Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, is an exciting blend of city, beach, culture, and nature. From its stunning beaches and bustling markets to its cultural sites and delicious cuisine, Busan offers unique experiences worth including in any trip to South Korea. Whether you explore colorful villages, lounge on the beach, or indulge in fresh seafood, you’ll fall in love with everything Busan has to offer. With this guide to the best things to do in Busan, you’ll have an unforgettable trip to this coastal gem.
Things to do in Busan: FAQs
Where should I stay in Busan?
If your priority is seeing many of Busan’s sights efficiently, then I’d suggest staying in the central, bustling neighborhoods of Seomyeon or Nampo. Both neighborhoods provide good locations for getting around Busan while also being exciting areas themselves. If your priority is the beach, then staying at Haeundae Beach or Gwangalli Beach will provide the best experience. However, staying at the beach will add extra transportation time when getting around to other attractions.
For more on why to choose one of these neighborhoods, check out my guide to where to stay in Busan.
Here’s a quick overview:
| Busan neighborhood | Why stay in this neighborhood? | Best mid-range hotel |
| Seomyeon | Shopping, nightlife, central location | Urbanstay Seomyeon |
| Nampo | Street food, culture, good location | Busan CONNECT Ocean Hotel |
| Haeundae Beach | Beach, luxury options | Mipo Oceanside Hotel |
| Gwangalli Beach | Beach, more affordable, nightlife | H Avenue Gwangalli Beach |
How can I get around Busan?
Busan is well-connected by public transportation, with an extensive subway and bus system that can get you anywhere. You will need to head to a convenience store first, such as 7/11 or CU, to buy a T-Money card, which can be used to pay for both buses and the subway. You can refill these cards at a ticketing kiosk at any station. The ticketing kiosks have an English setting that makes it an easy process. Be sure to carry cash, as you can only fill up your transportation card using cash. When you ride on the bus or subway, you will swipe this card upon both entering and exiting. If you already bought a transportation card in Seoul, don’t worry. It will work in Busan, too.
Apple Maps and Google Maps do not work well in Korea. You will want to download Naver Maps and Kakao Maps for accurate directions.
Taxis are also decently cheap, which you can call through the Kakao Taxi app. If you’re short on time, taking taxis will help you cut down on travel time. Busan is huge and its attractions are spread out.
How many days do I need in Busan?
I recommend a minimum of two full days in Busan, but three to four days is ideal. In two days, you can see the top attractions such as Haedong Yonggungsa Temple and Gamcheon Culture Village, but you won’t have much time to explore in depth. If you want to explore Busan’s many beautiful beaches and interesting neighborhoods, allow for a few more days. Most of the best things to do in Busan can be explored in four days, if you’re efficient.
Check out my 2, 3, or 4-day Busan itinerary to help incorporate these top attractions and activities into your trip.
Where else should I visit in Korea, besides Busan?
If you have more than a few days in Korea, you should definitely venture beyond Busan! There are so many options, but Seoul, Jeju, and Gyeongju are the best if you’re short on time.
Have 2 weeks to spend in Korea? Check out my South Korea itinerary, including a week in Seoul, a few days in Jeju, and a few days in Busan and Gyeongju.
Is Busan good for solo female travelers?
Busan is a great choice for solo female travelers. Like the rest of Korea, it’s safe and welcoming for women traveling alone. As long as you practice standard safety measures, as you always should, you’ll find Busan easy and comfortable to explore independently. I’ve traveled around Korea alone for years, including Busan, and this itinerary will work well if you’re solo traveling.
Things to do in Busan: Attractions
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Haedong Yonggungsa is one of Korea’s rare seaside temples and is known as the most beautiful temple in Korea. Located on the coastline where deep blue water crashes against jagged rocks, the temple itself is beautiful but the setting elevates it to another level. If you have limited time in Busan, this is one of the must-sees. Keep in mind that the temple is located far outside the city center. It’s reachable by bus or taxi.
