What to do in Busan? — 15 top, must do in Busan & best things to do in Busan

Busan is known as the 2nd largest city in Korea after Seoul. This place is not noisy, bustling and crowded to compare with Seoul, but if you visit the land of kimchi, take the time to travel to explore Busan. The experiences you should try in Busan that we want to share below will definitely help make your trip wonderful and meaningful. Let’s find out together! So, what to do in Busan, where to go in Busan? Let’s check out our suggested 15 top things to do in Busan and best things to do in Busan (Busan things to do) which including Busan what to see, must do in Busan and fun things to do in Busan as well as top and best places to visit in Busan to help you plan a perfect trip to the bustling coastal city of South Korea!

What to do in Busan: Jagalchi Fish Market

The first place we want to introduce to you is a famous market with fresh seafood and delicious dishes, Jagalchi fish market – the largest seafood market in Korea. Busan is a large coastal seaport, so seafood resources are extremely diverse and unique and abundant. You can find all kinds of live and dried seafood, a wide variety including whale meat at this fish market.

In particular, you will be able to see with your own eyes the long-time, skillful workers processing and filleting the fish very skillfully, quickly and it is also an art. In addition, there are not only outdoor shopping areas but also seafood restaurants, stalls and buffets available with fresh ingredients. The interesting thing is that you can choose the fish or any kind of seafood they display in the tank to make your own dishes. Jagalchi Fish Market is definitely a place you should visit when you come to Busan to get a feel for the lifestyle of the locals here.

Address: 52 Jagalchihaean-ro, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 10:30AM–8PM
Phone: +82 51-713-8000
Nearest station: Jagalchi

Best things to do in Busan: Haeundae Beach

This place is considered one of the famous beaches in Busan and one of the best beaches in South Korea, attracting a large number of tourists in every summer. Coming here, you will be able to relax on the white sand beaches along the coast and bask in the warm rays of the sun, soaking and bathing in the clear blue water of the sea. Moreover, when coming to Haeundae beach you will also be able to participate in many recreational activities with traditional Korean games such as seesaw jumping, Korean wrestling, arrow throwing or even tug of war. In addition, there are also outstanding water activities such as surfing, speedboat ride…

Whether you’re traveling with your lover or family at any time of the year, Haeundae will offer you with a full range of options. You can stay at hotels along the coast, this will be a great place for you to enjoy and relax.

In particular, this beach also hosts many events throughout the year, the most famous being the Haeundae Sand Festival. At this festival you will admire the beautiful sand sculptures of all the world famous artists. However, this festival will only take place for a certain period of time, so please arrange your plans accordingly for your trip to Busan so as not to miss the exciting experience here.

Address: Haeundae Beach, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Phone: +82 51 749 5700
Nearest station: Haeundae Station

What to do in Busan: Beomeosa Temple

This is an old Buddhist temple from the past with a long history spanning more than 1,300 years. Located on the slopes of Geumjeongsan mountain, one of Busan’s more famous mountains, so it also attracts a lot of foreign tourists to visit.

Beomeosa Temple was built by a monk in the ancient Kingdom of Silla, so when you come here you will be admired and discovered precious artifacts, fascinating relics from ancient times. Although the original structure of the temple was destroyed during the Japanese invasion in 1592, it was rebuilt in 1713 and has survived to this day. The three-storey temple and and the Daeungjeon main hall will give you a humble look and let you feel the history of life in the old times.

Within the temple grounds, you will be able to find Iljumun, which is a three-story entrance gate to the temple with four pillars that are the highlight of the whole temple. In addition, Beomeoosa Temple has many other side halls, pavilions and gates. You should visit this temple in May, this is also the peak period with a large number of tourists because around this time the wisteria forest surrounding the temple grounds is in full bloom. While enjoying the peaceful feeling and admiring the poetic scenery, don’t miss Beomeoosa Temple when you come to Busan.

AAddress: 250 Beomeosa-ro, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, South Korea
Phone: +82 51-508-3122
Nearest station: Beomeosa

Best things to do in Busan: Relax at Gwangalli Beach

Gwangalli, the name is no stranger to visitors who have been to Korea, because this beach is only ranked second after Haeundae. This beach is a stretch of sand about 1.4 km long and bends into a half-moon shape, so it has a unique beauty.

Coming here, you will be able to see the long sandy beaches and admire the whole city at sunset. Weekends are when Gwangalli is at its busiest and most crowded with many cultural events and live concerts. You will be able to participate in entertainment games on the street and watch lively performances on the pedestrian street. Here, bars and restaurants as well as cafes are brightly decorated, colorful but equally attractive.

In particular, do not miss the experience of standing on Gwangan Bridge – a beautiful place to watch exciting and music light shows. The way to get to Gwangalli beach is quite simple, you can fly directly to Busan or you can fly to Seoul and take the KTX train to this beach.

