The bustling port of Busan

Brief Introduction

With nearly four million people, Busan is South Korea's second largest city and the country's largest seaport. This gives the city an international flair, with sailors from around the world trooping through and, these days, more than a few tourists (mostly from China, Japan and Russia) too.

Orientation

Nampodong to the south is Busan's shopping and entertainment downtown, while central Seomyeon at the intersection of subway lines 1 and 2 is where the office buildings are. Seomyeon also has an active night life with lots of street food. Between them are Busan's train station and its international ferry terminals. The beaches of Gwangalli, Haeundae and Songjeonglie to the east, the ruins of mountain fortress Geumjeong guard the north, and Gimhae Airport occupies the last compass point in the west.

How to Get There

By plane

Busan's Gimhae Airport (IATA: PUS) fields flights around the country and some international flights as well, mostly to Japan and China but also toBangkok and Ho Chi Minh City. The airport is quite old and very small for a city of Busan's size. Though a new international terminal has been constructed next to the domestic terminal. You are not allowed to take pictures of the airport (both from the plane and outside) because it also serves as an airforce base.

Airport limousine buses connect to various points in the city for a flat W5000. The trip takes 30-40 minutes (in good traffic) and there are departures on all lines every 20-30 minutes. City buses leave for downtown quite regularly. They are even cheaper, around W1000. Be sure to visit the information desk at the international arrival terminal if your Korean is not very good. It is one of the few places that has English-speaking assistance.

A taxi to the city center will set you back about W15000 including tolls.

By train

Space-age Busan Station looks like a UFO that has accidentally landed in the somewhat grubby stretch between the bright lights of Nampodong and Seomyeon. Still, it's easy enough to get in or away with subway line 1, and there are lots of cheap motels and eating places in the vicinity.

KTX trains connect Seoul to Busan via Daegu and Daejeon in 160 minutes (51700 won). Other trains, such as Saemaeul and Mugunghwa, connect Busan with other major cities as well. They're cheaper but slower than KTX.

By car

1. Gyeongbu Highway: connecting Busan with Seoul via Daejeon and Daegu.
2. Gumi Highway: alternative highway to Daegu.
3. Namhae Highway: connecting to Gwangju via Jinju and Sacheon.

By bus

Almost all cities and counties in South Korea have an express bus to Busan. There are two major bus stations:

• Dongbu Intercity Bus Terminal (동부시외버스터미널), Nopodong Station (Line 1). For points north and east (eg. Daegu, Gyeongju, Seoul, Ulsan).
• Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal (서부시외버스터미널), Sasang Station (Line 2). For points west (eg. Jinju, Masan).

By boat

Befitting Busan's status as a major port, there are regular international ferry services to Japan, Osaka, Shimonoseki ,and especially Kyushu island.Kanpu Ferry's daily overnight runs to Shimonoseki are the cheapest, but JR Kyushu's Beetle hydrofoils to Fukuoka run five times a day and take just under 3 hours. There are also domestic ferries to Jeju which take about 11 hours and run daily.

How to Get Around

Busan Subway

By subway

The three lines of the Busan Subway connect the bus terminals and nearly all sights of interest together. Rides are W1,100 or 1,300 depending on distance (hang onto your ticket until you exit), and both signage and announcements are in English so finding your way is easy.

By taxi

There are plenty of taxis prowling the streets of Busan. Regular taxi flag drop is W1800 for the first two kilometers, then the meter starts ticking at W100 for each 169m. Deluxe taxis (black and red) charge W4200 for the first 3 km and then W200 for each 199m.

On foot

Busan as a whole is far too large to walk around, but some areas like Gwangalli Beach and Yongdusan Park are best covered on foot.

What to See

The serenity of Beomeosa

• Beomeo-sa Temple, subway Beomeosa. One of Korea's Great 5 Temples, this large temple complex is located up in the mountains, seemingly much further away from the big city than the few kilometers it is. Founded in 678, the buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt many times, but they're still atmospheric. Watch out though, as the temple gets packed with worshippers, hikers (seeDo) and tourists on weekends. To get there, take exit 5 from the station, make a U-turn, turn left and take bus 90 from the station a few hundred meters up (W900, 20 minutes, every 15 min). Entry W1000.

