cycling routes near Busan

The coastal route to Jinha

A very good destination for a bicycle ride near Busan is the beach village of Jinha, 40 kilometres away. Following is a description of the route; the starting point is the Marriott hotel at the east end of Haeundae beach. The most scenic parts are in the 'detour's, the distances in the map however refer to the main (pink colour) route. The route, including the detours, can also be done by car. The roads may not be as quiet as you wish, remember that you are close by the major cities of Busan and Ulsan. On Sundays and public holidays, the roads on most of the route may be cramped with cars, at least in the afternoon. Not before 11 a.m. though, in fact if you are able to start (very) early on a Sunday morning, it's the best time of the week.

Latest amendments were made in October 2003. Nick Alfano from Vancouver has made some useful additions to the description and most of the pictures below are his. He did the tour on May 13, 2001, one day after arriving in Korea for the first time in his life. Thanks, Nick! Click on the image to view it; use your BACK key to return.

km 0.0
From the Marriott hotel, start in the direction away from the beach. Take the right turn at the traffic light shown in the photo, right next to the hotel. Follow the road till the T-junction and turn right. Cross the railway. You are riding up hill at this point.

km 0.9
At the junction (traffic lights), follow road no. 406, Chongsapo. You are on Talmajigil, a road with beautiful sea-views. If you look over your right shoulder and see this view you know you are on the right route.
km 3.5
At this point you might regret your venture, because you have done a lot of climbing already. Believe me: Until so far you have had the toughest part of the trip. Continue, please.

km 5.9
You reach the village of Songjeong. Follow the signs to 'Songjeong beach'.
km 6.8
At the seaside, turn left. The fish warf at Songjeong. Keep continueing this road, partly along the sea, in northern direction. If you follow the main route, you pass by the village of Daebyeon and reach Gijang at km 14.0. Turn right, to follow the (wide and busy) road to Ulsan. There is a wide sidewalk (pavement) made of green paving stones that runs along this six-lane road. If traffic is busy it would be safer to use this path at this point in the trip.

detour 1 (+1.0 km)
At km 8.9, a bit off the road to the right, lies Haedongyonggung temple. This beautiful temple is situated on the side of a rocky mountain, facing the sea. One of the most scenic temple sites I know of in Korea.

detour 2 (+4.2 km)
At km 12.3 in the village of Daebyeon, take the road that goes along the quay and circles around the fishing port. Where the village ends, the road continues along the sea and offers wonderful seaviews. At km 16.4 you reach the remote village of Jukseongri. Follow the asphalt road that goes uphill away from the sea and at km 17.3 turn left. At km 18.2 you reach the (wide and busy) road to Ulsan. Turn right.

km 16.8
Take the exit to the right, follow the sign for road no. 31.

detour 3 (+4.0 km)
At km 17.4 turn right, follow the sign to Hakri. A nice road along the bay leads to the fishmarket village of Hakri. Same way back.

detour 4 (+0.2 km)
Keep along the seaside in the village of Ilgwang; you pass by the fishmarket and join road no. 31 again at the glass factory.

km 17.8
After entering the village of Ilgwang, turn right at the main junction (opposite railway station) and follow road no. 31. Now, keep on following road no. 31, wich runs more or less parallel to the coast.
km 20.2
Hungry for western food or want to make a plan for stopping on the way back? Here is an Italian restaurant ('Mare') with splendid seaview. Tel. 051-721 1422.
km 25.3
Junction. Just continue road no. 31. You will pass by the villages of Wollae, Gori with it's nuclear power plant, Sinam, Seosaeng.

These are scenes you encounter along this road.

detour 5 (+0.6 km)
At km 29.0 turn right, to follow the old road. Joins the main road again after 4 km.

detour 6 (+1.6 km)
At km 34.9, opposite the Oilbank fuel station, turn right going downhill. Now follow the coast; this is a very scenic detour. You pass by a place called Ganjeolgot with a lighthouse and many stalls for taking a refreshment. At the end of the coast road, go uphill and join road no. 31 again.

km 39.3
You reach the village of Jinha. Turn right and find the boulevard along the beach.

