Earlier this year I was lucky enough to spend 5 days in Busan, South Korea. Before arriving I knew virtually nothing about Korea’s second-largest city, but as Busan slowly revealed itself to me I realised why it is such a hot destination. It is incredibly popular as a beach destination for Koreans and Japanese, but it is so much more. Over these 5 days in Busan, Kynie and I had a wonderful time learning just what makes it tick, and why it is so much more than a beach destination.
Day 1 — Arriving in Busan
Our Silk Air flight arrived nice and early in the morning and we caught a Limousine Bus from the airport to Haeundae Beach. The Limousine bus sounds fancy but I think there might be a translation error somewhere along the line. It’s not a limousine as we know it — the kind we might hire to arrive at the Academy Awards — it’s just a regular-sized bus but the seats do recline a long way for what that’s worth. The bus was only 7,000 won (~$10) per person, which is very inexpensive.
The bus dropped us off at Haeundae Beach right next to the aquarium. The next challenge was to find our hotel, Citadines Haeundae. Interestingly, Google Maps does not work well in Korea, something to do with the government not wanting their map data stored in offshore data centres. I always download the map of the area ahead of time but this time I was unable to do so.
I had a vague idea where the hotel was in relation to the beach but Maps was not much help. We walked along the beach and found — of all things — a Starbucks. Not the introduction to Korean culture I wanted but if there’s one thing guaranteed about Starbucks it’s that it has good WiFi. We ordered a couple of cold coffees (oh yeah, at 8am it was already hot) and after about 15 minutes searching for an address and/or a map, we worked out that we were only a few blocks away.
This was a rare time that I was actually not all that prepared!
Gunam-ro is the main drag of Haeundae. Restaurants line the wide street and there is a broad pedestrian walkway in the middle between the lanes of traffic. As it turns out, Starbucks was at one end of the street and Citadines was at the other, directly underneath the metro station.
If you prefer to have someone else do the trip organising for you, check out these South Korea Tour Packages.
Citadines Haeundae
We had arranged an early check-in which was fortunate as we were able to have a rest and refresh after the overnight flight. The room was spacious and equipped with a kitchenette and a comfortable bed. We recharged for about an hour before heading out again.
Haeundae Beach
Even though we got a good few hours on the flight, it still takes it out of you. So we felt that a morning at the beach was the best way to shake it off. We walked back down Gunam-ro to Haeundae Beach and rented an umbrella. An umbrella and mat cost 8,000 won, and you actually get to keep the mat (handy if you think you’ll be back).
The sun was shining high and the sky was clear; a perfect beach day.
I whipped out my book and Kynie closed her eyes and allowed the sounds of holiday-goers to fill our ears. The water was crisp but perfectly refreshing. In fact, with the exception of the umbrellas, the beach was not dissimilar to the type of beaches we have back home in Newcastle.
Haeundae Market
On the way back to the hotel we spotted an alley with an abundance of food stalls and, being about lunchtime, we wandered down. There were many different options to choose from with most options either involving selecting some tempura seafood from a pile and watching them cook it in front of you, or selecting something from a fish tank. We selected some dumplings and upon eating the first one immediately wished we’d ordered double.
Busan Tower, Yongdusan Park
After lunch we jumped on the subway and headed over to the Nampo district — which is at the other end of Busan — and headed up the Busan Tower. I love going up towers because I love getting the lay of the land. It gives me perspective and helps me understand the city I am in.
Busan Tower did that and more. Busan Tower sits on its own in Yongdusan Park. It is uniquely situated on a hill, but not close to any other high-rise so you get a great top-down, close up view of the rest of the city and out to the mountains.
The tower is a landmark from anywhere else in the city, but from the top, it gives sweeping views out to the ocean and very busy harbour. Behind you, the city sprawls out right up the base of the nearby mountains, framing the city.
Gukje Market
There are many markets around Nampo, but the biggest is Gukje Market. Gukje market means the international market. It was named so because after the Korean War, many American soldiers came and set up stalls here, selling their products that were new to Koreans.
The market itself is huge. We didn’t realise it at the time, but after the Tower we started exploring and came upon streets upon blocks of markets. We didn’t see any signs at first so didn’t know what market it was. We only saw one sign saying “Gukje Market”, which was on the outside of a long undercover mall. It wasn’t until later that we realised it is ALL the market. The undercover section seemed to have a lot of household goods, while the outside parts seemed to have more clothes, shoes, hats, handbags, cheap jewellery, etc. When you see the umbrellas, you’re in Gukje.
