Busan, the second largest city in South Korea, is known for its beautiful beaches, mountains, temples, and laid back atmosphere typical for a coastal city.
We visited Busan as part of our 7 day trip to South Korea. In this post, we’d like to share our 2 Days in Busan Itinerary. This detailed itinerary is based on our own experience and includes Busan’s main attractions, parks, markets, beaches, and other things to do in the city.
You might also like our post with practical information about travelling in South Korea (including public transport, mobile internet, travelling by trains, and more): Things to Know Before Travelling to South Korea.
How to Get to Busan from Seoul
The best way to travel from Seoul to Busan is by train. A direct high-speed train takes only 2.5 hours. For details on how to book tickets and information about the special KORAIL pass for tourists, see the ‘Travelling by Train in South Korea’ section in our post Things to Know Before Travelling to South Korea.
A quicker but more expensive option is to fly. A direct flight takes just 1 hour, although you’ll need to factor in extra time to get to and from the airport.
Lastly, you can get from Seoul to Busan by a bus. This is the cheapest option, but also the slowest – a direct express bus takes around 4 hours.
We took a morning train from Seoul and arrived in Busan at 10am, which gave us a full first day to explore the city.
Day 1 in Busan
Haeundae
On arrival at Busan train station, take bus #1001 or #1003 (both stop in front of the train station building), or use the metro to reach the Haeundae district. For details on using public transport and paying with a Tmoney card, see the ‘Public Transport in South Korea’ section of our guide Things to know before travelling to South Korea.
Haeundae Beach is one of the best known urban beaches in South Korea. It stretches for 1.5km, and with its white sand and clear waters the beach is a popular swimming destination in summer. If you’re not visiting during the warmer monthss, don’t worry – there’s still plenty to see and do at Haeundae Beach. Take a walk along the shore, visit Dongbaek Park and the Lighthouse, or explore SEALIFE Busan Aquarium.
There are many cafes and restaurants in Haeundae. For an authentic experience and fresh seafood, be sure to visit Haeundae Market. It has many kiosks with takeaway food, as well as eat-in options for lunch and dinner. For a traditional takeaway dessert, try a Korean sweet pancake – Hotteok – filled with honey and seeds, or a Korean 10 Won bread filled with molten cheese.
Take a walk along Gunam-ro street – a wide avenue that connects Haeundae Beach with Haeundae metro station. There are many places to eat-in and quite often there are art displays and festive installations on the street. When we visited, it was beautifully decorated with flowers and light displays.
Busan X the Sky
Next, visit Busan X the Sky – an observation deck in a skyscraper located at the far end of Haeundae Beach (the entrance to the building is from the beach side). Pay a small admission fee, take the lift to the 100th floor, and then walk down to floors 99 and 98. There three floors are open to the public and offer stunning views over Busan, its coastline, and the surrounding green mountains.
While enjoying the views, you can have a coffee at either Blackup Coffee on the 98th floor, or at the word’s highest Starbucks store on the 99th floor of Busan X the Sky.
Don’t forget to visit the bathroom afterwards – even the toilet cabins have windows with city views! 🙂
Scenic ride on the Haeundae Blueline Park
After visiting Busan X the Sky, walk to ‘Haeundae Blueline Park – Mipo Station’. From here, the Haeundae Beach Train and Haeundae Sky Capsule depart, offering a scenic ride along the Busan coastline.
The Haeundae Beach Train is a sightseeing train. All seats on the train are facing large glass windows, allowing passengers to enjoy the coastal views during the ride. The train runs from Mipo Station to Songjeong Station, with several stops along the way – Dalmaji Tunnel, Cheongsapo Station, Daritol Skywalk, and Gudeokpo. The full journey takes around 30 minutes.
Haeundae Sky Capsule is a four-seat capsule that runs above the train line. It’s is much slower than the train and it only takes you halfway – from Mipo Station directly to Cheongsapo Station.
