Top things to do in Busan
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When I set my sights on moving to South Korea, my first choice in cities was Busan, which is the second biggest city in the country. Most people questioned why I didn’t want Seoul as my first choice, but the milder climate and the access to the beach and lots of nature was the deciding factor for me. While I dreamed about moving to in Busan, getting a spot teaching here through EPIK is almost impossible! You need a more intensive TEFL certificate and spots are VERY competitive, so I tried to push it out of my mind. I didn’t even entertain the thought that I would someday live in Busan, and instead started to search for things to do in Daegu or Incheon, somewhere that would be a more realistic EPIK placement.
When I got rejected from EPIK and decided to come to Korea by teaching for a Hagwon, I realized I could choose my location. Teaching for a Hagwon has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because Busan is absolutely amazing, and with Covid, the vacation days that I would get through EPIK wouldn’t mean much, so it ended up being so much more important that I lived somewhere with countless activities and fun things to do on the weekends. There are so many things to do in Busan, and its a really well connected city, whether it be getting from one side of the city to the other, or getting to far-off locations. Whether you’re moving here or simply visiting (much more probable), I’ve put together a list of all the best things to do in Busan, South Korea.
Top things to do in Busan
Gamcheon Culture Village
Of course, if you’ve done any research on the top things to do in Busan, you’ll have seen Gamcheon culture village at the top of almost everyones’ lists. Spoiler alert: it makes it onto all the lists for a reason! Gamcheon culture village is located near Nampo, on the west side of the city. While most of the more popular things to do (and the better side of the city in my opinion) is further up the coast, making the trek to Gamcheon Culture village is well worth it. This colorful art project is perched in the mountains above the port of Busan, and was an attempt to turn one of the poorest parts of the city, where all the port workers lived, into a profitable, revenue-producing tourist attraction. The city hired all sorts of different artists to paint every surface of the village as well as create different art installations to drive people to visits. Their attempt worked fabulously well, and it’s definitely one of the top things you need to do when you come to Busan.
Busan Tower
While you’re in the Nampo area, you should definitely check Busan tower! It’s one of the best spots to get a view of the city, and the surrounding area is a gorgeous park. If you happen to visit South Korea in the fall you MUST come to Busan Tower, as the grounds erupt in an array of yellows, oranges and reds. I think It’s one of the best places to see fall foliage in Busan.
When I went, the observation deck was actually closed, so we headed across the street to the Lotte department store to get a view of the tower itself! the Department store has a gorgeous rooftop deck, and you know how some pictures of Paris are best with the Eiffel tower in them - instead of taking pictures of the city from the Eiffel tower itself? That’s how I tried to convince myself to not be sad that the tower was closed that day LOLL. Regardless, it’s definitely one of the top things to do in Busan for a reason.
Nampo
And of course while you’re in Nampo, you have to go shopping! Nampo is known for their shopping; from high-end, well known brands to tiny little street stalls selling shockingly realistic replica designer bags and jewelry, Nampo truly has it all. Another great thing to do in Nampo is to try the street food! Interspersed between all the fake designer are countless food stands selling classic Korean street food. Try the Tteokbokki, fishcake, dumplings, kimchi pancakes, and hotteok! It’s extremely cheap, and even if it turns out to not be your cup of tea, it’s something you have to do in Busan.
Museum DAH
Something I don’t see frequently see when researching the top things to do in Busan is Museum DAH. While a lot of the museums in Busan are either hit or miss, you’ll LOVE museum DAH, even if museums usually aren’t your jam. Museum DAH is an art museum, but not in the typical sense. Every surface of this small museum is covered in either screens or mirrors, creating an epic illusion as an hour’s worth of gorgeous graphics drift across all the screens in the main room as well as the offshoot rooms. The music is so serene, and despite the small size of the building, there is so much to see, and you can easily spend more than an hour watching the graphics cycle through and taking pictures. It’s located a few minutes walk away from the Centum City subway stop - the complete opposite side of the city from Nampo! So you’d be best off saving this one for a day when you’re in the Haeundae or Dalmaji area.
Haedong Yonggungsa
Another one of the top things to in Busan that makes it to the tippy top of all the Busan travel guides is Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, or the temple by the sea. This temple is extremely unique as far as asian temples go, because unlike most mountains that are nestled in the mountains, Haedong Yonggungsa is set precariously close to the edge of the sea. This makes the temple even more stunning, as the waves crash up directly on the walls of the temple. It’s a fairly small temple, so I would allow yourself an hour and a half to see it in its entirety, take pictures, and maybe grab a snack from the food vendors by the entrance. It’s about a 20 minute taxi ride from Haeundae beach, which will only cost you about 10 dollars.
