Headed to South Korea and looking to spend 3 days in Busan?! I’m sharing everything you need to know to plan the perfect Busan itinerary – when to go, where to stay, where to eat, and of course, all the fun things to do!
Welcome to Busan, South Korea’s dazzling seaside gem where city meets sea and where we spent an unforgettable 3 days. Think colorful hillside villages full of murals and art installations. Bustling seafood markets with the freshest catches of the day. Historic temples surrounded by peaceful mountain landscapes and the turquoise sea. Vibrant nightlife in trendy districts full of energy. Beaches, yacht marinas, and more! That’s Busan in a nutshell!
As South Korea’s second-largest city (with a population of a whopping 3.4 million), Busan is a vibrant port city with tons of cultural sites (like a sacred temple by the sea), and stunning coastal views. It boasts Asia’s largest department store (yes, really!) and the largest fish market in all of Korea. Plus, there’s all the tteokbokki, kimbap, and hotteok you could want (true story — I could eat Korean BBQ all day long). And fun fact: Busan even served as the temporary capital during the Korean War.
During our week in South Korea, we spent 3 days in Busan, and loved how dynamic and welcoming it was. I honestly wasn’t sure how much we’d like Busan, as I mostly hear things about Seoul and Jeju Island, but it was the perfect introduction to the country.
So let’s get to it – the best 3 day Busan itinerary coming right up! But first, some important logistics and FAQs!
3 Days in Busan At-A-Glance
- Day 1: arrive, Jagalchi Market, BIFF Square, Nampo-dong Food Alley, Lotte Observatory, Gwangalli Beach
- Day 2: Main highlights of Busan (Yonggungsa Temple, Haeundae Blueline Park and Sky Capsule, Gamcheon Cultural Village)
- Day 3: Haeundae Beach, Coralani Cafe, Songdo Bay Cable Car, Taejongdae Resort Park, Stairs of Wishes, depart
First of all, is Busan worth visiting?
Absolutely. Busan is home to some of Korea’s most beautiful beaches, tons of scenic coastal trails, historic temples, colorful, artistic villages, super fresh seafood, and all the street food you could want.
To be completely honest, I had never heard of Busan before booking our trip to Korea. It’s still kinda under the radar (at least for Americans) compared to Seoul, and I’m really glad we chose to spend 3 days in Busan and explore.
Some people claim Busan is super boring and there’s not much going on. Compared to Seoul I can understand where they’re coming from – BUT that’s like comparing Seoul and Busan to Lisbon and Porto or San Francisco and San Diego. They’ve all got their worth, there’s just different things to do.
3 Days in Busan Itinerary Logistics
Where is Busan and How to Get There
Busan is located on the southeastern coast of the South Korean peninsula, and is part of the South Gyeongsang Province. It sits along the Korea Strait, which connects the East China Sea to the Sea of Japan.
And there’s so much natural beauty here! The city is surrounded by gorgeous mountains, including Geumjeongsan and Jangsan, so you can only imagine the scenic views and hiking opportunities. There’s also islands off the coast, like Oryukdo and Yeongdo, which have tons of scenic beauty and authentic fishing communities.
- From Seoul: ~325 kilometers (200 miles), approximately a 2.5 to 3-hour journey by KTX high-speed train
- From Daegu: ~120 kilometers (75 miles), about an hour by train
- From Ulsan: ~70 kilometers (43 miles), roughly a 30-minute train ride
- From Jeju: 1 hour plane ride or 10-12 hour ferry ride (ack!)
- From Gyeongju: ~80 kilometers (50 miles); KTX (Korea Train eXpress) high-speed train from Busan to Singyeongju Station (Gyeongju) takes about 30 minutes
Flying to Busan
Yes, you can fly directly to Busan! I didn’t even realize that until we started researching for our trip (the more you know!). Busan is served by Gimhae International Airport (airport code PUS), which provides domestic flights (think Seoul, Jeju, and Jeonju) and some international ones as well (like major cities in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia).
If you’re coming from further away you’ll need to fly to Seoul first, which is what we did. From there, you can either take a short flight to Busan, or take the train.
Since the KTX is oh so easy (and doesn’t even take that long – 2 ½ hours), if you’re coming from Seoul I think it just makes sense to take the train. But if you’re coming from Jeju Island, you’ll need to fly, haha.
Taking the KTX Train to Busan
The high-speed train network in Korea is called the Korea Train Express, or KTX for short. It connects Busan to major cities throughout South Korea, and it’s super simple and convenient. From Seoul, you’ll depart from Seoul Station and arrive at Busan Station in about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
This is exactly how we got to Busan! We found the trains really comfortable, super safe (since there’s so much CCTV everywhere, even on public transport), and were able to use the free wifi.
Psst – there’s KTX trains in other cities as well, like Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju.
I HIGHLY recommend buying your KTX tickets in advance – the train gets filled up when it’s busy (like in cherry blossom season when we visited). Definitely consider purchasing KTX tickets via Klook (which is exactly what we did). There’s a deal for a group of 2-5 people for ~$90 per person for unlimited train travel for 2 days in a 10 day period. Note that it’s only for tourists, and slightly discounted than buying a regular ticket.
Plus, you can’t buy tickets on the Korail website with a foreign credit card (in our experience), and we found the Korail App to be super clunky and hardly worked.