• 40 Steps (40 Gyedan), subway Jungang-dong. A few streets of a grubby district have been 'restored' to their condition in the post-Korean-War 1960s, with wooden lamppost and bronze figures illustrating scenes of hardscrabble street life.

• Yongdusan Park, subway Nampodong (take the hillside escalator up). This pleasant little park is home to Busan's one true tourist trap, the creaky 118m Busan Tower (W3000). There are some decent views even without going up the tower, and you can buy some corn to feed the resident population of ravenous pigeons.

Things to Do

Haeundae beach at dawn

Entrance to the Hurshimchung Spa

Beaches and hot springs

Busan is above all famous for its seven beaches and three hot springs.

• Haeundae Beach (해운대), near subway/KNR Haeundae. One of the most popular summer destinations in South Korea. Haeundae attracts tourists from all around the country, and gets overcrowded in late July and early August. There are numerous Motels nearby. There is also an excellent aquarium beside the beach. Besides the beach, there are some excellent restaurants, both Korean and international, in the area, and a wide variety of shops, although many are hidden away. Explore the streets behind the beachfront boulevard.

• Hur Shim Chung Spa (허심청 HurShimChung), subway Oncheonjang (exit 1, cross the street and make a beeline for Hotel Nong Shim; it's connected by a walkway). This massive hot spring complex claims to be the largest in Asia: Noboribetsu might disagree, but it certainly is huge, with hot, tepid, cold and strawberry milk-filled baths, saunas, pools, and an outdoor section. On the 3rd floor is a large jjimjilbang resting area, containing (among other things) a restaurant, a beauty salon, an oxygen room, and three 'igloos' heated to 81°C, 51°C and 0°C. You'll get a key when you come in, use it to open your shoe and clothes lockers and pay for any purchases inside. Men's and women's spas are segregated but the resting area is shared, so pick up a robe before you head downstairs. There's also some signage in English to guide you around. Entry to the spa is W8000, plus W1000 for the jjimjilbang on Sunday/holidays only. You can stay as long as you want, but it gets quite crowded and noisy on weekends.

• Gwangalli Beach (광안리 Gwangalli), near subway Geumnyeonsan (exit 1). Best experienced at night when the massive Gwangan Grand Bridge behind it is illuminated. Overall, similar to Haeundae but smaller and less upscale. Nevertheless, some interesting restaurants, bars and shops in the area. Also, you should try visiting one of the the tall, newly built hotels on the beach. They have really nice Sauna and Jjim Jil Bangs overlooking the bridge. Cost should be at 8,000 WON.

Tourist Attractions

• Taejongdae (Busan Monument #28) The park was named for King Taejong Muyul (654-661) of the Silla Dynasty who practiced archery here after unifying the Three Kingdoms. During the Joseon period, King Taejong (1400-1418) is reputed to have visited here for recreation and pleasure. The magistrate of Dongnae also came here during a major drought to offer prayers for rain. Taejongdae is one of the famous tourist attractions in Pusan, with its white lighthouse overlooking the green sea. Many people enjoy eating fresh raw fish on the rocky shore, taking a boat around the Olyuk ('five or six') Islands, and seeing the famous 'Suicide Rock.' When the weather is nice, Daema Island can be seen in the distance, 56 km away. The scene from the observation deck is beautiful and the white lighthouse together with the green sea looks very exotic. The walk from the entrance to the lighthouse is quite long. However, a shuttle bus runs from the shops.

• Yongdusan Park - Busan Tower This is a park located at the heart of Busan. If you go up the Busan Tower, you will get to see an awesome, if not, the best panorama of the entire city.

• Indoor skiing. In Mt. Hwangryung you can enjoy skiing any time, any season.

Hiking

The mountains around Busan have some good hiking trails. Probably the most popular route is from the South Gate (Nammun) of Geumjeong Fortress, reachable by cable car from Oncheongjang, through the North Gate (Bukmun) and down to Beomeosa Temple, a distance of 8.8 km (3-4 hours).

