Famed for its beaches and therapeutic mud treatments, Boryeong is a lively coastal city overlooking the Yellow Sea. It’s often referred to as “Daecheon” after its most famous beach and is a stone’s throw from the scenic hiking trails of Mount Seongjusan.
Things to do in Boryeong
With powdery golden sands backed by emerald pine trees, the 3.5-kilometre-long Daecheon Beach is the perfect place to spend an afternoon. It’s here that the annual Boryeong Mud Festival takes place, a lively event with a mud shower booth, mud cosmetic treatments and mud massage room.
Head to Muchangpo Beach to see a unique natural phenomenon that takes place each summer, as the waters here part between the beach and Seokdaedo Island. Join the locals for this much-celebrated event, fossick for clams, crabs and shellfish in the rocky pools, then stay to watch a stunning sunset over the Yellow Sea.
Midway between the two beaches is the uninhabited fishing island of Jukdo, renowned for its dense bamboo forest. It’s now connected to the mainland along the Nampo embankment, with an octagonal pavilion where you can stop to soak up the coastal views.
Make a day trip to the Goransa Temple, nestled beneath soaring cliffs on the banks of the Baengmagang River. It’s believed to date back to the 7th century and was used as a resting spot for Baekje royalty who came to drink the pure waters from its spring.
Getting around Boryeong
Boryeong is just over two hours’ drive from Seoul and connected by regular train and bus services. The town is small enough to explore on foot, with buses accessing the coast and surrounding towns.