BIFF Square
Biff Square, named for the Busan International Film Festival that has been held here every year since 1996, is a great place to get a feed. It was around 5:30 and we were fading fast. Luckily, some of the vendors were opening their stalls, and, feeling quite hungry, I pointed to some tempura-battered fish objects at one stall and a lady deep fried them for me for 4,000. It came with some clear soup and was delicious.
Street food done right.
Day 2 — On Tour in Busan
For our second day we had organised a driving tour around Busan with a local guide. This is a great way to see a LOT in a short amount of time. Mr Dony (our guide) was so much fun to go around with and he knew so much about the places we went to. Some of Busan’s best places are a little bit removed too so having a car made it so much more manageable.
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Our first stop was Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. In Korean, haedong means ocean, yong means dragon, and gung is a temple. So roughly translated you have Ocean Dragon Temple.
The temple dates back to before the 16th century, when it was burnt down by the Japanese invasion of Korea between 1592 and 1598. After a long time spent in ruin, the temple was rebuilt in the 1930s and renamed in the 1970s. The temple has several different Buddha statues for you to rub depending on what you need prayers for including a large one at the top which will grant you one wish (and no wishing for more wishes). It’s a beautiful setting to take in some of Korea’s cultural history.
Gwangan bridge
A drive across the Gwangan Bridge is a must. The bridge is 7.2 km long and gives a great view from the ocean back to the city. It was built to connect the New and old harbour and reduce drive time to the highway and thus Seoul. Since traffic in Busan can be slow at times, the bridge can make cross-city travel very efficient.
Taejongdae Resort Park
Taejongdae Resort Park sits out on the Yeongdo-gu peninsula at the southeast of Busan. It is less of a park (wherein you might find fields of grass) and more of a forest sitting atop seaside cliffs.
The Park is well established and, unless you love unnecessary walking, requires a shuttle to get around. The Danubi Train makes several stops, but we opted to just alight at one of the more impressive sounding ones: the lighthouse. Down a few hundred steps, the lighthouse is perched in a dramatic location above the sea and has mesmerising views out over the sea as far as Haeundae.
Lunch at Wok Jang Ko (목장원)
Lunch was at Wok Jang Ko, an amazing barbecue restaurant not far from Taejongdae Park.
I could honestly eat Korean barbecue every meal of the day. We had beef which was marinated in this sweet soy sauce and was so tender. For those unfamiliar, the meat is actually cooked on the hot plate in the middle of the table by you. It came with uncountable sides, and a choice of either cold noodle soup or rice with a bowl of spicy tofu soup. I paired mine with a bowl of cold noodles, popular among Koreans on hot days like this.
Yeongdodaegyo Bridge
The Yeongdodaegyo Bridge is a drawbridge that opens once a day to allow boat traffic to pass between the north and south ports. It is really only mildly interesting, but its significance is not in what it looks like but in its story, as it played a crucial role in the Korean War.
Built in 1934, the bridge connects to Yeongdodaegyo island. Before then traffic and people had to take a ferry across. But the bridge would block access to the Old harbour so they needed a way for the boats to still get through. Seems simple enough.
Since the bridge was built so long ago this was pretty novel for people and many came from all over Korea to see it. Rumour had also spread to North Korea in the 1950s of the bridge and when people were escaping with their families to Busan they would arrange to meet at this bridge because it’s the only landmark of which they knew. That’s why on the island there are a lot of North Korean people and also why there are so many markets nearby: you need shelter and you have to eat.
Gamcheon Culture Village
Not long ago Gamcheon Culture Village was an obscure, local village not for anything by anyone. In the last decade it has become one of the most popular sites for visitors to Busan. It has been reborn from a regular village into a tourism hub thanks to some clever planning from the Residents Committee. They embarked on an ambitious artistic enterprise a few years ago to install artistic installations around the town and paint the entire town bright colours. And this of course brought the Intagrammers.
The village is situated on a hill and is filled with high and twisting roads, and when the iconic colourful houses are viewed from the other side of the bowl, you can begin to understand why tourism has boomed in recent years. It was hot so we didn’t walk too far but the view from the cafe in which we stopped was phenomenal.
Songdo Beach and Cloud Walk
On the way back to the hotel we took a stroll on the Songdo Cloud Walk and Oruykdo SkyWalk. According to the Busan Metro Map, Songdo Beach was the first designated swimming beach in Korea. Nearby is the Songdo Marine Cable Car, which flies overhead, and the Songdo Cloud Walk. We took the Cloud Walk, which took us a few hundred metres out over the bay and under the cable car. It was most pleasant, but on a hot day, I was pretty keen to jump in that water.
