Busan Travel Guide｜8-Day Itinerary with VISIT BUSAN PASS for Seamless Exploration
Explore Busan from south to north using the VISIT BUSAN PASS to access top attractions and local cuisine effortlessly, creating your personalized 8-day travel experience in South Korea’s vibrant coastal city.
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Table of Contents
[Travelogue] 8 Days 7 Nights Free Trip to Busan, Korea 2025
From south to north, use the VISIT BUSAN PASS to explore beautiful sights and savor delicious food, starting your own Busan journey.
Gwangandaegyo Bridge
Background
Last year, during the 2024 “Second Visit to Kyushu 9-Day Free Travel, Entering via Busan→Hakata Cruise”, I entered Japan through Busan, South Korea, and took a ship to Fukuoka. That time, I only spent a morning in Busan, briefly visiting Haedong Yonggungsa Temple and Haeundae. This July–August, with some free time from work, I set out again to explore Busan more deeply, this time with my equally free-spirited Pinkoi colleague, Sean.
Date: 2025/07/29–08/05
TL;DR
Summary: Although Busan, South Korea, lacks the quietness and orderliness of Japan, it offers a relaxed atmosphere and warmth from its people.
Must-Visit Attractions:
[North] Skyline Luge
[North] Busan Yacht Tour Y Holic
[North] Capsule Train
[North] Jjimjilbang
[North] Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
[North] Shinsegae Department Store
[South] Yeongdo Bridge
Must Eat:
[North] Grilled Eel — PUNGCHEONMAN
[North] Salt Bread — Jayeondo Saltbread
[South] Milgot Red bean cream mugwort glutinous rice cake
Must-Have:
Korea Busan Pass VISIT BUSAN PASS (A must-have, can save you a lot of money)
Korea Busan Pass VISIT BUSAN PASS (A must-have, can save you a lot of money)
VISIT BUSAN PASS (A must-have, can save you a lot of money)
Things not eaten this time: seafood pancake (missed), pork soup rice (had it last time), live octopus (don’t eat raw, many got food poisoning according to IG), marinated crab (don’t eat raw)
Pre-Trip Preparation
Transportation
Flight Tickets
Busan Air (includes 15KG checked baggage).
Price: NT$6,728 / person.
Departure: 07/29 (Tue) Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) 16:25 -> Busan Gimhae (PUS) 19:55
Return trip: 08/05 (Tue) Busan Gimhae (PUS) 10:50 -> Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) 12:35
Total days: 8 days, actual travel days: 6 days (the first and last days are mostly for flights).
Transportation Card
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This year, iPhone can directly use the Tmoney transit card in the Apple Wallet for easy top-up and use; however, I had already topped up a physical card bought last year, so I didn’t use it.
Starting this year, you can also top up the transportation card directly through the Wowpass App. The process involves first loading funds into Wowpass using a credit card, then transferring the balance from Wowpass to Tmoney. This method has more steps and requires paying a handling fee.
For any type, it is recommended to top up in Taiwan using a credit card before the trip (as some machines may only support certain card issuers) or bring some cash to Korea to top up at the machines. Naver Map
Bus Regulations
Bus rules in Busan: Carry-on luggage larger than 20 inches and handheld tumblers are not allowed (holding them without drinking is also prohibited; they will stop you).
For buses, always board through the front door and exit through the rear door; the card reader at the front door is usually located behind the driver’s seat.
Also, stores do not accept outside trash, so if you bring your own iced drinks, it’s best to finish them and dispose of the cups at the attraction or department store before leaving, otherwise it can be troublesome.
For two or more people, you can freely take taxis. Busan has many taxis that are cheap, new, and very convenient.
Please confirm the direction before entering the subway station
Korea Busan Pass VISIT BUSAN PASS
Busan Pass comes in two types: unlimited usage for a limited time (24/48 hours) and limited usage with a fixed number of rides (to be used within 180 days).
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KKday 2025/08 Busan Pass Information
Since the itinerary is spread out over these 8 days and the attractions we want to visit are limited, we chose to buy two BIG5 passes.
Price: NT$1,380 * 2 tickets = NT$2,760
Show the order QR code directly on the electronic version for use
Actual usage is as follows:
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KKday 2025/08 Busan Pass Information
One less blue spot (Did not visit Taejongdae)
I rode the Haeundae Coastal Train once each day over two days.
Busan Yacht Tour Y Holic Reservation ⚠️
To use the Busan Pass for the Busan Yacht Tour, you need to make a reservation with the boat operator first. We chose Y Holic as an example.
After purchasing the Pass, contact the boat operator through the following channels:
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IG: @yachtholic_info (We contacted through Line)
LINE: @yachtholic
Email: yh@yachtholic.com
WeChat: yachtholic
Number of people, date, time slot, email or contact information, and the QR code of the Busan Pass.
Waiting for confirmation. Once approved, the reservation is successful!
Night sessions (18:00) require an additional 5,000 KRW per person, which can be paid on-site or transferred in advance.
Arrive 30 minutes early to line up for identity verification
We planned to watch the sunset around 18:30.
If you don’t want to buy the Pass, you can directly book the yacht tour.
Busan, South Korea｜Haeundae Blue Line Park Coastal Train & Sky Capsule Train Ticket
Please note: The Coastal Train and the Capsule Train are different. Do not buy the wrong ticket. The beautiful Capsule Train is not included in the Busan Pass and requires a separate ticket purchase; it is very popular, so be sure to book in advance before your trip.
Sky Capsule Departure from Uipo
2-person seat (1 ticket for 2 people)
Price: NT$861
Korea SIM Card｜Korea High-Speed Unlimited Data eSIM
- 7-day unlimited data plan (Did not purchase as we arrived at the airport early on the last day)
Naver Map
Interlude — Discovered My Naver Map Account Was Locked the Day Before Departure
https://help.naver.com/service/5640/contents/20783?lang=en&osType=COMMONOS
The reason is suspected to be that logging in from Taiwan triggered Naver’s account protection mechanism due to suspicious activity.
