Travel to Busan

Explore

Busan, South Korea

Although there isn't anything particularly pretty about it, Busan does attract many tourists and is a quickly-growing city thanks to its trading activities (5th biggest port in the world) and tourist attractions. It offers a friendly welcome to the tourists who come here in throngs, and especially Japanese nationals, for whom this is a starting point when they arrive by ferry. From Seoul, the best way to get here is by KTX, the Korean fast train that connects the 2 cities in 3 hours. A 2-day/1-night stay seems sufficient to see the main sights, but you could easily spend just as much time here as in the capital. You might consider a longer stay if you want to familiarise yourself with the Korean way of life. Busan cannot be described as a centre of spirituality since it only has 2 Buddhist temples (Beomosa and Samgwangsa). Instead, it's mostly a city of leisure, surrounded by beautiful landscapes: the island of Eulsukdo, Yeongdo lighthouse and Gwangan Bridge by night. You can stroll among the fishmongers' stalls of Jagalchi Market or indulge in some retail therapy in Seomyeon street at the huge Gukje Market, where you can find absolutely everything.

  More

pros

•  The atmosphere in the city
•  The warm welcome
•  The numerous forms of entertainment

cons

•  The architecture
•  Constant traffic jams

  More

map South Korea

Visit Busan

• To see

  Haeundae beach, one of the most popular beaches in the country. It's the perfect seaside resort district, with large international hotels, numerous restaurants and a plethora of bars. The atmosphere changes drastically from day to night, and going for a walk along the beach is definitely worth your while, be it just to observe the locals and their customs. The United Nations cemetery is also worth a visit, as it's the only international cemetery and final resting place of the UN soldiers killed during the Korean war.

    More

  To do

  Why not enjoy a communal footbath in one of the numerous thermal springs dotted around the city? The Hallyeo National Marine Park is a good place to spend the day. You can also wake up at the crack of dawn to watch the fishmongers selling the morning catch at the Jagalchi Market. Shanghai Street is full of shops selling foreign goods for the local Russian population and foreign ship crews.

    More

  To think about

  About an hour's drive from Busan, the Haeinsa Temple is the country's most famous temple, as it holds the Tripitaka Koreana: Buddhist scriptures that cover some 80,000 printing blocks. They're in excellent condition because they are kept in the Janggyeong Panjeon, a building with open walls to avoid humidity. The printing blocks and the buildings are on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

    More

• To avoid

  There's no point trying to drive around in the city: it's too big and spread-out, and traffic jams are very frequent. Just leave your car at the hotel and use the efficient underground system.

    More

  To try

  All sorts of fish and seafood can be found at the Jagalchi Market; you'll find it hard to resist tasting the various products on offer here and in the numerous restaurants in the area.

    More

  To bring back

  The various city markets are packed with good deals if you're looking for clothing, household appliances, luggage and leather goods. You may even want to buy yourself a little something from the biggest shopping mall in Asia, found in the Haeundae neighbourhood, so why not make it a DVD? Busan has become the leading city in the Korean film industry, thanks to the numerous film festivals held here.

    More

Country guide

South Korea, All you need to know!

• Practical information 
• History 
• Culture and traditions 
• Useful Addresses 
• Events 
• Climate 
• Food 
• Souvenirs 

All flights at the best rate with Easyvoyage

• Flights
• Hotels
• Cars
• Holidays

One wayRound trip

From

To

Outward journey date

Return journey date

Adults

Children

Babies

EconomyBusinessFirst

Advertisement