Wave Garden in South Korea
In May 2025, we went to South Korea to test the Wave Garden wave. Frankly, we'd always dreamed of riding a simulator like this! The wave is very popular, and without any prior arrangement, we met a lot of friends there who happened to be riding it at the same time as us.

What is the Wave Garden? It's two huge pools with a right and left wave—a complete simulation of ocean waves that launch every 20 seconds. If you miss the wave and fall, you have to be extremely careful to avoid being hit by the surfer behind you and quickly paddle to a safe zone.

The wave offers scheduled rides at three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Given our experience and the size of the waves we usually ride in the ocean, we were hesitant between intermediate and advanced. But when we arrived at the spot and tried riding the intermediate level, we couldn't do it—we had to switch to the beginner level (a calmer, lower-level wave).

For a long time, we couldn't figure out why surfing at Wave Garden was so difficult: it turns out the ocean can be incredibly forgiving of mistakes while surfing, but the waves in Korea are unforgiving of absolutely everything. As we later discovered, ocean waves have a very large driving zone—even if a surfer isn't quite in the right point, they still move. At Wave Garden, there's only one generally correct position: if you don't find it in time, the wave stops pushing you completely. It's also crucial to listen to the instructors' advice and ride the wave correctly.

In May, the water was icy cold; we surfed in wetsuits. The complex itself has a café, a swimming pool, a children's area, and lounge chairs, but everything is closed in May. However, in warm weather, you can have a great time there.

Here are some recommendations for your trip:
- The instructors on duty in the water try to launch surfers every 20 seconds to ensure no waves are wasted. They don't always monitor whether the surfer in front of you has gone off or fallen. Therefore, to avoid a collision, monitor the person in front of you yourself. And if they've fallen and are in your potential path, let the wave pass and give them time to swim to a safer area.
- When renting boards, we recommend video recording, as everyone in our group had to pay between 10,000 and 30,000 rub for damage. However, some claimed the boards hadn't been hit, so the question of whether this damage had occurred before remains rhetorical, but everyone had to pay. It's better to be on the safe side and record a video of the board when you rent it.
- They didn't have a personal trainer at the time of the trip, but we managed to negotiate and add this option. If you need a coach, try talking to the management.
- During the colder months, the complex offers wetsuit rentals, but we also recommend bringing waterproof shoes with thick soles suitable for walking on asphalt. Regular wetsuit socks will tear on the first day. By the way, the wetsuits you rent are disinfected after each use. Not like the way we're all used to :))
- Take your first sets at the beginner level, even if you're a good ocean surfer – this will help you understand the waves. Beginner and intermediate levels are suitable for those who are confident on the board and surf well. Advanced levels are only suitable for those with VERY HIGH surfing skills.