10 Best Free Things to Do in Ulsan

Ilsan Beach where a 600-metre-long white sandy beach curves gradually like a half moon is a place that offers comfortable rest. Waves are gentle thanks to its topography that curls in like an earthen pot, which is why there is no difficulty in sea bathing and water sports even for novice swimmers. Cook simple dishes for your family and lover and take a picnic basket and a mat to set off to the beach. You will be able to enjoy Mother Nature that gives you everything it has.

If you want to stay a little longer, try outdoor camping on the beach. In the morning after a night in a tent set up over the vast sandy beach with a view of the beautiful sea, you will be able to welcome the sun rising through the dawn of the East Sea. The sunrise in the East Sea is always mesmerising even if it is not the first day of the year. The sea of Ilsan Beach greets every single visitor with the same beauty and generosity.

Daewangam Park is a beautiful seaside park known for huge pine trees and the indigo-coloured sea. It holds a mystical legend that the queen of Munmu, the king of Silla who accomplished unification of the Three States, died and later became a patriotic dragon before being buried underneath a rock in Ulsan. After walking past a forest of 15,000 pine trees and a suspension bridge, you will reach Daewangam. The rock itself and the waves that crash into it create a nice panorama.

As you walk along a trail with the pine trees above you like a roof, the scent of pine inhaled through your nose soon spread throughout your body. The 303-metre-long suspension bridge is safe to accommodate 1,285 adults walking over it at the same time but the bridge wobbles and, also, you can watch the sea way below through a wired net beneath you, which makes it so thrilling that will make your legs shake. Many people have visited the park ever since the opening of the suspension bridge and, whenever you walk over the rocks and take pictures, make sure to be careful and not to lose your footing.

Ulsan Culture and Arts Centre was established to provide citizens with a source of inspiration and emotional stability through an abundant cultural life. Since it first opened in 1995, the centre has aimed to be an open cultural space hosting a variety of performances and exhibitions. It features a grand performing hall and a small theatre that accommodate 1,555 and 472 people, respectively, as well as an outdoor performing stage with 650 seats and four exhibits where rich and diverse programmes are presented to the audience.

As a place for the cultural life of citizens, the centre frequently hosts high-quality classic and pop culture performances and, to lower the barrier for those who may feel a bit financially burdened, it also holds many performances and exhibits that are free. In fact, more than 80% of all rental performances and exhibitions are free so the audience can fully enjoy a life of culture without any burden. Visit the website and click on a rental performance or exhibit to check the ticket information and enjoy a wide variety of performances throughout the year.

Ulsan Whale Festival is a local festival held every year under the theme of whales, which are the symbol of the region. Because the festival takes place in Jangsaengpo, which was once a base for whale fishing, it is also known as the Jangsaengpo Whale Festival. Exact dates vary every year but it normally takes place in May or June. From the opening ceremony and performances to Gocheonje, street parade, Jangsaengpo Punggyeongje, Whale Singing Contest and closing ceremony, a variety of programmes are available for free.

Not only that, it offers many special experiences and participating programmes such as whale ice sculpture contest, whale boat race, dolphin boat ride, prehistoric raft ride, prehistoric whale making and whale food contest, which is why it is a perfect place for families and people of all ages to spend a fun-filled day. It is a festival hosted by a village so there is no admissions fee, and most of the other events are also free of charge except for foods and snacks, so enjoy an exciting time here without much financial burden.

Taehwagang National Garden is an ultralarge, admissions-free garden established over 835,452㎡ of land with various themes such as ecology, bamboos, seasons, aquatic plants, participation and Rose of Sharon. Simnidae Forest, which is the nation's greatest bamboo forest, features seemingly endless lines of bamboo trees as tall as the sky. Many people visit to enjoy a bamboo forest bath and, as you sit on one of the many benches set up in the forest and breathe, fresh air instantly spreads throughout your body.

Eunhasu-gil turns on subdued lights at night like the Milky Way, which adds romance to the place. Chohwawon is a garden of flowers that puts on different colours from one season to the next, and the Chrysanthemum Garden is the place that attracts people every fall by its fragrant chrysanthemum scent. You will be able to take beautiful pictures anywhere in the park. It also frequently hosts various events and programmes such as a jazz festival and an installation art exhibition, so come visit to see nature and enjoy culture as well.

Seonam Lake Park was once an old pond that supplied water for agricultural and industrial usage but later became an ecological learning site in nature opened to residents for free. Boasting different colours from one season to the next, the park features a wildflower complex, Rose Tunnel, nature learning site, aquatic botanical garden, soccer field and outdoor stage all set up along the trail where you can relax and enjoy leisure activities. The themed rest area, which is home of the world's smallest religious facility, is a unique attraction that offers healing during a stroll.

It is also famous for cherry blossoms, which are in full bloom every spring along the 4-km-long road, and many people visit to take gorgeous pictures. From those who exercise to those on a date or a picnic, people of all ages visit the park for various purposes. It is a beautiful park that provides peaceful comfort for Ulsan citizens.

Ganjeolgot Cape, famous for its gorgeous sunrise, features the vast blue sea and a clean park. It is one of the three best sunrise watching spots along with Pohang's Homigot and Gangneung's Jeongdongjin, and Ganjeolgot is known to see the rising sun one minute earlier than Homigot and five minutes earlier than Jeongdongjin. In fact, the order of sunrise varies from one season to the next because of the tilted axis of the rotation of the earth. But, as the fact that the sun rises earliest at Ganjeolgot in wintertime, especially on January 1, became official, it has turned into a popular site for many to welcome in the new year.

Camp out in your car in a nearby free carpark and wait for the slowly rising sun. After spending a night in a cosy car, you will be able to go out to the sea a little early to watch the red, rising sun. Even if you miss the sunrise due to bad weather, forget about it. It's one more reason to visit beautiful Ganjeolgot one more time.

Jujeon Pebble Beach is a relaxing beach where black pebbles, which are rarely seen on the East Coast, form a 1.5-km-long seafront. These pebbles usually come flooding into the beach at high tide before returning to where they were at low tide.

Cafes and restaurants offer great views of this unique beach and gorgeous sea. It is also a great place for camping, thanks to a huge carpark. You can retire for the night to the sound of uniformly and gently crashing waves.

Ulsan Grand Park is a nature-friendly, ecological city park that provides both culture and rest. Enjoy culture and experience nature and ecology while participating in various energy-filled programmes. You may take a slow stroll around a vast area of 2,052,936 square metres that is free of any admissions fee. It will be an incredible time of communicating with precious nature in the industrial city of Ulsan.

In fall, romantic pink muhly in full bloom welcomes visitors. As you pass the plaza and pond and walk up around the Ulsan Big Bell, a sea of pink muhly unfolds before your eyes, and it is a spot you have to stop by if you do Instagram or any other social media. Check the time of sunset in advance and get there about an hour before. You will be able to take a selfie of your lifetime with the beautiful sky slowly turning red in the background.