Wando beaches open with festivals, healing pools — and global eco-tourism honor

Sinji Myeongsasimni Beach, one of Wando County's representative vacation spots, earned the Blue Flag certification for eight consecutive years.

Sinji Myeongsasimni Beach in Wando County, South Jeolla [WANDO COUNTY OFFICE]

Three Blue Flag-certified beaches in Wando County, South Jeolla, are slated to open Saturday, according to county officials.

Blue Flag certification is an international eco-label awarded to beaches that are clean and eco-friendly by the nonprofit Foundation for Environmental Education, based in Denmark. It evaluates beaches on 137 criteria across water quality, safety, environmental education and facilities.

Sinji Myeongsasimni Beach, one of Wando County's representative vacation spots, has earned the Blue Flag certification for eight consecutive years. Among 5,042 beaches worldwide that received the status this year, including five in Korea, Sinji Myeongsasimni Beach was also named in the certification's global “Special Mention Top 10.”

The beach opened on Saturday to this summer's vacationers, in tandem with the annual "Mt. Gyejoksan Barefoot Festival," where participants walk barefoot along a 14.5-kilometer (9-mile) red clay trail.

“Being selected among the global top 10 Blue Flag beaches proves Myeongsasimni is not only one of the finest vacation spots on Korea’s southern coast, but also internationally recognized for its pristine environment,” said Wando County Mayor Shin Woo-cheol. “We will further develop Myeongsasimni into a top-tier wellness tourism destination where visitors can enjoy both summer recreation and marine healing.”

Sinji Myeongsasimni Beach in Wando County, South Jeolla [WANDO COUNTY OFFICE]

During its opening season, Myeongsasimni Beach is slated to host a slew of events, including sand sculpture exhibitions, beach volleyball tournaments and live busking performances.

On Saturday evening, the county's annual “Healing Chimaek Festival” featuring fried chicken, beer and an EDM concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Last year’s "Chimaek Festival" drew over 4,000 visitors, according to the county.

Sinji Myeongsasimni Beach in Wando County, South Jeolla [WANDO COUNTY OFFICE]

The name Myeongsasimni is commonly used for beaches across Korea, but the one in Wando County is unique in its meaning. While other beaches use Chinese characters meaning “bright sand,” Wando’s version uses characters that mean “crying sand." The name refers to the distinctive sound the sand makes as waves wash over it — a sweeping, rustling noise that is said to carry for miles.

Behind the vast 4-kilometer stretch of the beach's coastline is a pine forest suitable for camping and cooking. The nearby rocky coastline attracts anglers from all over the country due to its diverse range of fish species. Since the bridge connecting Wando and Sinji Island opened in 2005, the beach has drawn over one million visitors annually.

Also driving recent tourism is the Wando Marine Healing Center, which opened in November 2023 near Myeongsasimni Beach. The center offers wellness activities inspired by ancient Greek thalassotherapy, otherwise known as healing using seawater. They include thalasso pools, meditation pools, seawater mist rooms, seaweed foam baths, mud therapy, seaweed body wraps and stone massages.

In addition to Myeongsasimni, Bogil Island's Yesongri Beach in Wando County received Blue Flag certification for the fifth year in a row, while Cheongsan Island's Sinheungri Beach, also in Wando County, was certified for the third straight year. These two beaches will open from July 25 through Aug. 17.

Bogil Island's Yesongri Beach in Wando County, South Jeolla [WANDO COUNTY OFFICE]

Yesongri Beach is known for its clean pebbled shore with little sediment and excellent natural purification while Sinheungri Beach has calm waves and clear water, making it one of Korea’s safest beaches.

Dadaepo Beach in Busan and Daekwang Beach in Shinan County, South Jeolla, also hold Blue Flag certifications.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY CHOI KYEONG-HO [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]