Busan , also Pusan, is a city surrounded by South Gyeongsang, South Korea. With nearly four million people, Busan is South Korea's second largest city and the country's largest seaport (a few years back, the government made the official English-language spelling "Busan" rather than the outdated "Pusan" as the former sounds more like the native pronunciation). Although the city does have some historical cultural sites to see--such as Geumjeong Fortress--these sites pale in comparison to other attractions Busan is known for, including beaches, hot springs, and nature reserves in addition to the city's international film festival held each fall.
The locals have also made strides in hoping to secure a possible 2020 Summer Olympics bid. For those who might be intimidated by Seoul's size or perhaps wanting a more laid back, somewhat natural scene, Busan's culture is entrenched with coastal culture and might also be a good choice for families or those on a tighter budget as prices a bit cheaper than in the capital city. Resting at the southern tip of the Korean peninsula as South Korea's most vital port, this gives the city an international flair, with sailors from around the world trooping through and, these days, more than a few tourists (mostly from Japan, China and Russia).
Nampodong to the south is Busan's shopping and entertainment downtown, while central Seomyeon at the intersection of subway lines 1 and 2 is where the office buildings are. Seomyeon also has an active night life with lots of street food. Between them are Busan's train station and its international ferry terminals. The beaches of Gwangalli, Haeundae and Songjeong lie to the east, the ruins of mountain fortress Geumjeong guard the north, and Gimhae Airport occupies the last compass point in the west.
PLACE TO VISIT
Beomeo-sa Temple, subway Beomeosa. One of Korea's Great 5 Temples, this large temple complex is located up in the mountains, seemingly much further away from the big city than the few kilometers it is. Founded in 678, the buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt many times, but they're still atmospheric. Watch out though, as the temple gets packed with worshippers, hikers (see Do) and tourists on weekends. To get there, take exit 5 from the station, make a U-turn, turn left and take bus 90 from the station a few hundred meters up (W900, 20 minutes, every 15 min). Entry W1000.
40 Steps (40 Gyedan), subway Jungang-dong. A few streets of a grubby district have been 'restored' to their condition in the post-Korean-War 1960s, with wooden lamppost and bronze figures illustrating scenes of hardscrabble street life.
Yongdusan Park, subway Nampodong (take the hillside escalator up). This pleasant little park is home to Busan's one true tourist trap, the creaky 118m Busan Tower (W3000). There are some decent views even without going up the tower, and you can buy some corn to feed the resident population of ravenous pigeons.
Busan Museum of Modern Art (aka Busan Municipal Art Museum) (Line 2, Art Museum stn) has 2 full floors (one exhibit on the basement level) of modern art. You can probably feel pretty good about spending 2-3 hours here and feel like you've seen it all. A few minutes walk from Busan Youth Hostel Arpina. ₩7000. Closes at 8PM.
Chungryeolsa (Shrine) (Line 1, Myeongnyun-dong stn) Take a bus no. 29/29-1/89/129 and then walk 5 minutes. ₩200 adults, ₩100 children.
UN Memorial Cemetery (Line 2, Kyungsung Univ. & Fukyong Nat'l Univ. stn) Take bus from in front of Memorial Park after subway exit.
Nakdong River Estuary Migratory Bird Sanctuary
WHAT TO DO
Haeundae Beach , near subway/KNR Haeundae. One of the most popular summer destinations in South Korea. Haeundae attracts tourists from all around the country, and gets overcrowded in late July and early August. There are numerous hotels nearby. The Busan Aquarium--South Korea's largest at 13,000 sq. m--is beside the beach (16000 for adults). Besides the beach, there are some excellent restaurants, both Korean and non, in the area, and a wide variety of shops, although many are hidden away. Explore the streets behind the beachfront boulevard. Many showings and events for the Pusan International Film Festival (Pusan, not Busan) are in this area which typically runs the first 10 days in Oct. Haeundae Tourist Info. Center is a good place to get a lot of info. about the area.
Hur Shim Chung Spa (Heosimcheong), subway Oncheonjang (exit 1, cross the street and make a beeline for Hotel Nong Shim; it's connected by a walkway), . This massive hot spring complex claims to be the largest in Asia: Noboribetsu might disagree, but it certainly is huge, with hot, tepid, cold and strawberry milk-filled baths, saunas, pools, and an outdoor section. On the 3rd floor is a large jjimjilbang resting area, containing (among other things) a restaurant, a beauty salon, an oxygen room, and three 'igloos' heated to 81°C, 51°C and 0°C. You'll get a key when you come in, use it to open your shoe and clothes lockers and pay for any purchases inside. Men's and women's spas are segregated but the resting area is shared, so pick up a robe before you head downstairs. There's also some signage in English to guide you around. Entry to the spa is W8000, plus W1000 for the jjimjilbang on Sunday/holidays only. You can stay as long as you want, but it gets quite crowded and noisy on weekends.
Gwangalli Beach (Gwangalli), near subway Geumnyeonsan (exit 1). Best experienced at night when the massive Gwangan Grand Bridge behind it is illuminated. Overall, similar to Haeundae but smaller and less upscale. Nevertheless, some interesting restaurants, bars and shops in the area. Also, you should try visiting one of the the tall, newly built hotels on the beach. They have really nice Sauna and Jjim Jil Bangs overlooking the bridge. Cost should be at 8,000 WON.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Busan's Gimhae Airport (IATA: PUS) fields flights around the country and some international flights as well, mostly to Japan and China but also to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City. The airport is quite old and very small for a city of Busan's size. Though a new international terminal has been constructed next to the domestic terminal. You are not allowed to take pictures of the airport (both from the plane and outside) because it also serves as an airforce base.
Airport limousine buses connect to various points in the city for a flat ₩5000. The trip takes 30-40 minutes (in good traffic) and there are departures on all lines every 20-30 minutes. City buses leave for downtown quite regularly. They are even cheaper, around 1000. Be sure to visit the information desk at the international arrival terminal if your Korean is not very good. It is one of the few places that has English-speaking assistance.
By train - Space-age Busan Station looks like a UFO that has accidentally landed in the somewhat grubby stretch between the bright lights of Nampodong and Seomyeon. Still, it's easy enough to get in or away with subway line 1, and there are lots of cheap motels and eating places in the vicinity (although sadly if you're looking for Korean food, Busan Station may not be the best option as many of the restaurants across the street are Chinese, Russian, etc.).
By car - Gyeongbu Highway: connecting Busan with Seoul via Daejeon and Daegu.
2. Gumi Highway: alternative highway to Daegu.
3. Namhae Highway: connecting to Gwangju via Jinju and Sacheon.
By bus - Almost all cities and counties in South Korea have an express bus to Busan. There are two major bus stations:
Dongbu Intercity Bus Terminal Nopodong Station (Line 1). For points north and east (eg. Daegu, Gyeongju, Seoul, Ulsan).
Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal , Sasang Station (Line 2). For points west (eg. Jinju, Masan).
By boat - Befitting Busan's status as a major port, there are regular international ferry services to Japan, Osaka, Shimonoseki ,and especially Kyushu island.Kanpu Ferry's daily overnight runs to Shimonoseki are the cheapest, but JR Kyushu's Beetle hydrofoils to Fukuoka run five times a day and take just under 3 hours. There are also domestic ferries to Jeju which take about 11 hours and run daily.