Address: Gwangalli Beach 219, Gwanganhaebryon-ro Suyeong-gu, Busan
Phone: +82 51 622 4251
Nearest station: Gwangan

What to do in Busan: Taejongdae Resort Park

This is a place to visit you should not miss but must definitely visit when coming to Busan. Located on a cliff, is a natural park and is especially famous for its rocky beaches. There’s a mountain with its highest peak 250 meters above sea level, and there are even tourism courses around the park that cater specifically to couples and families.

The main attraction here is the observatory and the light house, which is perfect for those with great opportunities to taking stunning photos. Down by the rocky shore, you’ll find plenty of places to taste fresh seafood. This park is also quite romantic, with classy restaurants and fresh dishes and other fresh catches just exploited from the sea. You will both enjoy delicious food and admire the beautiful scenery of the sea.

There is also a Danubi Train that runs through the park for a quick sight-seeing. Although, the park is located far away from Busan city, the long sandy beaches and beautiful blue colors of the sea will make your trip worth it.

Address: 24 Jeonmang-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 5AM–12AM
Phone: +82 51-405-2004
Nearest station: Nampo-dong

Top things to do in Busan: Busan International Film Festival Square

Busan International Film Festival or BIFF is one of the most important film festivals on the continent. Currently, the site has been remodeled to become a tourist attraction promoting the development of the Korean film industry. At the same time, contributing to building a new brand of Busan city as an international cultural tourism city.

The main attraction in this square is the international film festival event that takes place every October, where you will have the opportunity to see Asia’s biggest movie stars plus famous stars come to visit. from anywhere in the world. Also, come here you will also enjoy some delicious food and discover shopping paradise and more while walking around the square. Although the big event only takes place in October, the area where the event takes place is a pretty popular tourist attraction year-round.

Address: BIFF Square 58-1 Gudeok-ro, Nampo-dong Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: Open 24 hours
Nearest station: Jagalchi

Best things to do in Busan: Feel local life in Gamcheon Culture Village

This place is known as a typical symbol of Busan city. Gamcheon is where you can find a bunch of brightly colored pastel houses that seem to be stacked on top of each other. Gamcheon Culture Village is one of the most photograph spots and popular tourist attractions in Busan.

Founded in 1918 when followers of the Taegukdo religion migrated here to seek refuge. This cultural village is located on a hill with many colorful houses made into lego blocks making Gamcheon a cultural and art space.

In addition, museums, art shops, cafes and restaurants are also some of the things you can find here. Coming to Gamcheon village to admire the unique but peaceful art will definitely be a great experience for you.

Address: Gamcheon Culture Village 177-11, Gamnae 2-ro Saha-gu, Busan
Phone: +82 51 291 1444
Nearest Station: Goejeong

Freely shopping at Shinsegae Centumcity Mall

Shinsegae Mall is one of the largest shopping complexes in the world that attracts a large number of tourists every year. With just one day, you may not be able to explore the entire shopping center.

Shinsegae has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as “the largest shopping mall in the world”. Shinsegae Centum City offers shoppers a variety of exciting integrated amenities such as a spa, golfing, skating rink and Aqualand water park. This place is almost like a giant shopping mall, with tons of items ranging from famous brands to popular brands.

Address: South Korea, Busan, Haeundae-gu, 센텀4로 15
Hours: 10:30AM–8PM
Phone: +82 1588-1234
Nearest Station: Centum City

Busan things to do: Oryukdo Skywalk

Oryukdo Skywalk is another iconic Busan landmark. Skywalk finished the construction in 2012 and started operating a year later in 2013.

The skywalk on Oryukdo Island is precariously located on the cliff reaching out to the edge of the cliff about 10m and is covered with 48mm thick glass for absolute safety and 55.5mm bulletproof plate. With thick transparent glass, visitors can watch the strong waves crashing at the foot of the cliff.

This skywalk is one of the famous tourist attractions and attracts a large number of visitors to Busan. When setting foot on this suspended skywalk, visitors will have a very refreshing feeling, like being in harmony with nature. Going through the glass way, looking down at your feet is seeing the sea, it’s a bit unbelievable and the feeling of being experienced on the way is wonderful.

However, there are many tourists who shake their feet when stepping on this skywalk, feeling scared because they find themselves climbing on the cliff and below is the sea. With a special winding route on this island, you will have spectacular check-in photos as wonderful memories of your memorable trip when coming to the port city of Korea.

Address: 137 Oryuk-doro, Nam-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 9AM–5:50PM
Phone: +82 51-607-6395
Nearest station: Busan

Busan things to do: Gukje Market

This is the largest general market in Busan and is also known as the Busan international market with more than 690 different large and small stores. Gukje Market is famous for its landscape and extremely special dishes. From Busan specialties such as spicy vermicelli, grain-coated rice paper, barley noodles, braised pork knuckles, pork and tteokbokki rice cake soup to clothing and other items.

