5 days ago
4
Beachy, buzzing, food-loving, laid-back and seemingly always sunny: this is the Sydney of South Korea, but more raucous and edgy.
Who goes there
Cruise lines of all sorts are well represented here, funnelling 2 million passengers a year through South Korea’s premier port. Some ships are sailing wide eastern Asian routes that connect to China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, but most are doing Japan cruises that always include Busan because Japanese cabotage laws require foreign-flagged cruise ships to make a stop in a foreign port.
Sail on in
Busan is well-protected in a deep bay behind a large island and is backed by hills, all of which provide interest, although a lot of the immediate scenery consists of industrial facilities and high-rises. Look out for the National Maritime Museum on the port side, which resembles a giant white cauldron.
Berth rites
The five-storey Busan International Passenger Terminal has flowing, contemporary architecture that looks, at some angles, like a whale leaping out of the water. It sits in the commercial port, an inconvenient 30-minute drive from downtown, although free shuttle buses are provided and the hop-on-hop-off bus has a stop nearby. It’s efficient, and you’ll have no reason to linger unless you want to get rid of your last won in the duty-free shops.
Going ashore
Hilly Busan is South Korea’s second-largest city but enjoys a subtropical climate and laid-back attitude that makes it a popular domestic tourist destination. If you’re after a taste of Korean culture then Gamcheon Cultural Village and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, built on low coastal cliffs, are the places to see. The shopping is excellent: plunder Gukje Market, the fashionable boutiques of PNU Area (named for its university) and Gwangbok-dong, and huge department stores such as Lotte and Shinsegae.
Don’t miss
The beaches, which rival those in Australian cities and have far livelier waterfronts jammed with shops, restaurants and entertainments. Gwangalli Beach is right downtown while Haeundae Beach, surrounded by cherry trees and pine forest, ranks as one of the Eight Scenic Spots of South Korea. A somewhat quieter option is Songdo, from which a cable car takes you to Ammam Park where you can stroll through forest.
Get active
A highlight of Busan is its coastal scenery, so hit the Igidae Coastal Trail and enjoy the rock formations, cliffs and views towards the city. It runs 4.7 kilometres one way and starts at both Oryukdo Skywalk Entrance and Yongho Starlight Park. Meanwhile, Haeundae Beach has a 1.5-kilometre waterfront and links to the scenic and easily walked Dongbaekseom Island Coastal Trail. You might want to avoid weekends: Haeundae is South Korea’s most famous beach.
Best bites
You’ll find no lack of eating choice in Busan, from cheap food stalls selling noodles or spicy rice cakes to fancy seafood restaurants. The city is renowned for its seafood and fish, with beaches at Haeundae, Gwangalli and Songdo lined with seafood restaurants. Jagalchi Market is the nation’s largest fish market where you can feast direct from vendors or in upstairs restaurants at bargain prices. Other city specialties are goat, pork ribs, galbi, beef ribs and green-onion pancakes.
Further afield
Many passengers take a long day excursion to Gyeongju, Korea’s ancient capital, dotted with Buddhist monuments and royal burial mounds. The highlight is Bulgulsa Temple on the hillside beyond town. Its glorious multicoloured architecture is set against maple-draped hillsides that are particularly beautiful in autumn. Other excursions visit Beomeosa Temple, one of South Korea’s most important and historical Buddhist temples, where you might experience a tea ceremony.
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