Haeundae Beach
Busan is the city of beaches! It’s definitely a location that you’d want to visit during the summer months, as a big part of the city’s attraction is how many good beaches they have! One of the most popular, touristy, and resort-like, is Haeundae. If you give it a quick google search, it’s easy to see that it’s normally absolutely covered in umbrellas and packed with people, but in the time that I’ve been here, it’s been almost deserted because of Corona! Obviously I would love the world to heal and tourism and activities come back full swing, but if that happens I know I’ll miss the Haeundae beach that I’ve come to know: empty, gorgeous, and peaceful.
Located across the street, smack in the center of Haeundae beach, there’s a really popular pedestrian street filled with amazing restaurants, bars, and shopping. It’s an awesome place to come for dinner, drinks, fun nightlife, a Sunday morning walk… just about everything!
Pro tip: if you turn down the street on the right hand side that has all the string lights hanging over it, and if you successfully make it past all the strange fish and eel vendors trying to get you to eat at their restaurant, alllll the way at the end of the street is a woman who sells the most delicious honey seed Hotteoks! They’re fried pancakes filled with a cinnamon-spicy, fall flavored sauce, and if you add seeds to it it just RAMPS it up another level. I constantly find myself holding my nose down that whole street just so I can get a Hotteok.
Gwangalli Beach
Another popular beach and top thing to do in Busan is Gwangalli beach! Busan falls on a coastline that has multiple different “coves,” and Gwangalli Beach is just one cove over (and more centrally located) than Haeundae. It’s the beach with the view of the iconic bridge that you can always see in photos of Busan! If you go at night, there are constantly fireworks being set off, the bridge is lit up with purple lights, and the nightlife is absolutely poppin’. Head over to SOL Taphouse if you’re craving Pizza, El Carnitas if you’re in the mood for Mexican, and LA bar or HQ for some fun, expat bar vibes. Maybe even hit up a karaoke room if you want to keep the night going!
Hiking Jangsan Mountain
If you have a little more time in Busan and love hiking and nature, be sure to head over to Jangsan station (be sure to exit out of exit 10)! From there, you will be able to walk 10 or 15 minutes to the base of Jangsan mountain. It’s an awesome (intense) hike that will give you gorgeous views of the city! There’s a bunch of warnings for active landmines leftover from their war with Japan, so make sure you stay on the trail — LOL!
If you’re more into hiking (I’m super into hiking but haven’t quite gotten the chance to dive into hiking here!) THIS post is awesome and where I get most of my ideas for hiking in Busan!
Visit a Cafe
Of course, it wouldn’t be a post about top things to do in South Korea if I didn’t have a few EPIC cafes for you to visit! Cafe culture is so huge in South Korea, and they really out-do themselves when it comes to their coffee and cake. Of course, you would be able to pop into a cafe just about anywhere you go, but where’s the fun in that? Here are a few very instagrammable cafes that will just add to your time in Busan. Why waste your money getting a coffee somewhere boring??
First up, we have Cafe in Busan, a little bit past Haeundae, located on Dalmaji hill. This is actually right next door to me, so I visit all the time. It’s on the fourth floor, so if you don’t see it right away, don’t be alarmed! It’s absolutely enormous, and they have lots of separate rooms that make it seem like you’re in a different cafe just by walking a few feet! There’s a room with projectors, floor pillows, and a metal swing set, a bright red room with a blown up, classical bust and skull side tables, a rooftop deck, flower walls with neon signs, even the bathrooms are to die for! It’s a little bit pricey as far cafes go, but the butterscotch latte and the almond croissants are absolutely unmatched.
A little further past Dalmaji (probably a three minute taxi ride) you’ll reach the Cheongsapo area, where the cafe to beat is Cafe Rooftop. Once again, you need to head upstairs, but the cafe is easily visible from outside the building if you just look up! Once inside, you’ll absolutely fall in love with the funky, eclectic combination of Floral tufted couches, metal chairs, chandeliers, and neon lights - but why would you eat inside when you could pick up your drinks (they come in baskets….. um excuse me? how cute) and head out either to the gorgeous terrace or up to the roof. If you come on a clear day, look off the rooftop to the right and see if you can see Japan hanging out in the distance!
More centrally located, we have Knockout Cafe in Seomyeon. If you’re not over in the Haeundae area, or you’re out doing some shopping, Seomyeon is the place to be! If you pop into Knockout cafe, prepare to me mesmerized by the neon lights, the impressive spread of pastries, as well as the countless innovative nooks for you to enjoy your coffee in! There are multiple levels, including a cute little rooftop, and the vibes are absolutely immaculate.
And that about wraps up what I consider to be the top things to do in Busan! Granted, I’ve only been living in Busan for just shy of four months and I’m always discovering new things to do, so I will keep trying to update this post as I go! Stay tuned for a post about the best restaurants in Cafe, a dedicated post to cafes, the best instagram spots, bars, etc. I want to know this city inside and out so that I recommend only the best for all of you.
I have no idea why Seoul gets all the hype - Busan has so many things to do and is 100% worth your time.
Would you go to Busan? Have you been before? Is there anything I missed that you would add to your list of the Top things to do in Busan?
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