This past weekend I took a quick trip to the coastal city of Busan. Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, after Seoul. Lucky for me, it only takes approximately 40 minutes to travel to Busan from Daegu. With only two days {and an endless amount of activities to partake in}, I had to prioritize my afternoons. I barely scratched the surface, however I’ve recalled my quick 2-day itinerary in Busan to share with you.
DAY 1:
8:56 AM – KTX from Dongdaegu Station to Busan
Since this was a somewhat last minute trip, an 8:56 KTX train was the earliest of its kind leaving the station of which I could still purchase economy seats {$17.00}.
9:40 AM – Arrive at Busan Station
I arrived in Busan approximately 40 minutes later and immediately hopped on the metro towards my hostel.
10:15 AM – Check into Hostel
Since I was staying quite central, the trip from Busan station to Beomnaegol Station took less than 20 minutes. I checked into my hostel, Bnb Busan Guesthouse Hostel and {unwillingly} had a lengthy chat about what to do and see in the city. Bless the host. For most, this would be considered extremely helpful information to have upon arrival. Personally, I was itching to get out and start exploring using the full itinerary I already spent hours creating.
11:36: AM – Bus to Gamcheon Cultural Village (부산 감천문화마을)
Due to the unanticipated warm welcome {god, I sound horrible}, I ended up leaving the hostel around 11:30 AM. The weather was perfect {sunny and 75} outside, so my first stop of the day was the famous Gamcheon Cultural Village. I have wanted to witness this village since moving to South Korea.
Many people refer to it as the Santorini or Machu Picchu of Korea. I can’t comment on Machu Picchu, but after spending some time in Santorini, I can confidently say I do not understand the reference. A more reasonable comparison {in my opinion} would be Cinque Terre in Italy or Chefchaouene in Morocco. Regardless, I had a fabulous time getting lost among the narrow alleyways. Two hours was a sufficient amount of time for me to snap some pictures, eat a small fish cake lunch, and wander aimlessly.
1:24 PM – Bus to Jagalchi Fish Market (부산 자갈치시장)
The famous Jagalchi Fish Market is known throughout the entire country as being the biggest and best in Korea. Getting to the market from Gamcheon Village took about 15 minutes making it easy to accomplish both activities in a morning. I didn’t stay too long because I’m such an animal lover {read sensitive sally} and could only handle so much fish gutting and chopping of heads. That being said, if you want to eat fresh seafood {and they mean fresh}, this is the place to be.
2:32 PM -Godabang Cat Cafe
At this point, I had a bit of time to kill before heading to Haedong
Once inside, I paid the entrance fee of $9.00 which includes a drink. I opted for a vanilla latte, as per usual. And guys, I was in heaven. These cats are so friendly and snuggly – I wanted to stay forever.
Address: (40-1 Gwangbokro) 48-2 2-Ga Changseon-dong, Jungu, Busan, South Korea
3:40 PM – Metro and Bus to Haedong
After cuddling some cats, I made my way to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple via metro, metro, and bus. That’s right, it took two different subway lines and a 30 minute bus ride to make my way out to this landmark. Talk about dedication.
5:50 PM – Arrive at Haedong
After nearly two hours, I arrived at the temple around 6:00 PM. This gave me ample time to capture some shots during the golden hour, as well as simply relax and witness nature at it’s finest. Feeling the ocean breeze while staring at one of the most beautiful temples I’ve come across this year, I felt at peace. It was a perfect way to end my first afternoon in Busan, South Korea.
7:25 PM – Leave Haedong
I began my journey back to the hostel as soon as the sun set over the horizon. It took me another two subway lines and bus ride, but the entire day had been well worth it.
9:20 PM – Arrive at Hostel
I arrived at the hostel around 9:20 where I took a shower and quickly got ready for bed. I fell asleep only a few minutes upon laying my head down on my pillow – the sign of a successful day of travel.
DAY 2:
8:00 AM – Free Breakfast at the Hostel
I woke up around 6:30 AM in order to get ready and be the first in line for breakfast at my hostel. Our lovely host prepared a vegetable curry with rice {free of charge} so I got the sustenance I needed to kick start my morning. Side note – rice and curry is a completely normal breakfast in Asia and something I am still trying to get accustomed to.
