Heading to South Korea in December, we knew that we wanted to visit Busan. This bustling port city built amongst the mountains looked a perfect complement to Seoul. We ended up staying for 2 days in Busan. These were two incredible days of sightseeing and eating way too much good food.
In this post we’ll detail our 2 days in Busan itinerary, based on our own experience exploring this city.
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Is 2 days in Busan enough?
Busan is the second-most populated city in South Korea after Seoul. It encompasses a large area, and the top places to see are scattered across the city. It can take more than an hour to travel between some of the places we recommend visiting in this itinerary.
However, we do believe it’s possible to spend 2 days in Busan and experience many of the key highlights. In order to optimise time though you’ll need to choose your accommodation wisely. You’ll also need to consider how you want to get around Busan.
In our 2 day itinerary we’ll recommend the best hotel and transport options to maximise your limited time in this city.
Where to stay in Busan
Busan is made up of 15 different districts, and is home to approximately 3.5 million people. There are no shortage of accommodation options spread out across the city.
For this 2 day itinerary we highly recommend staying in the Nampo-dong area of Busan. As you’ll see, Nampo is home to a large amount of the attractions in this itinerary. It’s also the largest shopping and restaurant district in the city, so is a perfect place to spend your evenings wandering about.
We stayed at the Stanford Inn Busan. It was perfectly situated just a few minutes walk to the pedestrianised shopping district. There was a subway station located directly in front of the hotel, plus access to a taxi stand. The rooms of the hotel were very basic but clean and comfortable. Given we only had 2 days in Busan, we just needed a place to rest overnight, so it was a great option.
How to get to Busan
If you’re coming from Seoul, consider taking a high-speed KTX train. These trains are similar to the more well-known bullet trains in Japan. From Seoul, the KTX trains take around 2-2.5 hours, although some do take a little longer too. They can book out, particularly on weekends, so make sure you book in advance. In Busan, the trains run from Busan station which is only 2 metro stations along from Nampo-dong (or a very quick taxi ride).
The main international airport in Busan is known as Gimhae International Airport. You can fly here directly from many international cities. We flew in on Jeju Air direct from Osaka airport and it was a very seamless experience. We booked our flights with Skyscanner.
Visiting Seoul too? Check out our 2 day itinerary for Seoul here.
How to get around for your 2 days in Busan
For this Busan itinerary, we recommend using a combination of taxis and the Busan Metro to get around the city. Whilst we would often recommend public transport options only, taking a taxi will allow you greater time to pack in more things into this itinerary.
Riding the Busan Metro
The Busan Metro consists of 4 lines and covers a large cross-section of the city. We found the metro easy to navigate, with English used extensively at different touchpoints.
As you’ll see in this itinerary, we only had two separate rides on the metro. For this reason, we bought one-off tickets rather than a reloadable option. Buying the tickets was a breeze. The machines at the stations have an English option to select your desired station. Insert notes or coins to pay.
Something to be aware of, many of the stations sound similar to the western ear. A good example is on Line 2. The last stations on the line at either end are called Jangsan and Yangsan. We didn’t make the mistake of mixing these up, but we can see how it could be easy to do. Double check where you need to go to avoid an unexpected detour!
If you like to sit when travelling, expect to be very jammed in. We had to sit with our backsides on an angle! The Koreans like to pack the people in on the seats so be warned.
Taking a taxi in Busan
Apart from walking, a taxi was our main form of transport in Busan. We found them very easy to use and fairly affordable also (particularly if you’ve just come from Japan like we had!).
We would generally find a taxi stand and pick up a taxi from these spots around town. Generally the drivers cannot speak English. Our hotel however had a taxi card with their name printed on it in Korean. We also asked them to write down the names of the places we wanted to visit over the 2 days, so we could show our driver. We also carried a paper map for back up if needed, but it wasn’t required.
We arrived into the airport from Osaka. We took a taxi from the airport to downtown. We inadvertently took a premium taxi as there didn’t seem to be any regular ones around. Until of course we’re in the car and the decision is too late! It’s a metered fare, and the cost differential is 25k won to 35k for the premium roughly, so was not the end of the world. But if budget is a concern, make sure you look around first.
