Guryongpo Beach

Just south of the Homigot peninsula, right next to the fishing town of Guryongpo, lies a crescent of white sand. At 400 m it is a small beach, but it is known for clear East Sea water and sunrises, and it fits neatly into a day out with the Japanese House Street, Guryongpo harbour and Homigot. Even in peak summer it feels more relaxed than the big resort beaches.

A small crescent facing the East Sea

Guryongpo Beach is about 24 km from central Pohang and about 1.5 km from Guryongpo-eup. The sand is 400 m long and 50 m wide, with room for about 10,000 visitors a day. Because it faces east, it is a good place to watch the sun come up over the horizon, and the rocks along the shore are popular with anglers.

What to look out for nearby

• Guryongpo columnar joints: on the coast near the beach, lava that cracked into columns as it cooled is exposed in the rocks.
• Sunrise: come down at dawn and the sun rises straight ahead of you over the sea.
• Guryongpo Japanese House Street: a street of wooden houses where Japanese fishing families lived during the colonial period, a few minutes' drive from the beach.
• Guryongpo harbour: one of the main fishing ports on the east coast, famous in winter for gwamegi, half-dried herring or saury.

The harbour of nine dragons

The name Guryongpo, "harbour of nine dragons", comes from a legend that in the Silla period nine dragons rose into the sky from the sea here. One version says ten dragons set off and one fell back; another reading suggests the story grew out of waterspouts, when strong whirlwinds suck seawater up into the sky. From the 1920s, under Japanese colonial rule, Guryongpo harbour grew into a major fishing base, and the houses where Japanese fishing families lived survive as today's Japanese House Street, which also has a small museum on the town's modern history.

Making a morning of it

The beach alone is a short visit, so combine it with the harbour. Watch the sunrise from the sand early in the morning, walk into Guryongpo-eup to see the port (a five-day market is held on dates ending in 3 and 8), then climb the stone steps of the Japanese House Street for a view over the harbour. Drive on north to Homigot and you add a stretch of East Sea coastal road as well.

Tripto tips

• When to go: swim during the official summer bathing season. The beach is open all year, and spring and autumn are good for quiet walks and sunrises. Access may be restricted in bad weather.
• Sunrise: sunrise times vary by almost two hours between summer and winter. Check the time the day before and get to the beach about 20 minutes early.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for the beach alone; add the Japanese House Street and Homigot for a half-day trip.
• Getting there: driving from Pohang is easiest, and there is parking near the beach. By public transport, take a city bus from Pohang to Guryongpo-eup and walk from there.
• Information: Pohang tourist information, +82-54-270-6561