FYI – you can’t reserve actual seats on Klook (although seat reservation fees are included); you can do it a month ahead of time on the official Korail website. We found it a teeny bit confusing to pick our seats. For some reason, the website wouldn’t work on our home internet, so we had to use our cell connection tethered to our computer. Once we figured that out it wasn’t terrible, haha.
Also, know that each passport holder can only have 1 Korea Rail Pass, meaning you can’t buy on both Klook and another website.
Whatever you do, DO NOT use Rail Ninja (it’s crazy more expensive and a complete rip off – they jack up those prices SO much).
Express Intercity Bus to Busan
Looking for a super cost-effective option? There’s always the Intercity Bus! It takes longer than the KTX train (around 4-5 hours), but it’s less expensive. Buses are modern, air-conditioned coaches with comfy seating and bathrooms onboard.
From Seoul, buses depart from both Seoul Express Bus Terminal (also known as Gangnam Express Bus Terminal) and Dong Seoul Bus Terminal and arrive at Busan Central Bus Terminal (which you can then take the metro to downtown Busan).
Tip: Make sure you take an express bus (direct service to/from Busan) – standard buses are a tad cheaper, but they make multiple stops meaning it takes way longer.
Driving to Busan
If you’re comfortable with international driving, you can easily drive to Busan. It’s accessible by road via major highways and expressways, and there’s mostly bilingual road signs.
From Seoul, you’ll wanna take the Gyeongbu Expressway (Highway 1), which connects the capital city to Busan through a scenic drive through the Korean countryside. Plan for a 4-5 hour drive, depending on traffic of course.
Ferry to Busan
If you’re coming from Jeju Island or Fukuoka and Osaka in Japan, the ferry to Busan is an option! Most journeys are quite long, so unless you’ve got a good reason for taking the ferry (tons and tons of luggage, an intense fear of flying, taking a pet, etc), I’d rather fly, haha.
- From Jeju Island: ~10 to 12 hours
- From Fukuoka: ~3 to 4 hours
- From Osaka: ~13 to 16 hours
How to Get Around During Your 3 Days in Busan
Public Transportation (Subway and Bus)
Like elsewhere in Korea, the public transit in Busan is top notch. Trains and buses come on time, navigating the stations is super easy, and you can use a reloadable T-money card. You can get almost anywhere in Busan via subway or bus.
Plus, it’s super cheap within city limits (typically never more than 1,600 KRW/~$2 a ride), impossibly clean, perfectly safe, and highly efficient. And trains actually come on time – what a concept!
Use KakaoMap and/or Naver Map to navigate the subway and bus systems – the apps give super specific directions, even indicating which exit to use! We found that most signs and announcements were provided in English as well as Korean, which we greatly appreciated.
- The Busan Metro consists of just four subway lines (compared to 23 in Seoul!), which connect popular tourist destinations, shopping districts, and business centers.
- City buses are found in virtually every corner of the city.
Rideshare
Before visiting Korea (and spending 3 days in Busan), I had heard that Uber didn’t work in the country. Well, that’s totally outdated info, because we were connected to our first Uber driver within minutes of opening the same exact app we use at home, haha.
I’ll admit we used Uber more times than we’d like to admit, haha. BUT in our defense, our hotel was a 15-20 minute walk from the nearest bus stop, and we were feeling lazy/tired (hey, it took a long time to get to Korea and we were on vacation after all!). Plus, rideshares are super economical in South Korea, and felt fares were more than reasonable (way less than by us in San Francisco).
Note that Kakao T is the main taxi app used throughout South Korea (download it in advance). You can pay with cash, usually a T-money card, and sometimes (just sometimes!) a foreign credit card. We opted for Uber since it accepted our credit card that was already preinstalled in the app, and there’d be no language barriers getting us to our destination.
Driving in Busan
If you’re just visiting Busan for 3 days, I honestly don’t think you’ll want a car. Public transit is so good, and because of windy mountain roads and confusing access roads, driving in Busan can be kinda confusing for visitors. Plus, parking, navigating, and traffic is all kinds of annoying over here. Just take public transit – you’ll be way happier.
When to Plan Your 3 Day Busan Itinerary (Weather and Crowds)
South Korea experiences all four seasons (unlike here in California where we kinda have perpetual spring, haha). But Busan has the mildest weather in the country (after Jeju Island), making it bearable year round. In general, spring and fall are the best times to visit Busan, as the weather is mild and comfortable.
Spring (mid-March to mid-June)
Spring in Busan is just lovely – the temps are rising (yet still remain comfortable), there’s very little rainfall, and the flowers are blooming (including the delicate cherry blossoms from late March to early April).
However, the weather can be pretty unpredictable, with fluctuating temps (always carry a light sweater), periods of yellow dust, and strong spring winds.
If you’re visiting during cherry blossom season, definitely add on an extra day to this Busan itinerary for the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival, only about an hour away or so. It was one of the most gorgeous days of my life!
For reference, we visited Busan (and Korea in general) in late March to early April – coinciding with cherry blossom season! We got extremely lucky and experienced peak bloom in all the destinations we went to during our ~7 days in Korea (Seoul, Busan, and Jinhae).
