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Taehwagang or Ilsan Beach?

Both are good first bases in Ulsan, and they suit different trips. Taehwagang puts you in the city centre, by the national garden, the bamboo grove and the trains to Busan and Gyeongju; Ilsan Beach puts you on the coast, by Daewangam Park's pines, rocks and lighthouse. Here is how to choose.

The verdict

For a first visit, a trip without a car or a stay that moves on by train, choose Taehwagang: Taehwagang Station has KTX-Eum and the Donghae Line metro, limousines 5001 and 5003 on Ulsan City's 2021 list link the centre to KTX Ulsan Station, and the national garden and the Milky Way Trail are on the river. For the sea, families and sunrise, choose Ilsan Beach: Dong-gu's sandy beach is close to Daewangam Park, Seuldo and the Ulsandaegyo Observatory fill the evening, and Jangsaengpo's whales are in neighbouring Nam-gu. Two nights? Take one of each.

Side by side

Taehwagang & the City Centre and Ilsan Beach & Daewangam, side by side
Taehwagang & the City CentreIlsan Beach & Daewangam
Getting thereKTX-Eum or the Donghae Line metro from Bujeon to Taehwagang Station: about 40 minutes by KTX-Eum (VisitKorea, 2026), 76 minutes by metro (Busan City, 2022).Limousine 5002 from KTX Ulsan Station stops at Ilsan Beach, every 26 minutes (Ulsan City, 2021); from Taehwagang Station, take a taxi.
Trains and busesTaehwagang Station: Donghae Line metro, KTX-Eum to Gyeongju and Bujeon; limousines 5001 and 5003 to KTX Ulsan Station (Ulsan City, 2021).Limousine 5002 to KTX Ulsan Station (Ulsan City, 2021); taxis to Taehwagang Station and Jangsaengpo.
Best forFirst visits, travelling without a car, spring festivals, onward trains.Beach days, coastal walks, families, sunrise, whales.
NatureTaehwagang National Garden, Korea's second national garden (2019), and the 4 km Simni bamboo grove.A semicircular sandy beach with clean, cold water, and Daewangam Park's pine trail and rocks.
EveningsThe bamboo grove's Milky Way Trail, open 24 hours, and the Keunaegi Night Market in the old downtown.Sunset at Seuldo Island, then the Ulsandaegyo Observatory, open until 21:00 (closed 2nd and 4th Mondays).
Sightseeing within reachTaehwaru Pavilion, Culture Street, Ulsan Keunaegi House, the Koboksu Music Salon, Ulsan Museum and Ulsan Grand Park.Daewangam Rock, the 303 m suspension bridge, Ulgi Lighthouse, Jujeon Mongdol Beach and Jangsaengpo's whale village and museum.
Day trips and onward travelGyeongju and Busan by KTX-Eum from Taehwagang Station; Seoul's Cheongnyangni by the Jungang Line KTX-Eum, which runs via Ulsan (Korail).Jangsaengpo in neighbouring Nam-gu; KTX Ulsan Station by limousine 5002 (Ulsan City, 2021) for the KTX and SRT.
FestivalsThe Spring Flower Festival and the Jazz Festival in May; the Maduhee Festival on Culture Street in June.The Shipbuilding & Sea Festival at Ilsan Beach in July; the Daewangam Sunrise Festival on 1 January.
FeelA river city: gardens, bamboo, a pavilion and an old market quarter.A shipbuilding coast: sand, pines, sea rocks and lighthouses.

Choose Taehwagang & the City Centre if

  • It is your first time in Ulsan
  • You are travelling without a car
  • You are arriving or leaving by train from Busan or Gyeongju
  • You want the bamboo grove's Milky Way Trail after dark

Choose Ilsan Beach & Daewangam if

  • You want to wake up by the sea
  • You are travelling with children who want shallow water
  • Daewangam Park and its suspension bridge are the point of the trip
  • You want a sunrise over the sea, or a day with Jangsaengpo's whales

Questions visitors ask

Is Taehwagang or Ilsan Beach better without a car?

Taehwagang. Taehwagang Station has KTX-Eum trains and the Donghae Line metro to Busan, and limousines 5001 and 5003 run to KTX Ulsan Station on Ulsan City's 2021 list. Ilsan Beach is reached by limousine 5002 from KTX Ulsan Station or by taxi from Taehwagang Station, which makes it the stay for a beach break rather than a moving trip.

Which is better for a sunrise?

Ilsan Beach and Daewangam. Dong-gu holds the Daewangam Sunrise Festival on 1 January and writes that sunrise at Daewangam Rock is said to be earlier than at Ganjeolgot except in early January and late December. VisitKorea lists Daewangam Park as open 24 hours, so a night on this coast puts you there for dawn.

Where should families stay in Ulsan?

At Ilsan Beach for a beach holiday: Ulsan City says its shallow water suits families, with festivals, performances and water sports in summer, and Daewangam Park has its own campground. For a city break with children, Taehwagang's national garden and Ulsan Grand Park, with its Rose Festival in May, are the draw.

Read both in full.

Taehwagang & the City Centre guideIlsan Beach & Daewangam guide

Sources & review

Editorial review: · Korea Standard Time