Things to do in  Busan

Gamcheon Culture Village spills down a hillside just outside of Busan in a riot of colors. The village, with nicknames like “Santorini on the South Sea” and the “Lego Village,” started off as a relatively poor area until the Korean War, when refugees began setting up homes here. Many of these refugees were members of the Taegeukdo religious movement, a religion at the forefront of the Korean independence movement. Today, few of the 10,000 residents are still believers, but it remains a popular destination for visitors who come to see the multicolored cubicle houses stacked one on top of the other up the hill. Wander through the narrow alleys and streets, and you’ll stumble across murals, art installations and old houses converted into galleries or cafes....

South Korea has become famous among travelers for its freshly caught seafood, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better place to sample it than at the Jagalchi Fish Market in Busan. The largest seafood market in the country, Jagalchi is unique in that its run largely by women who are known as Jagalchi Ajumma. This tradition dates back to the Korean War, when many of the men were off fighting and their wives took over the family businesses. Walking through the market is like visiting an exotic aquarium, as many of the wares are kept live in tanks to maximize their freshness. You’ll find nearly any type of seafood you could want, including more varieties of shellfish than you knew existed. The market also houses a collection of seafood restaurants where you can bring your purchases to have them cooked up and served to you on the spot....

During the 1950s, refugees of war-torn Korea began opening up small shops to try to earn a living. This modest collection of shops has transformed into what is now Gukje Market (International Market, or Kookjae Market), Busan’s largest traditional market with vendors selling practically everything under the sun – items both new and secondhand. While Gukje Market is very much a place where local Koreans still shop, travelers will find plenty of interest as well, besides the atmospheric street market atmosphere. It’s a great place to find hanbok, the traditional Korean formalwear, small souvenirs, T-shirts and favorite Korean street snacks, all at bargain prices. Whether you’re looking for bargain clothes, vintage glasses, some new electronics, or dried seaweed, prices are cheap and bargaining is totally accepted. Korean culture is based around dignity and respect for one another, so do bargain with a smile and always be polite....

Yongdusan Park, a mountainous park in the center of Busan, is one of the city’s most popular green spaces. Its name translates to “dragon’s head mountain,” as it’s thought to resemble a dragon poking its head above the surface of the sea. The park is dotted with various monuments to battles and Korean heroes....

Built during the Goryeo Dynasty in 1376, historic Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is one of only a few Korean temples on the coast, and it honors Haesu Gwaneum Daebul (Seawater Great Goddess Buddha), a goddess believed to live in the ocean where she rides atop a dragon. Legends aside, the east-facing temple offers a spectacular view of the rising sun – a site that’s especially popular on the morning of the Lunar New Year when Buddhist devotees come to make a wish for a prosperous new year. At the heart of the temple sits a three-level pagoda with four lion statues that symbolize joy, sadness, happiness and anger....

Busan Tower stands 120 m tall from the center of the city’s Yongdusan Park. Built in 1973 and modelled on Bulguksa Temple’s Dabotap Pagoda, the tower is a popular visit day and night. Head to the viewing deck via high-speed elevator, and enjoy panoramic views of Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city. Come at sunset to see the city lights start to twinkle under the night sky. On the lower deck of Busan Tower, there’s a souvenir shop and a cafe where you can while away the hours and enjoy the views of busy Busan port. All loved up? Do as thousands of young Korean couples do, and tie a padlock with a note of your everlasting love to one of the fences by the tower. The mountain’s feng shui is said to bring you good luck. Korean for Dragon Head Mountain because of its shape, Yongdusan Park hosts lots of lively cultural performances in summer and on weekends, and on Buddha’s Birthday, paper lamps shaped like tigers and dragons float throughout the park....

A majority of the visitors to Busan come for its proximity to the sea, and the city’s stretch of sand known as Haeundae Beach is perhaps the most famous beach in South Korea. Nearly a mile long (1.5 km), the beach is made up of rough sand from shells eroded by the Chuncheon Stream. Visitors looking to laze in the sand or partake in water sports can rent umbrellas, yellow inner tubes, surf boards and jet skis all along the beachfront. Besides the beach itself, this stretch of coastline is lined with some of Busan’s best international hotels, as well as an assortment of restaurants, shops and the Busan Aquarium....

The 35-acre (14-hectare) UN Memorial Cemetery is one of Busan’s most peaceful spots. Established in 1951, the quiet park and cemetery honors a total of 2,300 United Nations soldiers representing 16 countries who were killed during the Korean War. Manicured hedges and flower bushes add to the beautiful and somber sight....

Deongbeak Island (Dongbaekseom), considered one of Busan’s most scenic places, isn’t really an island at all. The former island, now connected to the Korean mainland by a land bridge made up of accumulated sediment, gets its name from the abundant dongbaek trees that live there. Located within an easy walking distance of Haeundae Beach, the island park is crisscrossed by a series of boardwalks and trails, some winding along the rocky shore and others climbing through the verdant interior, perfect for a fresh air escape from the nearby city. Follow the boardwalk along the shore, and eventually you’ll come upon one of the island’s most famous landmarks, a statue of a mermaid sitting on a rock amid the crashing waves....

Beomeosa Temple has a history that dates back to its founding in 678 CE by Buddhist monk Ui Sang, long before the original temple was destroyed during a Japanese invasion in the late 16th century. Perched on Geumjeongsan Mountain, the current temple complex was built in 1713 and includes a pagoda, several pavilions, three ornate gates and 11 hermitages. While many visitors to the temple come to enjoy the verdant grounds for only a few hours, Beomeosa Temple is one of several in Korea that allows temple stays, where visitors both foreign and Korean can experience firsthand Korean Buddhist monastic life. The main temple stay program here includes meditation sessions, tea ceremonies, traditional monastic meals and several hands-on cultural clinics....