Summer (late June to early September)
Hot and disgustingly humid, with the rainy monsoon season starting at the end of June and lasting until August. Safe to say I wouldn’t choose a visit to Busan (or Korea in general) during sticky summer. Average summer temps are around 24℃, although temps climb in August to around 32°C, so it’s a great time to head to the beach (if it’s not raining of course).
Haeundae Beach and Gwangalli Beach are super vibrant. Since it’s peak tourist season, expect higher accommodation prices and more crowds.
Fall (early September to November)
Fall in Busan is another glorious few months, with clear skies, comfortable temps, and cool, crisp air. Many say it’s the best time to visit Busan! Temps range between 17℃ and 22℃, although by November it gets pretty chilly.
And there’s beautiful fall foliage around the city – especially at Beomeosa Temple, Geumjeongsan Mountain, and Taejongdae.
Plus, two of the most popular festivals are held every year in October – the Busan International Fireworks Festival and Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. I think I’ll plan my next Busan itinerary for October!
Winter (December to early March)
Winter is chilly in South Korea, and Busan is no exception! Think chilly temps of 0°C to 10°C (32°F to 50°F), with temperatures sometimes dipping below freezing in December and January (the coldest months in Busan). It’s typically windy, cold, and dry in the winter season, so don’t expect to be hanging at the beach, haha.
It’s way quieter this time of year, although still quite busy at Christmas with The Busan Christmas Tree Festival in December and New Year’s sunrise events at Haeundae Beach.
Where to Stay in Busan
Haeundae
Haeundae is famous for its beautiful beach, vibrant nightlife (we really enjoyed the Night Market and stopped by a few times), and tons of restaurants. It’s a super popular area to stay, with lots going on and lots of tourist attractions (namely the sky capsules and Blueline Park).
If you’re looking for a luxury hotel, I HIGHLY recommend the Park Hyatt Busan. It’s where we stayed and absolutely adored the chic space. I mean, the views from our room were absolutely phenomenal – we were able to see the entire harbor.
Other properties that were recommended to me were the Signiel Busan, The Westin Chosun Busan, Hanwha Resort Haeundae, and Ananti at Busan Cove.
PS: Looking on a map (Naver Map!), you’ll see that Haeundae is kinda far removed from most of the other major attractions in Busan. While we thoroughly enjoyed our hotel (Park Hyatt Busan was an absolute dream), I think I’d prefer to stay closer to public transit next time (either in a different area or a different hotel in Haeundae, actually on the beach).
Seomyeon
Seomyeon is super centrally located, so a great area to stay if you want easy access to other parts of the city. The neighborhood is great for excellent shopping, eating out (lots of street food and traditional Korean restaurants), and nightlife (bars, pubs, and karaoke).
It’s kinda like Hongdae in Seoul, and totally one of the busiest and most vibrant districts in Busan. Check out The Lotte Hotel Busan, Space and Mood, and the Sangsang Stay Busan.
Gwangalli
Another beach area to the west of Haeundae, but this one’s got the Gwangan Bridge (which is just stunning when illuminated at night). Stay here for waterfront dining, a lively atmosphere, and of course the sand. Don’t miss the drone show here every Saturday night!
Popular hotels include Hotel Aqua Palace, H Avenue Hotel, and Kent Hotel Gwangalli by Kensington.
Nampo-dong
Stay here if you’re looking for a culturally rich experience in Busan – there’s vibrant markets, historical sites, and plenty of seafood restaurants.
It’s famous for BIFF Square, the Jagalchi Fish Market, and Yongdusan Park (where you’ll find Busan Diamond Tower). It’s pretty centrally located and close to Busan Station, meaning it’s easy to get around to different parts of the city.
Check out Nampo Hound Hotel Premier, Aventree Hotel Busan, and Hotel Foret Premier Nampo.
Are 3 Days in Busan enough?
100%. And most people may argue that 3 days in Busan is actually too many, haha. You can probably get by with 2 days in Busan, but we much preferred slowing down a bit and really savoring our first few days in Korea.
With 3 days in Busan you can wander the colorful Gamcheon Cultural Village, indulge in some seafood bbq, tour the seaside Yonggungsa Temple, ride a cute sky capsule, and have your fair share of street food from the markets.
What about a day trip to Busan?
Possible but not advised, haha.
A sweet couple we met on our Busan tour had actually taken the high-speed train down from Seoul that very morning… and they looked utterly exhausted. So while it’s certainly possible, I highly recommend at least spending a night or two in Busan. They also did a day trip to Jeju Island from Seoul (yes, a day trip – flying to and from Jeju the very same day), which is all kinds of impressive and questionable at the same time, haha.
If you’re dead set on taking a day trip to Busan (from Seoul or elsewhere), I HIGHLY recommend booking a guided tour of Busan so you ensure you see a lot of the main highlights! Since the main tourist sites are pretty spread out, taking a tour really is the easiest way to fit a lot into your one day Busan itinerary.
Here’s the exact Busan guided tour we did on Day 2 of our Busan itinerary. It makes 5 stops, including the very popular Gamcheon Village and Haeundae Blueline Park!
Other Important Tips and FAQs for your Busan Itinerary
- Download important apps in advance: Google Maps doesn’t get regularly updated in South Korea (and only features public transit directions which are not super accurate anyways…), so you’ll need another way to navigate. We primarily used Naver Maps, but I’ve heard great things about Kakao Maps as well. I’d also get Kakao Taxi too, a Korean ride sharing app that’s a good alternative to Uber. But we actually used regular Uber our entire time in Korea and it worked completely fine… despite others saying it didn’t work for them.