8:40 AM – Leave for Waveon
After breakfast, I walked to the closest metro station and once again made a long journey for a fanciest cafe I’ve ever witnessed. I took two subway lines, a bus, and nearly died walking along the Korean highway to eventually arrive at Waveon Cafe.
10:10 AM – Arrive at Waveon Cafe
When I arrived at Waveon, one of the employees informed me they didn’t open until 11:00 AM, so I had some time to kill. I took advantage of the photogenic exterior begging to be taken advantage of while I waited. As soon as 10:25 rolled around, the parking lot began to fill up. I had already taken a seat while I waited and found myself first in line when the doors opened. Unbeknownst to me, this is a local favorite because a line began to form. Eventually there were 20+ individuals waiting behind me to enter this magical location.
11:00 AM – Waveon Opens
Once inside, I understood the hype. The aesthetic of this cafe is simply stunning. I ordered a vanilla latte and some kind of layered cake with a cherry on top of it. I sprinted to the rooftop where I snagged the best seat in the house. The three story building overlooks the ocean and the rooftop provides you with a 360 degree view. I’ve never wanted a drone more in my life – and yes that sounds dramatic. But guys, this cafe and it’s location was so special.
I eventually made my way to the ground level where I took the only seat available which happened to be next to a few Korean soldiers who befriended me shortly after. It was a perfect way to spend my second morning in Busan. Although it’s a bit {read: a bitch} of a trek, I cannot recommend this cafe enough. No regrets.
1:10 PM – Leave Waveon
After a couple of hours, I decided to head back into town and check out the infamous Haeundae Beach. I’m not a typical beach bum when I first arrive to a destination – I prefer exhausting myself with sightseeing. Even so, I still wanted to take a glance at the much talked about beach.
2: 50 PM – Arrive at Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장)
Haeundae is the most famous beach in Korea {with the exception of beaches on Jeju Island} and always packed with tourists and locals alike. The picture above is the beach on a slow day. Just Google Haendae Beach, you will find pictures of insane crowds flocking to this beach during summer. I know I will return to Busan solely for the purpose of laying on the beach. After finally seeing Haeundae Beach, I only anticipate this more – minus the inevitable crowds.
3:55 PM – Head to Lovesome Cafe
Before arriving in Busan, I did my research on the most insta-worthy cafes and found… not much. At that point I scoured Instagram and found a few gems. Although I only made it to a few, I will have a list of insta-worthy cafes in Busan on the blog shortly. The most intriguing cafe {for my style} was Lovesome, and so I head in that direction after leaving the beach.
4:20 PM – Arrive at Lovesome
There is an entire street dedicated to cafes in Busan called Jeonpo Cafe Street {92 Dongcheolro, Jeonpo 1(il)-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan} located in the Jeonpo district. This is where Lovesome can be found, and it’s extremely hard to miss. The cafe is entirely pink, hence my attraction to it in the first place. The cafe specializes in strawberry flavored everything, so I opted for a strawberry smoothie since I was maxed out of my coffee intake for the day. This cafe wasn’t too crowded, despite its undeniable charm, and was a perfect way to relax and get some adorable shots.
5:00 PM – Walk to Hostel
After leaving Lovesome, I took advantage of the gorgeous weather and walked back to my hostel. The entire walk took a mere 23 minutes since I was located so centrally.
5:30 PM – Leave Hostel for Busan Station
After dropping my key off at the hostel and picking up my small suitcase, I made my way to Busan Station. It only took me approximately a half an hour so I impatiently waited for my train at the station. Quick tip: if you find yourself in the same predicament, there is a viewing platform on the second story of the main waiting area. You will get a view of some high risers as well as Gwangandaegyo Bridge (부산 광안대교).
7:00 PM – Train to Daegu
My train left at exactly 7:00 PM which got me back to Dongdaegu Station at 7:45ish.
9:00 PM – Home
I finally arrived home where I showered and prepared for school the next day. And by prepared, I mean overslept the next morning and was late.
Overall my weekend in Busan was one of my favorite so far in South Korea. I am so eager to return to the coastal city and continue exploring. As far as the blog goes, you can expect more Busan over the next week or so — including a vlog!
