6 Blissful Beaches near Seoul Perfect for a Summer Day Trip

As soon as summer hits Korea, all I can think about is getting to one of the beaches near Seoul and diving into some cool, blue water. Fortunately, there are plenty to choose from that are easily accessible on a day trip, using public transit.

When the summer sun starts blazing, head to one of the beaches near Seoul for some relief.

So go ahead – pack up your beach ball, slather on some sunscreen and refresh your tired spirit with some sand and surf.

Beaches Near Seoul

You’ll read a lot of articles online claiming that Muchango, Naksan, or Daecheon Beach are near Seoul. They are not. It’s only worth visiting these beaches, if you can stay at least 1 night.

I wish Naksan Beach was near Seoul, but it’s just not.

Because reaching any of these locations from Seoul, would require – at a minimum for a round-trip:

• a 5 hour drive if traffic is perfect
• 5 hours on a high speed train
• 6 to 10 hours on an express busc

And this is on normal traffic days, which frankly, just don’t exist on summer weekends. Literally everyone and their dog is heading to the coasts at this time. It kinda defeats the whole purpose of going to the beach, if you spend the bulk of your day trapped on a highway, right?

Wall to wall cars drive out to the coastal areas of Korea during summer

The beaches that are ACTUALLY near Seoul and viable to visit on a day trip from the capital are located on Korea’s West Coast near Incheon International Airport. There are several islands and seasides to explore in this area.

Read on for a rundown of some of the most popular beaches near Seoul to visit on a day trip.

Beaches Near Seoul on Muuido Island | 무의도

Address: 308-13, 310-11, Daemuui-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 대무의로 310-11 (무의동)

Muuido is a small island, located just south of Incheon International Airport and Yongyudo Island.

Getting to the Incheon beaches on Muuido Island near Seoul used to be a lot more complicated. But with the completion of Muui Bridge in 2019, it’s possible to just drive there without having to board a single boat.

Muuido is a popular island to visit during summer by @traveloriented (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Muui Bridge connects the islands of Jamjindo and Muuido. It’s the last piece of an impressive bridge system that links several islands in the West Sea to mainland Korea.

Hanagae Beach | 하나개해수욕장

Address: San189beonji, Muui-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 무의동 산189번지 (무의동)

Hanagae Beach is a 1-km long sand beach located on Muuido Island. When the tide is out, this Incheon beach turns into a massive tidal flat, and digging for clams, sea snails and other small sea life is a popular activity.

Hanagae has a nice, sandy beach.

A word of warning: the tide at Hanagae Beach ebbs and flows incredibly fast. Be sure to watch your belongings so they don’t get eaten up by the sea!

This pedestrian walkway is wonderful to walk during sunset on Hanagae Beach.

Hanagae Beach is a super popular beach near Seoul to spend a summer weekend, due to the cute little bungalows you can rent on the seashore. They’re certainly not fancy, but they do sleep 3 to 4 adults and are right on the sand.

Expect to pay between 30 – 50,000 won per night depending on the season.

Bungalows on Hanagae Beach by @traveloriented (CC BY-SA 2.0)

If you want to be peacefully lulled to sleep by the sound of ocean waves though, this might not be the place to stay. It can get pretty rowdy with people partying and drinking on the beach after dark!

READ NEXT: How to Survive a Sticky, Sweaty Summer in Seoul

Silmi Beach | 실미해수욕장

Address: 99, Keunmuri-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 큰무리로 99 (무의동)

Silmi Beach (also known as Keunmuri Beach) is a 2-km long stretch of sand, backed by century old pine trees. The beach directly faces the small uninhabited island of Silmido.

You can watch for the Slimi Moses Road to open from Silmi Beach by @traveloriented (CC BY-SA 2.0)

If you’d like to explore Silmido, you’ll have to wait for low tide and walk across the tidal flat. Known as the Silmi Moses Road, the water drains twice a day for 2 hours at a time. Be sure to check times, so you don’t get trapped on the island. There are literally zero amenities available there.

Somuudio | Small Muuido | 소무의도

Address: 308-13, 310-11, Daemuui-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 대무의로 310-11 (무의동)

You can reach Somuuido from Muuido in about 15 minutes via pedestrian footbridge. There are a few beaches on Somuuido to check out, but the big draw is a coastal trek around the island, called the Muui Bada Nuri-gil.

Muuido and Somuuido are connected by a pedestrian footbridge by @traveloriented (CC BY-SA 2.0)

On this route, you’ll be treated to panoramic views of the West Sea, fishing villages, surrounding islands, and beaches. Along the way, watch out for the “8 Sceneries of Nuri,” which include Buddha Kumi, Mongyeo Beach, Myeongsa Beach, Janggunbawi Rock, Dangsan, Ansan, West/East Village, and Somuuido Footbridge

It takes around an hour to complete the Muui Bada Nuri-gil.

