Five Local Tips to Make Your Busan Trip More Enjoyable

If you're a foreign traveler visiting Busan for the first time, you might feel overwhelmed at times.

Questions like where to book accommodation, how to move around efficiently, and which restaurants to visit to avoid being overcharged are common concerns.

These are practical details that only locals who actually live in the city can truly understand.

In this post, I'll share insights based on real experience living in Busan to help foreign travelers enjoy the city more comfortably and thoroughly.

I've carefully compiled essential tips that you won't find in typical tourist guides but that locals know well.

If you're planning a trip to Busan, please use this as a reference.

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1. I Highly Recommend Staying in the Seomyeon Area

The location of your accommodation is a crucial decision when traveling to Busan.

Most foreign travelers tend to book hotels near Gwangalli or Haeundae, but actually, the Seomyeon area can be a much more reasonable choice.

 

Seomyeon is Busan's central commercial district and a major transportation hub where Busan Metro Lines 1 and 2 intersect.

From here, it's very convenient to travel to major tourist destinations like Busan Station, Gwangalli, and Haeundae.

Particularly around Seomyeon Station, there's a concentration of accommodations at various price points, including Lotte Hotel Busan, Ibis Ambassador, Toyoko Inn, and Arban Hotel.

 

The biggest advantage is value for money.

Even hotels of the same standard are relatively cheaper compared to beachfront locations, and there are many business hotels with clean and efficient facilities.

With the financial center and commercial facilities concentrated nearby, quality accommodations for business travelers compete to provide excellent service.

 

Additionally, Jeonpo-dong Cafe Street is right next to Seomyeon Station, giving you easy access to stylish cafes and restaurants. It's also an ideal location for dining and shopping.

With Seomyeon underground shopping center, department stores, and large shopping malls all within walking distance, you can spend plenty of time indoors even on rainy days.

 

Most importantly, since Seomyeon is the center of Busan's public transportation network, you can easily get anywhere.

Having an itinerary that includes visiting Haeundae Beach in the morning and watching the night view at Gwangalli in the evening becomes much more manageable when using Seomyeon as your base.

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2. Use Geumnyeonsan Station When Going to Gwangalli

When visiting Gwangalli Beach, most tourists get off at Gwangan Station.

Since the station is named Gwangan, it's natural to assume it's the closest.

However, Geumnyeonsan Station is actually closer to Gwangalli Beach.

 

If you exit through Exit 3 or 5 of Geumnyeonsan Station on Busan Metro Line 2, it takes about 10 minutes on foot to reach Gwangalli Beach.

From Gwangan Station, you need to walk about 15 minutes, so you can save approximately 5 minutes.

Especially on hot summer days or when carrying luggage, this 5-minute difference feels significantly larger.

 

Using Geumnyeonsan Station has another advantage.

The alleyways from the station to the beach are filled with unique and stylish cafes.

Small cafes, dessert shops, and brunch restaurants that capture Gwangalli's distinctive vibe are hidden in these alleys.

You can experience a much more relaxed and local atmosphere compared to the main boulevards from Gwangan Station.

 

The area around Geumnyeonsan Station has relatively fewer tourists, making it nice for a quiet walk. Since it connects directly to the beginning of the beach, you can slowly stroll from the starting point of the white sand while enjoying the full view of Gwangan Bridge.

 

Even during the Busan Fireworks Festival in November, Geumnyeonsan Station tends to be less crowded than Gwangan Station, making public transportation relatively easier.

While both stations get busy during the festival, Geumnyeonsan Station's better beach accessibility allows you to reach your desired location more quickly.

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3. Plan Your Travel Routes by Separating East and West

Busan has a geographical characteristic of being elongated from east to west.

It can be broadly divided into East Busan with Haeundae and Centum City, Central Busan with Gwangalli and Namcheon-dong, and West Busan with Seomyeon and Nampo-dong.

If you try to visit all these areas in one day, you'll spend considerable time just traveling, leaving insufficient time for actual sightseeing.

 

Busan's public transportation system is relatively well-connected in the north-south direction, but traveling east-west takes longer than expected.

For example, traveling from Jagalchi Market in Nampo-dong to Haeundae by subway takes over 50 minutes including transfers. Using buses takes similar or even longer time.

 

Therefore, when planning your itinerary, it's more efficient to focus intensively on West Busan one day and center your schedule around East Busan the next day.

For instance, on the first day, tour West Busan attractions like Jagalchi Market, Yongdusan Park, Gukje Market, and Gamcheon Culture Village, and on the second day, travel around East Busan areas like Haeundae Beach, Dongbaek Island, Dalmaji Hill, Cheongsapo, and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple.

 

Gwangalli is geographically located in the middle, so it works well as an evening schedule for either day.

Especially since the night view of Gwangan Bridge is most beautiful in the evening, choosing Gwangalli as the course to wrap up your day is a good option.

