Beyond Seoul
Busan trip guide
A port city by the sea — beaches, markets, hillside villages and a temple on the coast.
A good second stop after Seoul for travelers who want sea air, markets and temples in one short trip.
Getting there from Seoul
About 2 hr 20 minto 2 hr 40 min
Seoul Station to Busan Station by KTX high-speed train, depending on the train.
Train times and fares change by day and by train — check them on KORAIL’s official booking page. You book with KORAIL directly; millio doesn’t sell tickets.
A 3-day plan
Stops are grouped by area. Travel times between stops aren’t included — check a map app for each hop.
Day 1
A hillside village, then Nampo’s markets
Day 2
A seaside temple, beaches and the Beach Train
Day 3
South-coast cliffs and Gwangalli at night
- Morning
- Taejongdae ParkOutdoors
- Afternoon
- Huinnyeoul Culture VillageSight
Places· 15
Each place links to the official page it was checked against.
Nampo & Jagalchi
Jagalchi Market
A seafood market near the shore in Nampo, with live fish and other seafood at stalls along its alleys.
Market · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Gukje Market
A maze of covered lanes and narrow alleys that grew into a traditional market after the Korean War.
Market · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
BIFF Square
A cinema street in Nampo named after the Busan International Film Festival, where shops and leisure facilities now sit alongside the theaters.
Sight · Source: english.visitkorea.or.kr(opens in a new tab)
Yongdusan Park
A park on a hill in Nampo with Busan Tower and views over the harbor.
Sight · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Bosu Book Street
A narrow alley of secondhand and new bookstores that began with refugees selling books during the Korean War.
Culture · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Gamcheon
Gamcheon Culture Village
A hillside village of colorful houses, murals and small workshops, first settled by refugees during the Korean War.
Culture · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Yeongdo
Taejongdae Park
A park of pine forest and sea cliffs at the southern tip of Yeongdo, with a lighthouse and the Danubi sightseeing train.
Outdoors · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Huinnyeoul Culture Village
A cliffside village on Yeongdo with narrow alleys, cafes and small workshops, beside the Jeoryeong Coastal Trail.
Sight · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Gwangalli
Gwangalli Beach
A city beach lined with cafes and restaurants, facing the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, whose lights change color at night.
Beach · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Millak Waterside Park
A seaside park with open sea views and, at night, the Gwangandaegyo Bridge lights shining on the water.
Outdoors · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Haeundae
Haeundae Blueline Park
A former coastal railway turned sightseeing line, with a Beach Train from Mipo to Songjeong via Cheongsapo and the elevated Sky Capsule.
Experience · Source: english.visitkorea.or.kr(opens in a new tab)
Haeundae Beach
A 1.5-kilometer white-sand beach with hotels and guesthouses nearby; walk to its end to reach Dongbaekseom Island.
Beach · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Dongbaekseom Island
A wooded former island, now joined to the mainland, with an easy coastal walking path and the Nurimaru APEC House.
Outdoors · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Gijang & Songjeong
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
A temple at the edge of the sea on the Gijang coast, reached by 108 steps through a pine grove.
Culture · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Songjeong Beach
A wide, shallow beach with many surf shops where beginners can take lessons.
Beach · Source: visitbusan.net(opens in a new tab)
Where to stay
Pick an area first, then search it on a booking site.
Haeundae
Good for beach-focused days: everything from hotels to guesthouses nearby, and close to the Day 2 stops.
Search on
Seomyeon
A busy downtown of shops and restaurants, for travelers who like to stay in the middle of the city.
Search on
Nampo
The old downtown, with Jagalchi, Gukje Market and Yongdusan Park all around — close to the Day 1 stops.
Search on
Prices and availability are on each site. These are plain search pages with no affiliate codes — millio earns nothing from them.
Good to know
A transit card — Busan’s Hanaro Card, or a T-money, Mybi or Cashbee card — pays for buses and the Metro and gives a transfer discount.
Single-ride QR tickets are sold at machines inside Metro stations.
Large suitcases aren’t allowed on city buses — use the Metro or a taxi when you have big bags.
Kakao T is a widely used taxi app in Korea, and k.ride is a version for visitors, in English, Japanese and Chinese, that doesn’t need a Kakao account.