South Korea, Busan
Busan is the largest port city in South Korea and the second largest metropolis. It has over 3.5 million inhabitants, and over 50,000 of them are foreigners who live and work here. “Busan—summer capital of South Korea” is the name the city fully deserves. The city has seven wonderful sandy beaches, and on the waterfront, there are luxury hotels with private beaches and restaurants serving the most sophisticated delicacies from around the world. There are also many summer festivals and concerts.
Both Koreans and Asian tourists love to visit Busan in the summer season. The city is well connected not only with the rest of the country (by fast trains) but also with Japan. For example, a fast ferry to Japanese Fukuoka arrives in less than three hours.
Tourists from outside Asia rarely reach the south of Korea. Most of them focus only on visiting Seoul.
I am glad that I visited this place. In the post below, I will introduce you to several places that will prove to you that Busan is a great tourist attraction. Therefore, I hope that you will find below some reasons why you will not want to miss this place during your visit to Korea. It’s worth visiting!
Busan – summer capital of South Korea. Where to start?
Gamcheon Culture Village – Machu Picchu of Busan
In the past, this district was inhabited by very poor people who were thrown outside the margins of society. In the 1950s of the last century, the situation worsened even more due to immigrants from North Korea settling here. It took only three years, and the number of homes increased from 20 to 800.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Busan city authorities decided to revitalize this place and make it a tourist attraction. The primary purpose of these changes was to create an art district, improve the standard of living of the local population and bring this part of the city back to life.
The district began to change. Artists living here were given “a free hand” in arranging the area. An atelier, small art galleries, cafes and restaurants were built in the abandoned houses. The local community got jobs, and part of the sales revenue is permanently allocated to the further development of the district. The draft of the changes turned out to be successful enough to be used in other parts of the country as a proven example. Moreover, school children also learn about it and pass the project knowledge exams.
Gamcheon Culture Village today
Today, exploring this part of the city is a must on every tourist route. Countless small sculptures, colourful houses, flowery squares and narrow streets attract tourists. Several main themes run through the entire district: The Little Prince, animals, people and books. It is worth planning a half-day here.
However, the biggest advantage of this place is its location. It is called “Machu Picchu” or the “Santorini of Busan” because the Gamcheon district is also on a steep mountain slope. From this slope, there is a majestic view of the bay, port, and Busan. The houses, painted in pastel colours, are placed on the hillside so that nobody obstructs the view of the bay. The view is worth a million dollars!
Ensure your cameras have charged batteries because I guarantee you will take many pictures in this place!
Gamcheon Village – Where to eat?
Meolakano Cafe is a place worth visiting. Time stopped here a dozen or so years ago. Around the cafe is an extensive collection of old vinyl records and everyday objects that can only be seen today in a museum or the homes of elderly people. Inside the cafe, on the walls and the ceiling, there are A-4 paper cards with greetings left by other tourists. The owner will ask you where you are from and he will find greetings left by other guests from your country. Maybe you’ll also find the greetings we left there 😊.
The cafe impresses with a fantastic atmosphere, delicious, although simple food and lovely service. You can eat mainly Bibimbap, rice with vegetables, beef, and egg seasoned with chilli pepper paste. Don’t miss this place!
Address: 251-4 (No.) 6-880, Gamcheon 2-dong, Saha-gu, Busan
Gamcheon Village – What else is worth knowing?
- Most places in the Gamcheon Village are open until 6:00 p.m., but outside of season, they close at 5:00 p.m.
- To take a picture of most attractions, you must queue up and wait your turn. In Korea, taking a “selfie” is so popular that people line up and do not disturb others. Everyone has “5 minutes” to take the perfect photo.
- In the Tourist Information office, buy a map of the area (2000 WON, about 1,8 $) where all city sculptures, art galleries and the most popular viewpoints are marked. The map will also show you 3 walking routes through the town: the longest route (about 2h), the medium route (about 1h 20 min.) and the shortest one (about 40 min.).
- The most attractive route is the longest one. I also suggest you get off the trail as often as you can because “wandering” around the area will give you the biggest satisfaction.