Shopping

Underground entrance to the Lotte Department Store

• Ja-galchi Fish Market If you're in Busan, then you must visit Jagalchi Fish Market, which Busan is famous for. This market displays freshly caught fish and various other sea creatures that are still alive.

• Gukje Market, Gwangbok-dong Market, and Nampo-dong Market Three major shopping districts connected to each other. Very much similar to Seoul's Namdaemun Market and MyeongDong shopping district. Various shops geared towards young and old people with many brand name stores and underground stores. You will be able to bargain with the people who are selling on the streets or underground.

• Lotte Department Store, subway Seomyeon. An over-the-top temple to consumerism (check out the fountains and statues at the basement entrance), this is Busan's largest department store and the place to pick up some W500,000 ginseng or perhaps a Spam gift set for the folks back home. The basement has good food court/delicatessen/supermarket section.

• Choryang Foreigner Shopping Area, opposite Busan station. This is a strange duck indeed, namely a combined China-and-Russiatown with ornate Chinese gates and Russian shops selling pickles and vodka. The overall feeling is distinctly downmarket, and if you want to take the name literally there are ladies of many nationalities enticing sailors and other customers in the doorways; you may get more than you bargained for though, as the area is notorious for ripoffs and even the occasional robbery at night.

Food

An affordable and popular Busan treat is dong-nae pajeon (동래파전), a seafood and green onion pancake.

Budget

• Gimbap Cheonha (김밥천하), a block to the north of Busan station (orange-yellow-white sign). Serves up gimbap from W1000 and all sorts of noodles for W2500-4000. No English menu or sign, but if you can say it they'll make it, and it's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• welly&, Busan station 3F. This food court serves all the usual Korean favorites, with plastic food and English menus making ordering a snap. Meals from W5000.

• Seoul Kakkduggi, Nampo-dong. Specializes in beef soups and kakkduggi side dish. Meals around W6000.

• Seamen's Club; located on the port side of Busan Station, walk through the parking lot above the train tracks then head down the stairs and take a left. This is a western style restaurant that caters to homesick sailors, with your typical family restaurant/ diner kind of menu, along with some special treats like pumpkin pie. It's cheap and very delicious. You can also drink at the bar with a bottle of Guiness only costing around $3.00. They also have a store that sells some basic essentials like deodorant and shampoo, along with Reeses cups, a very rare find in Korea. You may need a US Military ID to get in, as a sign on the door specifies a 100% ID check policy in place.

• TACO LOCO; In Seomeyon. The name says it all.

• Amby's, Texas St (Russia Town). European, N. American, Russian, and S.E. Asian dishes; try the borscht stew. Popular with sailors and their lady companions, the best time to go is after midnight. A small shop offering a limited and over-priced selection of dust-covered western goods is located in the front.

• Dave's Fish and Chips. Mon-Fri 7-10PM, Sat-Sun 9AM-10:30PM. The menu covers more than you'd think from the name, including tacos, burritos, nachos, Chicken and Beef burgers, Indian curry sauce, all homemade, plus many imported beers, including New Castle Brown Ale. Run by Dave from Manchester. Full English breakfast 6000 won (Sat/Sun 9 AM-1:30 PM only).

Splurge

Busan is famous for raw fish (회'Hway'), which the Koreans eat in the same style as bulgogi, namely topped with kimchi and gochujang and wrapped in a lettuce leaf. One of the best places to sample this is the Millak Town Raw Fish Center, a large brown building at the northern end of Gwangalli Beach. The first floor is the actual fish market and the floors above are packed with nothing but restaurants serving it up. This can get expensive, so order a set or specify your budget to avoid surprises.

• Four Season Raw Fish (Sakyeocheol Hoetjip), Millak Raw Fish Center 2F. The owner, Mr. Jun, speaks English, but ordering here is easy: it's either set A, B or C at 30/40/50,000 won per head. Even Set A is huge, while C will feed a family of North Koreans for a year. Be warned: this is as real as it gets and dishes will include still-moving octopus tentacles and other stuff most Westerners would not readily categorize as "food".

• Ventanas Grill Steak and Seafood, Novotel Ambassador, Haeundae, tel. (051) 743 1234. Steak, fresh seafood, premier wine. Sephia style interior design, cozy atmosphere, and ocean view.

