Busan Travel Basics: Areas, Getting Around, and Seasons

What kind of city is Busan?

Busan is Korea's second-largest city after Seoul and its largest trade port. Mountains rise directly behind a city that stretches along the coast, so beaches, harbors, and hillside villages all sit within one city. If Seoul is a city of palaces and neighborhood alleys, Busan is a city of the sea, markets, and hills. Being close to Japan, it has long been a point of exchange, and ferry routes still link Busan Port with some Japanese cities. This guide covers the character of each area, how to get there and around, and what to watch for in each season. Fares and schedules change often, so check official sources.

How to get to Busan

If you are flying in from abroad, Gimhae International Airport is the usual gateway. From the airport, a light rail line connecting to the subway, limousine buses, and taxis take you into the city. From Seoul, high-speed trains run all the way to Busan Station, taking you from one city center to the other, and express buses also run. If you are coming from Japan, a ferry arriving at the international passenger terminal near Busan Station is another option. Ferries can be cancelled because of wind and waves, so leave some slack in your schedule.

• By air: light rail, bus, or taxi from Gimhae International Airport
• High-speed rail: direct downtown-to-downtown service to Busan Station
• Ferry: routes from some Japanese cities to Busan Port's international terminal
• Express bus: departures from many cities in Korea

Haeundae and Gwangalli: beaches and night views

Haeundae, in eastern Busan, is the city's signature beach, a wide stretch of sand backed by high-rise hotels and apartments. Dongbaekseom, at one end of the beach, has a walking trail along the sea, and in summer the beach is packed with swimmers. A short way west is Gwangalli Beach, famous for the night view of Gwangan Bridge spanning the bay, so many people come in the evening. Both beaches have plenty of lodging and restaurants, which makes them good bases for first-timers, but prices rise and rooms book up fast in peak season. When choosing a seaside hotel, check whether the room faces the sea and whether you can walk to the beach.

Nampo-dong, Jagalchi, and Gukje Market: the old harbor downtown

The Nampo-dong area, Busan's old downtown, keeps the long-standing look of a port city. Jagalchi Market is one of Korea's best-known fish markets and full of energy, while the neighboring Gukje Market and its shopping alleys grew as a livelihood for refugees after the Korean War. A street linked to the history of the film festival offers street snacks, and a hilltop park looks out over the harbor. Across a bridge is Yeongdo, an island with dramatic sea cliffs. Market floors are often wet and slippery, so wear sensible shoes.

Seomyeon and the hillside villages: downtown and slopes

Seomyeon, where subway Lines 1 and 2 meet, is a transport hub and shopping district, and its easy access to everywhere makes it a popular base. Busan's other face is the villages packed tightly onto its mountainsides. Many grew up around the time of the Korean War as people built homes on the slopes, and Gamcheon Culture Village is known for its colorful terraced houses and alley art. Sanbok-doro, a road winding along the mountainside, offers wide views over the port. People live in these villages, so do not peer into homes or make noise.

Seaside and mountain temples

Toward Gijang in northeastern Busan is Haedong Yonggungsa, a temple built on seaside rocks where you can explore to the sound of the waves. On the slopes of Geumjeongsan to the north is Beomeosa, an old mountain temple with a stillness completely unlike downtown. The Donghae Line commuter railway runs from Haeundae toward Gijang, and there are coastal walking trails as well. The seaside temple has many stairs and gets crowded on weekends, so going early is more relaxed. Both are places of practice, so keep quiet inside the halls and follow any signs restricting photography.

Tips for getting around the city

Within Busan you can travel on several subway lines, the Donghae Line commuter railway, and a dense bus network. Nationally compatible transit cards often work in Busan too, but this depends on the card, so check in advance. The city stretches along the coast, so even by subway it takes a while to get from Haeundae to Nampo-dong. For places far from stations, such as hillside villages and temples, mixing in buses or taxis saves energy. Spots that look close on a map often turn out to be up a steep slope.

• Choose a base: Haeundae and Gwangalli, Seomyeon, or Nampo-dong and Busan Station
• Put the beach area and the old downtown on different days
• Take a bus or taxi up to hillside villages and walk down
• Check in advance whether your transit card works nationally

Seasons and planning

Summer is the liveliest season, when the beaches officially open, but it is hot and humid and lodging is expensive. Beach opening periods are set each year, so check official sources. From late summer to early autumn typhoons sometimes pass through, so watch the weather and confirm ferry and flight schedules during this period. In autumn the international film festival fills the city. Winters are milder than in Seoul, but the sea wind is cold, so a windbreaker helps. For a first visit, splitting your days by area works well: one day for the beaches, one for the old downtown and hillside villages, and one for temples or the outskirts.