16 Best Things to Do in Busan for First-Timers (+3 Things We’d Skip)
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Busan looks straightforward on paper. A beach city, a few colourful villages, some temples. Easy enough.
But once we started researching, the list of things to do kept growing. Blog after blog listed 40 or 50 things, with no clear sense of what actually deserved a place on the itinerary. Narrowing it down felt almost impossible.
What most lists don’t give you is a real point of view. They cover everything and recommend nothing.
We spent a full week in Busan ourselves, with help from a Korean friend who lives in Seoul and spends about a week in the city every month.
We’ve narrowed it down to the 16 best things to do in Busan for first-time visitors, the ones we’d actually put on a close friend’s itinerary.
Highlights range from the Gwangalli drone show (one of the best free experiences we’ve had in any city) to the colourful lanes of Gamcheon Culture Village. There’s also a day trip to Gyeongju, which turned out to be one of the highlights of our entire South Korea trip.
We’re also including three Busan attractions we’d skip entirely, including Busan X the Sky, and tell you exactly why.
Don’t miss these!
Our Top Picks for Your Busan Trip
Busan is one of Korea’s most popular destinations, and tours and hotels often sell out. Book these in advance so you don’t miss the highlights we loved most.
Top Busan experiences
- 1-day Busan highlights tour (the easiest way to see temples, villages, and the coast in a single day)
- Busan Air Cruise cable car (beautiful sea views, make sure to book the glass-floor cabin option)
- Day trip to Gyeongju from Busan (ancient Korea in a day, one of our favourite trips in Korea)
Where to stay in Busan
- L7 Haeundae by LOTTE (our #1 hotel pick, perfect location and gorgeous beach views)
- Asti Hotel Busan Station (right next to the KTX hub, great base for day trips)
1. Watch the drone light show at Gwangalli Beach
We’ve seen some incredible light shows all around the world, like the Garden Rhapsody in Singapore, Seville’s Las Setas, and the Dubai Expo Dome show. And Busan’s Gwangalli drone show absolutely belongs in that list!
We arrived at sunset to walk the promenade first and soaked up the buzz of the bars and restaurants filling up around us. Just before dark, we grabbed a spot on the sand close to the water as more and more people flocked in around us.
First you hear the buzzing as hundreds of drones (700 to be precise!) rise up and get into position.
Then the lights come on, and they start forming shapes… a palm tree, a giant 3D panda sipping a drink, a cactus. We were completely hooked and honestly can’t believe it’s free.
It runs every Saturday, and each show has a different weekly theme (ours was harvest-themed). Check the official website before you go.
2. Ride the Busan Air Cruise cable car
Looking down and seeing turquoise water between our feet is not something we forget in a hurry.
The Busan Air Cruise (also called the Songdo Marine Cable Car) connects Songdo Beach to Songdo Sky Park in about ten minutes each way. It pairs well with a visit to the Songdo area, and the views across the bay and cliffs are genuinely lovely.
Our top tip: Go for the Crystal Cabin, which has the glass floor. Most people book the slightly cheaper regular cabin, which means the Crystal queue is almost always shorter. On our visit, we walked straight past a line that snaked around the building, feeling very VIP. We booked this Busan Air Cruise ticket in advance, which also let us skip the queues at the ticket office entirely.
Once you reach Sky Park, don’t jump straight back in. The Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge is a short walk away and genuinely impressive, with beautiful views over the bay. We arrived just before sunset, and the light was perfect.
👉 Book the Busan Air Cruise in advance, go for the Crystal Cabin and skip the queues
3. Take a day trip to Gyeongju, Korea’s old capital
A friend of ours from Korea (we became good friends while studying together in London) told us Gyeongju was unmissable. She mentioned the beautiful old architecture and the food… and she was right on both counts!
Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Dynasty for nearly 1,000 years. The city is full of temples, royal tombs, and UNESCO World Heritage sites. The whole place feels like an open-air museum.
When we eventually told our Korean friend we were doing Gyeongju as a day trip, she looked at us the way you look at someone who orders a starter and skips the main course.
But we can tell you that even a single day is absolutely worth it. It even ended up being one of the highlights of our ENTIRE Korea trip!
We booked this Gyeongju day tour on GetYourGuide, and it was fast-paced but never rushed. Our guide gave great historical context at each stop while still leaving time to explore on our own.