If you have the opportunity, don’t come here on the weekend but on a weekday. On weekends, residents visit this place, so it can be extremely crowded.
Busan Tower
On the hill towering above the city centre, there is pride and the largest
symbol of the city—Busan Tower (TV Tower). The tower stands 69 m a.s.l. and is 120 meters high. Its roof was formed in the shape of a pagoda roof located in the Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju.
Busan Tower is a favourite place for city residents and tourists. On the lower floors of the tower, there is an exhibition hall dedicated to the city. At the top of the tower, there are two observation terraces. This place is especially worth visiting during sunset because the tower offers a breathtaking view. An additional attraction is a laser show that starts after sunset. Projections that simulate fireworks are displayed on the tower windows (inside). This is a fantastic surprise with amazing visual effects!
The tower is open daily from 9.00 a.m. till 11.00 p.m. (the last entrance is at 10.30 p.m.). More to read on busantower.net
Special lighting effects are also displayed on the tower itself after sunset. It’s worth stopping for a moment and watching the show because it really impresses with ingenuity, colours, and form.
You have to visit this place while in the city. From the tower, there is a fantastic view of the port, bay, and city, and evening shows guarantee an unforgettable experience.
The tower is easy to reach because you can take the escalator to the top of the hill from Gwangbok-ro Street. Metro Line 1, Nampo Station (Exit 1).
Entrance ticket: 8000 WON (about 7 $).
Yeongdusan Park
The Busan Tower is not the only attraction in Yeongdusan Park. There is also a Flower Clock with a diameter of 5 meters – the only object of this type in South Korea, which also has a hand counting the seconds. The flower clock was created in 1973 and is considered a park symbol.
Another attraction and symbol of the city is the great bell, the Busan Citizens Bell. The bell can be heard during major celebrations, e.g., January 1 to welcome the New Year, March 1 on Independence Day, and August 15 on Liberation Day.
The park also has a Liberation Monument, a small temple, and a monument to Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the fleet commander during the Japanese-Korean War.
Beaches worth visiting not only during the summer
As I wrote earlier, the popular name “Busan summer capital of South Korea” is mainly because of its wonderful sandy beaches. There is a total of seven public beaches in Busan. The most popular one is Haeundae Beach. You can also read more about each of the beaches on the city’s official website: visitbusan.net
It is also worth noting that the beaches in Busan are a year-round attraction. In the summer season, you can rent beach beds and umbrellas, and changing rooms and showers are available. In the low season, many festivals, concerts, and water sports competitions take place on the beaches.
Haeundae Beach
Considered the most popular beach in South Korea. There are also strong arguments behind this statement: 5-star luxury hotels, top-level restaurants, the largest aquarium in the city offering swimming with sharks and a yacht harbour. In the summer season, the beach is visited by over a million tourists. Haeundae Beach has many attractions: summer festivals, concerts, and themed exhibitions (e.g. sand sculptures). The beach stretches for 1.5 km and is wide from 30 to 50 m. It is worth visiting and feeling its atmosphere – especially since it is also officially considered the cleanest beach in the city.
The beach attracts tourists in the evening because it is illuminated with a thousand lights. The Haeundae Light Show is an installation that stretches 1.6 km and begins at the Westin Chosun Hotel up to the Corea Condo. Illuminations are visible not only on the coast but also on the main squares, streets, walking paths, trees and bushes. The light show can be watched all year round, from sunset to midnight, and in the summer until 2.00 in the morning.
Haeundae Beach – What else is worth knowing?
- In the summer, between the 26th of July and the 11th of August, the beach and swimming pool are also open in the evenings! When out of season, the beach is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; on the hottest summer nights, swimming is possible until 9:00 p.m.
- The beach also has a spa with hot springs (Hot Spring Haeundae). It is the only spa of this type in Korea on the seafront. It is believed to have high healing properties, and many Koreans come here every year to cure their health ailments. In total, on Haeundae Beach, there are 9 baths offering baths in healing water. They are different in terms of the service provided and from a price perspective.
- The beaches can be reached by subway Line 2 (Haeundae Station, exit 3 or 5), then about 600 m on foot. Look for signs leading to the beach, or follow the crowd.
