Where to go in Korea in July: 13 festivals

Festivals and seasonal sights in 53 places across Korea in July: Sokcho Beach Opens (Sokcho), Daecheon Beach swimming season (Boryeong), Seonyudo Beach…

Top 10

Sokcho

• Sokcho Beach Opens — Swimming from early July to mid August. At night the beach walk runs under the Sokcho Eye lights.
• Jangsa Port Squid Catching Festival — Wade into a seawater tank, grab a squid bare-handed and eat it as sashimi on the spot. Bring a change of clothes.

Boryeong

• Daecheon Beach swimming season — Opens in early July and runs to late August. Rooms and parking are tightest during the Mud Festival.
• Boryeong Mud Festival — Mud slides, wrestling and a mud jail by day, concerts and drone shows at night. Activity zones close 5 Aug for safety checks; hours are 10–18 weekends, 13–18 weekdays.
• Sapsido island escape — Fifty minutes by boat from Daecheon Port. Three sailings a day in summer, two in winter, with times shifting on the tide, so check the day before. Car loading is first come, first served at the pier.

Gunsan

• Seonyudo Beach season — Parasols and life vests are lent free. The road onto the islands backs up on weekend mornings.
• Seonyudo Summer Sunset Festival — Performances timed to the sunset. Expect a crush of cars leaving afterward.

Incheon

• Eurwangni Beach Season — Swimming and mudflat play in July and August. Check the tide table to walk the flats.

Taean

• Beach Season and Summer Fireworks — Beach concerts and fireworks rotate between the beaches on summer weekends. Mallipo has plenty of surf lessons.

Yeosu

• Manseong-ri black-sand beach season — The dark sand heats up under the midsummer sun; locals come to bury themselves in it.

Busan

• Beach Season — Official season is July and August. Songjeong for surfing, Dadaepo for shallow water with kids.

Namhae

• Sangju Beach Season — Open July–August; shallow and calm, good for small kids.

Pohang

• Beach Season at Yeongildae and Wolpo — Open July and August. Yeongildae lights up at night with the pavilion and beach cafes; Wolpo is the quieter one for a swim.

Jeju

• Beach Season — Hyeopjae and Geumneung are shallow and good for kids; Hamdeok has cafes right on the sand. Late July to early August the car parks fill by mid-morning.

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