You can reactivate the account through identity verification, but I’m not sure if it’s because I forgot what name to enter or if foreigners cannot pass the real-name verification. No matter what I input, it always shows incorrect information, and eventually, the account gets permanently locked.
According to online information, you can fill out the form to request lifting the protection measure “ Members residing outside of Korea_Request to lift account protection measures”, but I was unsure about the name issue, so my first application was rejected:
Appeal Failed
For the second time, I directly went to the Help Center to fill out the application form:
The content of the complaint I entered:
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1. Your NAVER ID.
Your Naver account. If you forget your ID, you can recover it using your email or phone number.
2. The registered name, date of birth, and contact information (mobile phone number or email address) of your NAVER ID.
Date of birth: YYYY/MM/DD The birthday you registered
Mobile Number: +886XXXXXXXXX The phone number you registered
Email: The email you registered
Registered Name: Sorry, I really forgot which name I entered; it may be one of the following:
Possible name combinations you want to verify
XXXXX LI
LI XXXXX
XXX
李XX
but my real first name is XXXX, last name is Li
3. Attach your overseas identification card.
As attached file.
4. The details of your request to the NAVER Help Center.
I forgot the name I entered and want to lift the account protection measures.
The more information you can provide, the better. Finally, attach a file with a photo of the passport personal data page.
Then it was successfully unlocked:
You will receive a temporary password email. Use the temporary password to log into Naver Map. Remember to change your password and enable two-factor authentication login (because we disabled Naver’s login protection mechanism).
Naver’s response is quite fast, usually resolving issues within half a day; if you’re worried about being locked out unexpectedly, you can first apply for “ Members residing outside of Korea_Request to lift account protection measures “ ( Refer to this guide _).*
Food
The only advance reservation made was for the Korean beef barbecue at Seomyeon Hwanokjeom Jeonpo Branch.
CatchTable
Speaking of Catchtable, this platform is quite convenient for booking Korean restaurants in advance.
Fun
Day 1 07/29 (Tue): Arrive in Busan, Head Straight to Haeundae Hotel
Day 2 07/30 (Wed): Morning Skyline Luge, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple; Afternoon Coastal Train + Capsule Train, return to Haeundae, BUSAN X the SKY; Evening Mijeon Wang BBQ
Day 3 07/31 (Thu): Morning Cheongsapo, honey butter toast, coastal train back to Haeundae, afternoon Spa Land, evening Busan yacht tour, grilled eel for dinner
Day 4 08/01 (Fri): Move to Nampo-dong, Songdo Marine Cable Car, Yonggung Cloud Bridge, Gamcheon Culture Village, throat pot lid BBQ at night, Busan Tower night view
Day 5 08/02 (Sat): Lotte Department Store, Yeongdo Bridge Opening (only on Saturdays).
Day 6 08/03 (Sun): Lotte Department Store, Bupyeong Canned Fish Market, Baeksan Bay Culture Village, Bokcheon Temple Night View.
Day 7 08/04 (Mon): Move to Seomyeon, Korean beef dinner at night.
Day 8 08/05 (Tue): Busan Gimhae International Airport, Return Trip.
Accommodation
Benikea Haeundae Hotel (Day 1 — Day 4, Three Nights) )
The location is quite convenient, about a 10-minute walk to Haeundae Street. The room has windows but no ocean view, with two single beds for two people.
- Price: Actual cost NT$12,032, about NT$2,000 per person per night.
Hotel Noah (Day 4 — Day 7, three nights)
About a 5-minute walk from Jagalchi Subway Station, directly across the street is BIFF Square. The room has windows and features twin beds.
- Price: Actual cost NT$7,783, about NT$1,298 per person per night.
Air Sky Hotel (Day 7 — Day 8 One Night)
Only one stop from the airport, the total time for waiting, riding, and walking is about 10 minutes. The room has windows and two single beds.
- Price: Actual cost NT$2,835, about NT$1,418 per person per night.
Side note: After booking this hotel, you will receive an automated message requesting a deposit. If you have already paid the full amount at the time of booking, you can ignore this message.
Visa
South Korea offers visa-free entry. Simply fill out the online arrival card at least three days before departure, and you can complete the immigration process upon arrival using just your passport.
Ready to go!
Day 1 07/29 (Tue) Taiwan to Haeundae
~=13:30 Arrive at Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 2
Around 13:50, the check-in counter opens, and by about 14:10, check-in and baggage drop-off are completed.
You can first complete online check-in and seat selection (free) on the Busan Air official website here.
14:30 Complete Immigration + Eat Something
Because we had to head straight to the hotel after landing in Busan, we ate a full meal in Taiwan beforehand.
15:00 Start waiting for the flight, activate eSIM
Because I was worried about poor airport internet, I activated the eSIM in Taiwan first.
~=16:40 Flight Departure
Slight delay of 15 minutes before takeoff, the seats are quite small.
~=20:05 Arrive in Busan, South Korea
Busan Airport is a joint military-civilian airport, and photography is prohibited.
~=20:30 Pick up luggage + complete immigration clearance
First, we went to the convenience store at the airport to buy some snacks for energy, exchanged money, and took a short rest.
~=21:00 Arrive at Gimhae Light Rail — Airport Station
It takes about a 5-minute walk from the airport.
First, accompany Sean to top up the transportation card. There are two machines here for topping up transportation cards (Self Service Charger), and you can only add value in multiples of 1000 KRW.
After swiping your card to enter, please find the platform heading to Sasang Station. The next stop is “West Busan Distribution Area.”
