5 Fantastic Beaches of Jeju and Where to Find Them

I don’t know about you, but for me, when we talk about Jeju, the first thing that would always come to my mind is the beach. I’ve never been to Jeju before, but everytime I see photos of this island, most of them are pictures of beaches with white sand. For somebody who loves the beach, the thought of going to Jeju Island always excites me. Yes, I am a beach bummer, but I think I am the only beach lover in the world who doesn’t know how to swim. I’m jealous of the people who can swim their heart out into the sea and are not afraid of drowning. I just settled it for myself that beach bummer is not just about swimming, it’s all about having a good time in the beach without necessarily going down deep into the sea.

Speaking of having a good time in the beach, I had a lot of happy memories in the beaches of Jeju Island. Yes, it’s beaches because there are not only one or two but a lot of beaches in Jeju Island. I have been to several beaches in South Korea. I have visited Heaundae, Muchangpo, Daecheon, and Naksan, but I guess my favorite one is the Jeongdongjin in Gangwondo. So I was searching for even more beautiful beaches in South Korea and I was able to visit some of them at Jeju Island. This list is all about the beaches I’ve visited in Jeju and does not necessarily mean the best ones, but if these have been part of itinerary, then probably these are the must visit beaches in Jeju.

1. Hamdeok Beach(Hamdeok Seoubong Beach) (함덕 서우봉해변-함덕해수욕장)

Hamdeok Beach in Jeju


Let’s start first with something close to my heart. This one is I think was the beach where I spent most of my time in Jeju because this is where we lived during our 4 day stay there. I had a fond memory of Hamdeok because I owned this beach for about 30 minutes. It was our last day in Jeju and I decided to go swimming alone on that rainy Saturday morning. Whilst everybody was in the mode of drinking coffee at the cafes by the sea and some opted to stay in the room and slept, I went swimming at the nearby Hamdeok beach. There were 4 other people swimming that time, but they left as soon as I arrived, so I have the pleasure of owning the beach all for myself. It was raining but the water was warm and I enjoyed that me-time moment.

What I like most of swimming in this beach is that the water was quite calm. There was a typhoon that time when I went swimming but despite the wind and the rain, the water remained calm and that was just the way I like it. The beach has also shallow water, which is perfect for non-swimmers like me. This could be the reason why families prefer to go to this beach because kids love ‘em shallow waters, don’t they? We can’t also discount the great scenery, so even if you go there for a walk, you would probably enjoy what you could see in the place. There’s an arched bridge, red lighthouse and of course, the black basalt that you could see everywhere in the beach. The only thing I don’t like about Hamdeok beach is that, there are seaweeds floating everywhere. When I got out of the water, I thought I was Hulk because I was covered with green seaweeds.

How to go there?

From Jeju International Airport, Take Bus No. 38 to Hamdeok Beach.
Or you can take bus bound for Jeju-si Jungang Rotary and get off at Jungang Rotary Bus Stop. Cross the road to get to the opposite site bus stop to transfer to Bus No. 10 and get off at Hamdeok Beach.

2. The Hwanguji Coast ( Natural Rock Pool)

The Oedolgae Natural Rock Pool

Our common idea when we say beach is that it has white sands, emerald water with big waves and a good big tent in the seashore. But how about we make another definition of a beach? Let’s just take for example the hidden treasure of the Olle Coast Trail, we call it by the name “Natural Pool”. It is still part of the sea, but apparently, Mother Nature has decided to pile up some rocks and put some cliffs and allowed some water from the sea to break in and out of the circular area that makes it look like a natural infinity pool. Going to this spot was quite a challenge for me because we had to descend down the path and steps. It was not an easy staircase because it’s too steep for me, and when we arrived at the spot, we had to battle with the rocky steps just to get a good look at the pool.

I have to confess that I was very jealous of the people who went swimming into the pool. Some of them even dived in from the cliff above and I saw how fun it was. The view though is a must-see for everybody who will take the trail. The water is quite deep but it’s clear. I think the best part of this pool is the surrounding rocks. It looks as if some mighty and powerful being intentionally arranged those rocks to make such an awesome place to swim or just to hang out.

3. Jungmun Beach(중문해수욕장)

Jungmun Beach


Jungmun Beach is the most popular beach in Jeju because of its big waves, I would just like to quote our trip leader for this though. For those who are into water sports such as windsurfing, this is a good spot for you.