- You can read more about current beach events at Haeundae.go.kr.
Songdo Beach
Songdo was Korea’s first designated public swimming area. Because of the neighbouring pine grove, the beach is also called the Island of Pine Trees.
Today, its main attraction is the Songdo Marine Cable. This is the first cable car that goes along the coast, above sea level. There are 39 cars, and some of them (13) are made of glass / see-through bottoms. You can get in the queue at Songnmim (East Songdo Beach) and get to Amnam Park (West Songdo Beach). The entire route is 1.6 km, and the ride takes 5 minutes.
Price: 13,000 WON one way (about 11,5$). However, I think it is worth buying a one-way ticket. This will allow you to get back on foot through Amnam Park, which I will describe below. More information about the cable car at busanaircruise.co.kr
An additional attraction is the Songdo Gureum (Cloud) Walk.
This path was opened in 2015 and is the longest one. It is worth highlighting that most of Korea’s “Skywalk” trails are straight-shaped. Songdo Skywalk has a curved shape that looks like a dragon’s tail. The path is suspended above the sea, and some of its fragments have a floor lined with glass. A charming place. On the way, you will see a monument to the mermaid and fisherman. At the end of the path, just after going ashore, there is an entrance to the cable car.
Beautiful and unspoiled nature
Busan is not only glass skyscrapers, historic temples or sandy beaches. It is also a great place in terms of human contact with nature.
The largest, most popular, and, at the same time, most crowded park in the city is Busan Citizens Park. The park has one million trees, including 97 different species. It also has several sports fields, numerous fountains, squares, walking paths, cafes, and restaurants. You can read more about the park at Tripadvisor.com_Nature & Parks in Busan
There are also many places in Busan that you can visit today which were inaccessible a few years ago. Some were unavailable due to security reasons (high cliffs and no walking paths), and some were intended for military or security purposes. This means that today, most of them have retained their original and almost pristine character. Below, I will present some of the most interesting places.
Amnan Park
Amnan Park is where you will get off the Songdo Marine Cable. Until recently, this place was inaccessible to visitors. The area was closed entirely for many years. It was only in 1996 that it was made available to tourists. Today, it is impressive because of its outstanding natural features: pine forest and high cliffs on the seafront.
First, after leaving the cable car building, you will go through the dense pine forest. There are wooden hanging bridges and a path marked out through the forest. Then you will go to the large car park, which you must also pass. You will see many fishing enthusiasts standing along the waterfront. Your walking path will start on the left side of the car park.
Along the cliff edges, a metal path was built, which was a great walking trail. 
On the route, there are several hanging bridges, numerous stairs and descents to the rocky beach. You can relax and legally fish there.
The whole route can be completed in about 20 minutes, but the road is demanding because most of it must be climbed by many stairs. However, it is worth coming here just before sunset because during this “golden hour,” this place and the view of Busan seem unreal and beautiful.
This is a view of the path just after sunset.
Seaside path Igidae Coastal Walk
The seaside Igidae path is an unusual attraction but not very popular among tourists. It was opened to visitors only in 1993. Thanks to this, the place is almost unchanged, beautiful, and empty and provides extraordinary experiences.
Igidae was formed over 80 million years ago when multiple volcanic eruptions threw volcanic dust and lava into the air. The lava flowed from the mountainside straight into the ocean, creating high, almost vertical cliffs. For millions of years, waves broke into the land, creating numerous coves and caves.
Igidae Coastal Walk is amazing.
Today, you can walk along the cliffs on a special wooden path suspended in the air on the ocean shore. On one side, there is a cliff slope covered with forest, and on the other side, there are ocean waves and the contours of the city looming in the distance.
The whole route, including the road through the forest and the suspended cliffs, will take you about 1 hour. The last part of the path is built of a metal staircase suspended on a cliff, with several bridges and numerous stairs. To pass it, you need to overcome a total of about 120 steps.
A walk along the cliffs provides a fantastic experience. Everything is well prepared for tourists, but not many of them come. There are great views of the bay and close contact with nature.
