Ulsan travel blog — The fullest Ulsan travel guide for first-timers

Located on the east coast, Ulsan is likened to the home of creativity. Ulsan is not only the leading industrial capital of Korea but also an inspiration for those who love free beauty and love to explore new things. Joining us to pocket the experiences and guide to the leading industrial city of “the land of kimchi” and start the exciting journey right here!

So, is Ulsan worth visiting, how to visit Ulsan, what to do in Ulsan and how to plan a budget trip to Ulsan for the first-time perfectly? Let’s check out our Ulsan travel blog (Ulsan blog) with the fullest Ulsan travel guide (Ulsan guide) from how to get to Ulsan, best places to visit, best time to come, what to eat as well as top things to do in Ulsan to help you maximize your trip as follows!

Overview of Ulsan (# ulsan travel blog)

Ulsan is located in the valleys, among the mountains in southeastern Korea and about 70km from Busan. The word “San” is the Korean transliteration meaning mountain. It can be said that Ulsan is one of the major industrial zones and one of the seven largest cities in Korea today. In addition to a thriving industry, Ulsan is also attractive by its majestic beauty with 12 natural wonders with bold Korean traditions that fascinate anyone who has ever set foot here.

Ulsan is a city located in Southeastern Korea, on the East coast. This location offers Ulsan stunning natural landscapes and a strong economic advantage from industry and marine. Ulsan is the South Korea’s seventh-largest metropolitan city and eighth-largest city in general, with a population of over 1.1 million and covering an area of 1,057 km², neighboring Busan to the south and opposite Gyeongju to the north.

Ulsan attracts visitors with its auto show centers and fascinating factory tours. With its unique geographical location and many interesting attractions, Ulsan is an attractive destination for travelers who want to explore the natural landscape, history and culture of Korea.

The best time to travel to Ulsan (# ulsan blog)

Choosing when to going to Ulsan depends on personal preferences and weather. However, spring (March – May) and autumn (September – November) are great times to visit Ulsan. At this time the weather is mild, not too hot, not too cold.

These are also the seasons for traditional Ulsan festivals, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival (April) or the Ulsan Beer Festival (August). You can plan a trip to Ulsan at the above times to immerse yourself in the vibrant space of “the land of kimchi” during the festive season.

And if you traveling in the spring time from March to May because the weather is warmer, then you need to pay attention to care your health because at this time there is often yellow dust flying from China, which is not good for you. health. And  travel to Ulsan in winter, although the weather is colder, it is a great time to ski and take a hot spring bath.

Getting to Ulsan (# ulsan travel guide)

Airplanes are the main means of transport and are also very convenient when traveling to Korea, but there is currently no direct flight from Vietnam to Ulsan, so you have to transit at Incheon International Airport (Seoul), then you can choose to fly from Seoul’s Gimpo Airport to Ulsan Airport or take a limousine in front of the main terminal at Incheon International Airport to get to Ulsan. International airlines from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are Korean Air, Asiana Airlines.

You can hunt cheap airfares as well as best routes on some search engine sites such as Google Flights, Kayak or Skyscanner.

Getting around Ulsan (# ulsan guide)

Subway (# ulsan travel blog)

In Ulsan, the most convenient public transport for visitors is the subway. With the purpose of serving people and tourists, the subway system here is very developed with diverse routes.

This is also the cheap means of transportation in Ulsan that tourists should choose. You can buy train tickets directly at the stations very quickly and conveniently.

Bus

After the subway, the bus is also a popular and economical means of transportation in Ulsan, but it is also more time consuming. There are 3 types of buses in Ulsan:

• White bus: This is an express bus, which shortens the travel time to the maximum, but this type of bus is not very popular with tourists.
• Yellow Bus: This is the most popular bus in Ulsan with a fare for the whole route of only 1,150 won regardless of route.
• Green bus: The most special feature of this bus is its smaller size and only short distance, inline for about 600 won / trip.

The bus routes all start quite early at 4 am and the last bus usually runs to the station at 11:30pm, so visitors can rest assured not to worry about missing the bus.

Taxi (# ulsan travel guide)

Taxi is the most convenient way for tourists when they want to visit anywhere and in Ulsan is no exception. If you go in a group, you should choose this method, but the taxi price of Ulsan is quite high: Minimum from 2,400 won for the first 2km and increases by 100 won for every 125m after that (or every 30 seconds if the taxi is running less than 15km/h). If you take a taxi after 12pm to 4am, you have to pay 20% more on the minimum fare (approximately 3,360 won).

Notes:

• Need to carefully watch the meter to calculate the charge.
• The driver is only allowed to touch the meter up to 2 times.
• Travel time from before and after 12pm is calculated into 2 different rates.