Check the official website for prices and other details about Haeundae Blueline Park. I recommend booking the tickets online in advance. We didn’t, and ended up spending 45-60 minutes queuing at the kiosk in Mipo Station and then again to board the train (and this wasn’t even during high season!).
Alternatively, you can walk from Mipo Station all the way to Songjeong Station via the Green Railway Coastal Walking Trail. The walking trail is 4.8km long.
Songjeong Beach
Get off the scenic train at Songjeong Station and walk to the beach.
Songjeong Beach is a popular sandy beach in the eastern part of Busan. It’s usually less crowded than Haeundae (though if you’re visiting off peak season, the beaches are generally quiet). Songjeong beach offers a long stretch of white sand, a broadwalk, and plenty of cafes and takeaway options in the area.
From Songjeong Beach, take bus #181 to reach Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. Get off at the Skyline Luge Busan stop.
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Haedong Yonggungsa is a Buddhist temple in a beautiful setting of sea cliffs along Busan’s eastern coastline.
Take a walk from the bus stop along Yonggung-gil to reach Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. On the way, you’ll pass a small street market with souvenir and food stalls, and arrive at Haedong Yonggungsa Zodiac Park, which features stone statues and benches. From there, take the stairs down to the cliffs and the temple itself.
Haedong Yonggungsa temple is open to the public dayly, and entry is free. We visited on a weekday and found it quite busy. But despite the crowds, we still enjoyed out visit and would highly recommend including it in your Busan. itinerary.
The Bay 101
To round off the first day of your 2 Days in Busan Itinerary, return to the Haeundae district and walk to The Bay 101 – a waterfront area with a yacht club, cafes, and beautiful night-time views. You can also walk along Haeundae Beach in the evening to enjoy the scenery and grab a bite at Haeundae Market, which stays open late.
Day 2 in Busan
Gamcheon Culture Village
Start Day 2 in Busan by exploring Gamcheon Culture Village. It’s known for its colorful hillside houses, many staircases, narrow alleys, and scenic views over the city.
Now a popular tourist attraction, Gamcheon Village was historically a relocation area for poor working-class families, established Busan city administration. The village was originally built in the 1920s-1930s and has grown and developed since then. From the 2000s onwards, it began to transform through art-themed renovations, infrastructure improvements, and the addition of shops and art installations.
Wander through the narrow, steep streets of Gamcheon Culture Village, enjoy the colorful houses and creative art displays. Be sure to pause at a few of the village’s viewpoints to admire the sweeping views over Busan.
To get there, we took a bus from Busan Train Station (bus #87 or #134), followed by a walk up the stairs, then up the hill, and then up even more stairs. 🙂 We didn’t mind the climb, but if you’d prefer to avoid it, a better option is to take bus Saha 1-1 or Seogu 2/2-2 from BIFF square, which drops you off at the Gamcheon Culture Village stop.
Yongdusan Park and Busan Tower
Next, take a bus to Yongdusan Park – a nice city park set on a hill, featuring stone monuments, pagodas and walking alleys.
There is a 120m high Busan Tower (also known as Diamond Tower) in the centre of the park. For a small fee, you can visit the observation deck at the top and enjoy panoramic views over the city.
At the south end of the park, you’ll find Yongdusan Park Escalator, which takes you down to Gwangbok-ro – one of Busan’s main shopping streets.
BIFF Square and Gwangbok-ro Shopping Street
Walk along Gwangbok-ro Shopping Street towards BIFF Square – the venue for the Busan International Film Festival (hence the name). If you’re familiar with Korean movies and TV shows, take time to explore the alleys featuring handprints of famous Korean actors.
While Gwangbok-ro is great for shopping, BIFF Square is the place to go for food. You’ll find plenty of cafes and street food stalls both in the square and nearby. It’s a perfect place to stop for lunch or a snack and take a break before continuing exploring Busan.