Btw, the same tour is also available on Klook if that’s your preferred booking platform.
We wrote up the full day, every stop and all the photos, in our Gyeongju day tour review.
👉 See temples, royal tombs, and Korea’s ancient capital on the Gyeongju day tour we took from Busan
4. Wander the colourful lanes of Gamcheon Culture Village
Gamcheon is one of the highlights of Busan. You’ll find pastel houses stacked up a steep hillside, winding alleyways, murals around every corner, and views over the city and the ocean. Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s also genuinely magical.
Timing matters here more than almost anywhere else in Busan.
We visited twice on the same trip, once in the morning and once in the evening. By midday, the buses were packed and the lanes were uncomfortably crowded. Before 10am and after the evening crowds thin out, it’s a completely different place.
Our top tip: Close to the entrance of the village, head to Haneul Maru Observatory (📍location). Hardly any tourists make it up there, the views over the colourful rooftops and the sea are stunning, and it’s completely FREE.
The Little Prince statue is one of the most photographed spots in the village, with a queue that snaked around the entire block. It was managed by a dedicated staff member. Very orderly. Very South Korea. We felt right at home.
5. Ride the Haeundae Sky Capsule along the coast
We first spotted the Sky Capsule in a post by a Korean traveller on Instagram and saved it immediately. We’re not usually the people who see something on social media and add it straight to the itinerary… but we made an exception.
The capsules are slow, colourful, and private. The great thing is that you don’t share with strangers. We paid for two seats and got a whole four-seater to ourselves.
We put on music, shared snacks, and rode slowly above the coastline. At one point, we saw another couple pop a bottle of champagne. Fair enough 🍾.
Our top tips: Book your tickets well in advance, especially sunset slots that can sometimes sell out four weeks ahead. We tried the official website first and had to try several foreign credit cards before one worked. These Sky Capsule tickets on Klook are much smoother to buy, and everything is in English.
Oh, and go Mipo station to Cheongsapo station for the best sea views, especially if you’re only doing one way.
If you’re choosing between this and the Songdo Cable Car, pick the Sky Capsule. Cable cars exist everywhere. This one is only in Busan!
We’ve written up everything you need to know in our Sky Capsule guide, including pricing and directions.
👉 Book your Haeundae Sky Capsule tickets in advance. Tickets often sell out weeks ahead.
6. Relax on Haeundae Beach
We are not beach people. So the fact that Haeundae had us genuinely tempted to jump in says something.
The sand is white and fine, the water is a clear blue, and behind it all, a skyline of skyscrapers rises up in a way that feels completely unique to Busan.
It was too cold for a swim on our visit, so we walked the full length instead. The waves, the seagulls, the salt air, and the breeze off the water… just STUNNING!
Haeundae is South Korea’s most popular beach, and it earns it. The promenade is lined with cafés, restaurants, and seafood joints, and the people-watching is excellent.
If you need a break from sightseeing, Haeundae’s Spa Land is worth knowing about. It’s a nearby Korean-style spa complex with multiple saunas and baths, and it’s hugely popular with locals.
Save big on Busan’s top sights
The Visit Busan Pass can be a good value if you’re planning to see a few major attractions. It covers places like Busan Tower, Busan Air Cruise cable car, and Lotte World Busan – all on one ticket.
We bought ours on Klook (a popular booking app in Asia), and it easily paid for itself.
7. Eat fresh seafood at Jagalchi Fish Market
We’ll be upfront: we’re not big seafood people. But Jagalchi is one of those places you visit for the experience as much as the food.
South Korea’s largest seafood market is massive, loud, and genuinely fascinating, with tanks full of everything from clams and crabs to sea squirts, sea cucumbers, and live eels. The smell is part of the experience. Consider yourself warned.
Our top tip: If you want to try the best of Busan’s food markets without spending hours figuring out what to order, this chef-led food tour is a great introduction. A local chef takes you through Jagalchi and three more markets and helps you discover the dishes worth trying at each one.
What makes it special is that many vendors don’t just sell their catch. You pick a fish straight from the tank and they prepare it on the spot in their own small restaurant. We watched several people do this, and it looked incredible.
👉 Taste your way through Jagalchi and three more markets on this chef-led foodie tour
8. Try street food at BIFF Square
If you’re expecting a beautiful square, you’ll be disappointed. BIFF Square is named after the Busan International Film Festival, one of Asia’s most important.