~=21:15 Arrive at Sasang and transfer to the Green Line
Just follow the green signs on the ground to transfer from the light rail to the green subway line, heading towards “Changsan” (the other direction is towards Yangsan, don’t confuse the characters). The next stop is “Gamcheon”.
~=21:20 Arrive at Green Line Sasang Station to wait for the bus
~=22:20 Arrive at Haeundae
When approaching Haeundae Station, the subway announcement includes the sound of seagulls.
~=22:30 Arrive at the hotel
~=22:50 Head out to Haeundae Street for food hunting
The accommodation is located near Haeundae Traditional Market, which sells a variety of food.
~=23:30 Return to the hotel to start eating
Finally bought BBQ fried chicken in two flavors, spicy rice cakes from the traditional market, and alcohol from the convenience store.
One order of fried chicken is enough for two people; two orders are too much (feels like four orders in Taiwan). Actually paid NT $1,210.
This mango wine ( Iced tea highball with mango cubes ) is delicious (5%). It contains canned mango pieces, and I later found out that Taiwan’s FamilyMart also sells it.
Day 2 07/30 (Wed) Skyline Luge, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Coastal Train, Capsule Train, Busan BUSAN X the SKY, Mijangwang BBQ
09:30 Leaving — Perfect Weather
There is a bus right at the hotel entrance that goes directly to Skyline Luge.
10:25 Skyline Luge 👍👍👍
Around 10:30, we started queuing to exchange the voucher (the Busan Pass must be exchanged before use). There were quite a few people, and we waited about 20 minutes to get the tickets. The Busan Pass allows you to choose between riding the luge twice or riding the luge once and the zipline once. Most people chose to ride the luge twice.
If you haven’t bought the Pass, you can purchase tickets on KKday first. _(Cheaper than buying on-site, but you still need to exchange the ticket to enter)*
After exchanging the ticket, go next door to choose a helmet that fits your size. Once you wear the helmet, you can take the cable car up.
~=11:00 Take the Cable Car
People gather at the station to exchange or buy tickets. There is hardly any queue for the cable car and luge ride afterward. During the cable car ride, you can see the track below. It takes about 5 minutes to reach the starting point.
If you are afraid of open-style cable cars, I saw another box-type cable car next to it that seems to be opening soon(?).
11:05 Ready to Depart
You can overlook the adjacent Lotte World.
For the first ride, they will stamp your hand and staff will provide a brief tutorial.
The operation method is basically:
Legs Straight
Move Backward, Brake Forward
Do not stop midway, do not stop midway, do not stop midway; if you stop completely, it becomes very hard to keep sliding.
Slow down before turning to avoid flipping over.
Be Careful When Overtaking
Both hands must control; holding the phone is not allowed. There will be opportunities for photos by cameras along the way, and you can purchase them at the souvenir shop.
Be careful not to lose your personal belongings.
Scrolling from top to bottom takes about 6 minutes.
Next are the souvenir center and the place where you can buy photos taken along the way.
Pass through the souvenir center back to the entrance, then line up again for the cable car.
This time, we lined up at the entrance gate (you can play directly without staff instruction).
Hsheng.
11:45 Depart, head to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
After exiting Skyline Luge, walk straight across the street to reach Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. It takes about 10 minutes on an uphill path.
11:55 Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Because we visited last year, this time we just took a brief look around.
Arrived at the entrance of Haedong Yonggungsa Temple street vendors around 11:55.
This time I discovered that you can also enter Haedong Yonggungsa Temple from the right side of the signboard entrance, which is a gentle slope leading directly to the main hall; the signboard entrance has very steep stairs and is difficult to climb.
12:45 Waiting for the bus to Songjeong Station
Busan has effective summer cooling measures. There are umbrellas at traffic lights, and most bus stops have fans that can be turned on by pressing a button.
The route plan is shown in the image below:
Take the bus and walk from Skyline Luge to Songjeong Station of the Coastal Train, then take the Coastal Train to Cheongsapo Station, and transfer to the Capsule Train back to Haeundae.
~=13:15 Arrive at Songjeong Station
It’s about a 10-minute walk from the bus stop, very hot and sunny.
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The 13:30 slot was full, so we booked the 14:00 slot. ( Schedule )
Side note: The staff at this station did not accept the Busan Pass PDF file and insisted that we show the voucher via the KKday App.
The Busan Pass ticket allows one boarding per station on the same day, so you can actually stop at various attractions along the route.
It was still early, so we first grabbed a bite at a convenience store; right outside Songjeong Station is Songjeong Beach (which seemed less crowded), and there is a convenience store nearby.
~=13:40 Start waiting for the bus
Remember to line up early for the bus, or you’ll end up standing in the last row.
After exiting the station, walk straight to the platform. You can start waiting for the train after ticket inspection at the platform entrance.
Around 13:50, the vehicle will arrive, and the crowd starts to stir and line up.
~=14:00 Departure
Sitting in the second row, the view was quite nice.
~=14:15 Arrive at Cheongsapo
After getting off, you will see the stairs to the 2nd floor on the platform, which is the boarding area for the Capsule Train.
Open the link in the KKday order voucher to access the ticket voucher. After going upstairs, show the voucher to the staff at the pavilion (we booked the 14:30–15:00 time slot). They will give you a number tag. When your number is called, you can board. If the calling has already started, you must wait until all numbers are called.
During the wait, I went to the souvenir shop next door and bought a fan.
The capsule train also provides free fans (shown in the far right picture).
~=14:30 Queue for Capsule Train Number Calling
When the time is up, the staff will start calling numbers in order for queuing.
There is air conditioning above the queuing area. The voucher will be verified just before boarding (remember to have it ready). After boarding, the staff will take a group photo. Then, after getting off, you can decide whether to purchase the photo from them.
