Things to do in  Busan

Gamcheon Culture Village spills down a hillside in a riot of colors just outside Busan. The village, nicknamed “Santorini on the South Sea” and “the Machu Picchu of Busan,” was once an enclave for refugee members of the Taegeukdo religious movement. Today, the neighborhood attracts visitors with its steep cubicle houses, galleries, and cafés.

The cover star of just about every Busan tourism poster since it opened in 2003, Gwangan Bridge (Gwangandaegyo) is the city's answer to the Golden Gate Bridge. Particularly impressive at night when it's illuminated, the bridge is best viewed from Gwangalli Beach, where you can see the nightly light show.

Visitors come from all over to sample the fresh seafood at Jagalchi Fish Market in Busan. The largest seafood market in the country, Jagalchi is unique in that it’s run largely by women—a tradition dating back to the Korean War, when many of the men were off fighting and their wives took over the family businesses.

Built during the Goryeo Dynasty in 1376, historic Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is one of only a few Korean temples on the coast, and it honors Haesu Gwaneum Daebul, a Buddhist goddess believed to live in the ocean, where she rides atop a dragon. Legends aside, the east-facing temple offers a spectacular view of the rising sun.

During the 1950s, refugees of war-torn Korea began opening small shops to try to earn a living. This modest collection of shops has since transformed into Gukje Market, Busan’s largest traditional market. Today, stalls sell everything from seaweed and street snacks to electronics and hanbok (Korean formalwear.

Busan’s proximity to the sea is one of its charms, and Haeundae Beach is perhaps the most famous beach in South Korea. Nearly a mile long (1.5 kilometers), this stretch of coastline is lined with some of Busan’s top international hotels, as well as an assortment of restaurants, shops, and the Sea Life Busan Aquarium.

The 35-acre (14-hectare) UN Memorial Cemetery is one of Busan’s most peaceful spots. Established in 1951, the quiet park and cemetery honors a total of 2,300 United Nations soldiers representing 16 countries who were killed during the Korean War. Manicured hedges and flower bushes add to the beautiful and somber sight.

Busan Tower (or Diamond Tower) soars skyward 120 meters (400 feet) from the center of the city’s Yongdusan Park—where you’ll find a forest-covered mountain reminiscent of a dragon’s head. Built in 1973 and modeled on Bulguksa Temple’s Dabotap Pagoda, the tower is an architectural icon of Korea’s second city. From the structure’s observation deck, you can enjoy panoramic views that stretch across both land and sea.

Dongbaek Island (Dongbaekseom), considered one of Busan’s most scenic places, isn’t really an island at all. The former island, now connected to the Korean mainland by a land bridge made up of accumulated sediment, gets its name from the abundant camellia (dongbaek in Korean) trees that grow throughout.

Located at a bend in the Nakdong River, Andong Hahoe Folk Village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by pine forests, sandy beaches, and dramatic cliffs and offers a glimpse of bygone Korea. Wander the village to learn about South Korean architecture and traditions that date back to the 10th century.

Yongdusan Park, a mountainous park in the center of Busan, is one of the city’s most popular green spaces. Its name translates to “dragon’s head mountain,” as it’s thought to resemble a dragon poking its head above the surface of the sea. Highlights of the park include various monuments to battles and Korean heroes, Busan Tower, and the octagonal Palgakjeong pavilion.

The rocky seaside cliffs of Taejongdae Resort Park are situated on the southernmost tip of Yeongdo Island. The area, named after King Taejong of the Silla Dynasty, offers access to a rock beach, a lighthouse, a few temples, an observatory, and plenty of nature trails.

Beomeosa Temple was founded in 678 BC by Buddhist monk Ui Sang. Perched on Geumjeongsan Mountain, the current temple complex was built in 1613 after the original was destroyed in the Imjin War with Japan. The complex includes a pagoda, several pavilions, three ornate gates, and 11 hermitages.

The SEA LIFE® Busan Aquarium, ranked among the best marine life facilities in South Korea, comprises three floors of aquatic displays and attractions, including an underwater tunnel, touch tank, and more than 10,000 fish, algae, reptiles, and amphibians representing 250-plus species.

Perched dramatically on Busan’s rugged East Sea coast, Haedong Yonggung Temple (Haedong Yonggungsa) is one of South Korea’s most impressive Buddhist temples. The original 14th-century structure was destroyed in the Imjin War. The rebuilt seaside temple is a rare example of a Korean temple not built in the mountains.