Haedong Yonggungsa 해동용궁사

Haedong Yonggungsa is a free Buddhist temple on the rocks above the sea, open every day from 04:30, with last entry at 18:50 according to Visit Busan. The easiest route is the Donghae Line to Osiria Station Exit 1, bus 139 or 1001 to the Yonggungsa stop, then a 15-minute walk. Allow about an hour on site.

Most Korean temples sit deep in the mountains; this one sits on the shoreline of Gijang, the northeast corner of Busan. Halls, pagodas and statues are built across the rocks just above the waves, and the whole site looks over the open East Sea. It is the main reason visitors travel this far up the coast, and it combines well with Haeundae on the same day.

What you see, in walking order

From the bus stop, the walk toward the gate passes a row of the twelve zodiac animal statues, where visitors look for the animal of their birth year, and then goes through the Iljumun gate.

Next comes a flight of 108 stone steps down through pine trees, 108 being a sacred number in Korean Buddhism. At the bottom, the small Yongmun Bridge crosses to the temple; people throw coins from it, as the temple is said to grant one wish to anyone who prays sincerely.

Inside, the main hall (Daeungjeon) faces the water. For the widest view, take the steps beside the main hall up to the large white statue of the Seawater Avalokitesvara (Haesu Gwaneum Daebul), which looks down over the complex and the coast. A short coastal path leads on to Sunrise Rock, the temple’s best-known viewpoint, and continues along the shore as part of Route 1 of the Haeparang Trail.

Hours, fees and the best time to go

	Details	Source
Opens	04:30, every day of the year	Temple site, Visit Busan
Closes	19:20 (last entry 18:50)	Visit Busan EN and KO
Latest exit	20:30	Temple site
Admission	Free	Temple site, Visit Busan
Parking	Paid car park next to the temple	Visit Busan

Hours and fees from the temple’s official site and Visit Busan (Busan Metropolitan City), checked 7 October 2026. The two official sources differ on closing time, so plan to be inside by 18:50 rather than counting on the later time.

• Sunrise. The 04:30 opening is unusually early, and Sunrise Rock faces east across open water. Check first-bus times before you rely on public transport at that hour; a taxi is the simpler option.
• Morning. Starting here and then working back south toward Haeundae keeps the day in one direction, with the beach and the evening at the end.
• Late afternoon. Leave enough time to be through the gate before last entry at 18:50.

Getting to Haedong Yonggungsa

The temple is in Gijang, well north of the city centre, so the trip is a train or metro ride plus a bus. Bus 139 stops at the Haedong Yonggungsa stop (signed 용궁사·국립수산과학원, “Yonggungsa · National Institute of Fisheries Science”); from there it is about 15 minutes on foot to the temple.

From	Route	Bus to the Yonggungsa stop
Osiria Station (Donghae Line)	Exit 1, then the Osiria Station bus stop	139 or express 1001
Haeundae Station (Line 2)	Exit 7	181, 100 or Haeundae 9
Busan Station (KTX arrivals)	Line 1 to Seomyeon, change to Line 2 for Haeundae	Then as above

Routes from Visit Busan (English and Korean listings) and the temple site, checked 7 October 2026. Osiria is the closer station; Haeundae makes more sense if you are staying by the beach. A T-money card works on the metro, the Donghae Line and the buses.

Arriving by KTX from Seoul? The trip from Busan Station up to the temple is long, so most visitors base themselves near Haeundae and come here from there. For a taxi, show the address 부산 기장군 기장읍 용궁길 86.

Visitor tips and temple etiquette

• Wear shoes for steps. The 108 steps and the paths over the rocks are uneven, and they are slippery when wet.
• Mind the halls. Enter the halls by the side doors, as the central door is used by monks. Take your shoes off and leave them neatly outside, and keep your voice down.
• Dogs. Pets may enter only in a carrier or wearing a muzzle.
• Limited access. With the steps on the main route, wheelchair and stroller users will find much of the site hard to reach. Visit Busan lists an accessible toilet.
• Expect wind. The temple sits on open rocks at the edge of the sea, so bring a layer outside summer.

A short history

The temple’s own history dates its founding to 1376, late in the Goryeo period, by the monk Naong, who chose a spot backed by hills and facing the sea. It was burned during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, rebuilt in the early 1930s under the name Bomunsa, and renamed Haedong Yonggungsa (“Dragon Palace Temple of the East Sea”) in the 1970s. The new name came from a dream of the head monk, Jeongam, in which Avalokitesvara rose to the sky on a dragon.

The temple counts itself among Korea’s three great seaside shrines to Avalokitesvara, with Naksansa on the Gangwon coast and Boriam on Namhae island. The temples guide covers Korea’s other major Buddhist sites, including Bulguksa in Gyeongju, an easy day trip from Busan.

Around Haedong Yonggungsa

The temple lies in the Gijang and east coast district, next to the Osiria resort area and the National Institute of Fisheries Science, which is linked to the temple by the coastal path. A good half-day runs south from here: head to Songjeong, ride the Haeundae Blueline Park coastal train along the shore, and finish at Haeundae Beach. On a Saturday evening, continue to Gwangalli Beach for the drone show. For the wider area and day trips, see the Busan region page.