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Busan is Korea's second city and its opposite number to Seoul — a coastal port built into steep hills, wrapped around beaches, with a rawer, saltier character and the largest seafood market in the country. Two and a half hours from Seoul by fast train, it is the easiest and best add-on to a Korea trip and increasingly a destination on its own.
Why it's worth the flight
It's the only major Korean city with real beaches, and the combination of mountains, sea, temples on cliffs and a dense working port makes it far more visually varied than Seoul. It's also noticeably cheaper and more relaxed.
When to go
Late spring and early autumn are ideal. Summer is when Koreans descend on the beaches — hot, humid, crowded and lively, with monsoon rain in July. Autumn is clear and comfortable. Winter is cold but milder than Seoul and the seafood is at its best.
Where to base yourself
- Haeundae — the main beach, high-rise, resort-like, best in summer.
- Gwangalli — the other beach, with the bridge view, better bars, slightly more local.
- Seomyeon — the commercial and transport centre. Not scenic, extremely convenient.
- Nampo-dong — the old downtown near the fish market and the film district, best for atmosphere.
What to eat
Seafood above all: raw fish (hoe), grilled shellfish, and eomuk fish cakes, a Busan speciality. Dwaeji gukbap, pork and rice soup, is the local comfort dish born of the Korean War. Milmyeon, cold wheat noodles, is another Busan original. And ssiat hotteok, the seed-stuffed sweet pancake, from a street stall in Nampo-dong.
Getting around
The subway covers the city well and the same transit card from Seoul works here. Buses fill the gaps up the hills. Taxis are cheap. Busan is spread out along the coast, so plan by area rather than criss-crossing.
The stopover logic
Two hours by train from Seoul makes Busan the easiest second city in Asia to add. Building the routing well is a skill worth having.
Don't miss
- Gamcheon Culture Village — a hillside of painted houses, once a refugee settlement, now the city's emblem.
- Haedong Yonggungsa — a temple built onto the rocks above the sea, unusual in a country where temples are usually in mountains.
- Jagalchi Market — the fish market, early.
- Gwangalli Beach at night, with the bridge lit up.
- The coastal walk at Igidae — cliffs, sea and skyline.
The honest caveat
Busan is sprawling and hilly, so it takes more time to move around than its size suggests. It has fewer conventional sights than Seoul and works best as a two or three-day counterpoint rather than a week on its own.
What things actually cost there
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