~=14:40 Capsule Train from Cheongsapo -> Upo (Haeundae) Departure! 👍👍👍
Looks thrilling, but actually moves slowly; there’s no air conditioning inside the cabin, but it has a fan and a speaker where you can plug in your phone to play music.
Enjoy the scenery along the way and take some trendy photos (?)
~=15:10 Arrive at Uipo (Haeundae)
Head toward the Haeundae direction (tall buildings) and come out to the intersection. On the opposite right side is the famous and delicious Salt Bread — Jayeondo saltbread (will come back to buy later). On the left, walk straight down to the sea-facing entrance, which is the Busan Sky entrance.
~=15:35 Busan BUSAN X the SKY
The glass facing Haeundae Beach has a barrier, so you can’t take photos close to it.
There is a transparent glass floor bridge, but the glass is heavily worn, so the effect is mediocre; there is also a transparent glass restroom.
Walking down to the café and souvenir shop, you can look back at the capsule train route you just came from.
Ate a fish cake sausage stick to replenish energy (taste was so-so).
Besides cafes and souvenir shops, this floor also has free exhibitions.
~=16:00 Leave and walk back to buy Salt Bread — Jayeondo saltbread 👍👍👍
One order contains 6 pieces. We bought one to share back at the hotel. The combination of fragrant, crispy, and a slight touch of salt for flavor made it very delicious.
There are many large-scale construction and renovation projects in Haeundae, seemingly preparing for the 2030 World Expo bid (which has already failed).
Return to the hotel to rest, then go to Mijeanwang for dinner in the evening.
17:50 Arrive at Matchandeul Salted Grill Haeundae Branch
There is a machine at the entrance for waiting. Enter your email to receive a notification. At 17:50, a small queue started to form.
Click the button to check your current number. You will also receive an entry notification email when it’s your turn, which is very convenient; also, be careful as the building opposite and next door are under construction.
18:25 Enter for Dinner
It took about more than 30 minutes to enter.
We directly ordered the double set (includes one portion of each meat + soybean paste soup + rice pot) and a bottle of Cass beer, costing about NT$1,500.
They will grill it well for you. Reviews say the meat is tasty but the portion is small and you need to wait in line.
~=20:30 Return to Haeundae Main Street after dinner
Strolled along Haeundae Beach Road to digest a bit and bought ice cream from a matcha specialty shop as a dessert to refresh.
Next door is the newly opened Olive Young Delight Project store, where we did some shopping; many items are buy two get one free, and you can get an instant tax refund on-site for purchases over 15,000 KRW.
Went for a walk at Haeundae Beach again before heading back to the hotel to rest.
Day 3 07/31 (Thu) Cheongsapo, Spa Land, Coastal Train, Busan Yacht Tour
Because yesterday we only transferred at Cheongsapo without exploring, we came again today.
11:00 Took the bus to Cheongsapo
The bus from Haeundae directly to Cheongsapo is a small bus. It passes through communities like Busan Sanso, where the roads are narrow and steep.
11:30 Arrive at Cheongsapo
Nearby, we randomly found a restaurant for lunch (Gohyang katsu). I ordered a pork cutlet sandwich; the meat was thick, tender, and reasonably priced.
~=12:30 DIART COFFEE Honey Butter Toast
After lunch, we walked out to the highly recommended Busan Honey Butter Toast at DIART COFFEE. We ordered one toast (₩10,000) and coffee (₩5,500) to take a break.
For how to eat, you can refer to the card. In short, cut the bread into pieces first, then evenly spread butter and honey before eating.
The honey is not too sweet, combined with creamy butter and crispy bread, making it delicious without being greasy.
~=13:30 Return to Cheongsapo to catch the coastal train back to Wi-po (Haeundae)
Yesterday’s ticket was no longer valid, so I used the Busan Pass to exchange for another coastal train ticket; since this is a mid-station boarding point, I could only stand in the last row.
There were several observation decks along the way, but we didn’t get off because it was too hot.
~=13:55 Arrive at Oe-po (Haeundae)
After returning to Haeundae, we walked and took a bus to Shinsegae Spa Land.
~=14:30 Arrive at Shinsegae Department Store
Skipped shopping, headed straight to Spa Land on the first floor.
14:40 Spa Land
Redeem Spa Land using the Busan Pass.
You can also purchase it in advance on Kkday without buying the Pass.
Upon entry, you will receive a sensor wristband. Use the wristband to store your shoes and clothes. Inside, change into the special clothing for the sauna. You can also visit the sauna first (full nudity required) before going to the sweat sauna. The sweat sauna entrance is in the direction of the women’s changing room.
The first floor has a sunbathing area, nail salon, snack stalls, and various types of jjimjilbang (sauna rooms) (very crowded during summer vacation, almost all are full). The third floor has a restaurant (where you can eat grilled eggs and instant noodles), massage services, massage chairs, and a yoga room.
After the sauna, we went to the sunbathing area to lie down and soak up the sun, ordering a drink (very sweet).
All purchases inside the venue are made by scanning the wristband, with payment settled upon exit.
Honestly, I didn’t get to experience the sweat sauna this time because it was insanely crowded. I’ll try it next time.
17:00 Prepare to meet at the yacht pier
For the 18:30 session, you need to arrive early for roll call at the meeting point.
Before departure, we grabbed some food to fill up at Shinsegae Department Store B1.
Take the subway to Dongbaek Station (Dongbaek)
After exiting the station, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach the pier.
The pier area only has vending machines and restrooms, which are dirtier and crowded with queues; it is recommended to buy what you need and use the restroom in the city before coming here.
~=18:00 Arrive at the yacht pier
After passing through the tourist center, you will arrive at the pier meeting point. Each boat operator has a different pier meeting location.