You can reach Igidae by bus 20, 22, 27, 39 or 131. Get off at Igidae Entrance. Then, walk about 1.8 km (about 15 minutes on foot) to Urban Nature Park. Along the way, you pass several direction indicators, so it’s pretty easy to reach the destination.
It is worth adding that the coastal Igidae path is on the list of parks classified as Busan’s geological heritage. There are 12 such places in Busan. They are valued mainly because of the unusual geological structures and the natural – almost unchanged landscape. You can read more about parks – geologically valuable – at busan.go.kr/geopark_en
Oryukdo Islands and Oryukdo Skywalk
Another geological and tourist attraction of Busan is the Oryukdo Islands. The name “Oryukdo Islands” refers to a group of rocky islands off the southern coast of Busan. Depending on the day and the height of the waves, it may seem that there are five or six. There is a lighthouse on one of them. All islands, except the one with the lighthouse, are uninhabited.
Since most ships entering Busan port pass by the Oryukdo Islands, they also symbolise Busan’s cultural heritage.
An interesting fact about this place is Oryukdo Skywalk. It is a footbridge suspended in the air, outstandingly deep into the sea. The footbridge hangs 37 meters above sea level, and its main attraction is the glass floor. After entering the footbridge, you can see the sharp edges of the cliffs underneath and the rough sea hitting them. Note that the footbridge may be closed for safety reasons (i.e., during strong wind), which happens quite often.
Oryukdo Islands – what else is worth knowing?
- There is a small hill opposite the Oryukdo Skywalk and the Oryukdo Islands. On the hill’s slope is a park and a flower garden. You can see that this is a favourite place for residents. It is worth climbing there. A path leads to the top. Along the way, there are several places where you can sit to rest or drink some water from the spring. From the top of the hill is a fantastic view of the Oryukdo islands and the sea. For me, it’s the best attraction in this place!
- You can reach the islands of Oryukdo by bus 227 or 131 (to the loop). Get off at the Oryukdo SK View Back Gate
Unusual temples, architectural treasures
There are many Buddhist temples in Busan, but two of them deserve special attention. Both surprised me with their beautiful location and unusual architecture. The Lantern Festival and preparations for the Buddha’s birthday celebrations were underway in South Korea. On this occasion, all temples in the country were covered with colourful lantern “carpets”. Both the lanterns’ colour and shape matter and can be different in each temple. For example, white lanterns are dedicated to the memory of those who passed away. Lanterns in the shape of lotus flowers mean the removal of ignorance in the light of awakening.
Small paper notes are attached to the lanterns. These are prayers that the faithful make that week with different intentions. Special people are employed to write the prayer on paper. Temple employees then hang them under the lanterns. This is a paid service, but all the money is intended to maintain and renovate temples.
For this reason, in my pictures of all Korean temples, you can see mostly colourful lanterns and almost no buildings or monuments. We were lucky because temples decorated in this way can be seen only a few days a year. The sight of thousands of lanterns hanging over the roof makes an amazing impression. When they are additionally turned on and flashing after dark, the magic begins.
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Above the main gate leading to the temple buildings is an inscription: “The most beautiful temple in Korea”. Before you cross it, you know this inscription was placed there for a good reason. It can’t be denied that the place where the temple was built over 740 years ago still makes an impression. Tourists come here at dawn to see the temple bathed in the first rays of the rising sun. Buddhists also believe if worship is offered in the morning, it is a divine place that receives good fortune in the evening.
What distinguishes the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple from all others—which are usually located in high mountains—is its location on a steep stone slope on the shore of the ocean. Many people come here early in the morning to sit on the coastal rocks and listen to the sounds of a day waking up. First, it is the sound of the waves hitting the rocks, followed by the sounds of morning prayer and prayer bells coming from the temple.
Haedong Yonggungsa and Divine Intervention
The temple was built in 1376, but like most temples in Korea, Haedong Yonggungsa was destroyed and under reconstruction for years. Haedong Yonggungsa suffered most during the early Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) when it was almost destroyed by fire, falling into ruin. The temple stayed in this condition for many years. It was not until the early 1930s that the complex was rebuilt again.