Oruykdo Skywalk
Located at the south end of the Igidae Coastal Walk, the Skywalk is a glass platform that juts out over the cliffs. It’s not massive but it is novel and free, and the view from the cliff side is pretty great too. Unlike other glass Skywalks, they do actually let you take your camera gear on it too.
Korean BBQ for dinner
Enamoured with our lunch we decided that it couldn’t hurt to eat more Korean barbecue. We were right, this time choosing a restaurant that specialised in pork just off the main strip of Haeundae, though I have no idea what it was called.
I preferred the beef but the pork was good too, and the experience is always fun. We ordered cheesy rice on the side and they blow torched it to melt the cheese. And on the way out, we helped ourselves to some soft serve.
Day 3
Beomosa temple
On Day 3 we headed for the mountains, which you might remember are not far away. The first stop was Beomosa Temple, which is blessed with an incredibly beautiful setting up in the Busan mountains. It has many buildings of different uses, and when we went on a Saturday morning there were at least 3 different worship ceremonies on.
All Buddhist temples will have 3 gates representing the 3 gates you must pass through in Buddhist spirituality. 3 is their lucky number so you’ll find most things in the temple in multiples of 3.
Geumgang Park
Not far from Beomosa Temple is Geumgang Park, the gateway to the Geumjeongsanseong Fortress. There are many hiking trails around the fortress and is very popular with locals. You can hike up to the fortress if you like, but most people take the cable car. From the top station we hiked about 20 minutes, following signs to the South Gate before returning. It was hot so I was happy with it being a short hike.
Hurshimcheong Hot spring
After much walking and plenty of heat it was time to relax in one of Korea’s much-loved traditions: the onsen. An onsen is a type of spa that is fed by a natural hot spring. Hurshimcheong Spa is located inside the luxurious Hotel Nong Shim and is well known throughout Korea. Like similar spas across this part of the world, you do not wear swimwear.
This was my first onsen experience (with the exception of naïvely innocently walking into my hotel onsen in Japan last year camera at the ready), so at first it was a little disconcerting. You put all your gear in a locker and, wearing nothing but a payment bracelet and an overly casual face, walk out to the spa. The spa is inside a cavernous room with countless pools to bathe in, each at a different temperature and with different furniture to aid in relaxation. And after about 20 minutes I began to relax.
Unfortunately, no photos have ever been taken inside the hot spring so there’s no visual aids for me to share.
Dongrae area and markets
Dongrae was a fascinating area to walk. We started at an indoor wet market, where there were tanks of fish and people eating at any number of little stores. Outside, the markets were selling anything from fresh fruits and vegetables to pigs hoof. The latter was really bizarre to see. The streets were stereotypical Korean with huge, colourful Korean letter plastered over every spare piece of wall.
We were also introduced to Korean Chinese food for lunch, which we didn’t realise was a thing. Like the name suggests, it is the Korean adaptation of Chinese food and was delicious. You order a central dish to share (We had sweet pork) and a side dish on your own (I had noodles in a black bean sauce), the elements of which I’ve eaten both at Chinese restaurants and Korean restaurants.
United Nations Korean War Memorial
The last stop on the tour was the UN Korean War Memorial. The site was gifted to the UN after the Korean War and allows space for Koreans and other nations involved in the war to pay their respects to the soldiers that lost their lives in the conflicts. It is very green and gives an aura of hope and of new life without saying a word.
KFC for dinner
That’s right, it finally happened. For dinner we found a place in Haeundae for some Korean fried chicken. It was sticky, it was sweet, and it was so damn big I barely got through half of it. If there weren’t so many more delicious Korean meals to eat I would have taken it with me.
Day 4
After 2 intense days of touring a relaxing day was in order. We had a sleep in and slowly made our way over the Gwangalli Beach, one bay around from Haeundae.
Gwangalli beach
Gwangalli Beach was much calmer than Haeundae for some reason. Not in terms of the waves (that was pretty mild in both cases) but the people, there were much fewer people and umbrellas there. We rented an umbrella again and settled in for some people watching and book reading.
Out on the water was a frenzy of activity. Every few minutes a boat would drive past towing someone. There was no shortage of jet skis enjoying the sun. We even saw some futuristic-looking jet propelled boards. We couldn’t quite figure those ones out.