Gamcheon Culture Village
Gamcheon Culture Village is made up of colorful houses scaling a coastal hillside. It’s a real community that struggled with poverty after the Korean War and was transformed into a cultural and art hub by local artists and residents. The lively main street has street food, handmade souvenir shops, cafes, murals, and stunning viewpoints. Make sure to stop in Wooin Cafe (우인카페) for delicious drinks and one of the best viewpoints in town from their rooftop.
Huinnyeoul Culture Town
Gamcheon Culture Village’s lesser-known sibling, Huinnyeoul Culture Town, is a colorful coastal village on a sloping hill next to the sea. Blue and white alleys lead to unique shops, colorful murals, and cafes with sweeping ocean views. It’s been compared to Santorini because of its colors and ocean scenery. It’s a great place to fuel up at an aesthetic cafe and walk along the coast.
BIFF Square
Located in the heart of bustling Nampo-dong, BIFF Square serves as the main venue of the Busan International Film Festival every October. Year-round, it’s a foodie’s paradise with a sea of red-and-yellow street food stalls. Make sure to try seed hotteok (씨앗 호떡), a sweet pancake filled with brown sugar and a variety of seeds. There are also great places to go shopping, including the huge Gukje Market selling everything from designer dupes to homeware.
Yongdusan Park & Busan Tower
Next to BIFF Square in Nampo-dong, Yongdusan Park is home to Busan Tower. At 120 meters/nearly 400 feet tall, Busan Tower provides panoramic views of the city, mountains, and ocean.
Tip: If you don’t want to pay for Busan Tower or you’d rather have a view with Busan Tower in it, head over to the Lotte Department Store’s free 13th-floor observatory for amazing views.
Busan X The Sky
Did you know Busan is home to the highest Starbucks in the world? It’s on the 99th floor of the tallest building in Busan (and the second tallest building in South Korea, after Lotte World Tower in Seoul). Busan X The Sky provides panoramic views over the city, ocean, and mountains. You can take in the views from the large three-floor observatory or by grabbing a record-breakingly high cup of coffee.
Taejongdae Resort Park
Taejongdae is a peaceful escape to nature from the bustling city. The Taejongdae Cliffed Coast is the highlight of the park, where visitors can watch waves crash against the dramatic, rocky cliffs. On a clear day, you can even see Tsushima Island in Japan from the Taejongdae Observatory! You can easily walk the park loop, but it’s a few miles. I recommend riding the “Danubi” train that stops at the three best sites: Taejongdae Observatory, Yeongdo Lighthouse, and Taejongsa Temple. It departs every 20 to 30 minutes and costs only ₩3000.
Jagalchi Market
Seafood lovers, this is your time to shine. Jagalchi Market is Korea’s largest seafood market, selling fresh fish and seafood including king crabs, octopuses, eels, oysters, and more. For the full experience, buy your still-living seafood on the lower level before heading upstairs for it to be freshly cooked however you want. Bring cash because the stalls and restaurants don’t take cards.
Things to do in Busan: Beaches
Haeundae Beach
Of course, you can’t visit Busan without seeing one of its stunning beaches. And if you only have time for one, it should be Haeundae Beach. The skyscraper-lined white sand beach is Busan’s most famous beach for a reason. It stretches for almost a mile and has a shallow bay, making it great for lying on the beach or swimming. Throughout the year, there are various festivals and events such as the Haeundae Sand Festival in May, the Busan Sea Festival in August, and the Haeundae Lights Festival in the winter.
Haeundae Sky Capsule
While you’re at Haeundae Beach, the Sky Capsule provides a unique way to take in the coastal views from a private pod. It runs from Mipo Station to Cheongsapo Station for 30 minutes, passing attractions including lighthouses, observatories, beaches, and tunnels. I highly recommend booking in advance or going early in the day, because it was sold out when I showed up at 1 p.m. on a weekday!
Gwangalli Beach
Haeundae Beach’s more hip, chill counterpart, Gwangalli Beach is famous for its view of Gwangandaegyo Bridge, especially at night when there are frequent drone shows and fireworks displays. Don’t miss the Saturday night drone shows (January – September at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., October – December at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.) when over 300 drones create colorful scenes in the night sky. Restaurants, cafes, and bars line its fine sand shores, making it a great place to hang out and enjoy the beach views.