- Is English spoken in Busan? Yes and no. We found that English is not as widely spoken as in Seoul, but we were still able to get by during our 3 days in Busan. Staff at hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions spoke some degree of English, and most tourist areas have signs and information in both Korean and English. Plus English announcements on the Busan Metro system, but in our experience, not the bus. I recommend learning a few basic Korean phrases and using translation apps – no shame at all, we had to do this so much (and we were still confused half the time, haha).
- hello: 안녕하세요, annyeonghaseyo
- thank you: 감사합니다, gamsahamnida
- how much is this?: 이거 얼마예요?, igeo eolmayeyo?
- Plan your Busan itinerary in advance: This is not the place to completely wing it. Top sights and activities are spread out, so definitely have a rough plan before arriving in Busan. Or do as we did and book a full day guided tour of Busan to ensure you don’t miss anything!
- Don’t expect tropical beaches: Yes, Busan is directly on the coast. But if you’ve been to Hawaii, Thailand, Greece, French Polynesia, or anywhere else with amazing turquoise waters, just know you won’t find that here in Busan. There’s no colorful beach umbrellas, fresh coconuts or tiki drinks, or palm trees swaying in the wind (you’ll need to head elsewhere for that). Plus, depending on when you visit, it may not even be beach weather. The beaches are pretty to look at, but no one really goes in the water unless you’re visiting in the sweltering summer, haha.
- Don’t skip leg day before visiting Korea: My legs got a huge workout – I can’t even begin to tell you how many flights of stairs we walked up each and every day. Definitely wear comfy shoes, stay hydrated, and take it slow if you need.
- Seoul vs. Busan: There’s really no comparison – they’re completely different. You could spend years in Seoul and still never see everything (it’s the capital and the largest city in South Korea with over 10 million people after all). Always fast-paced and bustling, with a 24-hour lifestyle. Busan is Korea’s second-largest city with about 3.5 million people (so still pretty big!). It’s known for its beautiful beaches and coastal scenery – way more relaxed compared to Seoul, with a laid-back coastal vibe. If you have the time, visit both (but never skip Seoul on a trip to Korea!).
Best 3 Days in Busan Itinerary
Quick notes about this Busan itinerary
- We arrived in Busan around 10:30am on Day 1 after taking the high-speed train from Seoul. Meaning, you could totally do the same and still see everything we did! We then departed Busan around 7:45pm on Day 3.
- If you’re visiting during cherry blossom season (exact dates vary every year but typically late March to early April), consider adding an extra day to your Busan itinerary and head to the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival. It was all kinds of amazing and I still get teary eyed thinking about all the gorgeous blooms we saw.
- The drone show in Gwangalli Beach only occurs on Saturday evenings. Keep this in mind when planning your Busan itinerary if it’s something you really wanna see (while cool, not worth changing a pre-planned itinerary for in my opinion though).
- If you’re having difficulty buying a ticket for the Blueline Sky Capsule, just book a tour that includes it. I tried for hours and hours (and almost ripped my hair out), but it deemed impossible without a Korean credit card.
- My 3 day Busan itinerary assumes you’re taking a tour (this tour specifically) – if you’re able to book the sky capsule yourself or don’t necessarily care much about it, consider switching some of the activities around to make more sense location wise. I’d keep Day 1 the same, but do Gamcheon Cultural Village, Songdo Bay Cable Car, Huinnyeoul Culture Village, Taejongdae Resort Park (if time), and Gwangalli Beach on Day 2. Day 3 would then include Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Haeundae Beach, Haeundae Blueline Park Sky Capsule, and Cheongsapo Daritdol Skywalk.
Busan Itinerary Day 1
If you’re not already in Busan, plan to take the high-speed train to Busan in the early AM. For reference, we took the KTX bullet train (operated by Korail) from Seoul Station at ~7:30am, and arrived at Busan Station around 10:30. The trains leave EXACTLY on time, so be sure to get there early!
Psst – once you make it to Busan Station, I recommend storing your luggage in a coin locker so you’re able to freely explore the area without all your bags! There’s plenty of lockers at the station, but they do fill up so aim to claim yours right away. And remember exactly where you left your bag – we had a hard time finding the location at first, whoops! Once your luggage is stored, hop on the subway – it’s time to explore Nampo-dong, the central area of Busan.
Stop 1: BIFF Square / Nampodong Food Alley
After the early morning train ride, you’re probably hungry (we sure were!). So it’s the perfect excuse to head off to BIFF Square for some street food stalls! It’s named after the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), and is a hub of cinematic culture and entertainment.
Think handprints and signatures of famous actors and filmmakers (kinda like the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles), street performances and film screenings, and lots of shops.
But what we really came for was the food, haha. Over here you’ll find a variety of local Korean snacks, so don’t be shy. Try your first seed hotteok (piping hot Korean sweet pancakes stuffed with seeds) at Seunggi Ssiat Hotteok (made famous for being on “One Night and Two Days”, a Korean reality show). Look for the stall with the longest queue and you found it, haha.