When we went to Jungmun beach, there was a warning sign that people are not allowed to swim anymore. I am not sure if it was just a temporary signage or permanent, but people did swim anyways. I didn’t see anything special in the beach though. I just like the combination of the colors of black basalt and the white sand. There’s a small trail nearby, I don’t know where it goes but there’s a staircase going up to the mountain. There’s also a cave at the entrance of Jungmun beach, but I don’t know why they intentionally put up some fence on it.

4. Hyeopjae Beach (협재해변)

The Hyeopjae Beach


We had a short stop over at Hyeopjae Beach. We were supposed to swim because we went there late afternoon which is perfect time for swimming and at the same time watch the sun sets. However, there was a heavy downpour of rain and we can’t even go walk at the seashore. It was a bad timing though, but there’s also black basalt in this beach. It has also white sands and I love the great scenery surrounding Hyeopjae Beach. It looks like a beach in the middle of an evergreen forest. There’s also a small island just off the beach, it’s called Biyangdo Island. In an ideal world, a late afternoon swim while watching the sun sets over a lush green forest in the nearby area would definitely make Hyeopjae beach a perfect place for vacation.

5. Hagosudong Beach (하고수동해변)

The Hagosudong Beach

Now let’s go to the beach located in Udo which can be reached via a 20 minute ferry ride from Seongsan Harbor. We biked along the coastal road of Udo and there were definitely beaches everywhere. However, I was not able to finish the 13 km trail because 1) I only used an ordinary bike and 2) I stopped once in a while for every interesting spot I saw. The problem is, everything is interesting for me. So I think I finished only 30 percent of the trail and I was glad I’ve reached up to the Hagosudong Beach. It has white sands too, it has basalt too but there are interesting statues built upon the rocks and sands of this beach. The statue of a mermaid and the lady divers made Hagosudong Beach an interesting place to visit in Udo. These statues and the unique formation of rocks and cliffs are the reasons why this beach stands out among any other beaches in Jeju.

I am sure there are still other distinct, unique and awesome beaches in Jeju Island. If you want to find them, go book your flight to Jeju and make a list of the beaches you should visit in the island. Whether you go there to swim, to visit or just to relax, I promise you will appreciate the beauty of the beaches of Jeju.

Comments

  1. OH wow! Nature is absolutely amazing in its beauty. Sometimes, I see a photo, and I think, "I can't even believe how beautiful the earth can be."

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  2. I love the beach! I am a total beach bum too, but I live so far from one :( It's my dream to live close to one. Thanks for sharing these beautiful beaches.

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  3. Love visiting beaches. So peaceful and relaxing! Thank you for sharing about these beaches. I would love to visit them on day.

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  4. Beautiful photos! The mermaid statue looks like it has been there for many years. I wouldn't be able to finish the entire 13km trail either. I would have to stop for photos, too! :)

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  5. It's always nice to learn about new places to see from other bloggers. I know little about Jeju so I'm glad to have come across your post. I really didn't know that it had these beaches. The Oedolgae Natural Rock Pool is one place I definitely want to visit.

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  6. Love going to the beach! So peaceful and relaxing! Thank you for sharing about these beaches.

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  7. I typically don't care for the beach (the sand bugs me). Of course the beaches in the USA aren't calm and the waves kick up the sand. Then sand ends up in places that the sun doesn't see. :)

    I love the pretty blue water in other areas. I haven't been to Korea but I have been to the Caribbean and Mexico. The water was calm there and I loved that you could see the bottom of the ocean floor. We even got to see live starfish in Mexico.

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  8. Wow that rock pool sounds awesome. I bet my daughter and I would enjoy heading out there to check it out.

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  9. I have never traveled to any country in Asia, but I think it is about time to start planning for it. South Korea is a lovely place to visit, and I am convinced that it should be my first Asian country to visit. Love the rock pool! Amazing!

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  10. I've been spoiled by living in Michigan most of my life, with a choice of amazing beaches that rivals anything in the South Pacific, but these make me think there might be a comparison.

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  11. the natural rock pool is absolutely gorgeous. I would love to visit all of these places.

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  12. Those photos are gorgeous! What an experience to visit those beaches! I'd love to see these in person!

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  13. Wow, these place are all awesome. I've never been in any, looks like I need to explore these.

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  14. You are so fortunate to be able to see these beautiful beaches in Jeju. I've been thinking of going to South Korea one day. My sister went a few times already and she loved it!

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  15. These are awesome beaches indeed. I have not even thought to visit Jeju but would love to go check out some of these beaches. Thanks for sharing the list.

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  16. I love going to the beach and these beaches look awesome!

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