2 days in Busan itinerary: Day 1
Day 1 at a glance: Visit the famous Jagalchi seafood market || Explore the fascinating Gamcheon Culture Village || Enjoy the sights and smells of Nampo and Biff Square
Day 1 – Morning
It’s your first day in Busan! If you’ve flown into the city, I hope you had a window seat for the incredible view of the city below. Or you may have arrived by train from Seoul. Either way, I hope it was a smooth journey.
First off, drop off your bags at your accommodation. As covered earlier in this Busan itinerary, we recommend staying close to Biff Square in the Nampo-dong area. This will enable you to walk to many of the tourist areas in Busan, particularly on your first day. Hopefully you’ve arrived by mid-morning, but just in case, we won’t pack in too much at this time.
The first place to visit in this Busan itinerary is the incredible Jagalchi market. This is South Korea’s largest seafood market.
Around the Jagalchi area you would be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled into the deep blue sea without the water. All manner of seafood is on sale here. Restaurateurs wander about, people look to buy an octopus or two to serve at home. The decoratively arranged markets are a sight themselves. Ornately arranged octopus, fish drying or stacked tuna lay about everywhere. If you’re not keen on getting wet feet, make sure you wear some enclosed shoes too.
There are two main sections to this market: the inside 7 storey building or the outer markets. The inside consists of a fresh food market, floors with restaurants and exhibition zones. For us, the real treat was the hustle outside the building which was a hive of activity. The storekeepers are all women, keen to sell you the day’s catch.
Day 1 – Lunch
If you’re a seafood lover, then you can grab some lunch at the Jagalchi market. You can choose your fresh lunch in the downstairs inside market and then head upstairs for it to be cooked.
If you’re not so adventurous, or want to grab something quick on your first day in Busan, try Gorasea Fishcake. You’ll find a few of these in Korea, a premium fish cake restaurant. Here you’ll find all sorts of fish cakes. Coated in a fish cake batter with carrot and corn, choose your filling. We went for the crab and prawn, setting us back 6000 won. They’ll heat it up for you on request. It makes for an easy and delicious bite, although we can’t vouch for its nutritional value!
Day 1 – Afternoon
For this afternoon’s activities, head out to the Gamcheon Culture Village.
This colourful village set against a mountain is the main reason we wanted to visit Busan. To us it looked like a colourful version of the cave homes of Matera in Italy. To locals however, the village is known as the “Machu Picchu of Busan”, given it’s built on a steep mountainside.
The homes are built like a labyrinth, with steep staircases and sharp inclines to contend with. With building starting around the 1920s, it was an area known for terrible poverty and substandard living conditions. In 2009, the government embarked on an incredible rejuvenation project of the area. It became a culture hub. Homes and buildings were renovated and painted in colours. Artists visited the area and created trendy murals, statues and activities. It became an Instagrammers dream. In turn, it has become one of the main attractions in Busan.
Entry to the Gamcheon Culture Village is completely free. You’re encouraged to walk around the village and admire the artwork. Of course, there are many stores and restaurants where you can spend up and support the locals.
Whilst there are steep sections of the village to contend with, the great news is that you can start from top to bottom. Grab a taxi and get them to drop you at the entry. There is a tourist centre here. Make sure you enter and pick up a map (2000 won when we visited). It’s useful for mapping the best path through the village and not stumbling into someone’s home. There’s also a stamp activity to do along the recommended path.
The path is windy, but predominantly downhill. Along the way, there are a number of art installations of all manner of description. There are also many great vantage spots to get photos of the colourful village.
We were still at the village for sunset. It was a great time to visit when the colours come to life and the sun sets on the village.
Once you’ve made it to the bottom, grab a taxi. You’ll want to head to Biff Square.
Day 1 – Dinner/Evening
If there was a Times Square of Busan, it would probably be Biff Square. This plaza in the Nampo area is a buzzing place. It’s a place to come to learn a little about Korea’s film industry. Here you’ll see the handprints of Korean actors, surrounded by famous film theatres.
It’s also an area that comes to life at night with street carts. More specifically, this is the place to come and try the famous Ssiat Hotteok. There are a number of vendors here selling this sweet treat. Do as we do and choose the stall with the longest line of locals. They obviously know something you don’t. This doughnut looking treat is fried and then stuffed with some serious goodness. We’re not exactly sure of all the ingredients (obviously if you have allergies, check ahead!). But we did notice sweet sesame, pine nuts and cinnamon.