Songdo Bay Cable Car
Running for over a mile from Songdo Beach to Songdo Sky Park, the cable car is a 20-minute ride with panoramic views of Songdo Beach, the city skyline, and the rocky coastline. Once you arrive at Songdo Sky Park, you can walk down to the Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge for more great views. I recommend taking it one way so you can walk back along the Songdo Coastal Bolle-gil Trail to Songdo Beach.
Things to do in Busan: Experiences
SpaLand
Located at Shinsegae Department Store Centum City, the largest shopping complex in the world, SpaLand is the ultimate Korean spa experience. Korean spas, known as “jjimjilbangs” (찜질방), are traditional bathhouses with temperature-controlled pools, rooms, and saunas. The pools are gender separated because everyone is naked! Don’t let that scare you off, though. SpaLand is the perfect activity for a rainy day or when you need to relax. It’s the very best of the best when it comes to jjimjilbangs, with 18 hot springs, 13 saunas, entertainment zones, and spa treatments.
Go cafe-hopping
Cafe-hopping is one of the best things to do in Seoul, and Busan is no different. The cafe culture in Korea is no joke, and Busan is a hotspot of trendy cafes. From amazing aesthetics and ocean views to delicious drinks and pretty pastries, it’s never been more enjoyable to take a coffee break.
My favorite cafes in Busan include:
- Rendejavous (랑데자뷰 해운대점), Haeundae: amazing view of Haeundae Beach
- Wooin Cafe (우인카페), Gamcheom: stunning rooftop view of Gamcheon Culture Village
- Molle (몰레), Seomyeon: delicious cakes; you MUST try the Oreo cake
- Knockout (넉아웃), Seomyeon: unique aesthetic and great bakery selection
- Little Aus (리틀오스), Gwangalli: yummy Aussie-style brunch and great coffee
Take a yacht tour
What better way to see Busan than from the ocean itself? Daily yacht tours depart every hour from Suyeongman Bay Yachting Center, between Gwangalli Beach and Haeundae Beach. I highly suggest choosing a sunset or nighttime tour for the best views. They also set off a mini personal fireworks show if you go at night, which was the nicest surprise!
Get your Busan yacht tour tickets here for only $15 for daytime and $25 for nighttime!
Take a day trip
While there are so many great things to do in Busan, I’d argue that one of the best things to do in Busan is take a day trip to one of its surrounding areas. Its position on Korea’s southeast coast makes it the perfect gateway to many of the peninsula’s southern wonders, including beautiful ocean views, rewarding hikes, unique regional dishes, and cultural experiences. My top suggestions include Gyeongju for culture and history, Geoje for ocean views and botanical gardens, and Yeosu for hiking and ocean views.
For a full list of the best day trips from Busan organized by interests, check out my list of the top 10 day trips from Busan.
As you wrap up your adventures in Busan, you’ll leave with memories of its stunning beaches, unique cultural sites, and delicious cuisine. Busan has so much charm, offering diverse sights, activities, and experiences for any traveler. We hope this guide to the best things to do in Busan has helped you plan the perfect getaway to this vibrant coastal city.
Keep reading:
- Busan itinerary: 2, 3, or 4 days in South Korea’s coastal gem
- Where to stay in Busan: Top areas for every traveler
- 10 best day trips from Busan
- Seoul itinerary: Local’s guide to 1 week or less
- 20 best things to do in Seoul, South Korea
- 2 week South Korea itinerary & travel guide from a local
- South Korea Solo Travel Guide: Safety, tips, & what to expect
- Jeju Island itinerary & travel guide
- Top 9 things to do in Gyeongju, South Korea & 2-day itinerary
- Best things to do in Jeonju, South Korea
- Boseong Green Tea Fields: A Complete Guide
- South Korea packing list: A local’s guide to what to pack
- 25 unmissable things to do in Korea in winter
- 31 unmissable things to do in spring in Korea
- 22 best things to do in summer in Korea
- Fall in Korea: The 26 best things to do
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