Boryeong Travel Guide: Beaches, Mud and Islands on Korea's West Coast

Boryeong sits on the central west coast of Chungcheongnam-do and is best known for the long shell-sand beach at Daecheon and the tidal mud behind the Boryeong Mud Festival, usually held in July. Since the Boryeong Undersea Tunnel opened at the end of 2021, the island of Wonsando is a short drive from Daecheon Port.

We group the trip into five areas. Daecheon Beach & Daecheon Port has the beach, Sky Bike, mud theme park and fish market. Boryeong Downtown, Seongjusan & Gaehwa holds the Coal Museum, the Seongjusa Temple Site and Gaehwa Art Park. Ocheon Port, Sooyeongseong & Wonsando pairs a Joseon naval fortress with island beaches. Muchangpo, Nampo & Jukdo centers on the sea path and Sanghwawon, a garden covering a whole island. Cheonbuk, Cheongso & Oseosan offers oyster grills, barley fields, ginkgo trees and an autumn silvergrass hike.

Couples tend to enjoy Sanghwawon, sunset at Muchangpo and Yeongbojeong Pavilion at the fortress. Friends can fill a day with the Sky Bike, the zipline and a shellfish grill. Families will like the shallow water at Daecheon and the Coal Museum on a wet day, and parents can take it slowly at the temple site and Gaehwa Art Park.

From Seoul, trains run to Daecheon Station (roughly two and a half hours; check the current timetable) and express buses also serve Boryeong. A taxi from the station to the beach takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Beyond the center, a rental car or a day taxi is the most comfortable way to see the islands and dunes. Naver Map or Kakao Map works better than Google Maps in Korea.

July brings crowds and the mud festival, while May, June and September are calmer. The Muchangpo sea path opens only on certain days each month, so check the tide table, and Sanghwawon is believed to open only Friday to Sunday and on holidays from about April to November. Autumn adds silvergrass and ginkgo color, and winter is oyster season. Confirm prices and hours before you go.