After your treat, spend some time walking it off with a wander through the area. This was one of our favourite things to do in Busan. Head up towards the area of Gukje Market, which is South Korea’s largest traditional market. All around this area are different eating alleys and outdoor stalls. In the evening, stalls pop up serving all manner of different food. Some of the carts can fit just a few people, and in the evening they all fill up. It’s fascinating to people watch and drool over all the incredible food. Even visiting in the dead of winter, outdoor tables and chairs were full with people swarmed around a steaming hotpot. Cold weather won’t keep anyone away from sensational food!
We settled on a Korean pancake place for dinner. We chose a small, basic restaurant that was pretty crowded with locals. Even though many people were eating outside, we were looking for some respite from the cold. Given the maze of streets, the lack of signage and no Google Maps, we can’t even recall the name of the place we ate.
The ladies who served us were so kind. With no English menus, we used pictures to point to what we wanted. It looked to be some sort of seafood pancake with lots of veggies. We got a smile and a thumbs up, so we must have chosen well. Within a few minutes, the freshly made pancake was on our table. One pancake was more than enough for us to share, setting us back 13,000 won.
For the rest of the evening, continue exploring the area. You might choose to rest in one of the many coffee shops, or grab a few drinks at the many bars. Also, try and wander past Biff Square and not grab another freshly made Hotteok!
2 days in Busan itinerary: Day 2
Day 2 at a glance: Try some Korean toast || Get a bird’s eye view up the Busan Tower || Visit Korea’s most beautiful temple || Spend some time at the beach
Day 2 – Morning
Welcome to the second of your 2 days in Busan. I hope you got a good sleep because you’re in for another fun day.
For a breakfast/brunch bite head to the popular fast casual restaurant known as Egg Drop. This reminded us a little of Eggslut in the US, but up a notch. This may have been our favourite fast food discovery in our year of travels, if not ever!
A shallow fried garlic bread outer, with bacon, cheese and scrambled egg inside. Topped with the Egg Drop special sauce and mayo, it’s the perfect fast food mix of umami. All for 4400 won. An egg only option will set you back 2900 won.
We loved how they cut a thick slice of bread- around 3 times a normal slice. They then cut it three-quarters down the inside so the bottom sticks together. Almost like a burger where the buns are joined. It makes for some practical eating and you don’t lose any of your sandwich. The Korean’s are known for their toast, and this place was incredible. The good news is that there is an Egg Drop close to our morning attraction today, the Busan Tower.
After breakfast head to Yongdusan Park. This is the home of Busan Tower. We highly recommend a visit up top. We often find viewing points can be hit or miss. Busan Tower is most definitely a hit. With 360 degree views of Busan, it provides a magnificent chance to see the green rooftops of Busan, Gamcheon Culture Village, the ports and bridges. It’s only a small observatory deck over two levels, but you’ll be in awe of the views.
Whilst we read reviews which suggested the night time can be an excellent way to see Busan lit up, we opted to visit in the morning. On a day with some cloud and sun, the colours of Busan come to life.
To get to the tower, there’s even an undercover 4 level escalator with bright neon lights to help you get up to the park. This will bring you to the base of the park. To give you some certainty, you can purchase your ticket in advance online. The tower is 120 metres tall, and takes 45 seconds to ascend the elevator. On purchase there were all manner of packages available, including popcorn and drinks. We just chose the viewing option. And splurged on a royal milk tea at the Twosome Place café next door afterwards.
Day 2 – Lunch
Our next attraction on this Busan itinerary will need you to travel via the metro. The closest metro is the Nampo-dong station.
If you’re after a quick bite to eat, you could head into the Lotte Department Store. This is an attraction itself really! It holds the title for having the largest indoor musical water fountain. The rooftop also has amazing views over Busan.
Day 2 – Afternoon
Remember when I said that Busan is a huge city? Well you’re about to feel it. So far our Busan itinerary has focused around the Nampo district. But now we’re headed to the other end of town.
The destination is the Haedong Yonggungsa temple. This Buddhist temple is located in the Gijang-gun district. It is known as the most beautiful temple in South Korea. We haven’t visited that many temples in South Korea, but it would be hard to disagree. Perched up on a cliff top looking out over the sea, it is a magnificent sight.