In 1974, when the newly appointed main monk of the Jeong-am Temple was meditating, he had a vision of a homesickness dream. He witnessed the white-robed Buddhist Goddess of Mercy ascending to heaven by riding a dragon. After that vision, the monk changed the Buddhist temple’s name to Haedong Yonggung Temple, which means “Korean Temple Palace of the Sea Kings.”
Today, Haedong Yonggungsa still maintains its unique religious traditions and harmony with nature. It is one of three temples dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy.
The Buddhist Goddess of Mercy statue stands on a hill, over the main temple buildings.
Haedong Yonggungsa – religious symbols
On the temple grounds, there are many places of great importance to Buddhist followers. The temple’s motto is: “At least one of your wishes will be answered here through your heartfelt prayers.” The faithful come here all year round.
Worth noting here is, for example, a three-story pagoda with four lions standing right in front of the main building of the temple. Four lions (representing the symbols of joy, anger, sadness, and happiness, respectively) support the pagoda on the four corners of the first story.
There is also a Buddha statue that can heal people from their physical and mental diseases (Yacksayeorae Healing Buddha). Buddhists believe that this Buddha has wonderful power. The Buddha statue is also known as the stone Buddha in Gat, a traditional Korean hat with a wide round.
The golden monument of Jijangbosal is also quite interesting. Here, people pray for the release of all the captive animals in the world.
On the way
The main road to the temple is also exciting. On the main path through the forest are figurines of the Twelve Zodiac Animal Deities. Their task is to avoid evil spirits and welcome happiness. According to the Chinese calendar, each animal reigns for one lunar year.
There is also the Traffic Safety Wishing Tower. It is a tower where people pray for the prevention of traffic accidents and for safe driving.
The road to the main buildings leads through 108 stone stairs, symbolising the 108 Passions. It conveys a deep meaning of sublimating the 108 Passions while climbing one step at a time. At the end of the road is a stone bridge, which is considered the most beautiful in Korea. It is believed that it is the first gateway to the world of the heavenly truths from the world of the people and the world of suffering. At the bridge, you can throw a fortune coin. Whether or not one will find love or whatever the fortune of the day is. Worth trying!
Haedong Yonggungsa – how to get there?
The temple can be reached by public transport. Metro, Line 2 to Jangsan Station. Then bus No. 181 or No. 9 to the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple stop. From the bus stop to the temple, you need to walk about 600 meters. Note that from the city centre, a one-way trip will take you about 1.5 hours. There are long distances in Busan city, and a visit to this temple must be well planned.
You can read more about the temple on the website yongkungsa.or.kr
Beomeosa temple
The Beomeosa Temple is located in the Geumjeongsan Mountains in Busan. It was built in 678, during the Kingdom of Silla. Like other temples, Beomeosa was almost destroyed during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598). However, this temple was rebuilt quite quickly, as early as 1613. It has survived to this day in an unchanged form.
It is considered one of the 25 most important Buddhist temples in the country. Beomeosa also owns 11 hermits high in the mountains and over 200 temple branches spread throughout the country.
The temple’s buildings date back to 1614. They are inscribed on the list of National Treasures of Korea: Jogyemun Gate and Daeungjeon Hall (Great Hero Hall). They are particularly valuable because of their architecture, which is typical of the Joseon dynasty.
In addition, it is also worth paying attention to two buildings erected in the ninth century:
- three-story pagoda
- stone lantern – symbolizing the light of wisdom dispersing ignorance.
The Beomeosa Temple is, above all, in close contact with beautiful nature. From the temple, there is a breathtaking view of the mountains.
The forest surrounding the temple is considered a natural monument. The forest has a habitat – a grove, which is regarded as a primary forest. Over 6,500 wisteria vines grow in the grove, with beautiful lilac flowers falling in clusters. It is a rare flower – almost not found in other regions of the country. Wisteria is mainly valued for its longevity. It is worth visiting this place in late April / early May when wisterias bloom. In addition, more than 280 species of other rare plants and trees grow here.
Beomeosa Temple – What else is worth knowing?
- Beomeosa is also a year-round monastery where the monks receive comprehensive teaching.
