How we spent two days in Busan, South Korea
We only spent two full days in Busan, which isn’t enough to see everything this massive city has to offer. On the south coast of South Korea, this seaside city is packed with skyscrapers which look pretty incongruous against the ocean and mountains that surround them. But within the metropolis you’ll find plenty of history alongside a modern and vibrant energy.
Here’s how we spent two days in Busan.
Haeundae Beach
We stayed in Haeundae in the east of Busan. So spending time at its famous beach was easy. The long strip is lined with skyscrapers, but once you’re at the sea it still feels peaceful and relaxed. This is a great place to chill at any time of day – but once the sun sets you’re not allowed to enter.
Haeundae Traditional Market
Just off of Gunam-ro, the main street in Busan, is this traditional market. It sells all kinds of food from fresh fish to baked snacks – and it’s not the best spot for veggies. But as you walk along the street you can watch all the different dishes being prepared in front of the tiny restaurants and shops.
Dongbaekseom
Dongbaekseom Island is the headland to the west of Haeundae beach. It’s a small area with various lookout points over the city and the sea, and is a nice place to walk or run that’s off the main city streets. The park is famous for its lighthouse, mermaid statue, and a carved stone that’s thought to be how Haeundae got its name.
Blueline Park and Sky Capsule
To the east of Haeundae Beach is the Sky Capsule, a pod-style monorail that takes visitors along the coast to Cheongsapo. It sells out fast, so after walking through Blueline Park, we caught the Beach Train going east to Songjeong. It costs about 10,000 for a return ticket and you can get off at stops along the way and walk for stretches of the route. This is a great way to see more of the coast, especially the Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory.
It’s kind of surprising how popular this small, slow tram-style train is. But if you have an afternoon to pass in Haeundae this is a nice, relaxed thing to do.
Songjeong Beach
We caught the Beach Train here from Blueline park, walking from the Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory. Songjeong is another beach town, but much smaller and more relaxed than Haeundae. On the day of our visit there were lots of surfers and windsurfers in the water, and it was a nice place to relax with a beer before getting the train back to the city. Although it’s less than 5 km to walk along the coast, where a path has been built along the railway line.
Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge and Amnam Park
We caught the cable car from Songdo Bay Station over the water to Amnam Park. The trip takes about 10 minutes and costs 16,000 won (less than £10) per person. You can also arrive by car if travelling 82m up isn’t for you!
Once there, we visited the Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge, which has great views across the bay to Busan – although not as impressive as those from the cable car. We also spent an hour or so wandering around the peaceful trails of Amnam Park.
The park is a relaxing place to spend a few hours, where it feels like you’re far from the city thanks to the woodland and coastline. It’s 1,000 won (about £0.62) per person and there’s loads of activities for kids around the park if you’re visiting as a family.
Gamcheon Culture Village
One of the main tourist attractions in Busan is Gamcheon Culture Village. It’s like a bigger and better version of Ihwa Mural Village in Seoul. From a distance it looks like a shanty town. Bright buildings with murals painted on the walls and statues along the streets.
You could spend hours here. But we only had about 30 minutes, so we wandered around the northern side. Though it’s full of tourists it’s still a great place to visit if you have an afternoon to spare in Busan. Speed things up by avoiding queues for photo points – in almost all cases there’s somewhere just as good 30 seconds down the road.
Find out more about how we spent two weeks in South Korea here.