Around 18:15, the boat staff appeared to start organizing and taking attendance, and collected the night surcharge fee on site (5,000 KRW per person).
18:30 Yacht Departure 👍👍
Wear a life jacket when boarding the boat and sit in the front seat on the second floor.
It runs slowly and steadily, crossing the Gwangandaegyo Bridge along the way.
However, if you are prone to seasickness, it is still recommended to take motion sickness medication.
General Route Map:
~=18:50 Before Arriving at Gwangalli Beach
About 20 minutes later, we will arrive at the waters in front of Gwangalli Beach, where many visitors are playing SUP. We will stop here to set off fireworks; the fireworks are lit by the crew members of various yachts sailing during this time, but since it is still bright, they are not very visible.
Staff along the way are also very enthusiastic in helping to take photos.
~=19:00 Return trip
Caught the sunset glow.
~=19:20 Return to land
After returning to the mainland, we took the bus back to Haeundae.
~=19:35 Return to Haeundae
Haeundae Beach has a market and food trucks.
~=19:55 Head to Haeundae for Grilled Eel PUNGCHEONMAN 👍👍
There are many seats inside the store, so no need to wait in line; we just walked in.
We ordered grilled eel, grilled beef slices, two cold noodles, and draft beer, totaling NT$2,387.
Grilled eel is crispy, tender, and juicy, very delicious with no fishy smell at all; grilled beef slices are good but ordinary; the cold buckwheat noodles resemble brown sugar shaved ice but actually have a soy sauce flavor with crushed ice, making it refreshing and tasty.
After eating, we strolled along Haeundae Street, visited Haeundae Traditional Market (forgot to try the seafood pancake, so frustrating!), and bought some souvenirs. Tomorrow we will leave Haeundae.
Day 4 08/01 (Fri) Nampo-dong, Songdo Marine Cable Car, Yonggung Cloud Bridge, Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan Tower
09:15 Leaving for Nampo-dong
Early in the morning, prepare to leave Haeundae and head to Nampo-dong.
~=10:30 Arrive at Jagalchi Station, Hotel Noah hotel
Luggage Storage.
BIFF Square
Right outside the hotel is BIFF Square, which is lively and convenient.
~=11:00 Lunch — Hongkong 0410 Nampo 1st Branch
Near noon, we casually picked a restaurant inside BIFF for lunch. This one serves Korean-Chinese cuisine.
Ordered fried dumplings, sweet and sour pork (medium, but a small size might be better), and Korean-style jajangmyeon.
Fried dumplings are a bit greasy, but the sweet and sour pork is good.
12:15 Take the bus + walk to Songdo Cable Car Station
After getting off the bus, there’s about a 10-minute walk. It’s too hot, so let’s first go to the convenience store to get a self-made iced latte to cool down.
After entering, line up at the counter to exchange your Busan Pass for the cable car ticket (the Pass is for the crystal cabin, round trip, so keep the ticket safe).
After getting the ticket, take the escalator upstairs to line up for the cable car. (They gave out lollipops, but I didn’t take one)
12:25 Board the vehicle
5–6 people per vehicle.
~=12:35 Arrive at Songdo
Turn right immediately and walk down.
Go down the stairs, turn right, and walk straight to reach the “Songdo Dragon Palace Suspension Bridge.”
~=12:40 Arrive at Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge
Use the Busan Pass at the nearby ticket office to exchange for an entry ticket.
There is no shade here at all, and it’s very sunny under the strong sun. You can get a bird’s-eye view of the entire Songdo Cable Car.
~=13:00 Return to Songdo Cable Car, line up for the cable car back
~=13:25 Leave Songdo and walk back to take the bus
There is also an observation deck near the cable car, but we skipped it because it was too hot.
Walk back to the bus stop, return to the city, and then transfer to a minibus to Gamcheon Culture Village.
~=14:20 Gamcheon Culture Village
We didn’t plan to take photos, just visiting spots; it felt like a rainbow village with some cafes. We walked through quickly and took the bus back to the hotel from another bus stop.
The buses here are minibuses, similar to those in Yangmingshan. The drivers are aggressive, and the buses are crowded with many passengers.
~=15:00 Return to Noah Hotel for rest
View from the room window
I initially thought there were no coin-operated washing machines, but it turns out there is a free washing machine available in the third-floor restroom.
~=17:40 Departing for dinner
About a 10-minute walk from the hotel.
~=17:50 Throat Pot Lid BBQ — Moggumung Nampo Branch 👍👍👍
The unique feature is that the grill plate is a pot lid.
The side dishes include a piece of vitamin C (I checked, and taking vitamin C before or after BBQ can reduce free radicals and lower the risk of cancer).
At least order three servings of meat, each grilled by the staff and served to you.
Ordered two pork, one beef, two bowls of instant noodles, and Cass beer. Each meat portion costs 18,000 KRW. The total was NT$1,060, which is very affordable, and the meat was delicious!! Highly recommended.
~= 18:30 Walk to Busan Tower
After eating, walk all the way to Busan Tower to digest, which takes about 20 minutes.
The whole way was lively, with many restaurants to eat at.
The navigation should actually be set to — Yongdusan Media Park Entrance , where there is an escalator going up; from here, you need to climb a short hill (about 5 minutes).
19:00 Arrive at the foot of Busan Tower, wait for sunset before going up to see the night view
First, visit the souvenir shop for a browse.
19:30 Go up Busan Tower
Show the Busan Pass at the first-floor counter to exchange for tickets and enter.
You can scan the QR code on the Busan Tower ticket to play a puzzle game. Solving all the codes will earn you a small prize. (I have written the codes later.)
There were already many people waiting when we arrived.
19:45 Busan sunset glow.
20:00/20:10… There was a light projection and fireworks show, but the effect was mediocre.