A few other Korean street foods to try:
- Kimbap: rice rolls wrapped in seaweed with a variety of fillings
- Tteokbokki: spicy stir-fried rice cakes
- Odeng (Eomuk): Skewered fish cakes served in a warm broth
- Grilled Seafood: squid and octopus grilled to perfection
- Japchae: Stir-fried glass noodles made from sweet potato starch
- Sundae: Korean-style blood sausage
- Mandu: Korean dumplings
Tip: Make sure to have some Korean won on hand – many street vendors prefer cash. You can also check out Gwangbok-ro Fashion Street nearby as well.
Stop 2: Jagalchi Market
Up next – one of the most famous and largest seafood markets in South Korea, Jagalchi Market! It represents the heart of Busan’s fishing industry, and there’s a STAGGERING variety of fresh and live seafood (tons of fish, shellfish, octopus, squid, crabs, etc). And when I tell you it’s bustling, it really is. So much catch of the day both on display and in the tanks inside.
And the market is huge with multiple levels – the first floor is dedicated to fresh seafood, while the second floor has some dining areas so you can try a few things (lots of sashimi-style or grilled seafood)! I honestly had no idea what half the seafood was, but I did see some abalone, sea urchins, seaweed, and scallops!
Try some hoe (raw fish) with kimchi and gochujang (red chili paste). If you’re really adventurous, some live octopus (yes, it’s still moving) – we had this during our market tour in Seoul a few days later and it still kinda freaks me out, haha.
And get this – the market dates back to the Korean War era, around the 1950s! It’s since become a landmark in Busan, understandably so!
A little side note: I highly recommend reading the book “The Island of Sea Woman” by Lisa See which takes place on nearby Jeju Island. It documents the lives of the fierce female divers, known as haenyeo (해녀), famous for their traditional free-diving skills to harvest seafood which have been passed down through generations. Easily one of the best books I read in 2024 – and I read a lot (over 35 books a year typically)!
Stop 3: Busan City Views
Time for some city views! And depending on how far you feel like walking, you can either visit one or both of these options. Since it was a cloudy day, we opted for the free version of the view, but I kinda wish we went to the tower… ahh, it’s too late for me now!
Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park
Yongdusan Park is one of the most famous parks in Busan, sitting on one of the three famous mountains in the city. Inside the park you’ll find statues and monuments, a beautifully maintained clock made of flowers (kinda similar to the one I saw in Melbourne), and Busan Tower of course! Head up for 360-degree views of Busan, including the bustling harbor, Jagalchi Market, and the surrounding mountains.
After looking at pictures it all seems kinda cheesy (besides the view), but hey, when in Korea!
It’s sometimes referred to as the Busan Diamond Tower, so just know they’re the same thing. While it’s not free, it’s not super expensive either, around 12,000 won (~$10USD).
Lotte Department Store Observatory
Instead of heading to the park, we walked over to the Lotte Department Store Observatory, which is actually a free view from the roof on the 13th floor! From here you can see the scenic coastline, the bustling city center, and the picturesque mountains. Our guide on Day 2 said he actually prefers the department store observatory better, and we really enjoyed it. There’s space to wander around and even a cafe up here.
Psst – there’s a few Lotte’s in Busan – make sure you go to the right one! You’ll be looking for the Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch.
Stop 4: Check into your Hotel
At this point in the day, I recommend grabbing your bags from the train station (can’t forget about those!), and heading to your hotel. Get situated (maybe relax a bit if you’re fighting jet lag), and have a bite to eat nearby if you’re hungry. We checked into the Park Hyatt Haeundae, and wow, just wow! That view!
Note: If you’re staying in Haeundae like we were, you can take the subway to Haeundae Station (50 minutes with 1 transfer), a direct bus (45 minutes), or by taxi/rideshare (40 minutes depending on traffic).
Stop 5: Dinner and Drone Show in Gwangalli Beach
Up Next – Gwangalli Beach, an urban beach area with tons of character and even more good food. I recommend heading to the sandy beach a bit before sunset, and then staying afterwards to see the area transform into night.
A major highlight of Gwangalli Beach – the iconic Gwangandaegyo Bridge (aka Gwangan Bridge). It’s the largest double-layer bridge in Korea, and even has the world’s largest set of LED lights and sound equipment. Take some pics with the bridge and coastal skyline, and stay around to watch the bridge’s light show (occurring daily at 8pm and 10pm, with an additional show at 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays). This was a complete surprise to us, and it was honestly really impressive.
We had a super simple dinner of ramen on the beach (from a nearby 7-11 – it’s super common here), but there’s tons of cute cafes and dinner spots if you want something a bit fancier. The exhaustion was really starting to set in so we were more than happy with some quick instant ramen, haha.
And if it’s Saturday, you’ll get to watch the drone light show (although I wouldn’t necessarily rearrange your whole itinerary for this). While we were absolutely mesmerized watching the hundreds of drones lighting up the night sky (and wow oh wow that choreography is impressive), the show was only about 10 minutes or so and wish it had been longer!
Note that the drone show only takes place on Saturday, with times varying by season:
- Summer (March to September): At 20:00 and 22:00
- Winter (October to February): At 19:00 and 21:00
Stop 6: The Bay 101
If you’re still up for one last activity of the night, head over to The Bay 101 for fantastic views of the city. Think panoramic views of Haeundae Beach, the ocean, and the skyline, including the iconic Marine City skyscrapers. But what is it exactly? A chic waterfront complex with a yacht club, trendy shops, and a few bars and restaurants (most close around 10pm, just FYI). But most people just come for the views, haha.
