we found no 2027 dates, so confirm them first. Haeundae has the longest official window, and the city notes that showers, changing rooms and lifeguards are provided in the summer season.
- Plan transport for Dadaepo. KTO lists no parking there, and we did not find an official public transport page for it.
- Go in the evening for Gwangalli. KTO says many people come to see the lights of Gwangandaegyo Bridge.
- Do not rely on one phone number or address. Songdo’s street number differs between sources, so use a map app.
FAQ
Which beach is best for a first visit?
We do not rank them. Haeundae is the best known and has a listed metro route, so it is the easiest to plan. Gwangalli suits an evening walk, Songjeong surfing, and Dadaepo sunsets.
When can I swim?
Visit Busan lists Haeundae from 26 June to 15 September 2026, Songjeong from 26 June to 31 August, and Gwangalli, Songdo and Dadaepo from 1 July to 31 August. Those are 2026 dates only.
Which beach suits young children?
KTO describes Songjeong and Dadaepo as having shallow water, suited to families with young children (Songjeong) or to children (Dadaepo). It does not give water quality or lifeguard hours, so ask on the information line.
How do I reach Haeundae Beach?
Visit Busan says to walk 15 minutes from Exit 5 of Haeundae Station on Metro Line 2, or take bus 139, 307 or 1003. We did not find routes for the other four.
Is Haeundae open all day?
That is unclear. Visit Busan lists 09:00 to 18:00 without saying whether it covers the sand itself, so call the information line if hours matter.
What we could not confirm
- Swimming dates for other years, and whether any beach extends its season. The dates above are for 2026 only.
- Haeundae’s opening hours. Visit Busan lists “Everyday 09:00-18:00” without explaining what it covers, and it is not clear whether it applies to the sand itself.
- Public transport to Gwangalli, Songjeong, Songdo and Dadaepo. We did not fetch an official page giving routes for them.
- Songdo’s exact street number (100 or 50) and what its 06:00 to 23:00 listing refers to.
- Water quality, lifeguard hours, and fees for parasols or changing rooms.
- Ilgwang and Imnang beaches, which we did not research beyond their swimming dates.
Before You Go
Pick the beach by what you want to do, then check the current swimming dates and phone the information line if hours matter. Bring a map app for the details we could not confirm.
Short visual guides like this one are on Instagram at @rolo.koreaguide.
Related guides
- Haeundae Blueline Park and Cheongsapo, Busan
- Songdo Beach, Skywalk and Cable Car in Busan
- When to Visit Busan
Sources
All checked 30 Sep 2026; Songdo wording, swimming dates and Ilgwang/Imnang dates re-checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Korea Tourism Organization, TourAPI (English): Haeundae Beach (content ID 264155), Gwangalli Beach (264250), Songjeong Beach (264198), Dadaepo Beach (264611), Busan Songdo Beach (1054924). Photographs: KTO, KOGL Type 3 (Haeundae, Songdo) and Type 1 (Gwangalli, Songjeong, Dadaepo), used unaltered.
- Visit Busan, “Only Been to Haeundae? Here Are Three Busan Beaches” (visitbusan.net, uc_seq=2787): 2026 swimming dates; Gwangalli, Songdo and Dadaepo descriptions.
- Visit Busan, Haeundae Beach page (visitbusan.net, uc_seq=373): transport, facilities, phone, hours as listed.
- Busan Metropolitan City, “Visit > Beaches” (busan.go.kr/eng/beaches): list of seven beaches, Songjeong and Songdo descriptions, addresses.
