Beach Festivals: Cuddle Up to Some Cuttlefish

In this hot weather, a sea breeze, some surf and a sandy beach become more attractive than ever. Maybe you are dreaming of plunging into the sea, splashing in the water, sunbathing and strolling on a moonlit beach. If you've already made up your mind to spend your vacation on a beach this summer, but have not chosen where to go, consider the following. It will be a lot of fun to visit one of these beaches where you can enjoy a variety of summer festivals and events.

Busan city

Busan Sea Festival 2001 will be held from Wednesday to Saturday at six beaches around Pusan city, including Haeundae, Gwanganri and Dadaepo. The festival will begin with a big parade, including a group presenting a presentation of "tongsinsa," envoys send to Japan during the Choson dynasty (1832-1910). The parade will be accompanied by a variety of music played by military bands, brass bands and Korean traditional folk bands. The parade will be held around Haeundae beach at 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday followed by a large fireworks display. Another highlight of the festival is the annual sea dance festival, held this year at Daedaepo beach on Friday. Gwanganri will be the place for some exciting sports events and activities. During the festival, free lessons on how to swim with flippers will be offered on the beach. There will be beach volleyball matches on Thursday and swimming races on Friday.

For more information, visit the Web site at www.festival.busan.kr (English available).

Donghae city

The fifth Donghae City Squid Festival will be held at Mangsang beach from Thursday to Saturday. Donghae literally means "East Sea," and the coastal city in Kangwon province is famous for squid (ojingeo in Korean). The festival to celebrate the summer, the peak season for cuttlefish, offers many events related to the tasty cephalopod. On Thursday, the festival will feature a ritual called pungeoje, to wish for a plentiful catch of cuttlefish. Also on Thursday, there will be a parade of fishing boats on the sea. The boats, brightly lit to attract the cuttlefish, are quite a spectacle on a dark summer night. The parade will start at 9 p.m., accompanied by fireworks. Other cuttlefish events include Friday's competition in which local people will show off their skills at catching the fish with bare hands, baiting hooks, cooking, and cleaning. During the festival, there will be a special market open on the beach. The market will offer high-quality cuttlefish products, including dried or half-dried, at reasonable prices.

For more information, visit the Web site at www.tonghae.kangwon.kr (Korean only).

Yeongdeok county

Yeongdeok county, North Kyongsang province, known mostly as a habitat for snow crabs, is also a prime spot for sweet and juicy peaches. The county is holding its annual Yeongdeok Beach Festival at its three beaches, Jangsa, Goraebul and Daejin until Sunday. The festival offers events such as sand sculpting, speed peach eating and pit spitting, as well as film screenings on the beach, dance performances and concerts. During the festival, visitors can take a free ride on banana-shaped boats on the beaches.

For more information, visit the Web site at www.youngduk.kyongbuk.kr (Korean only).

by Kim Sae-joon