20:00 Busan Night View
~= 20:10 Leave the tower
There are still many spots to take photos before leaving.
~= 20:15 Redeem Small Souvenirs
Before going down the mountain, remember to go to the unmanned ticket machine (Ticket Box) outside:
Enter password:
19731121(Busan Tower construction date)You can use the pass to redeem small prizes at the souvenir center outside the blue house (not the one on the first floor of Busan Tower).
A small souvenir is a card, available in various styles. I chose a transparent Busan Tower card:
Heading down from Yongdusan Park.
There is an escalator here!!! (Going up only, no down escalator, part of it is under renovation)
20:30 Return to — 龍頭山紀念公園入口 Yongdusan Media Park Entrance
Remember, going from here to Busan Tower is closer.
Strolled around the shopping street and found an HBAF almond specialty store, which seems to have the most complete range of flavors. Bought the Yellow combo pack (with small packets inside) along with some unique flavors (like popping candy, which really pops, and spicy stir-fried rice cakes) and popular flavors (honey, Oreo, corn) as souvenirs to take home.
20:45 Return to — BIFF Square to buy late-night snacks
There are many street vendors here, and the floor has celebrities’ handprints.
Makgeolli, BHC Fried Chicken — BHC Chicken Busan Nampo Branch (right at BIFF Square) 👍👍
Finally bought and ate:
Makgeolli: Similar to millet wine or fermented rice wine, very good.
BHC Boneless Fried Chicken: The seasoning and chicken are tender and very delicious.
00:00 Good night, Nampo
Around 00:00, the street vendors all clear out.
Day 5 08/02 (Sat) Lotte Department Store, Yeongdo Bridge Opening (Only on Saturdays)
10:45 Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch, Lotte Supermarket — Lotte Dept. Store Gwangbok Branch Aqua Mall
Around 10:XX, head out. Lotte Department Store opens at 10:30, so walk there slowly.
First, head to the B1 food court café for a quick breakfast. (So-so, the coffee is Lungo)
11:30 Start wandering around the department store randomly
Bought several clothes at the Kodak store (on average NT$300–$500 cheaper than Taiwan proxy shopping).
The store offers direct tax refund.Bought a handheld fan
Use the receipt to find the tax refund machine in the B1 food court to print the tax refund form, then go to the airport to get cash refund. (About NT$60 refund)
- The water dance show starts every hour from 11 AM at the department store. It’s quite spectacular.
12:30 B1 Downtown Hamburger
After getting tired from walking, we went to B1 at noon to eat Downtown Burgers; I get the reasoning, but American-style burgers also offer kimchi!
After eating, we strolled around the department store’s rooftop observatory (very sunny and hot).
~=13:30 Exit the department store and wait outside at Yeongdo Bridge for the bridge to open
It’s very sunny outside, and the crowd grows larger as it gets closer to 14:00; at this time, an ajumma came over and told us that from 8/2 to 8/30, due to the heat, the event was moved to 20:00!! Shocked!! Then everyone started spreading the word that it was changed to 20:00, and people began to slowly disperse.
Later, I saw the announcement banner on the railing. (The board on the left shows the regular schedule)
13:50 Return to Lotte Department Store and Lotte Mart to continue wandering around
Lotte Supermarket also sells some souvenirs and skincare products (similar to Carrefour).
B1 Tax Refund Machine
After searching for a long time, I finally found the tax refund machine on a small alley next to Din Tai Fung.
- If it’s not an immediate tax refund, you need to scan the receipt barcode here to get the tax refund form, and finally receive the refund at the airport. (A bit troublesome)
I just learned that Korea has different tax refund agencies: Global Blue, GLOBAL TAX FREE, Easy Tax Refund, CubeRefund, and eTAX FREE, and you can only use the corresponding refund machines ; I saw a cash refund machine at Olive Young that was GLOBAL TAX FREE, but my receipt is CubeRefund, so I still have to get the refund at the airport.
16:35 Return to hotel to rest
After getting tired from walking, I went to B1 to buy Korean red beans and peach snacks, along with a convenience store shake made with an old recipe (iced cup + banana milk + unsweetened black coffee). Then I walked back to the hotel through the underground shopping street to rest.
19:00 Leave the hotel to visit BIFF Olive Young for a stroll
I didn’t get to explore Haeundae earlier, so since I had some time, I came to check it out. This store is very big, with many staff who are all very friendly.
Souvenirs
19:40 Arrived at Yeongdo Bridge, waiting for the bridge to open
Under the bridge, there is a booth for composite souvenir photos.
Traffic control will start around 19:50.
20:00 Bridge Opening
First, watch from under the bridge. Around 20:05, when it’s almost over, move up.
There was a projection introducing the history of Yeongdo Bridge, but possibly due to the projector angle issue on the first day, it was hard to see clearly.
20:15 The bridge lowered again, traffic resumed
20:30 Dinner — Ton Black & Tempura Nine
On the way back to the hotel at night, we casually found a pork cutlet restaurant to eat (the pork cutlet was still tender and delicious).
One actual charge of NT$366
~=21:50 Return to hotel to rest
Day 6 08/03 (Sun) Lotte Department Store, Bupyeong Kkangtong Market, Baeksan Bay Cultural Village, Bokcheon Temple Night View
Today was spent wandering aimlessly to kill time. The content is not recommended for reference and is purely a record.
10:00 Head out and eat first — Egg Drop
- Located across from Lotte Department Store in the shopping street.
Order at the machine on the first floor, take a number ticket, then go upstairs to find a seat (you should check for available seats upstairs first).
Waited for about 20 minutes
Ordered a ham and cheese omelette toast + hash browns + iced coffee: 8,400 KRW
It’s good, but I think some brunch spots in Taiwan taste better than this.
