QUICK GUIDE TO BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA

Busan: the "Miami" of Korea
 

POPULAR ATTRACTIONS:

Enjoying breathtaking views at Gamcheon Village.

1.     Gamcheon Cultural Village:
This village offers a plethora of vibrant, scenic views filled with colourful houses and European style shops. Not only is it an artists’ paradise, but it makes for great pictures for photographers and adventurous travellers. Make sure to stop at a restaurant and try some taco gimbap! 

6:00 pm in Haeundae.

2.     Haeundae Beach:
Probably my favorite place in Busan, although I am biased because I live in Haeundae-gu. In the summer, the beach will be filled with umbrellas and joyous laughter (and soju bottles of course)! We call this place, the “Miami Beach” of Korea!

3.     Shinsegae Centum City:
The Shinsegae Centum City Department Store is officially registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest department store and it never fails to uphold its title. With shops ranging from Hermes and Prada, to underground urban shops, you can buy just about everything and anything. I call it a consumer’s paradise, and it is not bad on the eyes either. The aesthetic and architecture leaves you wandering around the mall in awe.

View of Shinsegae Mall from the bottom floor. Your girl got low for this shot.

WHY IS BUSAN THE BEST CITY?

            Although Busan is known as more of a “conservative” city of South Korea, I still find the culture to be young and vibrant. As the second largest city in South Korea, following Seoul, Busan has a great mix of landmarks, people and attractions to keep everyone entertained. I am a huge fan girl of big cities, and Busan offers a perfect blend of city and country life, as there are futuristic modern areas, as well as mountainous taverns and an abundance of hiking trails. There is a large expat community who never fail to take the streets and have a good time. The nightlife is amazing, as a typical night doesn’t end earlier than 5:00 am. I find Busan an enjoyable city with many beaches, such as Heaundae and Gwanganli Beach, to have it double as a popular summer tourist spot.

THE NEGATIVES?

            The only downside of living in Busan is its proximity to Seoul. By KTX fast train, it is about 3 hours away, which makes it hard to make a trip unless you have a long weekend. Although Busan is a vibrant city on its own, it’s always nice to be able to easily visit the country’s capital. In addition, flights leaving Gimhae Airport in Busan are relatively more expensive than flights leaving from Seoul. But, with beaches and warmer weather, we can’t have it all, right?

Check out my feature on THENEXTSOMEWHERE for more travel guides on Korea's best cities: http://thenextsomewhere.com/2016/03/23/best-city-in-korea-part-two/