Drink

Nampodong by night

Busan has thousands if not tens of thousands of drinking places scattered throughout the city. Popular spots includeNampodong and the area around Pusan National University. Drinking spots popular with the foreign community include:

Kyungsung University area:

• Vinyl Underground, A good place to meet Korean girls.
• Ol'55

In Haeundae:

• MURPII, Novotel Ambassador Busan, entirely renovated, the trendiest night entertainment on Haeundae Beach
• U2 Bar, across from the Novotel Ambassador Busan.
• Starface Bar, Dalmaji Hill. Pool table and loud Americans aplenty.

PNU:

• Crossroads, A chilled out sit-down bar with an excellent music selection
• Moe's, A funkier atmosphere, sometimes live music
• Soultrane, A dancey, loud place.
• The Basement, A nice bar with pool tables and plenty of expats and good food.

In Gwangalli:

• Hollywood Star, Pool table and darts available. Talk to Jun, he's friendly and knowledgeable and speaks great English. Usually has sexy girls working there.
• Fuzzy Navel, A lot of fun in summer but dead in winter. Beware of the Long Island Ice Tea, famous for its blackout-inducing potential.
• Beach Bikini
• Thursday Party, Gwangalli classic. On a good night the foosball table area becomes a dancefloor and in summer the party spills onto the beach.

Seomyeon also has a lot to offer:

• O'Briens Irish Bar and Restaurant, Good Western food available til late.
• Foxy. Formerly Hollywood Star.

Sleep

Budget

• Actor & Tourist Guest-house, (Choose exit (2) when exiting the Namcheon subway station, go up the stairs and walk for 25 meters, the Guesthouse will be on the left. There will be a small yellow sign (in the shape of a fish) pointing to a courtyard which is the entrance to the Guesthouse. Go to the 4th floor to check-in.), ☎ +82-70-7528-9069 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Owned by Mr Lee, a friendly and well-traveled backpacker. Amenities include: free Internet, free tea, a spacious kitchen, travel books, photo albums, western toilets, two clean showers and one bath. There is also a very large balcony with tables and chairs that overlook the city. It's only Ten minutes walk to Gwangalli beach and a few minutes further by subway to a host of other popular destinations.15,000 WON (around 15$).

• Zen Backpackers. Along with accommodation, it also helps travelers experience different aspects of Korean culture, including free fortune telling and hand therapy.

• Guesthouse4u, tel. 82-51-753-0280. From Busan Station, take bus 302, 40, 140, 240, 239 or 109 and get off at Hansoe Hospital. Alternatively, take subway line 2 to Gwangan, then choose exit 1 and go ahead for 300 m.

• Busan Youth Hostel Arpina

• Blue Backpackers

• GuestHouse Busan

• KumRan/GumRan (금란) Hotel, Telephone: 0518038800. 25,000 WON (about 25 US dollars) per night. Seomyeon (서면역) Station Exit 4 (5 minute walk from the station). Located near the YoungGwan Library (영관 도서관), ask someone, they'll know. It's in the alley facing the library- you will see a Family Mart and a dumpling(Mandoo) house at the entrance of the alley. There is free parking at the hotel, if you need it.

Mid-range

• Gwangjang Tourist Hotel (광장관광호텔), 1200-17, Choryang 3-dong, Dong-gu (north side of Busan Station Plaza), tel. 051-464-3141. Centrally located no-frills two-star hotel. Rooms have bathrooms, air-con and TV. Singles/doubles from W43000/48000.

Splurge

There are plenty of luxury hotels along Haeundae Beach.

• Novotel Ambassador Busan
• Paradise Hotel
• Westin Chosun Beach

A few luxury hotels are more centrally located.

• Commodore Hotel, Jung-an-dong. Within walking distance of Nampo-dong.
• Lotte Hotel, Seomyeon. In the heart of Pusan. The basement level and first floor are attached to one of the largest shopping centers in Busan. The shopping center has a grocery store and a variety of restaurants at reasonable prices, and a movie theater on the top level. The shopping center itself is like any typical western-style mall, with name-brand and high-end consumer items and clothing for sale.