Back in the days of yore when I started this photo-fancy venture one of my early posts was hoped to be the beginning of a series tentatively titled "Ulsan is the most beautiful city in South Korea you fucking fucks capital exclamation mark!!" and Ilsan Beach, located to the east of Ulsan's small but spread out land was to be Number 2 in that series. Alas I went shooting in a format I do not comprehend and thus, with winter on our heels, I go and post summery photos from a beach. I hate me too....
Back when I called I called Ulsan home for reals I once trekked from my apartment to Ilsan Beach (almost the entire length of the Taehwa River) walked into the sea*, found wifi (hello Korea) and posted terrible iTouch photos on Instagram. So I had to go back one day...
Mostly Ilsan Beach is quiet, even on a nice (albeit windy) day...sure there are a smattering of families camping on the beach, some foreigners milling around with beers and no shirts but overall it's one of the calmest beaches I've visited in South Korea. The area surrounding the beach is a mash of pre-modernised Korea; batting cages and arcades to rival Skegness, plus a few nice (but potentially expensive) sea-food eateries.
Pro tip, the nearby Home Plus has all the wine you need for a day on the beach. ALL THE WINE.
Follow the beach round to right and there's a good old fashioned hiking spot too (with a secret beach behind it), where you can get some rather lovely views of Ilsan Beach. You can also find one of the best burger joints in Ulsan close by (IM Burger, a future post for sure).
I'd honestly take holidays all the time near Ilsan Beach if I could and I'm dead jealous of my friends who live a short walk away. Sure it's a bit out of the way but trust me and dodgy photography skills, it's worth the journey.
* If you care whether it's called 'The East Sea' or 'The Sea Of Japan' you can piss off. Unless you're my boss, in which case, "안녕하십니까".
How to get there:
Get to Ulsan.
Get on the 5002*, 108, 133 or 401...make sure they are heading east though.
Get of at Ilsan Beach (일산해수욕장 - Ilsan Hae-Su-Yok-Jang)
or Dong-Gu Home Plus stop. (Ilsan Beach is located in Dong-gu)
Walk towards Japan.
The 5002 is one of the KTX Express Buses, from Ulsan Station to Dong-gu it takes only 45 minutes of style and comfort. Also good to take you back again in time for the last KTX out.
Soundtrack:
"...I think I'll go for a swim..."
Just on repeat, just on repeat, just on repeat........