We were pretty exhausted by now, so stopped by very briefly. And it was so much busier than I thought! Everyone was out and about taking pics of the twinkly lights and massive skyscrapers.
Since we were staying in Haeundae at the Park Hyatt Busan, we simply walked back to our hotel afterwards. Note that if you’re not staying in Haeundae like we were, I’d recommend tacking on The Bay 101 to the end of Day 2 instead (as you can practically walk from the market).
Day 2 in Busan
Get ready, because today’s a FULL day of sightseeing. If you’re arriving in Busan the morning of Day 1 and leaving in the late afternoon/night on Day 3, today’s your only full day – may as well make the absolute most of it!
Because of this, I highly recommend you book yourself on a tour. Tourist attractions are pretty spread out in Busan, and you don’t wanna spend half your day figuring out transportation or relying on expensive taxis.
Plus, if you’re having difficulties buying a ticket for the ever-so-popular Sky Capsule (like us – we found it near impossible), just make it easy and book a guided tour of Busan that includes it! That’s exactly what we did, and this is the EXACT tour we went on – the day was super well planned and we saw SO much more on the tour than we would have if we were navigating the city ourselves.
This tour’s another similar option, but it doesn’t include Haedong Yonggungsa Temple – which is a must-see in my opinion.
Definitely wear comfy shoes today – there’s a lot of walking and a fair amount of stairs. And get lots of rest the night before (yes, this means forgoing some soju, haha); it’s gonna be a busy, busy day.
Stop 1: Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
The first stop of the day was one of the favorites in all of Busan – the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (translating to “Korean Dragon Palace Temple” in English)! It’s one of the few Buddhist temples in Korea located along the coastline, which makes it oh so super popular (most Korean temples are located in the mountains).
Haedong Yonggungsa is set against a dramatic backdrop of rocky cliffs and the blue sea — I loved the picturesque views and all the nature! And of course the sound of the waves, but you could hardly hear them over all the crowds, haha.
The colors and details of the temple really blew me away though. So, so intricate with tons of classic elements like tiled roofs, vibrant decorative patterns (I loved all the floral motifs, geometric shapes, and mythical creatures), stone pagodas and statues, dragon sculptures and marine-themed decorations, and allll the primary colors.
The temple was originally built in 1376 during the Goryeo Dynasty, so it’s been around for quite a while. And get this – it’s still an active place of worship, even after all these years.
We were so lucky that the temple was already decorated with colorful paper lanterns for Buddha’s birthday (typically in April or May, depending on the year).
Note that you need to descend 108 steps to reach the temple complex — it is located on a coastal cliff afterall! But I promise the exercise is well worth it – we spent about an hour or so at the temple and could’ve stayed longer (although we were ready to leave since the crowds were so horrible).
Yes, it was unbelievably crowded, but so, so worth it. Easily one of my favorite things we did during our 3 days in Busan! If at all possible, I’d plan your visit to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple on a weekday — the temple gets exceptionally crowded on the weekend (which is of course when we were there, haha).
Stop 2: Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory
Next was a quick stop at Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory, a modern skywalk with a transparent glass floor and gorgeous views of the East Sea, the rocky coastline, and the picturesque Cheongsapo Fishing Village.
Note that you’ll need to put on silly booties/foot covers to protect the glass walkway and minimize any scratches. It kinda feels like you’re walking on water … kind of, haha.
The observatory is located near one end of Haeundae Blueline Park (where the ever-so-popular sky capsules are located), so a perfect pit stop for more views!
Stop 3: Seafood BBQ Lunch in Cheongsapo
We then walked over to Cheongsapo for a seafood bbq lunch — and what a feast we had!
Cheongsapo is a fishing village famous for its seafood and charming coastal views, so of course that’s what was on the menu. Think shrimp, octopus, clams, scallops, abalone, and plenty of types of fish. I heard that some restaurants even have tanks with live seafood!
This is where we really struggled with the language – the staff didn’t speak much English (if any at all), and communicating even with translation apps was difficult! Thankfully we had our tour guide with us, as I think we’d still be sitting there confused, haha.
Once we finally figured out what the heck was going on (a common theme for us in Korea, haha), we even grilled the seafood ourselves at our table (with lots of help from the staff). I have no idea the name of the place, but if you take the same tour we did, you’ll most likely end up here as well.
To be honest, it was kinda pricey, but the seafood was super fresh (and locally-sourced) and the portions were pretty decent! Plus plenty of banchan (side dishes), like kimchi, pickled vegetables, and salads.
Stop 4: Haeundae Blueline Park and Sky Capsule
Finally – it’s time to ride the sky capsules!
Yes, these are the super cute little colorful capsules you see all over social media; right here in Busan! Over here in Haeundae Blueline Park you’ve got a few options — riding the sky capsule, the Haeundae Beach train, or simply walking along the railway coastal trail. But of course it’s the retro-looking sky capsules we’re after!
Note: this is by far one of the most popular things to do in Busan (thanks to social media, haha), so you’ll 100% wanna buy tickets in advance. If not, you run the risk of showing up and all the tickets are sold out for the day (as they were on the day we visited).
