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In the more low-key Busan, a night out usually means drinking soju with friends on the beach while watching kids play with firecrackers.
Or eating hoe (Korean sashimi) — again with soju — at the shiny new fish market.
Or watching burly, tattooed local men (widely considered more manly than their Seoul counterparts) play a popular street game, driving nails with a single blow into a thick wooden beam, for prizes of cigarettes and whiskey.
Even apart from the prevalence of seafood, the cuisine in Busan is also different from that found in the rest of the country.
Here’s what to do in Korea’s second city.
Beaches
Haeundae
During the summer swim season — it runs from July 1 to August 31 each year — millions of Koreans, and increasingly more foreign visitors, descend on this strip of beach and revel in the water before heading out to party on weekend nights.
Just in front of the beach is the Haeundae “Sea Village” Pojangmacha street, a strip of identical, tented seafood stalls selling everything from live octopus to lobster.
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Those who want to experience temple life (meditation techniques, tea ceremonies, temple food) can sleep over with the temple stay program. The one-night-two-day program costs ₩50,000- ₩80,000 per person ($44-$70) per person, depending on the choice of activities.
33 stunning Korean temples
The temple is a 30-minute cab ride from the beaches of Haeundae.
There are no taxis available on Mt. Geumjeong, so it’s a good idea to ask the driver to wait around for the return journey. Round trips from Busan cost around ₩50,000 ($43), including wait time.
Beomeosa, 546 Cheongnyong-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, South Korea; +51 058 3122
Haedong Yonggunsa
It’s unusual to find a seaside temple in South Korea and Haedong Yonggunsa is one of the most beautiful of its kind.
Usually mobbed with tourists and school groups, it’s one of most popular places for locals to watch the first sunrise of the New Year.
Haedong Yonggunsa, 416-3 Sirang-ri, Kijang-eup Kijang-gun, Busan, South Korea; +82 51 722 7333
For the latest tourism updates and tips, check out the Busan Tourism Organization website.