- You can also come here for a short “Templestay” program, which is considered one of Korea’s main tourist programs. The program aims to spread Korean culture and knowledge of Buddhism.
- The Geumjeongsan Mountains are also an excellent place for hiking. There are several hiking trails here. However, you should be well prepared before you enter the mountains because the road on the trail is quite demanding.
- The path leading to the temple from the bus stop is ideal for a walk and rest. The road is long, taking about 25-30 minutes, but the views are fantastic, so this time is not wasted.
Beomeosa Temple – how to get here?
The temple can be reached by metro and bus. Metro Line 1, Beomeosa Station stop (exit 5 or 7). Then follow the main road (approx.. 5 min) to the Samsin Transportation Bus Stop. The bus stop has a big sticker with the bus number and information that goes to the temple (it’s hard not to see it). Bus No. 90 goes to the end of the route. The bus ride takes about 12-15 minutes, but there is always a winding road uphill. It’s worth taking a seat on a bus because it’s easy to lose your balance. On the way back, at the bus terminus, you must stand at the end of the queue. Everyone in the queue is waiting for the same returning bus.
At the Beomeosa Station metro station (at Exit 6), a small exhibition dedicated to the temple’s history is open from 9:00 to 17:00 and is free to enter. It is worth visiting this place because it has other temple models, copies of royal litter, and a miniature Korean army. Stories were also told with a brush and beautiful paintings on silk scrolls. You only need 10 minutes to get to this place, but it’s worth visiting to broaden your knowledge horizons.
You can read more about the temple on the website beomeo.kr
Local cuisine: Where can you taste the flavours of the city?
Fish market
Busan has many restaurants offering fresh fish and seafood.
The most popular and prominent place where you can eat everything the sea offers is the Jagalci Market. It is worth going there even if you are not going to buy anything. The market gives a fantastic opportunity to see all “sea creatures” up close. Large aquariums display freshly caught mussels, octopus, snails, crabs and impressive-sized eels. Both fresh and dried fish are sold here. The attraction of this place is the opportunity to see how the fish and seafood we selected are prepared for eating on-site.
Due to the massive popularity of this place, it can be very crowded. Therefore, you can go to another place, i.e. Haeundae Market, which also offers similar services.
- Jagalci Market is open every day from 5.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. The main part of this market is located within the 7-story building, Hoe Center, which is open from 9:00 a.m. On its individual floors, there are numerous restaurants where you can eat fresh fish and seafood. Note that the market is always closed on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Metro Line 1, Jagalchi Station (Exit 10), 300 meters on foot.
- Haeundae Market is a street market, open daily from 9.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
Haeundae Station, Line 2 (Exit 3) and approx. 4 min. on foot. This market is located near Haeundae Beach so you can come here on the way to the beach. You can eat not only fish and seafood there. He can also eat traditional Korean dishes, including conventional soup and delicious dumplings – stuffed, for example, with kimchi or shrimp.
Check-in Busan
There is an exciting place near Yeongdusan Park (Jungang Station metro station). It’s worth coming there for breakfast, brunch, or simply a cake with coffee. This is the Check-in Busan cafe, where you can buy small souvenirs from the city: mugs, fridge magnets, or postcards. You can also buy a postcard here and send it to your family or friends immediately.
The cafe staff speak English. At the ticket office, you can ask for a small map of the area (free), and the staff will give you some hints about topics we are interested in. They will help you get to your destination and not get lost.
It is a fascinating and international place because many foreign tourists come here. It’s also easy to make international friends here. The cafe is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesdays until 2 p.m.
Address: 14 Gwangbok-ro 97beon-gil, Donggwangdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Busan
Transport in the city
Public transportation
Like in Seoul, public transport in Busan is well-organised. There are four metro lines (Busan metro map), one light rail transit system and a well-organized network of bus connections.
Buses in Busan are marked with colours, which, like in Seoul, indicate the type of service offered. So, there are city buses running on short routes and express buses going to the outskirts of the city.