The original temple was built in the 1300s. However, after being destroyed during the 1500’s, it was rebuilt in the 1930s. Today, it is a large complex with a few different areas to explore. A path leads down to the temple which is accessed by a good hundred uneven steps down. It’s not the most accessible destination that is for sure. On a busy afternoon it is quite a slow move up and down the stairs. Stick it out though, the views here are stunning. We had a clear afternoon on our visit, albeit a busy one being the weekend. The temple is very popular amongst locals.
If you’re hungry, you’ll find some stalls at the front selling all manner of Korean snacks – sweet and savoury. Also, toilets were available at the temple and in the car park outside.
Whilst it is possible to travel the whole distance to the temple via public transport, we recommend a mix of metro and taxi to optimise time. We took the Busan metro from Nampo-dong to Jangsan. This required a change of trains from Line 1 to Line 2. It was fairly easy to navigate. At Jangsan, we jumped in a taxi to take us directly to the temple (make sure to have the name in Korean written down).
After the temple visit, it is time to enjoy another one of Busan’s famous attractions, Haeundae Beach. You can’t come to Busan and not visit at least one of their beaches (even in winter!).
There are a number of great beaches to visit in Busan. We chose to visit Haeundae, mostly because it was the one closest to the temple. We’d recommend the same (particularly if you’re leaving late on day 2).
Haeundae Beach reminds us a little of Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. A large stretch of sand surrounded by skyscrapers. Hotels and restaurants are plentiful here. As are throngs of locals and tourists. We visited in winter, but I can only imagine how busy it gets in summer when people are looking for a dip to cool down.
This area has a lovely walking promenade along the beach. Visiting in December, we were treated to light shows along the way and before sunset a number of performers. Some unimpressive karaoke buskers, art installations and a performing group who were doing a ‘random art project’ (their words, not mine) involving interpretative dance on a stage on the beach.
Whilst it was too cold to enjoy the beach proper, it was still a lovely stroll and place to view sunset. Speaking of which, many may roll their eyes at this recommendation. There is a great Starbucks with large windows which overlooks the beach. This is very popular for sunset, as everyone grabs a warm drink and watches the orange light fade over the sea.
Day 2 – Dinner/Evening
For your last evening in Busan, we’ll leave you with a few different options.
Firstly, if you’ve just come to spend the weekend in Busan, you may be needing to head off tonight. If you’re travelling by train, by warned that it can take some time to get back to your hotel and then on to Busan station from Haeundae.
On our last night in Busan, we opted to head back to Biff Plaza for some more street eats. Whilst we loved seeing Haeundae, the more traditional and local experience at Nampo-dong was our absolute favourite.
Alternatively, you could stay and eat around Haeundae Beach as well. You could walk up the Haeundae Food Alley and get some fresh seafood cooked up at one of the carts. Or you could head to Beef Gukbab Street for some beef rice soup. The options here are endless.
If you’re a beach lover, and the weather is warm, you could even visit another beach. Gwangalli Beach is another famous beach in Busan. From here you can see Busan’s Diamond Bridge. At night the bridge lights up. A very popular sight to see in the city.
Whatever you choose to do on your final night of your 2 days in Busan, we hope you enjoy.
Other things to do consider for your Busan itinerary
The first big shock we had when we arrived in South Korea, was that Google Maps doesn’t really work here. Not for directions anyway. There are a few seemingly political reasons as to why this is. If you’re interested, just Google it (see what I did there!). Having travelled extensively and in many large cities, this experience just proved to us how much we had come to rely on good old Google Maps. There are some local alternatives, and we chose to download Naver Maps. However, it took a lot of time to get used to and was still very clunky in our opinion.
Make sure you plan ahead and have a good idea of where you want to go and where it is. Hopefully this Busan itinerary will assist you. It’s also a good idea to pick up a map of Busan on your arrival from one of the tourist desks.
GS25 convenience stores are everywhere in South Korea. They’ll be your go to for supplies on the run. There were fewer 7/11s, which was strange for us having spent a lot of time in Japan previously.
Have you been to Busan? Is there anything else you’d add to this itinerary? Was 2 days in Busan enough? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Brings me back to Busan instantly!
Such a great city Guido!