11:00 Eat well before setting off again
On the way to Lotte Department Store, there is a “Big Shop” Busan souvenir store that specializes in Boogi and Busan-themed merchandise.
Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch, Lotte Supermarket — Lotte Dept. Store Gwangbok Branch Aqua Mall
Bored, continued browsing Lotte Department Store.
11:45 B1 Muguk Table Steamed Dishes Lotte Dept. Store Gwangbok Branch
After several days of heavy-flavored food, I wanted something lighter for lunch.
Rice must be ordered separately.
It has little to no flavor.
After eating, we strolled around a bit more.
12:50 Leave Lotte Department Store and head to Sky Eye Observatory — Yeongju Haneul Nun Observatory
Wandering nearby with no particular plan, I found an observation deck I missed last year. There’s a direct bus (21 minutes), so I went there.
Most buses in Busan are nearly brand-new electric buses with very cool air conditioning.
Passing by Last year’s spot: Busan Station
13:00 Sky Eye Observatory — Yeongju Haneul Nun Observatory
After getting off at the bus stop, walk across the street and down to see it.
The scenery here is great, offering a full view of Busan’s Nampo area.
Heading down to Bupyeong Can Market — First, buy the recommended The Liter hand-shaken drink
- Only recommend: Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie, available in 600ML or 1,000ML sizes; tasty and refreshing without being too sweet or thirst-inducing. Price is about 4,300 KRW.
Bupyeong Canned Food Market
The canned food market has many stalls selling dried goods, groceries, and seafood (like a traditional market), covering a large area.
Bupyeong Canned Food Market — Milgot Red Bean Cream Mugwort Rice Cake 👍
It is probably the most famous store in the canned market, known for its specialty — red bean cream mugwort rice cake.
Because I don’t speak Korean, I just took a photo and showed it directly to the staff to order this.
The staff said it should be kept frozen, and it’s best to defrost it for half an hour to an hour before eating.
Also bought a savory bread, which was pretty good!
Later, I took it back to the hotel to eat. The mugwort rice cake has a chewy texture paired with soybean powder and red bean cream filling. I found it quite unique and slightly sweet. If you pass by, you should give it a try!
Also bought another box of BHC Fried Chicken to have for dinner.
18:30 Depart Again
After resting in the evening, we went out again, mainly to visit Fokcheon Temple for night views. First, we stopped by Baekcheon Bay Cultural Village.
18:45 Baekcheon Bay Cultural Village
The most famous spot here is — Enjoy the view, coffee, and foot bath — VIEW, FOOT BATH CAFE foot bath cafe.
However, since it was late, we only had a brief look around; there are many cafes and small shops along the coast, but maybe because it was late, there were few people. The coastal walkway below was under repair and inaccessible. The weather was cloudy today, so the scenery was not great.
19:00 Head to Bokcheonsa Temple
After leaving Baishan Bay, head up towards Foguang Temple.
Originally, the map showed the bus was only one stop away, so I thought walking would be fine. After a few steps, I gave up; the map said bus 1 stop (1 minute), but walking actually took about 20 minutes (all steep, shaky hills).
- Yeongdogu 1 or 5 are both fine
Only take one stop to the next station Sinseon Elementary School, the rest must be on foot:
After getting off, I was stunned; it was still a very steep and shaky hillside. From here, walk all the way up:
After passing the elementary school, you will see the entrance to Fokcheon Temple:
This is just the beginning; you still have to climb a very steep and shaky hillside all the way up to reach Bokcheon Temple:
There will be vehicle traffic here, please pay attention to safety ⚠️
19:25 Arrive at Bogwangsa Temple
Arrived at Bokcheon Temple around 19:25 (almost exhausted). The map said 10 minutes, but since it was all uphill and included breaks, it actually took about 25 minutes.
But the more tragic thing is — it closed! It closed! It closed!
That’s right, Bukhansan Temple is not really a public tourist spot. It is a quiet temple, and the gates close at a certain time. According to a colleague, after around 18:00, you can only enter but not exit. They don’t rush people out, but once the gate is closed, no one is allowed in.
Tragic, we could only view the scenery from the loft outside the station. Later, some visitors who came for the same reason also stood here.
However, seeing us sweating heavily, the abbot threw us two cans of ice water from inside. We were so grateful.
View of the cityscape from here.
Finally, I casually took a photo of the night view before heading down the mountain. I originally wanted to come here after seeing photos from other bloggers:
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This is what it should really look like inside
On the way down the mountain, it was all downhill and completely dark:
It is a very quiet village. After walking down, we took the bus back to Jagalchi Station.
Before heading back to the hotel, I bought the Seed Sugar Cake at BIFF Square, where many people were lining up. I found it too oily and sweet, not very impressive.
Around 22:00, it started raining in Busan! Luckily, our trip was almost over.
Day 7 08/04 (Mon) Busan Seomyeon, Shinsegae Department Store, Korean Beef
In the morning, head out and move to Seomyeon Station.
10:45 Arrive at Seomyeon Station
After arriving, we decided to store our luggage directly at the subway station. Other places like Lotte Department Store also offer luggage storage.
Luggage storage here is very expensive: drop off at 10:45 AM, pick up at 8:10 PM.
Charged 6,000 + 7,000 KRW (about NT$280).
There is also an Olive Young in the underground shopping area at this station, so we restocked there again.
11:00 Lunch Korean Style Knife-cut Noodles — Gijang Sonkalguksu
After shopping until nearly noon, we went to a nearby market to eat Korean-style kalguksu (knife-cut noodles).
The menu is very simple, offering only knife-cut noodles and seaweed rolls.
We ordered seaweed rolls to share and I had the knife-cut cold noodles. The noodles were chewy and refreshing; the downside was the lack of toppings (meat), making it a plain carb-only dish.