km 40.0
Jinha beach, with Nick Alfano. Not enough energy to make the return trip? There's a direct and frequent bus connection to Busan Nopodong terminal, the bus can take bikes.
Opposite the village, on a hill, there are the remains of a fortress, named Seosaeng-fort. The old wall surrounding the fortress can still be seen and runs from the village to the top of the hill.
The real cyclist can now decide to either turn back the same way, or continue a bit more and follow a quiet rural route, joining the road back in the village of Wollae. The latter is 4.8 km longer and for this I continue the description:
Continue along the seaside boulevard, all the way to the end of the village. Turn left (there's no other option) and continue until you hit road no. 31 again. Turn right.
km 42.4
At the junction near the bridge over the river, do not follow road no. 31 now, but go straight instead, following the sign to Onyang.
km 47.0
Upon reaching the village of Namchang, follow the sign to Haeundae and road no. 31 (take care; it's not very clearly signposted). Continue this road, which runs more or less along the railroad, all the way down to Wollae.
km 57.0
You are now in Wollae, follow the sign to road no 31 and at the T-junction, turn right. You find yourself now on the same road as the one you came on. After Gijang you could go straight back to Songjeong (see map), a 2 km shortcut.

Go back to Bicycling / Fietsen in Korea

		km 0.0 From the Marriott hotel, start in the direction away from the beach. Take the right turn at the traffic light shown in the photo, right next to the hotel. Follow the road till the T-junction and turn right. Cross the railway. You are riding up hill at this point.
		km 0.9 At the junction (traffic lights), follow road no. 406, Chongsapo. You are on Talmajigil, a road with beautiful sea-views. If you look over your right shoulder and see this view you know you are on the right route. km 3.5 At this point you might regret your venture, because you have done a lot of climbing already. Believe me: Until so far you have had the toughest part of the trip. Continue, please.
		km 5.9 You reach the village of Songjeong. Follow the signs to 'Songjeong beach'. km 6.8 At the seaside, turn left. The fish warf at Songjeong. Keep continueing this road, partly along the sea, in northern direction. If you follow the main route, you pass by the village of Daebyeon and reach Gijang at km 14.0. Turn right, to follow the (wide and busy) road to Ulsan. There is a wide sidewalk (pavement) made of green paving stones that runs along this six-lane road. If traffic is busy it would be safer to use this path at this point in the trip.

			detour 1 (+1.0 km) At km 8.9, a bit off the road to the right, lies Haedongyonggung temple. This beautiful temple is situated on the side of a rocky mountain, facing the sea. One of the most scenic temple sites I know of in Korea.

			detour 2 (+4.2 km) At km 12.3 in the village of Daebyeon, take the road that goes along the quay and circles around the fishing port. Where the village ends, the road continues along the sea and offers wonderful seaviews. At km 16.4 you reach the remote village of Jukseongri. Follow the asphalt road that goes uphill away from the sea and at km 17.3 turn left. At km 18.2 you reach the (wide and busy) road to Ulsan. Turn right.

	detour 3 (+4.0 km) At km 17.4 turn right, follow the sign to Hakri. A nice road along the bay leads to the fishmarket village of Hakri. Same way back.

	detour 4 (+0.2 km) Keep along the seaside in the village of Ilgwang; you pass by the fishmarket and join road no. 31 again at the glass factory.

	detour 5 (+0.6 km) At km 29.0 turn right, to follow the old road. Joins the main road again after 4 km.

	detour 6 (+1.6 km) At km 34.9, opposite the Oilbank fuel station, turn right going downhill. Now follow the coast; this is a very scenic detour. You pass by a place called Ganjeolgot with a lighthouse and many stalls for taking a refreshment. At the end of the coast road, go uphill and join road no. 31 again.

		km 39.3 You reach the village of Jinha. Turn right and find the boulevard along the beach.
		km 40.0 Jinha beach, with Nick Alfano. Not enough energy to make the return trip? There's a direct and frequent bus connection to Busan Nopodong terminal, the bus can take bikes. Opposite the village, on a hill, there are the remains of a fortress, named Seosaeng-fort. The old wall surrounding the fortress can still be seen and runs from the village to the top of the hill. The real cyclist can now decide to either turn back the same way, or continue a bit more and follow a quiet rural route, joining the road back in the village of Wollae. The latter is 4.8 km longer and for this I continue the description: Continue along the seaside boulevard, all the way to the end of the village. Turn left (there's no other option) and continue until you hit road no. 31 again. Turn right. km 42.4 At the junction near the bridge over the river, do not follow road no. 31 now, but go straight instead, following the sign to Onyang. km 47.0 Upon reaching the village of Namchang, follow the sign to Haeundae and road no. 31 (take care; it's not very clearly signposted). Continue this road, which runs more or less along the railroad, all the way down to Wollae. km 57.0 You are now in Wollae, follow the sign to road no 31 and at the T-junction, turn right. You find yourself now on the same road as the one you came on. After Gijang you could go straight back to Songjeong (see map), a 2 km shortcut.