Book on the official Blueline Park website here.
Online reservations open up on Tuesday 2 weeks before. There were tickets available when I checked 2 weeks prior to my intended visiting date, but payment was all kinds of stressful and I couldn’t purchase a ticket.
If this happens to you, you can pay a little extra and book on Get Your Guide (a booking platform I use for tours and tickets around the world). Or, you can simply take the Busan day tour like we did (honestly, it made the whole day stress-free).
To be honest, the ride was a little underwhelming, but still fun. I didn’t realize just how slow it goes (about 4km/hr), but I guess that’s a good thing so you can really take in the views. The whole route, from Mipo Station to Cheongsapo Station (or reverse like we did), takes about 30 minutes.
PS — I’d opt for a one-way ticket; there’s no need to ride the sky capsule round trip in my opinion.
If we were able to book ourselves, I would have liked to go at sunset, but alas, I’m just glad the tour included tickets. We did come back one night when we were in the area to see them right as the sun was setting — I randomly found Montoon Road with the best views of the sky capsules and I was giddy beyond belief.
Stop 5: Huinnyeoul Coastal Village
Next up – Huinnyeoul Coastal Village (or Huinnyeoul Munhwa Maul in Korean). Told you this was a long day! Located on Yeongdo Island, this charming coastal village is way less popular than Gamcheon Culture Village, so thankfully wasn’t busy at all.
And entirely different as it sits on the coast and is filled with white and blue houses – it’s even referred to as “Korea’s Santorini” for its beautiful scenery (although I can assure you it looks NOTHING like the actual Santorini in Greece – sorry!).
There’s two main roads here – the coastal promenade (which is right next to the sea) and the road higher up where you’ll find all the shops, cozy cafes, and colorful murals (where we stayed). If you’re up for it, you can walk down the rainbow steps to see the popular Huinnyeoul Coast Tunnel – we were already utterly exhausted so decided to opt out, haha. Next time for us!
What’s interesting about Huinnyeoul Coastal Village is that these were the homes that originally housed refugees of the Korean War. They’ve since been transformed into souvenir shops, restaurants, and cafes.
It was unfortunately super overcast and cloudy, but I suspect the views would be even better with some sun. We still had fun taking pics, wandering the pathways, and peeking into the shops.
Stop 6: Gamcheon Cultural Village
One of the most popular things to do in Busan, and the last official stop on the tour!
If you’ve done any research on Busan at all, you’ve most definitely come across those panoramic views with colorful houses on the hill – that’s Gamcheon Cultural Village!
Gamcheon Cultural Village kinda reminds me a bit of Guanajuato, Mexico and Comuna 13 in Medellin, Colombia (two places I haven’t written about yet, whoops!).
And just like Huinnyeoul Coastal Village is known as “Korea’s Santorini”, Gamcheon Cultural Village is nicknamed the “Machu Picchu of Busan”, although I honestly don’t see the resemblance. Seems like Koreans like to compare their cities/towns with major hot spots around the world, haha.
It’s situated on a hillside, so expect lots of hills and steps, but also colorful alleys, murals, and art installations. And of course it’s colorful houses – definitely view them from above (our favorite viewpoint was from Coffee It House, but there’s also Cafe Wooin and the Haneul Maru Observation Deck).
Remember – people still live in these homes (many elderly), so please be a respectful and quiet tourist.
If you really wanna make the most of your visit, pick up an interactive map at the Tourist Information Center. We kinda just wandered around aimlessly (whoops!), so looking back I really wish we grabbed a map so we actually had points of interest to see.
I will say I wish we had a bit more time at Gamcheon Cultural Village on our tour as I felt it was a bit short, but I guess we could’ve stayed and found our way back ourselves if we really, really wanted.
Stop 7: Korean BBQ in Seomyeon
Finally – it’s time for some Korean BBQ!
We had our first Korean BBQ of the trip at Matchandeul Wang Sogeum Gui in Seomyeon (one of the busiest and most vibrant districts in Busan). And lemme tell ya, it didn’t disappoint. Expect a short wait – this place is popular for a reason. So much pork belly and don’t miss the stone rice! Don’t worry, the staff helps you grill your meat if you’d like.
We learned the proper way to eat Korean BBQ – by making a wrap (ssam). Take a price of lettuce, add a piece of meat, some rice, and some banchan and/or sauce, then wrap it up and eat it in one bite! Ridiculously delicious.
You can also check out Seomyeon Market if you’re not planning to stop by Haeundae Market afterwards. We accidentally stumbled upon it (before dinner, haha) and couldn’t say no to some mini mochi donuts. There’s also lots of noraebang (karaoke rooms) here if that’s your thing (one thing we missed and I’m still kinda bummed about it).
Stop 8: Snacks at Haeundae Market
If you’re staying in Haeundae like we were, hit up the Haeundae Market after dinner for some street snacks! I wouldn’t go crazy out of your way for this, but any night that ends with a hot honey hotteok in hand is a good night, haha.
Psst – bring some Korean Won as most of the vendors prefer it to credit cards.
Note that we Ubered from Seomyeon to the market and then walked back to our hotel in Haeundae.
Busan Itinerary Day 3
After a crazy busy Day 2 of this Busan itinerary, today is thankfully more relaxed. We decided to Uber around a bit, and found prices to be more than reasonable (you can totally use public transit, but we were feeling lazy, haha).