Jagalchi Market
Just a short walk from BIFF Square is Busan’s famous Jagalchi Market – the largest seafood market in South Korea. It features both indoor and outdoor stalls selling every kind of seafood imaginable.
Walk through Jagalchi Market to see the huge variety of sea and ocean produce. You can buy dried seafood to take home, order something to be cooked on the spot and enjoy it at one of the many market tables, or purchase fresh seafood and bring it upstairs to one of the restaurants, where they will prepare it for you – the choice is yours.
Songdo Beach and Songdo Cloud Trails
Next on our 2 Days in Busan Itinerary is Songdo Beach – around 25 mins by direct bus from Jagalchi Market. This man-made beach was created in 1913 and is popular not just for its sandy shoreline, but also for the many attractions nearby.
One of the highlights of Songdo Beach is the Songdo Cloud Trails – a long pedestrian bridge stretching out over the water. Walk along the bridge, peer down through the see-through glass floor, take a photo of the mermaid statue, and simply enjoy the views.
Busan Air Cruise and Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge
After enjoying Songdo Beach, head to Songdo Bay Station to take the Busan Air Cruise cable car to Songdo Sky Park Station. The ride offers scenic views as it carries you up towards Amnam Park – a nice way to end your second day in Busan. Book your tickets for Busan Air Cruise online to avoid queues, or simply purchase them at Songdo Bay Station.
Once you arrive at Amnam Park Station, take a walk through pleasant park, enjoy panoramic views over the sea and nearby islands, or visit Sky Harbor Observatory.
For a small fee, you can also walk to Dongseom Island via the Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge. The bridge leads to the island and then around its top, offering stunning views in every direction.
That concluded our 2 Days in Busan. Afterwards, we returned to Busan Station to catch a train back to Seoul, then flew home to Auckland.
If you have an extra day in Busan, consider a day trip to Gyeongju – the ancient capital of South Korea. We took this trip ourselves and recommend it as a great option to explore many of Gyeongju’s historical attractions in just one day. You can read more about it in our South Korea 7 Day Itinerary (see Day 6).
Where to Stay in Busan
When we travelled to Busan, we stayed at the Best Western in the Haeundae area. It was a convenient base for exploring nearby sights, with plenty of dining options just a short walk away.
Alternatively, you could stay near BIFF Square and Busan Tower – a central location close to many of Busan’s key attractions, such as Gamcheon Cultural Village and Songdo Beach.
Where to Eat in Busan
There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and street food options wherever you go in Busan. The city is especially famous for its seafood – head to Jagalchi Market or Haeundae Market to sample fresh seafood dishes and local specialities.
Try some street food from the stalls at BIFF Square – it’s a great spot to sample local flavours. For breakfast, Busan has no shortage of bakeries and coffee shops. Popular options include Tom n Toms Coffee, OPS Haeundae, Paris Baguette, and many others.
Try Korean style BBQ at Baeknyeon Sikdang or Goban Sikdang in Haeundae – both are great spots to enjoy grilled meats and classic side dishes in a nice, local setting.
How Many Days to Spend in Busan
Based on our experience, 2-3 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Busan.
In 2 days, you will be able to cover all the main highlights of the city, as outlined in our 2 Days in Busan Itinerary.
With 3 days, you will have more time to explore Busan’s coastal walks, parks, and museums (such as Oryukdo Skywalk, Lotte World, Jeoryeong Coastal Walk, Busan Citizens Park, or Oncheoncheon Park).
Add an extra day if you’re planning a day trip from Busan – for example, to Gyeongju or Oedo island.
We wouldn’t recommend visiting Busan as a day trip from Seoul (despite seeing many suggestions online). as we fell it’s simply not enough time. Busan is a large city, and many of its attractions are spread out. However, if a day trip is your only option, consider joining a Busan One Day Tour to save time on transport between sights and benefit from a guide who knows the city well.
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Very thorough and informative blog. Whenever we decide on a location, it will undoubtedly be helpful.