Outdoors · Busan · South Korea
6 best outdoor things to do in Busan
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Republic of Korea, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Haeundae Beach, Taejongdae and Beomeosa Temple. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 12–17 hours across 5 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 12–17 hours
- Areas
- Haeundae, Yeongdo and Geumjeong-gu
Outdoors in Busan
Beach · Haeundae
1.Haeundae Beach
Walk west from the beach around Dongbaek Island's coastal path to the Nurimaru APEC House for views back to the skyline.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- After dark
Nature · Yeongdo
2.Taejongdae
Ride the Danubi train out and walk the downhill sections back for the best cliff views.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Outdoors
- Free
- Kids
Religious site · Geumjeong-gu
3.Beomeosa Temple
Take subway line 1 to Beomeosa station and a short bus ride up; combine with a hike to the fortress if you have time.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Active
Park · Haeundae
4.Dongbaek Island
Walk the loop at sunset, then continue to The Bay 101 waterfront for the night view of Marine City.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Couples
Beach · Songdo
5.Songdo Beach and Busan Air Cruise
Ride the cable car in the late afternoon and walk the Songdo Cloud Trail at sunset.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Nam-gu
6.Oryukdo Skywalk and Igidae Coastal Walk
Start at the skywalk and walk the trail towards Gwangalli so you finish at the beach for dinner.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- Active
- Outdoors
- Nature
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Haeundae | Haeundae Beach and Dongbaek Island | Half a day + 1 hour |
| Yeongdo | Taejongdae | 2–3 hours |
| Geumjeong-gu | Beomeosa Temple | 2–3 hours |
| Songdo | Songdo Beach and Busan Air Cruise | 2–3 hours |
| Nam-gu | Oryukdo Skywalk and Igidae Coastal Walk | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 5 free, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Haeundae Beach; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Haeundae): Haeundae Beach → Dongbaek Island, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Yeongdo): Taejongdae, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Geumjeong-gu): Beomeosa Temple, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Songdo): Songdo Beach and Busan Air Cruise, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Nam-gu): Oryukdo Skywalk and Igidae Coastal Walk, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- October: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 5 rainy days, busy crowds. Clear, dry and comfortable; the film festival and fireworks festival make it the city's busiest cultural month.
- November: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 5 rainy days, moderate crowds. Crisp, sunny autumn days with colourful leaves at Beomeosa and in the hills.
- May: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 9 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and sunny before the humidity; public holidays bring domestic crowds to the beaches.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Haeundae — Busan's best-known beach, high-rise hotels and a seafood market street
- Songdo — Korea's first public beach, a sea-crossing cable car and a cliff-side skywalk
More of Busan
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Busan?
Haeundae Beach. Korea's best-known city beach is a 1.5-km crescent of sand backed by hotels and skyscrapers.
+Which of these are free in Busan?
Haeundae Beach, Taejongdae, Beomeosa Temple, Dongbaek Island and Oryukdo Skywalk and Igidae Coastal Walk.