And the handprints of famous Korean actors here line the walkway like a local Hollywood Walk of Fame.
But in our opinion, the reason you should come is the food. It’s one of the best places in Busan to try street food.
The pedestrian zone is packed with vendors selling tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), eomuk (fish cakes), gimbap, and dumplings. Korean dumplings are REALLY good, and we say that having eaten a lot of dumplings in a lot of countries.
If you only try one thing, make it the ssiat hotteok. It’s a sweet pancake filled with nuts and seeds, served warm and slightly crunchy. We queued up with locals for it and it was one of the best street snacks of our entire trip.
9. Head up Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park
Busan Tower (often called the Diamond Tower) doesn’t have the polished feel of newer observation decks, but it has more character than most of them.
Inside, the windows are angled slightly outward. We sat right up against the glass, leaned forward… and suddenly found ourselves looking almost straight down at the city below. It took a small moment of courage.
The views cover the port, the mountains, the coastline, and the city stretching out in every direction.
We preferred this over the newer Busan X the Sky observation deck, and it costs less than half the price. The Visit Busan Pass covers it too, alongside several other attractions in this post.
Our top tip: If you’re arriving from the Nampo area or the waterfront, look for the Yongdusan Park Escalator at the main entrance. It’s a neon-lit tunnel escalator that carries you straight up the hill to the park. We were not expecting it at all, and it immediately reminded us of Hong Kong (where covered escalators are practically a way of life).
10. Visit Haedong Yonggungsa Temple by the sea
Most temples in Korea are built into mountainsides. Haedong Yonggungsa sits directly on the coast, with waves crashing on the rocks below. This setting alone makes it worth the trip.
You arrive higher up and walk down past rows of impressive stone animal statues, lanterns, and bamboo trees. With every step, more of the sea comes into view. By the time the full temple is in front of you, it’s stunning!
We went around 5pm and counted maybe 10-15 people the whole time we were there. We read about the crowds, but as long as you go before 10am or after 5pm, you’ll be fine… even on a weekend.
It’s worth taking a moment at the temple steps and just watching the waves below. We could have stayed there much longer than we did.
It’s quite far from downtown Busan, so we just grabbed an Uber. It pairs really well with Haeundae Beach and the Sky Capsule as a full day out in that part of the city.
11. Walk the coastal trail at Dongbaek Island
We weren’t expecting much more than a pleasant stroll. What we got felt more like a proper coastal adventure, with a boardwalk right along the sea, rough shoreline, very few other people, and gorgeous ocean views!
When we walked towards Haeundae Beach, the city skyline slowly appeared between the rocks. There was nature on one side, and skyscrapers on the other. We loved that.
There’s also a mermaid statue here. We’ve seen The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen and were quite underwhelmed. We definitely prefer this one. It’s less touristy and has a better setting.
Oh, and despite the name, Dongbaek Island is not actually an island. Land reclamation connected it to the mainland years ago.
It’s free, takes 30 minutes to an hour, and sits right at the western end of Haeundae Beach. An easy yes!
12. Take a scenic walk on Songdo Cloud Trails
At 365 metres (1,198 feet), the Songdo Cloud Trails is Busan’s largest skywalk. It was on our Busan bucket list from the start… and it didn’t disappoint.
We went at sunset, and the views across the water and back towards the Busan skyline were genuinely lovely.
Parts of the elevated walkway have a glass floor, so you can look straight down at the sea and watch the fish below your feet. Apparently, we have a thing for glass floors over water in Busan…
It sits right next to Songdo Beach and the Busan Air Cruise, so it pairs naturally with both. The water here is noticeably clearer and less crowded than Haeundae or Gwangalli. And it’s completely free!
13. Check out Dakbatgol Mural Village
Dakbatgol is Busan’s lesser-known mural village. It has over 100 murals spread across steep alleyways and traditional houses, very few tourists, and a neighbourhood feel that Gamcheon simply can’t offer anymore.
We deliberately timed our visit for cherry blossom season. The streets were glowing pink, and watching the blossoms fall through the colourful alleyways with all the murals felt like walking through a K-drama.
Don’t miss the Stairs of Wishes (see picture), a colourful staircase with a free green monorail that fits two people. It’s a short ride, but a genuinely sweet look into local life.
