Busan 부산

Busan is South Korea’s second-largest city and its busiest port, spread along the south-eastern tip of the peninsula where mountains run straight down to the sea. Administratively it is a metropolitan city in its own right, separate from the surrounding Gyeongsang provinces, and its size and range of sights justify treating it as a destination region of its own. Neighbourhoods are squeezed between steep ridges, harbours and beaches, which gives the city a layered, hilly character quite unlike Seoul.

The sea shapes almost everything here. Haeundae and Gwangalli are city beaches backed by towers, cafes and nightlife, and Gwangalli in particular is known for views of the illuminated Gwangan Bridge after dark. In the older south of the city, the Nampo district around the original harbour is home to Jagalchi fish market and the warren of Gukje Market, while Gamcheon Culture Village climbs a hillside in tiers of painted houses. Further up the coast, Haedong Yonggungsa in Gijang is one of the few major Korean temples set right on the shoreline; the temples guide has more on Korea’s Buddhist sites.

Food is a major draw. Busan is known for fresh raw fish and grilled seafood, as well as local staples such as dwaeji gukbap (pork and rice soup) and milmyeon, a cold wheat-noodle dish that grew out of the city’s wartime refugee years. The Busan city guide covers what to eat and where.

Busan’s climate is milder than Seoul’s in winter, and its beaches are at their busiest in July and August. Late spring and autumn are the most comfortable times for walking the coastal trails and hillside villages, and the city’s autumn calendar includes a major international film festival and a large fireworks show over Gwangalli.

Busan is the southern terminus of the main KTX line from Seoul, roughly two and a half hours away, and frequent domestic flights and trains link it with Gyeongju, Jeju and the rest of the country. Rail travellers can find pass options in the Korail Pass guide.