Traveling to Busan South Korea
Seoul or Busan?
It is understandable that most travelers visiting South Korea would head straight to Seoul. Being the fashion and cultural capital of the country, tourists will spend their days visiting the shopping malls, wandering the museums, and finishing the night with a cold beer at one of the many bars. But if you are wanting a break from the sprawling concrete jungle of Seoul, but still not wanting to give up that urban convenience, the second-largest city in South Korea will give you the best of both worlds. Located on the southern tip of the peninsula, Busan is a seemingly large city with the heart of a small village.
With its glistening skyscrapers emerging from the soft golden sands of the Korean coast, Busan is so much more than just another city or a cookie-cutter beach town. Rather than having the coast lined with bungalow and commercial condos, the CBD stretches all the way out to the waves. Busan’s futuristic skyscrapers stand tall in stunning contrast with the endless sea stretched out before its feet. But it is not just an urban sprawl that you will find in Busan, the city also has lively fish markets, sleepy neighborhoods nestled into the hillside, and temples where you can tap into the spiritual side of Korea.
Want to read more about Seoul? Check out how to travel to Seoul on a budget here!
Authentic Busan
Although Busan is dwarfed in comparison to the capital, Seoul, it is by no means a small city. With massive urban and shopping centers such as Seomyeon and BIFF Square travelers will find much of the same strip malls and restaurants that you would find elsewhere in Korea. But one aspect of Busan that you may find as a breath of fresh air compared to cities such as Seoul is the more down to earth nature of the people. Seoul is a young city, the city’s youth go through painstaking lengths in order to conform to a standard of beauty advertised through movies and music. The result is that one can feel the uptight pressures of society hanging in the air even when simply riding the subway from station to station.
In Busan, however, the population is a bit older. And being removed a bit further away from the belly of the beast and its influence, people generally seemed to feel a bit freer to let their hair down and just be themselves. Even if the markets in Busan start to become too much, there are still plenty of quiet alleyways where you can escape the suffocating conformity of the shopping areas. Especially in markets such as Jangalchi, you can explore a still lively but more genuine side of the city. And although Gamcheon Culture Village is a hotspot for tourists, why not walk from the metro station up into the hills passing through Ami Dong? While the rest of the tourists go whizzing by on shuttle buses, travelers off the beaten path in Busan will discover hidden Buddhist shrines, vintage storefronts, and locals with nothing better to do than sit outside their shops and chat with wandering tourists.
Wanting to travel north of the borer? Read about traveling to the DMZ in North Korea here!
The Beaches of Busan
Being on the coast, it goes without saying that the biggest pull for travelers to visit Busan is the beaches. Rather than the waves being miles away from the city or having massive concrete sea walls protecting the urban streets, the golden sands of Busan are laid out directly at the feet of some of the most massive skyscrapers in town. The best examples of these metropolitan beaches are Gwangalli and the famous Haeundae.
If you are looking for more of an escape from the sprawling city of Busan, you can also find several beaches located outside of the city limits. Making for the perfect day trip from Busan, beaches such as Dadaepo will have you getting more in touch with nature. Word of caution, in the city the beaches are a spectacle in themselves, but if you are looking to layout on the sands, be prepared for crowds and endless rows of umbrellas during the high season.
If you are wanting a unique look at Korea, check out the North Korean countryside here!
What to Do in Busan
Being the second-largest city in South Korea, you’ll find a slew of things to do in Busan. With everything from day-trips from Busan to cruises taking you out along the coast, just a few days in this city will not cut it. But if you are wanting to make sure you squeeze in the highlights before you leave town, be sure to check Jagalchi Fish Market off of your list first. Even if you are not looking to duck off of the crowded streets into one of the stalls to taste some seafood, you will find no better place in South Korea to see such a candid look at authentic Korean life and culture.
Other than the fish market, there are endless amounts of places to wander and stray off the beaten path in Busan. You could people watch in Yongdusan Park or go shopping in Nampo-dong. If you are looking for a little bit more history to go along with your beach holiday, be sure to check out the Busan Museum and the UN Cemetary in the city. With loads of street food and back alleys to get lost in, you’re sure to find something new while exploring Busan.
Pyongyang is known for its outlandish monuments. You can read about the Juche Tower in North Korea here!
Exploring the Temples
When traveling to a new country it is not enough just to taste the food and meander through the exhibits in the museums. It is just as important to see the sights that the locals hold dearest to their hearts and souls. And although religion has been waning with younger generations, temples are still the best place in South Korea to explore the more spiritual side of the peninsula. And Busan has many temples, each offering a unique glimpse at one of the world’s most fascinating religions.
In Busan city proper you will just find a handful of temples where you can immersive yourself in traditional South Korean spirituality. Daegaksa and Yonggungsa Temples are beautiful in their own ways, but to truly escape into a whole nother world, you will have to leave the city behind and take a day trip out to the countryside. Haedong Yonggung Temple (also known as the water temple) is by far the most popular, and for a good reason. Hugging the coast, the great Buddhist halls open up to views of the crashing waves. If you are wanting to head more up into the mountains, Seokbulsa Temple is literally carved into the rocks outside of Busan.
Want to take a closer look at Busan’s most famous temple? You can read more about Yonggung Temple here!
Gamcheon Culture Village
Second only to the beaches, Gamcheon Culture Village is the most popular sight for tourists in Busan. Known for its rainbow-colored houses climbing up the hillside, this village within a city attracts travelers from throughout the world, all striving to take that perfect selfie in front of the artwork and coffee shops lining the streets. Located on the other side of Ami Dong District, Gamcheon Village is an oasis of youth culture in a sea of sleepy old neighborhoods.
Even if you are not wanting to pull out the selfie stick and throw up a peace sign in front of the cute storefronts, Gamcheon Culture Village has countless trendy coffee shops and cafes where you can pull up a chair and people watch from afar. For some travelers, this part of Busan may seem cringy at times but in reality, Gamcheon is as relevant to Korean culture as any temple or museum.
If you are wanting to explore more of Korea’s youth culture, be sure to not miss an E-Sports tournament!
Is Busan Worth Traveling To?
While traveling in South Korea, you shouldn’t give a second thought about traveling to Busan. While Seoul is a very youthful city, Busan seamlessly blends all aspects of Korean culture. From the old markets where you will find aunties peddling fish from the street corner to the shopping districts where the neon lights will play off of your face. Every day you spend in Busan you are bound to discover something new.
The one impression of Busan that you are sure to playback in your head over and over again before you start dreaming of returning to Korea is the beaches. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “beach-bum”, the glistening futuristic skyscrapers whose lights flicker off of the waves is sure to be an image you’ll remember for the rest of your life. To put it plainly, there is no beach holiday that can quite compare with the likes of Busan.