What to do and where to go in Ulsan

Ulsan Museum

Address: 277 Duwang-ro, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea
Hours: 9 AM–6 PM/Monday: Closed

The Ulsan Museum is a must-see for visitors who want to explore the city’s history and culture. With diverse collections of art, monuments and artifacts, you can better understand Ulsan’s development from ancient times to modern times.

Jangsaengpo Whale Museum (# ulsan blog)

Address: Ulsan, South Korea
Hours: 9 AM–6 PM/Monday: Closed

This unique themed village was built in the Jangsaengpo area, which was once famous as a whaling village. Visitors can participate in many wonderful experiences when coming here such as visiting the whale museum, whale boat tour, whale ecology experience center.

Jangsaengpo Island is a value place for those who love marine life. You can enjoy stunning sea views, watch whales, and explore underwater life through tours or educational programs.

The projection room with 5D stereoscopic images creating the feeling of a real whale swimming also attracts many visitors. In particular, the ancient village of Jangsaengpo, which recreates the past, also has many sightseeing spots for both adults and children.

Taehwagang National Garden

Address: South Korea, Ulsan, Jung-gu, 태화강 국가정원길 154
Hours: Open 24 hours

Taehwagang National Garden is located next to the Taehwa River – home to the most beautiful bamboo grove in Korea. When entering this green bamboo forest, visitors will surely be overwhelmed by the clean and fresh air. If you have never been to Ulsan, this is the right place for you to experience and feel the breath of nature in this beautiful city. Taehwagang has become a wonderful attraction for tourists from all over the world when coming to Ulsan.

This is one of the prominent parks of Ulsan city, it is built around the Taehwa River and has charming beauty in all four seasons of the year. It is surprising that such a large green park was built in the city center with perfect facilities to serve the people. The park is built with a wetland ecosystem including a population of flowers, a green bamboo forest, a square and an outdoor performance stage.

In particular, from the forest, if you look out over the river, you will see a beautiful observatory on the other side. To get to this observatory from above, you will have to take a ferry across the river. Visitors are sure to enjoy the thrill of river crossing on a ferry in Namsan Naru. Standing up here, you can see Taehwa River as well as Taehwagang National Park with impressive panoramic views. Around the observatory are beautiful cafes where you can rest, relax and enjoy the view.

Ganwoljae Silver Grass Field

This place is located in the Yeongnam Alps, a place connecting nature, sky, people and is especially famous for its silver grass field. You have to climb the mountain to see the silver grass field. At the time of departure with light steps, gradually a steep and curved road appeared difficult to climb, but when the grasslands spread out before the eyes, the fatigue seemed to disappear. Silver waves swaying in the wind, immense nature makes you just want to immerse yourself forever in that wonderful scenery.

When coming here, admiring this beautiful natural scene, the fatigue gradually disappears. This silver grass field will surely make visitors just want to immerse themselves in the majestic and wonderful natural scenery.

Onggi Pottery Village

Address: 36 Oegosan 3-gil, Onyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, South Korea
Hours: 9 AM–6 PM

Onggi Pottery Village is the largest traditional pottery village in Korea. Until now, the products of Onggi pottery village are very sophisticated and different from other ceramic regions.

The color of the ceramic remains the same as the color of the terracotta, other products also bring the beauty of the earth, this traditional product has existed in Korean history for the past 5000 years and is the pride of the people of the land of Kimchi.

In particular, Korean tourists are very impressed with the village roads everywhere they see products: jars, vases, pots… or handmade products from clay that look really pleasing to the eye.

Coming to Onggi village, you have to walk around the village roads to discover all its beauties. From the walls covered with soy sauce pots, the roofs with pot lids, and countless products for daily life such as dishes, flowerpots, plant pots, wind chimes, have made the village much more vibrant. The whole village is known as a huge collection of different terracotta products, creating a unique scene for Onggi.

Coming here, you will not have to wonder about buying gifts for relatives and friends because there are many options, small and beautiful products made by you are also interesting keepsakes of the place you have been to.

Romantic ginkgo tree road

The gingko tree road is located in Ulsan Grand Park. The giant ginkgo trees are planted in long rows on both sides of the road, when autumn comes, the road becomes more and more romantic with the red and yellow colors of the gingko trees and the carpet of fall foliage. The benches placed among the trees are the best photography spots to help you get the photos of a lifetime.

Hyundai Industrial Park and Hyundai Culture & Arts Center

If you’ve been to Ulsan, you should visit the world’s largest shipyard located in the Hyundai industrial park right next to the Ulsan coast, which was established in 1972. Come here, although you can’t go inside. But just sitting in a car and going around is enough to make you overwhelmed by the cranes, pillars, and containers of the entire industrial park. It is known that Hyundai is one of the legends of Korea on the way to affirm the strength of the industry in the international market.

