Busan
Although the capital of South Korea is Seoul, the summer capital is undoubtedly Busan for everyone. Busan, located on the southeast coast of the country and home to more than 3.5 million inhabitants, offers nightlife, noise and liveliness just like Seoul. If you are looking for a more relaxed mood than Seoul, Busan is the right place for you with its beaches, hot springs, activities and nature reserves!
Gamcheon Cultural Village
Gamcheon Cultural Village is also referred to as the "Santorini of the East" or "Lego Village". Yes yes, Lego Village!
This place was long known as the place where the poorest people of the city lived, but now it has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in Busan. It would not be wrong to call this a combination of beauty and chaos. The revel created by the mingling of Lego-like houses, each of which is different from the other, will take you to another world with its narrow village streets with steep slopes. Don't forget to bring your camera when you come here because angles and views that will allow you to take amazing pictures await you at every corner.
What we have to say about Gamcheon Village is not finished yet. There's more to this place than just watching beautiful houses, how about playing a game for example? For this adventurous fun, all you have to do is go to the Haneul Maru Tourist Information Center at the entrance of the village and buy a map from there. You can get one of the maps showing the most beautiful routes of Gamcheon for 2,000 Won (1.75 USD). Where are the routes on the map? For example, a cafe, art stores and galleries… You can visit eight attractive attractions and collect stamps from each one. After collecting all the stamps, you can return to the information center and receive your reward. Wouldn't you like to participate in such a game?
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is one of the most impressive Buddhist temples in South Korea. The most beautiful part of the temple is that it offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy a magnificent view, as it is located by the sea. Although it is very popular especially for watching the first sunrise of the new year, of course, you can watch the sunrise here whenever you want. The best time to visit the temple is undoubtedly spring. Because when you go in this season, you can experience the magnificent ambiance created by the cherry blossoms surrounding the entire temple. You can also witness the glow of hundreds of paper lanterns lined up along the path that takes you to the temple during the festive season, as Buddha's birthday is also in this season.
Of course, this is a place open to everyone at any time of the year. If you are lucky enough to visit the temple on a foggy day, you can experience a magical moment with the melodious bell sound from the temple that was lost in the fog. It really is a place worth visiting to enjoy the beautiful scenery, the sea, and the Korean temple architecture, isn't it?
Gwangalli Beach
When it comes to Busan, it is impossible not to mention the beaches. Gwangalli Beach, which is 1.4 km long, is known for its fine white sand like powder. There are many things you can do at this beach besides the wonderful sea view. E.g; you can take a nice walk on the white sands, watch the sunset, soak up the lights of the Gwangandaegyo Bridge during the night, visit the nearby Suyeong Park and go to Milak Beach Park and taste the freshly caught fish, accompanied by soju, so you can enjoy Busan just as it should be. you can experience the beach.
If you go to Busan in November, you are lucky. Because the fireworks show here during this period is really a great visual feast. But if you say we can't wait until November, you can stop by a market near the beach and buy some fireworks and create your own fun.
Although the area around the beach is very crowded, usually the most beautiful spots are hidden among the back streets of Gwangalli. So are you ready to discover these hidden treasures in the back streets of Gwangalli?
TIP! Street Food Heaven! Kkangtong Market & BIFF Square Culture Street
Kkangtong Market opens in the day, but more people visit in the evening, leading some to call this a night market. The market is famous for selling unique, delicious street foods at inexpensive prices. Some of the more unusual street foods for Korea include Scotch eggs, hardboiled eggs wrapped in sausage and bacon before frying; French fries covered in a cheesy sausage sauce; soup served in a bread bowl similar to pane pasta; and steamed corn so addictive it’s earned the nickname “narcotic corn.”
Just a short walk away from Kkangtong Market is BIFF Square Culture Street, a gathering of movie theaters in the center of Busan’s Nampo-dong. In the past, it was the venue of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), and the Star Street is dotted with the handprints of world-famous film directors, producers, and actors. The festival has since moved all film-showings to Busan Cinema Center at Haeundae, but the square is still popular among tourists and crowded with street food vendors both day and night. The more popular street foods include ssiat hotteok (sugar-filled seeded griddlecake), dak kkochi (chicken skewers), tteokbokki, and croquettes.
