The capital city will always grab much more of the limelight. That's an understated fact regardless of which country you travel to. It's all to do with convenience. Everything is there for you, the easy journey from airport to hotel for example. The old architecture and art galleries, and much more. So why would anyone leave behind beautiful <a rel="index, follow" href="/top-10-most-visited-attractions-in-seoul" "The topmost attractions found in South Korea's capital Seoul">Seoul? Read on to discover the must-see attractions we found in Busan City.
Competing for your love and affection is Busan, South Korea's second largest city and it's a corker.
It's not only Seoul with the best spa experiences. Busan has lots of them too, circling around many hot springs, and the city is famous for its themed spas. Beaches as well, there are an enough number of those, and the list goes on and on. Lots of reasons to leave Seoul behind for a few days.
Busan, as we discovered on one trip, is ideal for a 3D2N short break. On the main KTX route, the Seoul to Busan journey time is a touch over 2 hours. We settled into our journey soon after leaving the station. And after what only seemed a short time enjoying a light lunch, we had already reached the city limits. Train journeys in South Korea (and Japan, for that matter) are a treat.
One of very few sacred places remaining in South Korea. There are 100 steps leading down to the water's edge, from the top where there are eye watering views of the temple. What you notice right away is the sounds of the waves lapping against the rocks. It is setting that's pleasing and mindful we found. And who doesn't like being near to a body of water? Very few people.
One of the main tourist destinations of Busan, for domestic and foreign tourists. Surrounding the temple there are many beautiful spots. As we said, the settings are calming. All you can do is capture a few photos, but patience is a must. You are not alone in wanting to capture memories and selfies with the temple in the background. When we visited there were large groups from Europe, Singapore and elsewhere.
The 600-year-old temple has many interesting, touristy features to seek out:
From the bridge, attempt to put your coin in the cauldron of one of the smaller Buddha statues, for luck. You must enter the main temple too. Go inside for sights of the colorful beams and ceiling and large murals, and to give a prayer. At this point you sense Buddhism has very close ties to nature and its beauty.
There is this amazing beach in Busan. It stretches for over 1km in length and is 90 meters wide in many places. The beach has beautiful white sand leading you into calm and clear sea water, what more could you want? It's Busan's most popular beach and you understand why. There are lots of family friendly activities:
You must be on the beach front from early evening. Not only is the sunset spectacular in itself but there are amazing firework displays. It's a relaxing atmosphere to be around, to the sound of live performances on the beach. The sea breeze and sounds of waves complete your day as you turn back to your hotel. Visit the beach in May for the Haeundae Sand Festival. And then there's the Haeundae Lights Festival towards the end of the year.
The coastline has many interesting sights and walkways for you to enjoy during the day. Any city nightscape is beautiful and memorizing. No doubt you'll want to capture sights of Seoul's nightscape, but don't neglect Busan either. There are various spots for taking amazing photos of Busan's nighttime. We walked to the Busan Harbor Bridge after a meal, but there are so many.
The best way to discover the perfect opportunity is to go for a walk. The light from the skyscrapers and the beachfront sparkle as if diamonds. delighting you to no end.
A two-minute walk from the Sky Observatory brings you to the Haeundae Cruise Terminal. If you feel lost, look for signs pointing to the Gwangandaegyo Bridge. Every evening there is a night cruise departing. In fact, you can opt for a day cruise or a night cruise. It was the night cruise we boarded, and tickets cost us US$5 each for the one-hour sightseeing tour. As it turned out, the cruise was one of our best things we did whilst in Busan, actually.
Could the cruise be the top attraction? Most definitely.
A decades old legacy of the early 20th century. The village came about to provide a home for the working classes. By doing this, the village cleared space elsewhere to allow for the port area to expand. The village has an ill-thought-out layout, but it works for everyone. Could it be what makes it a top attraction, as well? It's akin to a maze actually, the streets leading you array as you ascend and descend, this way and that way. Often you feel dizzy and bewildered by how anyone could live here. It's a defining feature of Busan that you shouldn't ignore.