Hyundai Culture & Arts Center in Ulsan is found and managed by Hyundai Heavy Industries. Here you can admire a magnificent building 5 floors high, there is a large concert hall with more than 1072 seats, a stage fully equipped with modern art and sound equipment, a paintings gallery, an ice skating rink and a covered swimming pool, etc. Hyundai Culture & Arts Center is a place that regularly organizes international quality performances, so it attracts a lot of tourists to attend and enjoy.

Hamwollu Pavilion

Address: 산152-3 Seongan-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea
Hours: Open 24 hours

This place is famous as a beautiful night view in Ulsan. If visiting during the day, you can stroll along the surrounding paths or see the wide lawn and green pine trees in the background. The view in front of the gazebo is wide open so you can enjoy beautiful sunrises and sunsets. New Year’s Eve events and sunrise viewing in the New Year are held here.

Ganjeolgot Beach

Address: Daesong-ri, Seosaeng-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, South Korea

This is the first place to see the sunrise over the East Sea and every year many people come here to watch the sunrise. There are many great spots to see and take photos at Ganjeolgot beach, but the most famous is the white lighthouse that stands out against the emerald sea. The Somang-gil Wishing Road was created by the beach, allowing you to walk while enjoying the smell of the sea, the passionate scent of the pine trees. You can write wishes on postcards and put them in a 5 meter tall wish box and send it to the place you want.

Jujeon Pebble Beach

This beach is located in Gandong and is known as one of the 12 scenic spots in Ulsan with a distinct charm thanks to its round black pebbles rather than white sand. In particular, this place is known for its beautiful night view. The lights from the fishing village, the harbor and the seascape create a simple but warm picture. You should also visit the nearby Bongsudae. In the past, it was used as a military communications base in the Joseon era, but today it is a great place to enjoy the panoramic view of the Ulsan Sea.

Ulsan Bridge Observatory

Address: 155-1 Bongsu-ro, Daesong-dong, Dong-gu, Ulsan, South Korea
Hours: 9 AM–9 PM/Monday: Closed

From the observatory, you can enjoy the day and night view of Ulsan city. The observatory consists of an outdoor and an indoor observatory. You can enjoy the scent of the sea and the Ulsan landscape through the 360-degree glass windows through the indoor observatory.

Daewangam Park

Address: 95 Deungdae-ro, Dong-gu, Ulsan, South Korea
Hours: Open 24 hours

In the park there are strange rock animals and about 15,000 sea pine trees with an average lifespan of about 100 years, creating a beautiful landscape. The name of the park comes from a legend that a consort of the Silla dynasty was buried under a rocky island because she said she would become a dragon and protect the country even in death. There is a bridge connecting the rocks, so you can see the strangely shaped rocks and white waves.

Seuldo Island

This is a small island that is used to prevent sea breezes and waves from crashing into the port of Byeonjin. The island is like a natural breakwater, the sea here is very clear because it never settles and always flows naturally. Sit on benches placed in various positions facing the sea to watch the sunset and romantic seascapes.

What and where to eat

Bibimbap: Bibimbap is a mixed rice dish consisting of raw vegetables such as bean sprouts, seaweed, kimchi… accompanied by egg yolks and optional condiments such as gochujang sauce, garlic or sesame oil. This is an interesting and very nutritious dish.

Haemul Pajeon: It is a Korean pancake made from rice flour and mixed with seafood such as shrimp, squid, and clams. The pancake has a crispy crust and delicious filling, accompanied by a special dipping sauce. This is a very popular dish in Ulsan’s street food stalls.

Ganjang Gejang: A type of fresh crab that is soaked in soy sauce to ripen for a period of 3-5 days. This dish has a rich flavor, often served with white rice or used to roll rice paper. Ganjang Gejang is a unique and indispensable seafood dish when you visit Ulsan.

Bulgogi: Bulgogi is a famous grilled meat (BBQ) dish in Korean cuisine. Beef is marinated in soy sauce, garlic and other spices and then grilled until cooked. This dish has a sweet and aromatic flavor, often served with rice and raw vegetables.

Eonyang Bongye Hanu Bulgogi: This is the origin of famous Korean barbecue dishes with the feature of not being seasoned with any spices. The highlight of this dish is the special delicious taste, the meat is crispy but when you chew it, it feels like it melts in your mouth. When enjoying, roll with some raw vegetables and chives leaves.

Jangsaengpo whale meat: The demand for whale meat here is increasing, so almost all parts of them are used by the chef to avoid waste. Each part of the whale produces a unique meat with a different flavor and color. The common point of this dish is that it is delicious, nutritious, and contains no cholesterol… Delicious and cheap restaurant in Ulsan specializing in whale meat: Nam-gu Jangsaengpo-dong.

