Busan was voted by Lonely Planet’s travel experts as the top place to visit in Asia in 2018. We are all so familiar with capital city Seoul, but what’s so special about this port city down south? You will probably want to book your tickets from Singapore to Korea (or wherever you are from) after this.
Busan is South Korea’s second largest city and largest seaport in the country. Beautiful beaches, unique culture, shopping, mouthwatering food are some of the words we use to describe great travel locations. I can probably tag all of them to the city Busan, and definitely a destination to satisfy the wanderlust in you.
Klook.comBusan Gwangalli Beach (광안리해수욕장)
Haeundae is the reigning champion of the most popular beach in Busan, but we prefer the quieter Gwangalli Beach. Long sandy beach with the gorgeous Gwangan Bridge as backdrop, which lights up the beach by night. You need to travel from Singapore to Korea to see it for yourself.
Busan Oryukdo Island (부산 오륙도)
Busan was named the East Asia Culture City for 2018, and holds the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) (부산국제영화제) at the Busan Cinema Center. However, we want you to visit somewhere less commercial. Oryukdo Island is off the southern coast of Busan, and depending on the day and the tide, may appear to be five islands or six islands, hence its name (‘o’ meaning five and ‘yuk’ meaning six in Korean). Designated a monument of Busan, Oryukdo Island is a rock island that can be said to be made purely of stones. This symbolic island is part of Busan’s culture heritage, and is one of the National Cultural Heritage Scenic Spots of South Korea.
Klook.comGamcheon Cultural Village (감천문화마을)
Need we say more? Hailed as the “Machu Picchu of Busan“, these colourful house built on the foothills of a coastal mountain just cannot be missed. Hit the visitor centre and get a map, while also using it to collect unique stamps at various checkpoints. There are too many great instagram-worthy spots, so spend some time to flood your instagram.
Busan Shinsegae Centum City (신세계 센텀시티)
The Shinsegae Centum City Department Store is registered in the Guinness World Records as the largest shopping complex in the world. It’s called a “city” for good reasons, as visitors can also enjoy numerous entertainment options like a spa and ice rink in the complex.
Jagalchi Market (자갈치시장)
Seafood lovers who missed this place would rather kill themselves for missing out on a gem. This is Korea’s largest seafood market, selling both live and dried fish. The 2 storey building sells fresh seafood (many I personally have not seen in my life), and visitors can consume them at the second level. Take your time to explore, as there are loads of stores to choose from; and most of them are quite reasonably priced.
There are actually loads more to explore, but we could not possibly name all of them. So if you have limited time, hit the places above; and you should be proud to say that you have visited the #BestinAsia.
Article by: James @ KAvenyou