In addition, the market sells a wide variety of products from new products to used or second-hand goods. Therefore, if you want to find items at low prices this place is very suitable. In particular, after the war, various imported products such as military materials from the United States were circulated throughout Korea through the international market, greatly enhancing the reputation of Gukje Market.

Gukje Market also connects to other markets around such as Bupyeong Kkangtong Market (Address: 39 Bupyeong 1-gil, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea/Hours: 8AM–11:30PM), so you can spend a whole day just roaming the streets and shopping comfortably.

Address: 25 Gukjesijang 2-gil, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 7AM–10PM
Phone: +82 54 270 2842
Nearest station: Jagalchi

Fun things to do in Busan: SEALIFE Busan Aquarium

With more than 250 species of more than 10,000 marine creatures of the sea, SEALIFE Busan Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in Korea. Here, you can experience a thrilling scuba diving with sharks, enjoy a 4D ride in the aquarium itself, and take a walk under the tunnel to observe fishes made of transparent glass.

This aquarium has three underground like an outdoor park. With the advanced technology used in the aquarium makes it one of the best technologies in Korea.

Most especially, there is a special program that allows you to swim with famous shark species such as blackhead reef sharks, white reef sharks and sand tiger sharks and other sea creatures. However, you will have to spend some time going through a short diving course under the care of skilled instructors. In addition, you can also witness with your own eyes a professional trainer feeding the sharks and other unique performances.

Address: 266 Haeundaehaebyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 10AM–7PM
Phone: +82 51-740-1700
Nearest station: Haeundae

Visit the ancient temple Haedong Yonggungsa

Located in the northeast of Busan, the ancient temple Haedong Yonggungsa dating back to over 600 years old. This is a Buddhist temple built quite special because it is located next to the beach on the cliffs instead of on the mountain like other famous temples. Temple of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva who represents Compassion in Buddhism.

On the first days of the new year, the temple attracts a lot of foreign tourists who visit to pray for their families and watch the first sunrise of the year. Especially in April when the cherry blossom season and also the Buddha’s Birthday, this destination is an ideal place for everyone, not only tourists but also Koreans.

Address: 86 Yonggung-gil, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 5AM–6:30PM
Phone: +82 51-722-7744
Nearest station: Haeundae

Fun things to do in Busan: Visit Hur Shim Chung Spa

Hur Shim Chung Spa is one of the oldest Korean-style spas known to many, although Busan has up to 450 spas. This is also a famous hot spring paradise that many tourists when coming to Busan visit.

According to traditional Korean custom, enjoying relaxation at spas and relaxing bathhouses while you are in their country is said to be a must. The type of water used in hot springs has an abundant amount of magnesium, creating a feeling of comfort and peace for you.

However, for those new to Busan and fancying the Korean lifestyle, it’s probably best to head to one of the larger, more reputable spas like Heosimcheong Spa or Lumi Spa at the Park Hyatt. All are filled with natural spring water and the rooms are themed differently and are quite interesting.

Address: 23 Geumganggongwon-ro 20beon-gil, Dongnae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Phone: +82 51-550-2200
Daily: 5am – 12pm
Nearest Station: Oncheonjang

Must do in Busan: Nurimaru APEC House

Located to the west of Haeundae beach, the end of Dongbaekseom peninsula, this is the most unforgettable place for visitors to Busan on the occasion of the APEC conference. With an all-glass architecture, this building was built in 2005 and that was also the time to hold the meeting of heads of states in APEC 2005.

When visiting the APEC Nurimaru building, visitors will have a chance to visit the 3,000m2 architectural area – today it has become a museum about the APEC 2005. The round table used to hold the conference is kept and carefully preserved in a large hall in the building. This museum also preserves the meals served to the heads of states in the APEC. Towards the east, you will also see the lighthouse standing proudly in the middle of the sea.

Address: 116 Dongbaek-ro, U 1(il)-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 9AM–5PM/Monday: Closed
Phone: +82 51-743-1974

Hopefully, the above sharing of ours have contributed to helping you gain more information and knowledge about the pocket-sized Busan city for your trip. Korean people are very kind, friendly and hospitable. You will definitely have a great vacation when you visit Busan.

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

• Private Gimhae Airport Transfers (PUS) for Busan
• Busan East Coast Cultural Day Tour
• East Busan Exploration
• BUTI Busan City Tour One Day Bus Pass
• [Klook Exclusive] Busan SEA LIFE Aquarium Skip-the-Line Admission Ticket with Souvenir Photo
• Busan Tower Ticket
• [Special Promo] Train to Busan Horror House Combo Admission Ticket
• 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)
• [SALE] Instant Ticket: Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5Days
• [Limited Offer] Incheon International Airport (ICN) Luggage Services (Between Airport and Hotel) by Safex

Are you looking for more Busan travel guide: Things to do, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out our Busan blog — The fullest Busan travel guide & suggested Busan itinerary on how to spend 3 days in Busan, South Korea.