Hamdeok Beach

Hamdeok Beach in Hamdeok-ri, Jocheon-eup, is one of the Jeju beaches people mention first when they talk about sea colour. It lies only about 20 km east of Jeju International Airport, yet the mix of white sand, clear turquoise water and a grassy volcanic cone at the end of the bay makes it a good stop on your first or last day on the island. Because of that cone, Seoubong, the beach is also called Hamdeok Seoubong Beach.

What kind of beach is it

Hamdeok's biggest strength is its clear, shallow water. You can see the sand and seaweed on the bottom, and the water stays shallow a long way out, which is why so many families with children come here. Behind the sand there are tall palm trees and lawns, and cafés, restaurants and facilities line the area around the beach.

The beach is open all year, so plenty of people come outside summer too. Even in windy winter weather the water colour stays vivid on clear days, which makes a walk along the shore worthwhile.

It is not just a plain strip of sand. Black basalt rocks break the shoreline here and there, creating a strong contrast with the white sand and jade-coloured sea, and at the eastern end a volcanic cone runs right down to the water.

What to see

• Seoubong: The oreum (small volcanic cone) rising at the eastern end of the beach. Its slopes turn yellow with canola flowers in spring and green in summer. Walk up the trail and the whole of Hamdeok Beach opens up below you; on clear days you can also see Hallasan and the oreums further east.
• Footbridge: The western end of the beach is linked by a bridge over the water, so you can walk along the shore with the sea right beneath you.
• Lawns and promenade: A grassy area for picnics and a coastal path make the beach worth a walk even outside swimming season.
• Jeju Olle Trail Route 19: Olle Route 19 passes along Hamdeok Beach, and many walkers use it as a rest stop.

Tripto tips

• Best time: For swimming, come during the official summer beach season, when lifeguards are on duty and there are sometimes evening opening hours. The dates change every year, so check before you go. The canola flowers on Seoubong bloom in spring.
• Time needed: Allow about an hour for a beach walk, or half a day if you climb Seoubong and swim.
• Facilities: The beach is open all year, with public parking, toilets, a convenience store, drinking fountains and warning and evacuation facilities. On peak-season weekends the car park fills quickly, so arriving in the morning is easier.
• Getting there: Heading east along the coast from Jeju City, the coastal road from Jocheon to Hamdeok makes a pleasant drive, or you can arrive on foot along Olle Route 19.
• Be careful: Even a shallow sea can get rough on windy days. Outside the beach season there are no lifeguards, so do not swim far out.
• Combine with: A little further east are the Gimnyeong coast, also known for its water colour, and Manjanggul lava tube, which together make an easy east-Jeju day trip.
• Photo tip: From partway up the Seoubong trail, looking back over the beach, you can fit the white sand, the turquoise water and the village behind into a single shot. The colours are strongest on clear days when the sun is high.