You can move around the city with the same city cards as in other parts of the 
country. Both Cash Bee and T-money cards work here. You can also pay in cash with the driver, but only in coins. It is worth remembering that when travelling around the city with a city card, it should be used when getting on and off the bus. Thanks to this, the appropriate value will be calculated for the distance covered. A discount may also be applied in the event of a transfer if it occurs within 30 minutes of leaving the last means of transport.
Metro
Getting around the city by metro is very easy. All stations are marked well and described with clear connection maps. Destination announcements are made in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. The sound of a bird is used for stops that are transfer points, accompanied by announcements in four languages. Really, travelling by subway in South Korea is a pure pleasure.
You can find More information about the metro connections in Busan on humetro.busan.kr
Bus
However, travelling by bus should be learned. This is not an easy task since most stops do not have descriptions in English, and drivers do not speak this language well. What’s important is that it’s also not worth counting stops along the way. This is because drivers usually don’t stop at most of them when nobody is waiting there. However, there is a way to deal with it.
Busan – How to get around the city
To use bus transport and avoid getting lost in the city, we used Naver Map. Before getting on the bus, you need to search for a connection that suits you to get from point A to B. The map often shows that we have several bus lines to choose from.
After getting on the bus, you must select its number on the map. Make sure you are online and have GPS enabled. Let the map lead you along your bus route to your destination. You will see your current location on the map and the distance to point B. Before the end of the route, you can enlarge the map. That will allow you to see the outline of buildings and the exact number of stops remaining at the end of the route. When the bus has passed the penultimate stop, turn on the STOP button. You will be sure that the driver will not pass your stop.
We travelled this way by bus in Seoul, Busan, and Daejeon, and this method always worked great. What’s more, we also saw other tourists driving with GPS enabled and Naver Map and local tourists from Korea. This is definitely a very popular and proven way—in my opinion, the only one that will allow you to get anywhere and at any time.
Busan – the summer capital of South Korea. Why is it worth coming here?
Busan is a great city. Although it is called the summer capital of Korea, it is teeming with life all year round. Part of the city is state-of-the-art and impresses with glass skyscrapers. The port – the largest in Korea—guarantees excellent communication by sea and a daily fresh supply of fish and seafood. In Gamcheon Village, you can find the past: colourful houses, cobbled streets, and kimchi pickled in barrels placed in gardens and on terraces.
Wide sandy beaches and numerous forests, parks, and walking paths give you the opportunity to rest and relax from the hustle and bustle of the city. In addition to the coast surrounded by islands, the city is also surrounded by mountains. Jirisan National Park is located there, and it is one of the most beautiful ones in the country.
Public transport is well organized, and thanks to it, you can get everywhere. Local cuisine guarantees a culinary experience at the highest level. Street food, like in Seoul, is delightful because of its simplicity and taste.
Busan has been hosting the BIFF International Film Festival for many years. This event attracts movie stars from all over the world. The festival takes place in December and lasts four days. You can read more on biff.kr.eng.
How many days is it worth to come to Busan?
Many ask if it is worth coming here from Seoul for only one day. No, if you only have one day, it is better to skip Busan. You can spend such a day in many other places around Seoul.
It is worth coming to Busan for a minimum of 3 days. There are large distances between some attractions in the city. It is not worth being in a hurry here. And what is worthy? Worth stopping for a moment, relaxing, and noticing what surrounds us. Admire close contact with nature – especially since, in many places, it is unique. It is also worth noting the differences between Seoul and Busan, visible not only in the architecture of both cities. Busan also has a greater diversity of foreign languages. For example, Busan Station has a small Chinatown, inhabited by ….. Russians so that you can hear the Russian language there.
Busan is a wonderful melting pot of diversity. It is worth feeling it on your skin.
Where to find more news about Busan
If you are looking for more information about Busan, such as festivals, concerts, or cultural events, check the official pages below. There, you will find a lot of information about tourist attractions and many maps and folders to download—all in English. There is also a large section about health tourism in Busan, including a special offer dedicated to foreigners.
SOUTH KOREA – MY OTHER POSTS
I also encourage you to read my other posts about Seoul and South Korea:
South Korea – tailor-made travel plan
TRIPS: