I read a few blogs and saw great photos of Busan that made me and my friend ended up with a decision to add Busan in our SoKor itinerary. It says there that aside from Seoul, Busan is now gaining attention and sees a steady flow of tourist.
Busan is located at the southern regions, a seaside town and considered as the second largest city in South Korea. And the city of Busan is a more chilled out and relaxed version of the more populated Seoul.
If you are looking for a place to escape the hustle and bustle city life of Seoul, then Busan is a must to visit. So, without further adieu, let me share to you our itinerary during our trip to Busan, South Korea last April 10 to April 12, 2018.
My friend and I experienced so much culture, food, and great people. We really had an amazing time and wished that we could have stayed longer. Just like the other tourists, we did search about all the spots to visit and of course what and where to eat. And for us to save time and money on train tickets, we booked our 3 day Korail pass (a railpass for foreigners that allows pass holder to take almost all trains operated by Korail in a selected period of time) early. We availed the unlimited KTX rides within 3 days and we really saved much on this.
That’s it! We rode the train to Busan using our Korail pass. Luckily! No zombies running after us.
So here’s a breakdown of our itinerary, hope you’ll find it interesting and helpful for your next trip to Busan!
# 1. Haeundae Beach
We arrived at Haeundae, Busan at around 12 nn. Looked for our hostel and took a rest for about 2 hours and decided to go around the city to find food.
So.. this made our day
Our hungry stomach couldn’t resist these mouth-watering street foods. 1 stick lng nakakabusog na! I totally recommend this to budget travelers who wants to capture the real essense of South Korea, indulging in scrumptious street food is your best option here. The best one ever!
Went directly to Haeundae beach and watched locals as they play and run after the seagulls ( dami talagang seagulls jan lumipad lng siguro).
Haeundae beach is considered as Busan’s top beach destination.
What I love about Haeundae is the fact that it’s a beautiful city but less crowded compared to other cities in Korea. There are restaurants all over the place and it is just a few meters away from the beach. Nainlove na kami sayo Haeundae.
# 2 Gwangalli Beach
Gwangalli beach is popular among Busan locals and is populated during weekends. The beach offers fine sand and clear blue waters (sayang di na kami nakabalik the next day). This is a perfect spot to see the lighted cityscape at night.
The pink cherry blossoms was the main reason why we travelled to South Korea. But to my disappointment, the blooming peak was over and the flowers were falling from the trees when we reached Seoul and Busan. We just crossed our fingers that we could still catch a glimpse of cherry blossoms in some places in Seoul.
We were kind of sad and disappointed but that mood was changed when we saw the vast fied of canola flowers. I didn’t expect that the yellow fields would be as beautiful as this. I really felt that this was like in a fairytale.
To reach the vast field of canola flowers, take the metro line 3 and stop at Gangseo-Gu Office.
#4. Gamcheon Culture Village
At about 1 in the afternoon my friend and I went directly to the Machu Picchu of Busan, the Gamcheon Culture Village. Gamecheon is the epitome of beauty and chaos rolled into one. The former slum is now a vibrant community with pastel colored and lego-like houses located at the foothills of a coastal mountain of Busan.
When we arrived at Gamcheon we really got lost in its labyrinth of alleys. Getting lost in steep slopes and tiny alleys was actually fun becuase we were able to pass by the cute and artsy shops, cafes and art galleries.
#5. Taejongdae Park
Taejongdae park is viewed as the scenic yet rustic part of the southern most tip of Yeongdo-gu. Though the park is quite far from the city of Busan, the lush, thick forest, the blue sea and the rocky seaside cliffs is worth the visit.
This was taken the first time we went here at around 6 pm. The Danubi train which is the easiest way to reach the 5 major destinations of the park stops operating at exactly 5 in the afternoon. Since we were already late that time we don’t have any choice but to hiked all the way up here.
We were actually running because it’s almost dark when we reached the park.
We came back here the very next day since we were not satisfied with our first visit at the park. This time we were on time to catch the Danubi train and were able to visit the observatory station and Yeongdo lighthouse. We skipped the other 3 stations because we were already satisfied with the magnificient view at the lighthouse and were actually short in time.
#6 Haedong Yonggung Temple (Haedong Yonggungsa)
This Buddist temple was built 1376 by the teacher known as Naong during the Goryeo Dynasty, and was originally known as Bomun Temple in the coast of the north-eastern portion of Busan. The seafront location of Haedong Yunggong Temple made it unique among South Korea’s temple which are set amid the mountains. This temple is also referred as “The Water Temple” becauase of the breathtaking coastal views it offers.
How to get here
From Haeundae Station (Line 2), Exit 7 Take Bus 181 get off at Yonggungsa Temple and walk about 15-20 minutes to the main entrance of the temple or you can take a cab from the Haeundae Station
The temple is open daily from early morning until sundown with no entrance fee.
Story by Shiela Barrera
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bebelaav/
