Travel guide · South Korea
Busan travel guide
City beaches, seaside temples and Korea's biggest fish market
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Brit in Seoul, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Korea's second city and largest port wraps around a mountainous coastline on the country's southeastern tip, about 2.5 hours from Seoul by KTX. Visitors split their time between the beaches of Haeundae and Gwangalli, the markets and hillside villages of the old port around Nampo-dong and Jagalchi, and cliff-top sights such as Haedong Yonggungsa and Taejongdae. Four subway lines link most areas, and seafood, pork-and-rice soup and cold wheat noodles define the food. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are April–May and September–November.
Key facts
- Country
- South Korea
- Best time to visit
- April–May and September–November
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- PUS
- Mid-range daily budget
- $110–$200 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Haeundae Beach, Jagalchi Fish Market, Gamcheon Culture Village and Busan International Film Festival
Why visit Busan
- City beaches at Haeundae and Gwangalli sit on the subway network, with the lit-up Gwangan Bridge as a backdrop at night.
- Jagalchi Fish Market lets you pick live seafood downstairs and have it prepared upstairs, the definitive Busan meal.
- Haedong Yonggungsa, a Buddhist temple on seaside rocks, and Beomeosa in the mountains show two sides of Korean temple life.
- Hillside neighbourhoods such as Gamcheon Culture Village and Huinnyeoul Culture Village grew from Korean War refugee settlements and now hold murals, cafés and sea views.
- Gyeongju's royal tombs and Bulguksa temple are about 30 minutes away by KTX, an easy day trip.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 18 things to do.
Beach · Haeundae
Haeundae Beach
Korea's best-known city beach is a 1.5-km crescent of sand backed by hotels and skyscrapers.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- After dark
Neighbourhood · Saha-gu
Gamcheon Culture Village
Built by refugees during the Korean War, this hillside village of pastel houses was revived through an art project with murals, installations and small galleries.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Photo spot
- Art
- Views
Religious site · Gijang and Osiria
Haedong Yonggungsa
Unusually for a Korean temple, Haedong Yonggungsa sits on rocks above the sea rather than in the mountains.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- History
Market · Nampo-dong and Jagalchi
Jagalchi Fish Market
Korea's largest seafood market spreads along the old port, with stalls of live fish, octopus, crabs and shellfish run largely by local women, known as Jagalchi ajummas.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Food
- Photo spot
Beach · Gwangalli
Gwangalli Beach and Gwangan Bridge
A 1.4-km beach facing the 7.4-km Gwangan Bridge, which is lit up in changing colours every night.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- After dark
- Couples
- Free
- Views
- Iconic
Nature · Yeongdo
Taejongdae
A wooded headland at the southern tip of Yeongdo island, ringed by sea cliffs, a lighthouse and an observatory looking towards Japan's Tsushima on clear days.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Outdoors
- Free
- Kids
Where to stay
Haeundae is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, beach and luxury
Haeundae
Busan's best-known beach, high-rise hotels and a seafood market street
$$$ · Best for couples, nightlife, food lovers and beach
Gwangalli
Beachfront bars and cafés facing the illuminated Gwangan Bridge
$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, budget and shopping
Nampo-dong and Jagalchi
Old port markets, shopping streets and street-food stalls
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, shopping and solo travellers
Seomyeon
Central shopping and nightlife hub where subway lines 1 and 2 meet
What to eat
- Pork and rice soup — Busan's signature comfort food: a milky pork-bone broth with slices of pork, served with rice, chives, salted shrimp and chilli paste to season at the table.
- Wheat cold noodles — Created by refugees during the Korean War who substituted wheat flour for buckwheat, milmyeon are chewy noodles in an icy, tangy beef broth or with a spicy sauce.
- Fish cake — Busan is famous for its fish cakes, made from ground fish and fried in sheets, skewers or croquettes stuffed with cheese or shrimp.
- Seed-filled pancake — A fried sweet pancake cut open and stuffed with a mix of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and peanuts over the brown-sugar syrup filling, a Busan twist on the classic hotteok.
- Raw fish — Sliced raw fish such as flounder and rockfish, eaten wrapped in lettuce with garlic, chilli and chogochujang sauce, followed by a spicy stew made from the bones (maeuntang).
- Nakgopsae — A spicy stir-fried stew of small octopus, beef tripe and shrimp cooked at the table, then topped with rice or noodles to soak up the sauce.
When to go
The best times to visit Busan are April to May and September to November, when the weather is mild and dry and coastal walks are at their best; early October adds the film festival. July and August are the beach season, hot and crowded, with a rainy spell in late June and July and typhoon risk into September. Winter is cold but sunny and the lowest-priced time.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Cherry blossom in late March and early April, mild days and sand and anchovy festivals; the sea is still cool for swimming. |
| Summer | June–August | Beach season with packed sands at Haeundae and Gwangalli, humid heat, a rainy season from late June and possible typhoons. |
| Autumn | September–November | Warm sea in September, then clear, dry days, the film festival, fireworks and autumn colour in the mountains. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold, windy and sunny with little rain; quiet beaches, Christmas lights and the lowest hotel prices. |
Getting there and around
Gimhae International Airport is about 20 km west of the centre. The Busan–Gimhae Light Rail connects to subway line 2 at Sasang and line 3 at Daejeo; the trip to Seomyeon takes about 30–40 minutes and to Haeundae about an hour. Limousine buses run to Haeundae and the main hotel areas.
Busan is long and hilly, but four subway lines, a light rail line and the Donghae Line commuter trains connect the main areas. Taxis are inexpensive for shorter hops, and buses fill in coastal areas such as Taejongdae and Gamcheon.
Plan your days
Two days covers Haeundae, Gamcheon, Jagalchi and Haedong Yonggungsa at a fast pace. Four days lets you add Taejongdae, Beomeosa, the Blueline Park coastal train and a day trip to Gyeongju.
Practical information
- Currency
- KRW
- Language
- Korean
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 220 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is treated and safe, though most locals drink filtered or bottled water.
- Emergency number
- 112 police, 119 fire and ambulance, 1330 tourist helpline
- Tipping
- Tipping is not customary in restaurants, taxis or hotels, and staff may refuse it.
Busan is generally safe for visitors, with low street crime. Take care with rip currents and follow lifeguard flags on beaches, especially after storms, and stay off rocky shorelines in high waves during typhoon warnings.
Flights to Busan
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Busan?
Two days covers Haeundae, Gamcheon, Jagalchi and Haedong Yonggungsa at a fast pace. Four days lets you add Taejongdae, Beomeosa, the Blueline Park coastal train and a day trip to Gyeongju. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Busan?
The best times to visit Busan are April to May and September to November, when the weather is mild and dry and coastal walks are at their best; early October adds the film festival. July and August are the beach season, hot and crowded, with a rainy spell in late June and July and typhoon risk into September. Winter is cold but sunny and the lowest-priced time.
+What is Busan known for?
Haeundae Beach, Jagalchi Fish Market, Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan International Film Festival, Dwaeji gukbap, Haedong Yonggungsa and Gwangan Bridge. City beaches at Haeundae and Gwangalli sit on the subway network, with the lit-up Gwangan Bridge as a backdrop at night.
+Is Busan expensive?
Busan is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $110–$200 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Busan?
No. Public transport and taxis cover the city well and parking is difficult; a car is only useful for exploring the south coast beyond Tongyeong.