 

Although the Busan Express Railway (BuTX) is scheduled to be built by 2035, which will make east-west travel much more convenient, for now, grouping areas together when planning your route is a smart way to save time.

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4. Consider Rental Cars Carefully

Many foreign travelers wonder whether to rent a car for their Busan trip.

To cut to the chase, if your main purpose is sightseeing in downtown Busan, I don't recommend renting a car. Busan's roads are quite challenging for beginners.

 

Due to Busan's mountainous terrain, the road structure is very complex.

There are many narrow alleys, many sloped hill roads, and tunnels everywhere.

Most importantly, there are almost no grid-pattern roads, making it difficult for first-time visitors to Busan to find their way.

Even when following navigation, the complex interweaving of elevated roads and surface roads makes it easy to get confused.

 

Additionally, Busan's driving culture is relatively aggressive.

Lane changes are frequent, and situations that can confuse even experienced drivers occur often, such as suddenly disappearing lanes or roads that lead in unexpected directions.

Traffic congestion during rush hours is very severe, and finding parking spaces is also difficult.

 

Busan's public transportation system is very well developed.

You can reach most major tourist attractions using only the subway and buses, and taxi fares are relatively affordable compared to other major cities.

Especially using apps like Kakao Taxi makes travel even more convenient.

 

However, if you plan to travel to Busan's outskirts like Gijang, Ilgwang, or Jeonggwan, a rental car is essential.

These areas have relatively inconvenient public transportation, and there are many courses great for enjoying drives along coastal roads.

Especially to visit places like Jukseong Cathedral, Imnang Beach, Ahopsan Forest, and Daebyeon Port in the Gijang area, having a car is convenient.

 

If you decide to use a rental car, you must obtain an International Driving Permit in advance, and it's important to be well-versed in Korean traffic laws.

Particularly, penalties for drunk driving are very strict, so you must be absolutely careful.

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5. Tips to Know When Purchasing Seafood at Fish Markets

The highlight of a Busan trip is undoubtedly fresh seafood.

There are various fish markets including Jagalchi Market, Millak Raw Fish Market, and Songjeong Fish Market, but foreign tourists visiting for the first time might feel anxious about prices or quality.

 

Recently, excessive pricing targeting tourists has decreased considerably.

The Busan city government continuously monitors for fair trade, and with active information sharing through SNS, merchants are also paying much attention to reputation management.

Still, there are points to be careful about.

 

First, it's better to choose stores run by younger generations when possible.

Young business owners are familiar with SNS marketing and tend to be more skilled at serving foreign customers.

Many can speak English, and prices are often clearly displayed.

Most importantly, because they're conscious of online reviews, they tend to have friendly customer service and conduct honest transactions.

 

Second, I recommend Millak Raw Fish Market or Shindonga Market rather than Jagalchi Market.

Jagalchi Market is Busan's most famous fish market, but because many tourists flock there, prices tend to be relatively higher.

Millak Raw Fish Market is located near Gwangalli Beach with good accessibility, and you can enjoy fresh seafood at slightly more reasonable prices than Jagalchi.

 

Third, when using the system of purchasing seafood at the market and then eating sashimi at a second-floor restaurant, always check the sashimi preparation fee and table setting fee first.

Generally, a table setting fee of 5,000 to 10,000 won per person is charged, which covers rice, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), vegetables, and other side dishes.

Confirming prices clearly at the start helps avoid uncomfortable situations later.

 

Fourth, seafood prices vary greatly depending on the season and weather.

Especially during periods when fishing is difficult due to typhoons or bad weather, prices can rise more than twice the usual amount.

This isn't dishonest trading but reflects the actual market situation, so understanding is necessary.

 

Lastly, getting recommendations from local friends or hotel staff is also a good method.

Restaurants that Busan locals actually frequent are often hidden in places not heavily visited by tourists.

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Busan is one of Korea's most dynamic and attractive cities.

I hope your trip will be more enjoyable and comfortable in this place where beautiful beaches and mountains, abundant food, and friendly people come together.

 

The tips introduced in this post were written based on actual experiences living in Busan.

Of course, there's no one-size-fits-all answer for every situation, but if you're a foreign traveler visiting Busan for the first time, these will definitely be helpful.

 

If you book accommodation in Seomyeon, get off at Geumnyeonsan Station to walk Gwangalli, plan your itinerary efficiently by dividing east and west, actively use public transportation, and wisely enjoy seafood, your satisfaction with your Busan trip will be much higher.

 

Busan's charm doesn't stop at simply visiting tourist attractions. Small cafes hidden in every corner of the alleys, restaurants favored by locals, a cup of coffee while watching the sunset, and the sound of seagulls heard along with the smell of the sea—all of these elements come together to create a special experience unique to Busan.

 

I sincerely hope your Busan trip becomes a time to truly understand and love this city beyond simple tourism.

Have a safe and enjoyable trip!