Once a slum and an eye sore the village has gone under rework and is now maintained, to create a work of art. It does appear to be a collage from a distance, and now an enjoyable feature on Busan's landscape:
A very unique holiday experience you will not get anywhere else, Gamcheon Village is worth visiting.
Many Koreans spend a great deal of their leisure time outdoors trekking as that's their way to relax. For others they head to their nearest spa. They care about their beauty and wellbeing as a form of relaxation. Busan has many spas and beauty centers throughout the city. One popular destination is Cimer Spa at the recent development Paradise Hotel. The hotel is close to Incheon Airport.
The spa is within the Haeundae District. It's the best of both worlds, the convenience is you could book a hotel close to the beach. Not far to travel by taxi or by train for an amazing day out, pampering yourself.
Cimer Spa is an incredible experience, at least it was for us. But by appointment only so you need to take care of that in advance. The whole spa experience is superb. The facilities are ultra-modern, and high end with exceptional service. It's one of the most exclusive and luxurious spas in South Korea, actually with:
There are also many rooms for healing: an Amethyst room, a Salt room and a Charcoal room. Each room heals in different ways and you're free to move between any room as you see fit. The food and drink facilities available to guests and members alike. For guests the basic spa experience begins from US$45 per person. Any further experience, such as the Jimilbang spa experience, is extra.
The use of any sunbeds and loungers are also have a charge.
There is an amazing afternoon waiting for you, in this spa. Spend less than US$100 per person and leave reenergized and feeling fabulous. Being part of the exclusivity is what attracts most people, and it's affordable too.
Busan's bustling Seomyeon's Shopping District is lively, to say the least. You'll find there many varied cafes, restaurants, bars and malls. One such mall that will interest you, for sure, is the underground Seomyeon Mall. But what makes this shopping mall so popular? Could it be the connectivity between the rail stations. Haeundae Station is close to Seomyeon Station, and Busan Station.
All three stations bring eager shoppers to the mall. The district attracts shoppers and office workers, the noise and activity are startling. There's the emotional excitement when you visit the many shops throughout the mall. You'll get lost in all the excitement. When you find yourself back at street level, you're keen to step back in. You are not ready to leave this shopping wonderland.
If you love shopping back home, you'll love Seomyeon Mall, and all the other malls too.
The much-anticipated event plays out each evening near Dadaepo Beach. Throughout the summer months the musical extravaganza draws in the crowds. People gather together for a fountain feature that shoots water as high as 55 meters. The fountain rhythm, water rising up and down, is in time to the music. The changing rainbow colors to the beat only enhances the display and your moment, even more.
The attraction is very like the Lake Symphony Orchestra in Malaysia.
One more of Busan's much touted beaches, albeit a lot less crowded. Large swaths of sand open up for you to enjoy long romantic strolls, relaxing for the most part. It's one of those beaches you head to for down time, when you need to recharge. Other than that, it's another beach. Great for long, slow walks whiling away the hours waiting for a glimpse of the setting sun.
It's many things that will bring you to Busan for a day or two out of Seoul. There is a vibrant sense of art throughout the city and that resonates from the cultural village. Because, in the manner it wields creativity. But then there is the centuries old coastal temple. With the temple, you're surrounded by Buddhism and history in equal measures. The fresh seafood sampled in the fish markets is another holiday favorite. One of the best things about travel is local street food cuisine, in South Korea you want to try everything.
Busan attracts tourists from neighboring Japan, China and Singapore. Ask yourself why, and when curiosity gets the better of you, that's when you'll want to visit. So, it isn't only Jeju Island that's an amazing getaway from Seoul, but Busan too.
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Hello, we are George and Elle Mae Melyre.
Over the years, amidst work and family life, we have traveled extensively throughout Asia. Any chance to briefly escape or properly holiday in our beloved Asian destinations is eagerly seized, motivated by the enduring dream of leaving behind the UK's dreary cold for tropical climes.