When people mention Busan, the first thing that comes to mind is the sea! Among Busan’s various beaches, Haeundae Beach is the best-known destination. Not only in summer but all year round, Haeundae Beach attracts a multitude of tourists seeking the dynamic atmosphere of Busan. Haeundae Beach is one of Korea’s hottest summer destinations, attracting over 10 million visitors every season. Its 1.5 km white sandy beach is lined with many entertaining facilities, attracting men and women of all ages from all parts of the world. Haeundae Beach has become the most popular spot for foreign tourists and vacationers from all over the country who enjoy swimming and sunbathing on a sunny beach.
Gwangandaegyo Bridge is one of the landmarks of Busan and can be seen from Gwangalli Beach, Haeundae, or Waterside Park. The upper deck of the bridge offers a panoramic view of the unbelievably beautiful seas of Busan, the Oryukdo Islets just out of arm’s reach, and the elegant perch of Dongbaekseom Island next to the Haeundae Beach. Gwangandaegyo Bridge is also known for its breathtaking light shows involving more than 100,000 colors each night. Gwangalli Beach is the best place to enjoy this light show. Once the night arrives, many people flock to the beach to witness the beauty of the bridge at night. Others opt to take a yacht to appreciate Gwangandaegyo Bridge completely.
Dongbaekseom Island (Island of Camellias) is an island located off one end of Busan's famous Haeundae Beach. Although the years of sedimentation have connected the island to the mainland, Dongbaekseom was originally an island and is still referred to as one. Dongbaekseom Island is easy to navigate thanks to the walking path that is built around it. The island has several attractions, including the monument inscribed with a poem of scholar Choi Chi-won, the mermaid statue based on the legend of Princess Hwagok, and the Nurimaru APEC House. It also offers fantastic views of the Busan shoreline towards Mipo, Dalmaji Hill, Gwangangdaegyo Bridge, and Oryukdo Island. As the name suggests, camellias burst into bloom everywhere on the island from winter to spring.
Located just beyond Haeundae, Dalmaji Road is a small, serene walkway on the corner to Songjeong Beach (on the slope of Wausan, or Mount Wau) and has a treasure of beautiful cherry blossoms and pine trees. On the nights of the full moon the moon gently reflects off the sea, offering perfect views. The many modern art galleries and pretty cafes give the place its nickname of 'Culture Street'.
APEC Naru Park is a small space that stretches out along the Suyeong Riverside, there are tables where you can read, a walking path, a jogging course, and a sculpture park. Enjoy the freedom to flip through the pages of the book under the tree shade while feeling the breeze from the river. Or, how about a leisurely stroll? Ride a bike to roam around the peaceful park. Small but sure happiness in the urban area of Busan occurs at the APEC Naru Park.
Haeridangil Street is a mecca of foodie tours where buildings with heights of only two to three stories are established, unlike the skyscrapers near Haeundae Beach. Now, it is quickly rising as a new, popular destination in Busan. You can enjoy all the food in the world as authentic as they get at Haeridangil. The cozy cafés show the past and present style of Haeridangil Street in a sophisticated way. Haeridangil Street is reborn into the new landmark of Busan, thanks to the hard work of residents and new merchants. If you are tired of the beach, take a break at Haeridangil Street, where there is much to see and taste.
Museum 1, located in Centum, Busan, is a media-specialized contemporary art museum established in 2019 by Kunst 1, an art agency. Museum 1, which consists of about 2,314 ㎡ in the form of a duplex, has 80 million LEDs on the floor, ceiling, and walls to provide a surreal experience that guides visitors to artworks. Museum 1 pursues art that the public can experience and enjoy. Therefore, visitors can enjoy about 100 artworks, not only fantastic media art that the public is enthusiastic about but also videos, installations, photography, paintings, sculptures, and ceramics by 21 leading domestic and international artists.
At the back of Grand Josun Busan in Haeundae Beach, you will find the entrance to the theme park where Kakao Friends character standing aside. The first basement hosts a free exhibition where you can snap photos with Ryan in various outfits and poses. Brab a drink named after Ryan and Choonsik at the café lounge. Don’t miss the well-decorated Holiday Shop for souvenirs and the character photo zones. If you are curious, this is a must-visit!
Centum City, located near the Haeundae Beach, is the best shopping district with two department stores and the shopping mall. The stores house a variety of shopping brands from imported luxury goods to contemporary items and young casual clothing. Also, there is a premium sauna with various themed kiln sauna rooms named ‘Spa Land’, where you can relax after an intense day of travel. There are amazing sauna rooms from traditional Korean red clay and charcoal rooms to ancient European style steam sauna rooms.
'Korean Dishes' are the main content of K-culture and one of the main reasons foreign tourists visit Korea. Once you taste Korean cooking, you will be fascinated by its deep flavor and quickly become addicted to it. The experience of choosing ingredients, preparing, and tasting Korean food will be an unforgettable memory. ‘Korean Cooking Class Bapsang in Busan’ is a class that provides foreigners living in or visiting Korea with the experience of making and tasting authentic local food using seasonal ingredients in Busan. Classes for foreigners are offered in English, take approximately 3 hours, and provide various programs such as tea ceremonies and making kimchi, popular Korean menu items and Korean desserts, and temple food.
These days, Korean content such as K-pop and K-drama has emerged as a trend for the Millennials and Generation Z worldwide! Foreign tourists' demand for learning K-pop dance during their travel has rapidly increased. “H.o Dance Studio” has been widely known for its ability to teach solid dance basics. It caters to “danceholics,” that being foreign tourists who want to learn their favorite K-pop dance through a one-day class, ordinary people who are interested in dance, and dancers and aspiring celebrities.
Haeundae Blueline Park Sky Capsule is a romantic experience facility where you can enjoy the Haeundae coastal scenery of beauty from 7 to 10m up in the air. It’s automatically along 2km section from Haeundae Mipo to Cheongsapo while presenting the mysterious coastal scenery of beauty. It is an eco-friendly redevelopment of the former railroad facilities of the Donghae Nambu Line and forms a part of the new core of the Haeundae Tourism Special Zone.
BUSAN X the SKY is located in the second highest building in Korea, Haeundae LCT the Sharp (411.6 m). In this highest, biggest-scale observatory, you can view the wide-spread ocean of Haeundae and the beautiful city of Busan. On top of the world-famous landmark of Busan such as the Gwangan Bridge and Marine City, you can view the day and night of Busan while you enjoy the premium services of the interior media facade, lounge cafe, and casual cafe. Experience the whole world below your feet at BUSAN X the SKY!
SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium features many captivating underwater world such as the Sea Turtle Rescue Team for experiential activities or the Sea at night zone which uses world-class digital technology. The aquarium’s multiple exhibits are sure to delight everyone. It introduces you to the incredible world of more than 10,000 marine creatures with over 250 species. It presents a spectacular sight consisting of 8 theme zones, an 80m long submarine tunnel, and 2 main aquariums.
The Bay 101 is located in a culture and art complex in Haeundae area, attracting many visitors to the area thanks to the beautiful nightscape that it offers. It has become a top attraction for enjoying brunch or drinks and dinner at the cafes and restaurants located here, with terrace and rooftop views of the cityscape. A yachting program is also available for visitors looking to get closer to the water.