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Gwangan Bridge lit up over the bay at night — Gwangalli Beach, Busan
Gwangalli Beach, Busan · Photo Shibin Joseph / Unsplash

Port city · about 2h 30m from Seoul by KTX verify

The fish market at dawn

Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Nights
2
Getting here
KTX from Seoul, about 2h 30m verify
Pairs with
Gyeongju (about 30 min by KTX) verify
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Busan 부산 · The south-east coast

Busan is Korea’s second city and its biggest port. It is built up the sides of hills that drop straight into the sea, so most days involve a staircase, a view and a plate of something that was swimming that morning.

Two nights is right. One morning for the market, one for the coast walk, and an evening on a beach with the bridge lit up across the bay.

35° 10′ N, 129° 04′ E

The market floor

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A fishmonger in red overalls on the market floor — Jagalchi Fish Market, Busan
Jagalchi Fish Market, Busan · Photo Luke Ow / Unsplash

Jagalchi is the country’s best-known fish market. Choose from the tanks downstairs and eat it upstairs, cooked or raw, at long tables by the window.

Hillside villages

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Painted houses stacked up the hillside — Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan
Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan · Photo Sean Lee / Unsplash

Gamcheon was a refugee settlement during the Korean War. Its painted houses stack up the slope; go early and walk the higher lanes where people still live.

A temple on the rocks

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Temple halls on the rocks above the sea — Haedong Yonggungsa, Busan
Haedong Yonggungsa, Busan · Photo yumin lee / Unsplash

Haedong Yonggungsa sits right on the shore, unusual for Korean temples, which are mostly in the mountains. Busy at weekends; go on a weekday morning.

What we’d do

Private, with a guide where it helps. Times are a guide.

Gwangan Bridge lit up over the bay at night — Gwangalli Beach, Busan

Hillsto thewaterline

Busan coast

35° 10′ N, 129° 04′ E

Photo Shibin Joseph / Unsplash

At the table

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Mon–Fri, 09:00–18:00 UK time