Christopher Jay
While the eastern and southern coasts of the Korean Peninsula are championed by many as the beach line to frequent, the west coast of Korea remains the much maligned black sheep of the family.
Having sought advice many times as to where one might venture to for a coastal trip, very few people have ever pointed this writer to the west.
The name Yellow Sea comes from the color of its water. The relatively shallow sea receives large amounts of silt and sand from Chinese rivers and the Korean coastal waters have been tidally mixed with run-off and discharge from the Korean peninsula. The wetlands along the west coast are some of the largest in the world and include nearly 100,000 hectares of tidal mud flats. While sandy beaches are what we seek, mud certainly does not equal pollution. In fact, quite the opposite, as tidal mud flats can absorb sewage and organic matter that might flow into the sea from land. Just a one meter squared area of tidal flat is capable of purifying 1 to 2 kg of waste per year.
It is true that some parts of the west coast are heavily industrialized and that others are badly developed, but if you look carefully there are some diamonds in the rough. Situated in the beautiful Taean Marine National Park, Mallipo is one of the biggest beaches in Korea and possibly the cleanest beach on the west coast. The high tide peels back to reveal three kilometers of golden sand that is flanked by rocky outcrops and lush pine trees. Less developed than Daecheon Beach, the beachfront restaurants offer all sorts of weird and wonderful seafood, all served with the ubiquitous Korean hospitality. September and October is shrimp season on the peninsula and Mallipo offers tanks full of them swimming in circles ready to be cooked over salt or drowned in butter and garlic. “Daeha” as the Koreans call the corpulent shrimp, sell for 40,000 won per kilo and are utterly delicious.