If you’re choosing between this and Gamcheon, do both. But only if you have three or more days in Busan.
14. Explore Busan’s liveliest neighbourhood, Seomyeon
Seomyeon is Busan’s busiest entertainment district, similar to Seoul’s Myeongdong but smaller and less overwhelming. We’re not big shoppers or night owls, but we could have spent an entire day here just eating and drinking.
Lotte Department Store gives you a sense of the scale immediately… it’s massive. The underground shopping centres connected to the metro are worth a browse too.
And at night, Seomyeon’s bars, karaoke places, and restaurants fill up with LOADS of people.
Jeonpo Cafe Street, and specifically Hytte Roastery on the corner, is worth its own visit. The number of coffee shops competing for attention on the same street is genuinely overwhelming, in the best possible way.
Korean barbecue (KBBQ) is the move for dinner. We had it at Heuksoe Busan Seomyeon BBQ, and it was exceptional! The premium beef platter was beautifully marbled and the kimchi fried rice finished us off completely.
15. Hike to Seokbulsa Temple’s cliff carvings
We’ve seen many temples in South Korea, but Seokbulsa is unlike any of them.
There are giant Buddhas and Bodhisattvas carved directly into the cliffs on both sides, a small temple courtyard in the middle, and scenic views over the hills and the Busan skyline.
It felt a bit like an Indiana Jones movie. The only things missing were the snake pit 🐍 and the giant rolling boulder.
It’s quite a lengthy, steep hike through the forest of Geumjeongsan Mountain to get there, especially the last section, but that only added to the adventure. And there wasn’t a single other person when we arrived!
We’d only recommend it if you have three or more days in Busan, but if you do, go.
16. Browse a traditional Korean market
We’re not going to pretend we went to these markets looking for traditional Korean goods. But they’re the heart of Korean city life, and many Koreans still shop at markets like these daily.
Wandering through the market gives you a really good idea of how people actually live here.
Locals were shopping for clothes, kitchen utensils, beauty products, food… the kind of everyday stuff that makes you feel like you’re actually seeing a city rather than just visiting it.
We’d point you to two markets: Gukje Market near Nampo-dong is one of Korea’s largest, covered, and good for everything from street food to vintage wares.
And then there’s Bupyeong Kkangtong Market next door. It felt less touristy and more old-fashioned. Go after 7pm for the full night market atmosphere.
If you enjoy streets with a lot of character, you can make a small detour from Gukje Market to Bosu Book Street (just a 2-minute walk). It’s a small alley of second-hand bookstores. Most books are in Korean, but it’s worth a browse for the atmosphere alone.
Three things we’d skip in Busan
Busan is a great city to visit, but not everything lives up to the hype. These are the three Busan attractions we’d confidently skip on a first trip.
Busan X the Sky
We go up at least one observation deck in every city we visit, and we’ve done so in over 450 cities. Busan X the Sky was one of the more disappointing ones.
At 100 floors up, it sounds impressive… but that height works against it. You’re so far up that the city’s details disappear completely. You can’t make out people on the streets below.
The windows were noticeably dirty on our visit, with quite a bit of glare too. We later saw this was a recurring complaint from other visitors, so it doesn’t seem to be a one-off.
Busan Tower was our favourite observation deck in the city by a clear margin. Closer to the city, more character, and less than half the price.
Oryukdo Skywalk
Oryukdo Skywalk gets mentioned a lot as a Busan must-do. We disagree.
It’s a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge that juts out over the coast, with waves and rocks below.
It sounds great on paper, but it’s only 15 metres (49 feet) long. You’re done in under a minute. You also have to put black shoe covers on before walking out.
Plus, we took bus 27 for nearly 50 minutes to get there. We did the maths on the way back.
We mentioned the Songdo Cloud Trails earlier in this post. It’s much longer, surrounded by things to do, and a fraction of the travel time. Oryukdo didn’t come close.
Busan Museum
We LOVE museums. If there’s one in a city that covers its history properly, we’re in. But Busan Museum didn’t quite deliver on that promise. The exhibits are pretty thin, and the English translations are inconsistent throughout.
Large parts of the Korean timeline are only in Korean, which made it hard to follow without Google Translate as a backup.
