Where to go in Busan

Where to go in each part of Korea, neighbourhood by neighbourhood: what it is like, what it is known for and what to do.

• Haeundae Beach & Dongbaek Island해운대 해수욕장 동백섬A long city beach with a skyline of towers behind it and a green, wooded headland at one end.
• Haeundae Mipo & Blueline Park해운대 미포 블루라인파크A quiet stretch of old rail line along the cliff, with small ocean-view cafes and a fishing-port feel.
• Gwangalli광안리A calm bay beach facing a long bridge that glows after dark, with cafes and bars right on the sand.
• Nampo-dong, Jagalchi & BIFF Square남포동 자갈치시장 BIFF광장Old downtown Busan, loud and salty, with fish stalls, street food and narrow market lanes all in one walk.
• Gamcheon Culture Village감천문화마을Pastel houses stacked up a hillside above the sea, with steep stairs, murals and little galleries between…
• Seomyeon서면Busan's busy downtown crossroads, full of restaurants, shops and nightlife around one big subway hub.
• Yeongdo & Taejongdae (Huinnyeoul Culture Village)영도 태종대 흰여울문화마을A hilly island at the edge of Busan, with sea cliffs, a lighthouse and a white village built above the waves.
• Songdo Beach & Amnam Park송도해수욕장 암남공원Busan's oldest beach, with a skywalk over the water and a wooded cape of sea cliffs at its western end.
• Gijang & Haedong Yonggungsa기장 해동용궁사A Buddhist temple built right on the rocks above the sea, where waves crash under the prayer halls.
• Busan Station, Chinatown & Choryang Ibagu-gil부산역 차이나타운 초량이바구길A harbor district of old stairways and Chinese-style gates, just across the road from the KTX terminal.
• Dadaepo & Molundae다대포 몰운대A wide, shallow beach at the edge of the city that goes golden at sunset, with a pine headland next to it.
• Dongnae-gu동래구An old hot spring district at the foot of Geumjeongsan, with a historic fortress town feel.
• Buk-gu북구A district on the Nakdong River, with a historic market street and a long riverside park.
• Geumjeong-gu금정구A mountain district north of central Busan, built around Geumjeongsan, its temple and its old fortress wall.
• Gangseo-gu강서구Busan's far western district: farmland, the Nakdong delta, and Gadeokdo island with quiet coastal viewpoints.
• Sasang-gu사상구A working district on Busan's west side, with factories and homes beside a wide riverside park.