Holiday in Busan

What makes Busan special as a destination?

Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, is the counterpoint to hyper-modern Seoul: rural, maritime, relaxed, and with an energy fueled by the waves of the Pacific. The port city at the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula combines top-notch beaches with a vibrant culinary scene, colorful mountain villages with futuristic architecture. Haeundae Beach is Korea's most famous beach — a wide, curved sandy beach that is populated by Korean families and international visitors in the summer. But the real insider tip is Gwangalli Beach, from where you can see the spectacularly illuminated Gwangan Bridge over the bay in the evening. Gamcheon Culture Village is Busan's Instagram favorite, and rightly so: A former refugee neighborhood from the Korean War has been transformed into a colorful art village, where colorful houses climb the hills like a Korean Santorini. Street art, galleries, and cafés make the neighborhood a place where you can wander for hours. The Jagalchi Fish Market is the largest fish market in South Korea and a feast for all the senses. Huge halls full of live seafood — from abalone to octopus to sea urchins — where you can have your catch prepared fresh on the upper floor. The atmosphere is loud, lively, and one hundred percent authentic. The Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, one of the few coastal temples in Korea, dramatically perches on rocks above the crashing waves of the Sea of Japan. At sunrise, the temple offers a truly spiritual sight. The Beomeosa Temple in the mountains on the outskirts, on the other hand, offers a templestay experience where you can meditate and live with the monks. Busan's culinary scene is legendary. The city is considered Korea's foodie capital: Dwaji Gukbap (pork rice soup), Milmyeon (cold noodles), and Ssiat Hotteok (pancakes filled with nuts and seeds) at BIFF Square are taste experiences that can only be found here.