It has free admission, which helps. But with so many more interesting things to do in Busan, we wouldn’t prioritise it. Unless it’s been raining for three days straight, or this is your fourth visit to the city.
Is Busan worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you want something different from Seoul. Busan is South Korea’s second-largest city and combines beaches, temples, colourful neighbourhoods, and great food in a way no other Korean city really does.
Is it our favourite city in South Korea? No. But it’s absolutely worth adding to your itinerary alongside Seoul if you have the time.
When is the best time to visit Busan?
The best time to visit Busan is March to May (spring) or October to November (autumn) for mild weather, fewer crowds, and the city at its most walkable.
We visited in mid-April during cherry blossom season, and the weather was ideal for walking around all day. Summer gets hot and humid, and Haeundae Beach becomes almost impossible. Winter is cold, and honestly there are better times to go.
How many days do you need in Busan?
Three to four days in Busan covers the highlights comfortably. Add a fifth day if you want to include a day trip to Gyeongju.
We spent over a week in the city, including tips from local friends who showed us spots we’d never have found on our own. Three days is the minimum we’d suggest for a first visit, but four gives you proper breathing room.
Is Busan walkable?
Each neighbourhood in Busan is totally walkable. The city itself is not. It’s large, hilly, and spread out, and getting between areas on foot isn’t realistic. The metro and buses are your best friend here.
We found ourselves on the metro or in a taxi (or an Uber) far more than we expected. But within neighbourhoods like Haeundae, Gamcheon, or Seomyeon, walking is completely fine!
How do I get around in Busan?
The best way to get around Busan is the metro, followed by buses, and then taxis or Uber for areas less well connected. Get a T-money card on arrival at any convenience store like CU, 7-Eleven, or GS25. It’s a prepaid card that can be used for all public transportation.
Most first-timers arrive in Busan via Busan Station, the main hub for high-speed KTX trains from Seoul, and it helps to be aware of the common pitfalls when travelling in South Korea before navigating busy stations and transport hubs.
One thing worth knowing: Google Maps has very limited functionality in South Korea and won’t show walking directions at all. Use Naver Maps or Kakao Maps instead.
What are the must-eat foods in Busan?
Busan’s must-eat foods include ssiat hotteok (seed-stuffed pancakes), milmyeon (cold wheat noodles), dwaeji gukbap (pork rice soup), ganjang gejang (raw crab marinated in soy sauce), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and Korean barbecue.
These dishes define the city’s food identity and most are unique to Busan or best eaten here.
We tried ssiat hotteok for the first time at BIFF Square, queuing with locals for it. One of the best street snacks of the entire trip. We also loved milmyeon far more than we expected. And tteokbokki? We love it, full stop.
Is Busan better than Seoul?
They’re too different to rank against each other directly. Seoul is bigger, faster, and more cosmopolitan. Busan is more laid-back, with beaches, seafood, and a completely different pace of life.
If we’re being honest, Seoul (South Korea’s capital) is our personal favourite of the two. But we’d strongly recommend visiting both if your itinerary allows it. They complement each other well, and together they give you a much fuller picture of South Korea.
What’s the best area to stay in Busan?
Haeundae is our top pick for first-time visitors. You’re right on the beach, close to the Sky Capsule and Dongbaek Island, and well-connected to the rest of the city by metro.
Seomyeon is the better choice if you’re more into food, nightlife, and shopping than beach life. Nampo works well if you want to be close to Jagalchi Market, BIFF Square, and Busan Tower.
We’ve covered all five recommended areas plus specific hotel recommendations in this Busan neighbourhood breakdown.
Planning your first Busan trip
One of our favourite memories from the entire trip was sitting on Gwangalli Beach at night, watching hundreds of drones paint the sky above us.
Busan mixes ancient temples on cliffside rocks, colourful hillside villages, coastal walks, and then a world-class drone show above the beach. We didn’t expect Busan to have quite so much variety.
Seoul might be bigger and faster, but Busan offers something very different. The pace is calmer, the coastline changes the feel of the city completely, and there’s plenty here to fill several rewarding days.
Still figuring out where to stay? We’ve broken down every neighbourhood worth considering in Busan, so you don’t have to guess.
And if the Sky Capsule is on your list, book early… it sells out weeks ahead!
Oh, and a day in Gyeongju is easier to pull off than most people think (and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our entire South Korea trip!).
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