Stop 1: Haeundae Beach
Start off the morning with a stroll along the most famous beach in all of Busan! With its gentle waves and soft, golden sand, this place gets beyond packed in the summer months, but was relatively quiet in April when we visited.
We wandered down Gunam-ro, the main road of Haeundae Beach (starting from Haeundae Station to Haeundae Square). Here you’ll find a large pedestrian walkway with great restaurants, cafes, shops (like Olive Young – of course, lol, Daiso, Artbox, etc), and plenty of convenience stores.
Walk a little further on the beach pathway and you’ll come across BUSAN X the SKY (Korea’s 2nd tallest building with a sky observatory on the 100th floor), with the highest starbucks in the world! We decided to skip this but looking back I kinda wish we went up!
Stop 2: Coralani for breakfast/brunch
Next up – a cafe with total Bali vibes in Busan (ohhh how I miss Bali oh so much)! We took a quick Uber/taxi from our hotel in Haeundae to Coralani, a massive cafe right on the coast with the most spectacular views. The pastries are kinda expensive, but what do you expect – look at those views (too bad we got hit with lots of clouds)!
The cafe is huge, but fills up quickly, so get here on the early side. We actually arrived right as they were opening and were some of the first ones here! There’s a few levels of seating – we headed upstairs to the roof and hung out on the beanbags for a bit and just relaxed.
Note that children aren’t allowed on the upper levels (due to safety I presume), but they’re allowed on the ground floor.
Stop 3: Songdo Bay Cable Car or Taejongdae Resort Park
Songdo Bay Cable Car
More nature and sea views! The Songdo Bay Cable Car (also called Songdo Marine Cable Car and Busan Air Cruise – I was confused, haha), travels across the water to Songdo Sky Park where you’ll find a nature walk, cafe, and street food-style vendors.
You can choose from a cable car with a regular opaque or glass bottom, but I read reviews saying the glass bottom wasn’t worth the extra money so I’d opt for a regular (and save that cash for a few extra bowls of tteokbokki).
Unfortunately the cable car was closed for maintenance on the day we wanted to visit (bummed is an understatement) – so we opted for the Taejongdae Resort Park out of necessity, haha.
Taejongdae Resort Park
Nope, it’s not a resort or an amusement park! Taejongdae is simply a scenic nature park on the coast with cliffs, forest trails, and an observatory with panoramic views of the sea.
In order to get around the park, you’ll need to buy a ticket for the Taejongdae Danubi Train (or walk/hike, but the area’s huge). We stopped at popular areas like the Tejongsa Buddhist Temple and Yeongdo Lighthouse.
To be completely honest, the weather wasn’t great this day and we were bummed the cable car was closed. If you need to cut something out of your Busan itinerary, I’d make it the Taejongdae Resort Park. Everyone says it’s beautiful, but we honestly didn’t find it all that exciting and saw better views elsewhere. Just my opinion though!
You could check out the Oryukdo Skywalk instead if you’d like, but we figured it’d be super similar to Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory where we went the day before.
Afterwards, we stopped by a cafe called Thrill on the Mug at the Taejongdae Ocean Flying Theme Park (where you can zip-line across the ocean if you’d like). We simply got some drinks and snacks, and enjoyed the views. It’s not terribly far from the Resort Park, so figured we’d walk there — big mistake! It’s up a huge hill, so I recommend grabbing a cheap Uber/taxi instead, haha.
Stop 4: Stairs of Wishes (Somang Stairs) and Dakbatgol Mural Village
I had started seeing this all over IG, and it looked so, so sweet. It’s honestly not a must-do, but we weren’t too far so figured why not?!
What is it exactly? A short monorail heading up the steep steps, built by the community! It’s free, but built for the residents there, so always give priority to them of course. There was an elderly local man helping tourists and residents – he was so, so sweet and insisted on taking some cute photos for us. One of those quirky attractions you’d only find in Korea, haha.
I loved all the colorful mosaics on the stairs and all the murals. Plus, there were tons of cherry trees in bloom right over here which I loved of course.
Stop 5: Lotte Department Store, Centum City, and SPA LAND
If you have some extra time (or decided to skip out on something on this Busan itinerary), you may have time for SPA LAND (or shopping at Lotte)!
It’s only one of the largest and most luxurious spa complexes in South Korea, so perfect if you’re craving some relaxation time. There’s thermal pools, saunas, massage services, relaxation rooms, fitness facilities, foot baths, body scrubs, and even a food court and cafes.
Stop 6: High speed train to Seoul
Phew – our Busan itinerary is over! We took the KTX high speed train back to Seoul this night around 7:45pm, and arrived at Seoul Station around 10:30pm! You could totally spend another night, but we felt 3 days in Busan was more than enough.
Important Note: Give yourself more than enough time to get to Busan Station. Coming from Haeundae we had an unbearable amount of traffic and legit almost missed our train (we were those people running through the station, haha).
If I had to do it again, I’d put all our stuff in a coin locker after Coralani Cafe so we wouldn’t have to head all the way back to our hotel in Haeundae at the end of the day just to grab our bags. Huge mistake on our part.
Hope this helps you plan out the best possible 3 day Busan itinerary! Are you headed to South Korea soon?! Have a few honey hotteok for me!
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