Gwakji Beach

Gwakji Beach is the signature beach of Aewol-eup in Jeju City, easy to reach and popular with group vacationers and youth outings. The village of Gwakji itself is old enough that prehistoric shell middens have been found here, and local legend holds that a village once stood on this very spot before being suddenly buried in sand overnight.

At one end of the beach is an unusual facility called Gwamul Noncheon-tang. "Gwamul" refers to water that seeps down from Hallasan, travels nearly 40km underground, and rises again at the coast near Gwak Oreum — and the free, gender-separated open-air bath built around this spring lets swimmers rinse off seawater right on the spot.

With clear, emerald-tinted water and a well-maintained sandy shore, the beach draws families as well as surfers, and suits travelers looking for a quieter, more intimate alternative to Jeju's larger beaches.