Beaches Near Seoul on Yongyudo Island | 용유도

Address: 308-13, Masiran-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 마시란로 308-13 (남북동)

Yongyudo is a big island with almost 50 km of coastline. There are several beaches near Seoul to explore here, as well as awesome sunsets, and yearly events like fishing contests and shellfish harvesting (mostly taking place in August).

It’s very close to the airport, so you’ll find a full range of amenities, including hotels, a casino, golf course, restaurants, and bars.

The beaches of Yongyudo are close to Incheon Airport.

How to Get to Yongyudo Island

Driving: If you plan to drive, it takes around 1 hour to drive to Yongyudo from Seoul (under perfect traffic conditions). It’s best to use a navigation app like Naver or Kakao Maps to plot out your route.

On summer weekends, I recommend leaving as early in the morning as possible to avoid hitting traffic.

Drive on Incheon Bridge to the beaches near Seoul in about an hour by Harold Ding (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Public Transport: If you’re using public transport, you can take the Airport Railroad line to Unseo Station, then board green bus #2 to Yongyudo Island. However, there are multiple routes to the island, so it’s best to check navigation apps for directions to your exact location on Yongyudo Island (since it is quite large).

Eurwangni Beach | 을왕리해수욕장

Address: 15, Eurwang-ro 13beon-gil, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 을왕로13번길 15

Eurwangni Beach is on Yongyudo Island, near Incheon International Airport on the West Coast of Korea. This beach stretches 700-metres long in a classic crescent shape. There are also pine forests and unique rock formations to explore here.

West coast beaches near Seoul have long tides and mud flats.

It’s one of the most popular beaches near Seoul for families because of its shallow water, clean sand, and nearby amenities. There are a ton of resorts, cafes, and restaurants where you can dine on fresh seafood and watch a glorious summer sunset.

Sunsets on Eurwangni Beach near Seoul are simply stunning. ⓒJeong Jong-ho (Korea Tourism Organization)

Keep in mind that it WILL be busy and crowded… but if you really need a day next to the water, Eurwangni Beach is definitely one of your best bets.

Masian Beach | 마시안해변

Address: 118, Masiran-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 마시란로 118 (덕교동)

Masian Beach is another one of Yongyudo’s 8 scenic spots. This is one of the beaches near Seoul, that is also a tidal flat. As the tide goes out, you’ll be treated to a vast wetland, teeming with sea life.

Masian Beach is also a tidal flat by @Han Lee (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Not surprisingly, a popular activity at Masian Beach, is searching for creatures like shellfish, surf clams, and webfoot octopus. Head over to the Masian Tidal Flat Experience Centre to sign up for a shellfish digging tour, if you’re unsure of how to start.

When you’re done, relax at one of the beachside cafes with a cup of warm brew and stunning views of the sea.

READ NEXT: Korea in August: What to Expect and Best Festivals

Wangsan Beach | 왕산해수욕장

Address: Eulwang-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon | 인천광역시 중구 을왕동

If relaxing at a beach near Seoul is more what you’re after, head to Wangsan Beach instead. The vibe is more chilled out, and getting there is also easy, since it’s just 5 minutes away from Eurwangni Beach.

Wangsan is one of the more relaxed beaches near Seoul. Photo by Ken Eckert (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Wangsan Beach is designated as one of 8 scenic spots in Yongyudo, due to the incredible red sunsets that colour the entire sea crimson. You can also stay overnight in a nearby campground that is equipped with autocamping, glamping, and caravan options, if you wish.

Dangneomeo Beach | 당너머 해수욕장

Address: 55, Seonjae-ro, Yeongheung-myeon, Ongjin-gun, Incheon | 인천광역시 옹진군 영흥면 선재리

Hanagae Beach on Muuido Island was solidly my favourite beach near Seoul, until I went to Dangneonmeo Beach on Seonjaedo Island.

After spending the afternoon digging for clams, we hit the nearest beach. To say, I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.

Digging for shellfish is a fun West Coast activity.

Dangneonmeo Beach has such a laid back vibe, I felt like I was in Caribbean somewhere – not at a beach near Seoul.

The beach is backed by the wonderful Ppeol Coffee shop, which has a ton of different beachfront seating areas, and places to relax while watching the sunset. We loved it so much, we stayed until the very last embers of light disappeared from the beach.

Seonjaedo is my favourite West Coast Island… so far.

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Now that you know there are beaches near Seoul to visit on each and every sweaty, steamy weekend of summer, who’s going?