Donghae fresh fish: Another specialty in Ulsan is the source of fresh fish caught from the two main seas, Jujeon and Jeongja. After being caught, they are processed on the spot to ensure the freshness needed for Donghae fresh fish. Therefore, when you enjoy, you will feel the sweetness and aroma of both very different from other places. Restaurants selling delicious and cheap Donghae fresh fish: Gangyang Raw Fish Complex: Gangyang-ri, Onsan-eup, Ulju-gun; Jeongja Live Fish Center: 638-5 Jeongja-dong, Buk-gu

What to buy?

Ulsan has a lot of nice shopping spots with famous brands and Mugeo-Dong neighborhood is one of the best shopping places in Ulsan. Mugeo-Dong is famous for its chain of fashion stores and fine dining restaurants, it is located opposite the university, so it has a large concentration of young people.

You can freely to choose for yourself quality items from souvenirs, shoes, CD’s, clothes, household appliances, electronics… and enjoy delicious food. Pay attention to the products in the store that often have a pre-listed price. As for other goods on the street, you can bargain…

Where to stay?

Hotel Hyundai by Lahan Ulsan (Agoda, Booking)

Room rate reference: $138.54/room/night

With beautiful architecture and luxurious interior, Hotel Hyundai by Lahan Ulsan promises to bring guests a comfortable and fully equipped resting space. The rooms are fully equipped with modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs, minibars and free Wi-Fi and luxurious and modern restaurant facilities. Conveniently located near Ulsan’s most popular attractions, Hotel Hyundai by Lahan Ulsan is the ideal point of departure for your excursions in Ulsan.

Lotte City Hotel Ulsan (Agoda, Booking)

Room rate reference: $62.97/room/night

Lotte City Hotel Ulsan is conveniently located near the city’s popular attractions. This hotel offers a comfortable space with professional service and facilities including a restaurant, bar and fitness center. This will definitely be a worthy choice for travelers who are intending to explore Ulsan for a long time.

Shilla Stay Ulsan (Agoda, Booking)

Room rate reference: $67.17/room/night.

Shilla Stay Ulsan Hotel is a luxury and modern hotel located in the city of Ulsan. With 150 comfortable rooms, this hotel offers guests a wonderful stay experience. The rooms are luxuriously designed with modern furniture and fully equipped with high-class facilities. Conveniently located near Ulsan’s well-known attractions, Shilla Stay Ulsan will be an ideal stopover for travelers after an exciting journey.

Goodstay Kyungwon BIZ Motel

If you want to have an economical trip to Ulsan, this is the best choice for you. With clean, comfortable rooms and accompanying services, this 3-star hotel is always in a state of out of room during the tourist season. Therefore, if you plan to come here, you should book a room 2-3 weeks in advance.

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Toyoko Inn Ulsan Samsan (Agoda, Booking)
• Hotel Riverside Ulsan (Agoda, Booking)
• Brown Dot Hotel Ulsan Jangsaengpo (Agoda, Booking)
• Mercure Ambassador Ulsan (Agoda, Booking)

Check out more top and best hotels in Ulsan through Agoda.com or Booking.com

Above is a summary of the guide of discovering Ulsan – the leading industrial city in Korea that we want to share with you. Hopefully the above sharing will help you have more new guides for your travel plans.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Ulsan and Seoul you can refer to

• Ulsan Small Group Day Tour from Busan
• BUSAN + ULSAN 3 Days Tour
• Private Incheon International Airport Transfers (ICN) for Seoul
• Private Incheon Airport Transfers (ICN) for Seoul
• Incheon International Airport (ICN) Limousine Bus Transfers for Seoul (Gangnam District)
• Klook Exclusive Seoul 5 Day Pass
• Discover Seoul Pass (BTS Edition Available)
• [SALE] Instant Ticket! Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5 Days to travel around the cities in Korea
• Private Incheon Airport (ICN) and Gimpo Airport (GMP) Transfers for Seoul by S.A Tour
• Everland Private Car Charter with Admission Ticket by Wondertrip
• KAL Limousine Bus Ticket for Seoul
• [Limited Offer] AREX Incheon Airport Express Train One Way Ticket in Seoul
• Bukchon Oneday Hanbok Rental Experience (4/24 Hrs)
• Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning Calm, and Gangchon Rail Bike Day Tour from Seoul
• Seoul City Sightseeing Bus (Downtown Palace Namsan Course/Seoul Panorama Course)
• [Limited Offer] Incheon International Airport (ICN) Luggage Services (Between Airport and Hotel) by Safex
• 4G Prepaid SIM Card (SK Airports Pick Up) for South Korea
• [SALE] South Korea 4G Pocket WiFi (KR Airports Pick Up) from KT Olleh
• 4G WiFi (MY Airport Pick Up) for South Korea (Unlimited Data)
• 4G Portable WiFi for South Korea from Uroaming (Unlimited Data)

More Korea travel guide? Read the fullest guide: Seoul blog, Busan blog and Jeju blog.