Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Largest number of beach umbrellas: Haeundae Beach sets world record (Video)

BUSAN, South Korea -- Covered end-to-end with 7,937 multihued parasols that turned the beige sand into a sea of blue, red, white and pink, the Haeundae Beach, South Korea's popular summer playground sets the world record for the Largest number of beach umbrellas.

  Photo: More than 300,000 people pack umbrella-heavy Haeundae Beach near Busan, South Korea. ( enlarge photo )

The Guinness world record for the largest beach towel measured 87.14 m (285 ft 10 in) in length and 25.20 m (82 ft 8 in) in width and was manufactured by Fateka S.L. on behalf of Compañía Cervecera de Canarias (Tropical brand).

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest inflatable beach ball: 14.70 m (48 ft 2 in) in diameter, created by IDCL (Nigeria) on behalf of MTN Nigeria.

  On this day, Haeundae was packed with 300,000 people. On record days, 1 million visitors flock to the curved waterside attraction with its own jail and police force numbering 300 officers.

  There are also 200 lifeguards, many of them patrolling the water aboard jet skis, beneath several hovering helicopters.

( enlarge photo )

  Not long ago, Haeundae applied for inclusion in Guinness World Records for the largest number of beach umbrellas (7,937) — in this country where tans are dismissed as the mark of laborers — but officials were informed that the book had no such category.

  Each evening, with the umbrellas gone, the beach is transformed into a cruising scene for young South Koreans, their flirtations backlighted by the high-rise hotels that line the shore.
  To guard against alcohol-induced drownings, security guards scan the sand from nearby building tops using night-vision binoculars.