After eating, walk back to Lotte Department Store.
The Liter Seo-myeon Medical Street Branch
Bought another Liter of blueberry smoothie yogurt to refresh the palate.
- The ajumma here is very enthusiastic.
Lotte Department Store — Busan Main Branch
I found it hard to shop here, or rather, it’s even harder to shop than at Lotte Department Store - Gwangbok Branch yesterday. There are fewer floors and fewer stores; the only advantage is a large public resting area upstairs where you can charge your devices and rest.
There is also a Busan souvenir shop here, but it has far fewer items than the one in Nampo.
After visiting the LEGO store, not knowing where to go next, we decided to take the bus to explore Shinsegae Department Store.
Another NC Department Store in Seomyeon has closed. If you want to shop elsewhere, you might try Jeonpo Coffee Street, which has many small shops (similar to Dongdaegu area), but it may not be very interesting for men.
Busan is good!
The slogan “Busan is good” is seen everywhere in Busan, and based on my travel experience, it’s truly accurate. There are plenty of buses, transportation is convenient, buses are new and cool, prices are cheap, and the food is delicious.
Shinsegae Department Store — Shinsegae Centum City 👍👍👍
A few days ago, I only visited Spa Land and didn’t explore the area. This time, I’m making up for it.
Shinsegae Department Store Super Big (World’s Largest According to Guinness) has a lot to explore.
If you haven’t had enough shopping, next door is also Lotte Dept. Store Centum City Branch.
Consisting of two buildings, each with several floors, and each floor has a large area; I casually recorded the prices of La Lebo in Busan (located on the first floor).
There is a free dinosaur park called ZOORAJI on the rooftop of this building, perfect for taking kids out.
We wandered around casually; basically, all brands and all types of counters were available.
On the first floor of another building, I found Shake Shack, so I had to try it:
SHAKE SHACK BUSAN CENTUM
I ordered the crispy chicken set. Besides their signature items, I think the chicken is tender and juicy, and also very tasty.
The pager seemed to have a problem; it was actually ready earlier but didn’t ring.
The nostalgic good taste.
Travelogues: Osaka Shack Shake / Bangkok Shake Shack
~=17:00 Leave Shinsegae Department Store
~=17:45 Return to Tanjeon Station (Seomyeon)
Preparing to eat Korean beef tonight.
Once you exit Tano Station, you can see the sign pointing to Tano Coffee Street. There is a standalone Olive Young store right outside.
There are many coffee shops and small stores in the Tano area, somewhat like the atmosphere of the East District.
Hwarok Restaurant, Deonpo Branch — flowerbeefhouse
It has a bit of an East District trendy cafe vibe. Luckily, we made a reservation in advance on CatchTable; otherwise, there would be no seats available on-site.
Ordered a Korean beef set + jjajangmyeon + Cass beer. The Korean beef was tender but lacked beef flavor, so I found it average; considering the actual price of NT$2,458, the cost-performance ratio is not very high, not as good as the throat lid grilled meat we had a few days earlier.
The advantages are mainly beautiful photo spots and friendly staff who can speak Chinese.
19:15 Walk back to Seomyeon Station after dinner
There are really many small shops, cafes, and even a ZARA from Tampo to Seomyeon.
After returning to Seomyeon Station, go to Lotte Department Store B1 food court to buy food, then prepare to head to the airport hotel
There is also a supermarket here. In the end, we bought this takoyaki to eat back at the hotel, choosing the Korean flavor on the far right.
~=20:30 Head to the airport hotel
This time, heading in the opposite direction toward Gaya University, also on a Tuesday, it felt like seeing myself who had just arrived in Busan last Tuesday.
~=21:00 Arrive at AIR SKY HOTEL
The hotel is located at the station before the airport — Seomyeon West Busan Distribution Area Station, with CU/GS25 convenience stores directly across the street.
This room and bathroom were the largest and best-equipped during the three days, but we only stayed as guests for one day.
The room window offers a direct view of planes taking off and landing.
Bought peach wine at the convenience store to go with the takoyaki I just got. I think this takoyaki is great. Although it got soft after bringing it back, it’s made with black squid ink as the base, combines the crispiness of Taiwanese takoyaki with Korean spicy sauce, and tastes really good. 😋
Day 8 08/05 (Tue) Busan Gimhae International Airport, Return Trip
Time flies, and the eight-day trip to Busan is coming to an end. The last day only includes a trip to the airport.
From the hotel, take one stop to reach the airport (about 10 minutes).
After arriving at the airport, go directly to the second floor for international departures.
Still sleepy in the morning, forgot to apply for SES to speed up the next entry process.
Tax Refund
If you have a tax refund slip to claim, remember to follow this article to process it.
I lost my tax refund slip…
There are many self-check-in kiosks along the edge of the second floor. You can check in and select seats right here. You can also see that the third floor has many food options and shops.
The counter was assigned to D at the far edge.
Busan Air’s free baggage allowance is only 15 KG.
Check if the portable charger is placed inside a ziplock bag.
After checking in your luggage, be sure to wait in that area for 5 minutes to see if there are any issues
That day, someone was repeatedly announced over the PA system because they couldn’t be found…
~= 09:30 Departure and Security Check
The departure hall is small, with only one row; there are a few duty-free shops, a convenience store, and a café offering limited snacks. (If you’re very hungry, make sure to eat outside before passing through departure.)
Since it is a dual-use military and civilian airport, taking photos of the planes outside is not allowed.
Not sure what to buy, so I got two cans of GD alcohol from the convenience store to bring back to Taiwan.
Delay 11:07 Departure, Early Arrival at 11:58
Busan Trip a Great Success!
Souvenirs
Didn’t buy much.
Thank you for reading
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