The best part though is the beach looks right out to the Gwangan Bridge in the ocean. Gwangalli Beach was the perfect way to spend a few hours slowing down after a 3 busy days sightseeing.
Roseland
As we left the beach we noticed a 3 story building with a balcony and it looked like a perfect place for refuelling. We were right.
The balcony had a fantastic view of Gwangalli Beach and the Busan Bridge beyond. It had a real floral theme but not in a feminine sense, more of a natural sense. Our sandwiches and coffee were served on a mirrored tray with leafy decorations. It suited the atmosphere perfectly and tasted good too.
Watch a Lotte Giants Baseball match
For the evening’s entertainment we had tickets to see the local baseball team, the Lotte Giants, take on the Doosan Bears.
Because we didn’t know how long anything would take we allowed heaps of time. It was about 35 minutes on the subway from Haeundae and we picked up our tickets easily from the box office. This left us a generous 30 minutes spare to find our seats, explore the stadium and get some dinner.
On the way into the stadium I was amazed to see people selling boxes of chicken and cans of beer out of cooler boxes in preparation for the game. It seemed ok to bring these in too, you just had to pour it into a plastic cup first, which they provided everyone upon entrance.
The food and drinks inside the stadium are all quite reasonable I thought. 2700-4000 won for a pint, 6000 for a cup of chicken, 4000-6000 for a burger, 2000 for a soft drink. There didn’t seem to be a stadium monopoly price like you usually see at all.
Inside there was no shortage of food options. I had a bulgagi burger from Lotteria, a large Korean chain and some chicken. Kynie had a hot dog. But there was also sushi, and random seafood, like octopus. And they had 7/11s inside from which you could buy big cans of beer and then must immediately pour it into a cup. It was all very bizarre.
The match began and so did the entertainment, and by entertainment I mean the thousands of red-poncho-wearing fans singing along with the player songs when they came into bat or pitch. There were dancers and a guy leading it from a small stage and every time the team made a hit or got someone out they would shoot water from cannons over the entire ‘Exciting Zone’ section. A few people had hoses which they sprayed continuously around them and occasionally the mascots would go up on scissor lifts to spray people.
It was all very exciting and because it was warm, getting wet was not an issue. And besides, it’s part of the game and everyone prepares by bringing ponchos.
Day 5
Seokbulsa
For our last day in Busan Kynie and I split up. I went hiking to find a temple hidden deep in the mountains. And Kynie relaxed around Haeundae. Both excellent choices for things to do in Busan.
I got the metro back out to Geumgang Park Cable Car, the same one from Day 2. I hiked to the South Gate again but this time I continued on, down the hill, past a small village, some tennis courts in disrepair, and finally ascended about 500 metres of steep switchback road.
The temple is built into the side of a rock and the main temple courtyard has 7 huge images of people carved into its walls. There are 2 small worship halls and a handful of shrines. It was very quiet; I only saw 2 other worshippers visiting the temple in the half an hour I was there. I took the long, scenic route, but you if you get the subway to Mandeok Station, you could get a cab almost to the top. My way was more fun though, and more rewarding.
Burger in New York
The hike had sapped my energy and I’d run out of snacks, so by the time I got back to Citadines and showered I was well ready for dinner. Back home, Kynie and I are burger fiends and Kynie had found this burger joint not far from the Haeundae strip called Burger in New York. It’s nothing to do with Korean cuisine and everything to do with classic NY style burgers. Which we were fine with.
A couple of thin patties, melted yellow cheese, bacon, ketchup, mustard and some tomato and lettuce for colour, all between a couple of soft buns in a plastic basket. Absolutely delicious and paired beautifully with a Goose Island IPA.
The Bay 101
We closed out our time in Busan with dessert and drinks at the Bay 101. The restaurant at the Bay 101 restaurant, Fingers and Chat, is a gourmet fish and chip joint but because we had a late lunch and was big, at 7pm we were not even close to being hungry.
But the pastry and tart shop did get my attention. We ate a brownie and a custard tart as the sun set behind the city leaving behind beautiful pink hues splashed across the sky. It was a magical evening to close out the second leg of #squadSQ.
As part of #squadsSQ, my time in Singapore was hosted by Singapore Airlines and Citadines Haeundae but the fun I describe was 100% real.
Let’s keep in touch
Sign up for the mailing list below for the chance to become best friends.
Want to save this for later? Pin this, just hover.
Thank you, this information is very useful for me. Submit your site to favorites
One of the best travel guide for the first-timers. Really go through this blog if you are going for the first time
great post. Thanks for sharing travel experience step by step .