Muchangpo Beach: When the Sea Road Opens and How to Visit

The Name Muchangpo and the History of the First Beach Opened on Korea’s West Coast

Muchangpo Beach is located in Gwandang-ri, Ungcheon-eup, Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do. It was developed beginning during the Japanese colonial period, and the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture introduces it as the first beach opened on the west coast.

The name ‘Muchangpo’ originated from the meaning “a port by the tidal flats where a warehouse storing tax grain stood” during the Joseon Dynasty. Today, the beach is designated as one of Boryeong’s three major tourism zones together with Daecheon Beach and Jukdo Tourist Site, and encompasses Muchangpo Moses’ Miracle Sea Road, the second of Boryeong’s Eight Scenic Views.

1.5 km of Sandy Beach and Gentle Waters: What to Expect at the Beach

The sandy beach is approximately 1.5 km long, and the water depth is about 1–2 m. Since the underwater slope is relatively gentle, it is suitable for planning both a beach walk and water activities, but actual swimming hours and the scope of safety controls may vary depending on the season and on-site operations.

A dense pine forest surrounds the area, and gravel and sand account for more than 90% of the coastal sediment. Islands such as Seoktaedo and Seokdaedo offshore serve as natural breakwaters, creating a coastal landscape different from a beach directly facing the open sea.

How to Walk the Seokdaedo Sea Road Around the Full Moon and New Moon

According to information available as of 2025, a sea road approximately 1.5 km long opens from the beach to Seokdaedo two or three times a month around the full moon and new moon according to the lunar calendar. Opening dates and exact times vary with the tides on the day of the visit, so if you have chosen a specific date, you should first check it against the sea-road tide table.

While the sea road is open, visitors are introduced to opportunities to observe or catch crabs, clams, sea snails, whelks, octopus, and other marine life. Some traditional stone fish traps, which used the incoming and outgoing tides to catch fish, also remain in the tidal flats in front of the beach, allowing visitors to see traces of tidal-flat life in addition to a simple sandy shore.

The Sea Road Known Since 1994 and Views from Muchangpo Tower

Muchangpo’s Mysterious Sea Road began to become known in 1994 and was developed into a full-fledged tourism course starting in 1996. Thus, today’s sea-road tourism combines a naturally recurring tidal phenomenon with visitor routes and events.

Muchangpo Tower is a three-story above-ground facility that opened on June 27, 2015. It is 45 m high and has a total floor area of 557㎡. The interior includes a specialty-products shop, a snack restaurant, and an observatory. Visitors are informed that Seongjusan and Daecheon Beach can be seen through the observatory’s telescopes.

Muchangpo Tower Hours, Free Admission, and What to Confirm by Phone

Muchangpo Tower’s hours are listed as 09:00–18:00 year-round, and 09:00–20:00 during the peak season. Since these hours refer to Muchangpo Tower, they should not be taken as the beach’s swimming hours.

Admission is listed as free, and the inquiry phone number is 041-930-0800 according to the official Chungnam Tourism page. The Muchangpo Tourism Association can be reached at 041-936-3561. The official website is http://www.moochangpo.com/, and visitors are advised that operations may change because of severe weather or construction.

• Address: 10 Yeollinbada 1-gil, Ungcheon-eup, Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do
• Admission: Free
• Inquiries: 041-930-0800; Muchangpo Tourism Association: 041-936-3561
• Muchangpo Tower hours: 09:00–18:00 year-round; 09:00–20:00 during the peak season

Traveling from Yongsan Station via Ungcheon Station to the Beach

If departing from Seoul, the recommended route is to take a Mugunghwa or Saemaeul train from Yongsan Station to Ungcheon Station. As of 2021, trains operated 14 times a day from 05:37 to 20:45, with travel times of approximately 2 hours 35 minutes to 3 hours. Services and schedules may change, so you should plan according to the train schedule for the day.

After arriving at Ungcheon Station, the recommended route is to take bus 402-1, 402-2, or 500 from the Ungcheon Station bus stop and get off at the Muchangpo Beach stop. The Boryeong city bus information phone number is 041-932-3350. Drivers can use the Muchangpo Interchange on the West Coast Expressway.

• Departure: Yongsan Station
• Destination railway station: Ungcheon Station
• Trains: Mugunghwa and Saemaeul
• Train schedule: As of 2021, 14 services per day, 05:37–20:45
• Bus after Ungcheon Station: As of 2021, buses 402-1, 402-2, and 500
• Bus stop: Muchangpo Beach

Free Parking Lots with 103, 55, and 166 Spaces and Beach Amenities

Muchangpo Beach has parking facilities. Parking Lot 1 is listed with 103 spaces, Parking Lot 3 with 55 spaces, and Parking Lot 4 with 166 spaces; all are described as free. Since the number of spaces, fees, and operating policies may change, visitors should prioritize the information posted at the parking-lot entrance on the day of their visit.

The beach has public restrooms, water fountains, a convenience stall, showers, and changing rooms. The official Chungnam Tourism page lists swimming and surfing as activities, but there is no confirmed information regarding photography restrictions, cash-only payment, English-language assistance, audio guides, or whether wheelchairs and strollers can access the sandy beach.

• Parking Lot 1: 103 spaces; described as free
• Parking Lot 3: 55 spaces; described as free
• Parking Lot 4: 166 spaces; described as free
• Amenities: Public restrooms, water fountains, convenience stall, showers, and changing rooms
• Activities: Swimming and surfing

An Itinerary Combining the Baekjungsari Festival and Muchangpo Seafood Market

The Mysterious Sea Road Festival is held around Baekjungsari, when the tide is said to recede the most, around the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. In spring, a webfoot-octopus and flounder festival is held around Muchangpo Port, while a jumbo shrimp festival takes place in autumn, so the purpose of a visit varies by season.

Muchangpo Seafood Market is located at the end of the beach. Information materials explain that visitors can buy seafood at the market and eat it at a restaurant on the second floor. As of 2021, the table-setting fee was listed as 10,000–15,000 won per kilogram. Since this fee and the festival schedule may change, it is safer to plan your meal budget and festival visit according to announcements available at that time.

• Spring event: Webfoot-octopus and flounder festival
• Autumn event: Jumbo shrimp festival
• Sea-road festival period: Around the 15th day of the seventh lunar month
• Seafood market: Guidance to buy seafood and use a second-floor restaurant
• Table-setting fee: Listed as 10,000–15,000 won per kilogram as of 2021