Generally, people visit only Seoul when traveling to South Korea. The capital of South Korea is renowned for its amazing nightlife, the residence of globally renowned celebrities, some of the biggest shopping centers in whole South Korea, and the major concentration of restaurants and food markets that sell a wide variety of delicious Korean foods that people travel far to eat. For many people, it is a one-stop destination. However, Seoul is not the only place worth visiting in South Korea. There are lots of other beautiful places in South Korea. Among them, Busan is the best place to enjoy nature, get the taste of fresh salty breeze, rub elbows with locals, and learn about the cultural aspects of South Korea. Busan is a seaside gem located in the southern regions and is quite popular among locals. Nowadays, this beautiful city is gaining huge popularity among international travelers too. Busan has a great number of beaches, temples, shrines, hot springs, small unexplored villages, and delicious seafood, attracting more travelers day by day. Busan might not offer much attraction like Seoul, but, is a great place for an adventurous soul to spend their holiday in South Korea.
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Getting to Busan
Busan, the second-largest city of South Korea, lies further down south along the coast of the country. You can reach Busan from any part of the country via their subway system. The subway system of Korea operates in a highly populated city all the way to the countryside. For long-distance traveling, you can also opt for highway buses. There is also an option to get the KORAIL Pass that any foreigners can buy. These passes give you access to the use of almost any KORAIL operated trains for a certain period.
Busan also has an international airport named Gimhae International Airport. So, you can arrive directly to Busan from many Asian countries like China, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Thailand. You can fly to Seoul and take high-speed train KTX to Busan, which will take only a couple of hours.
Getting Around Busan
Cashbee Card
Cashbee is a prepaid transportation card used in Busan, similar to the T-Money card in Seoul. If you have already purchased a T-Money card, you can use it in Busan too. But, if you don’t have any transportation card, it is better to get a Cashbee card as you can use it not only for transportation but also in many stores and movie theatres. You can get Cashbee cards at ticket vending machines inside metro stations or convenience stores.
Metro
Metro runs through almost all of the major tourist destinations and is also quite cheap, so it is an economical way to travel in Busan. If you are only for a day in Busan, you can get a one-day metro ticket from Gimhae International Airport, Busan Station, or Busan Central Bus Terminal or the ticket vending machines inside the metro stations. This ticket allows you to take all metro lines an unlimited number of times for the day of purchase except for the light rail service.
Taxi
There are mainly two types of taxis in Busan; regular taxi and deluxe taxis. Regular taxis are in gray color, and deluxe taxis are in black color with a yellow taxi sign on top. The taxi costs around 3000 won per 2km with additional cost depending upon the distance and time, whereas the deluxe taxi costs about 5000 won per 3km with additional cost depending upon the distance and time. Most taxi drivers in Busan don’t speak English, so it would be better to know the name of the destination in Korean.
Local Bus
The buses in Busan covers almost all part of the city. T-Money Card or Cashbee card is better to use than cash for bus fare as cash fare is higher than transportation card fare. Also, with a transportation card, you can get a transfer discount.
Things to Do
Gamcheon Culture Village
Gamcheon Culture Village, often known as a mix of Santorini and Machu Picchu, is a gorgeous place. This beautiful village is located at the base of a mountain and encompasses bright-colored condensed houses with colorful hues all around town. The laneways and walls are full of artworks and graffiti, and you will also get to enjoy the gorgeous view of the entire town when you climb up the side of the mountain. The view is stunningly beautiful, especially at sunset, when the sunlight rays hit the town.
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is a gorgeous temple in Korea situated near the coast. Due to this, you will get a chance to enjoy panoramic views of the ocean and also learn about the tradition of Korea. You will have to climb a bit of stair to reach the temple, but the trip is not much strenuous. This temple is popular among both locals and tourists. This temple is also quite large and houses many attractive statues and also a pond believed to answer your prayers. The temple is exceptionally beautiful during Buddha month as you will see lanterns all around the temple and also lots of stalls around selling delicious Korean street foods.
Haeundae Beach
Haeundae Beach is one of the most popular beaches of South Korea. Here, you can just chill out at the beach and enjoy the sun, sand, and salty breeze or go for some adventurous activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, and wakeboarding, among many more. Near Haeundae Beach, there is also Busan Aquarium. Also, you can grab a drink at the beachside bar and enjoy a cocktail while overlooking the beautiful ocean.
Oryukdo Skywalk
Oryukdo Skywalk translates to ‘walking in the sky’ and is located on Seungdumal. As its name, it literally feels like walking in the sky as you will be walking along the transparent bridge above the ocean and watch the waves crashing beneath your feet. Walking in the Oryukdo Skywalk will be one of your most interesting memory in South Korea.
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