8 Must-do Things for You to Enjoy in Busan

Samgwangsa, which is located at the foot of densely forested Mt. Baekyang, occupies an optimal geographic location. From there you can see a full panorama of Busan. In particular at Samgwangsa you can enjoy a remarkable early morning sunrise. It has been selected by CNN as one of the 50 most beautiful attractions of South Korea. The thing that is worth visiting at Samgwangsa is the eight-faced, nine-story Dabotap (many jeweled) Pagoda with 53 revered statues, whose construction was formally completed in 1997. The pagoda is 14.55 metes wide, and its total height is 30 meters. It is the largest scale stone pagoda in East Asia, and enshrines ten genuine relics of the Buddha and the Patriarchs in it. Samgwangsa Temple lights countless five-colored lamps during the Lantern Festival (the day for celebrating the Buddha’s birth). The brilliant lamp light leaves viewers feeling that they cannot take it all in. In addition Buddhist services, cultural lectures and painting exhibits are periodically held.

Haeundae Beach is located in Busan. It is famous for its vast sandy shore and beautiful seacoast, and it is the most famous beaches not only in Busan but in all of South Korea. During the Busan Film Festival every October, Haeundae Beach has an even greater abundance of BIFF culture village activities. It is everyone’s recognized place for spending the summer. A Folk Square, for activities such as traditional Korean wrestling, tuho (arrow throwing), tug-of-war and yutnori, has also been established at Haeundae Beach. There are also a guide office and a seaside library, and next to the guide office there is a free hot spring foot bath. There is the Haeundae Beach Polar Bear Swim Festival in January, the Sand Sculpture Exhibit in June, the Busan Sea Festival in August, and so on.

Hallyeohaesang National Park is one of the most beautiful places in all of Southern South Korea. Along the park’s serrated seashore with the ocean stretching as far as the eye can see, the countless small islands and the imposing cliffs form a pristine natural background best enjoyed aboard a boat. The water wing boat Angel shuttles visitors to each island on the way from Busan and Yeosu, and is much faster than traveling overland. On the way you’ll pass through Chungmu, which has lots of great historical sites. Near a place called Samcheonpo is an island known as the "Island of Cranes." Visitors can go ashore to tour Namhae Geumsan Mountain. Hallyeohaesang National Park comprises parts of Geoje-Haegeumgang District, Yeosu-Odongdo Island, Sacheon District, Tongyeong-Hansan District, Namhaedaegyo District, and Sangju-Geumsan Mt. District. There are many large and small islands with different shapes along the shoreline. The park is a great place to enjoy some water activities while escaping the summer heat.

Yongdusan Park is located in a thriving city district of Busan. If you climb up to Busan Tower on Yongdusan Mountain, you can enjoy a full panorama of the bustling city district as well as some ocean scenery. When the weather is clear, you can see as far as Tsushima Island in the distance. Yongdusan Park is famous for the night view of Busan that you can see from Busan Tower. There are more than 700 species of flourishing plants in Yongdusan Park. The entire mountainside is a park, and Busan Tower rises up on the mountain’s summit. There is a beautiful “Flower Clock” on the summit, with fresh flowers adorning the summit in all four seasons of the year. Busan Tower is 120 meters high. If you go up to the observation deck at its highest point, you can savor the flavor of the Busan city districts, such as the Jagalchi Market, Gukje Market and Kkangtong Market, with roofs in the shape of seagulls, and Yeongdodaegyo Bridge.

Bugok received its name from the fact that its geology is like that of a large furnace, and it merits the crown of South Korea’s hot springs. The temperature of the hot spring water here can reach as high as 78 degrees Fahrenheit. In the past Bugok Hot Springs was called “Bujeong”. Word has it that the most unusual thing is that there is a big difference between the taste of the early morning soup and evening soup that is prepared with the water here. The water temperature at Bugok Hawaii Hot Springs is very high. We recommend that you first soak your feet and then pour hot spring water over your entire body, and wait until your body has adapted to the heat before you immerse it in the steaming hot spring water. A group of mountains stretche off from the hot springs, and it is a nourishing sight to behold. You can even boil an egg with the hot spring water, and is a genuine hot spring egg!

The Busan Gamcheon Culture Village has been called “the most artistic village in Asia” and “Busan’s Santorini.” It is linked together by a series of lanes full of murals, painted ducks and installation art, and it forms a unique colorful culture hamlet. You feel as though you had entered a fairy tale. It is particularly well suited to couples and women’s tour groups. At the entrance of the Gamcheon Culture Village, you first pay 2,000 won (approximately 12 yuan renminbi) to buy a map, which not only indicates each walking route but also two points where you can exchange the map stamps for a postcard. You can walk and rest your feet at the elegantly decorated small coffee shops. The scenery is also very pleasing to the eye. If for example you walk along the writers’ workshop route, it will take you one and a half hours; or you can base your route on what the map indicates, and it will take you about two hours to collect stamps at the nine designated nine places: the photo studio, book store café, home of peace, village museum and so on, to exchange them for a postcard.

Jagalchi Market has become South Korea’s largest aquatic products market is based on a wide array of seafood products and immense scale. It is the seafood center that you cannot miss if you visit Busan! When you stroll around the seafood market, you experience the local life in Busan. Tell them you want another bowl of fresh hoe. Great! Jagalchi Market is representative of famous tourism sites in Busan, and it is one of the sightseeing routes that foreign visitors to Busan absolutely cannot miss. Every October the “Busan Jagalchi Festival” is held here, and at that time a wide variety of enjoyable activities and cultural and artistic performances are held here.

Beomeosa Temple is located on the slopes of Geumjeongsan in the northern part of Busan. Beomeosa Temple was built by the Buddhist priest Uisang in the Shilla Era more than 1,300 years ago, and it is the head temple of Jogye (Zen) Order of Korean Buddhism. Its Daeungjeon (main temple hall ) and Three Story Stone Pagoda have been designated as South Korean national treasures. There is one path leading up to the top of Beomeosa Temple. The ancient trees, scattered stones and mountain streams gradually draw you into the quiet world of a Korean Zen temple. You can participate in either an experience-type or rest-type temple stay and meditative study program at Beomeosa Temple. The temple also holds ecological experience activities on an irregular basis. For the staying or study courses, there are two day, one night and single day activities. You can either register after arriving at the temple or apply beforehand online. In addition to such things as Zen mediation, paying respects to the Buddha, listening to the Buddhist sutras being expounded, etc., there are also cultural activities such as Korean paper-making, tea ceremonies, naturally dyed lamps and so on. All of the activities are accompanied by English language explanations.