Busan is a large port city in South Korea. It is the second-largest city in South Korea and the fifth-busiest port in the world. Busan is sometimes referred to by locals as Pusan. Despite its size, Busan is a very relaxing city with great beaches, amazing view-filled hikes, and impressive sites to see. Two days in Busan will give you the time to see all the main sites and experience the culture, but it is also possible to see all the main sites in one day in Busan.
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History of Busan
Busan has a rich history dating back to ancient times. Once known as Geochilsan-guk, and it became a crucial port city during the Joseon Dynasty. It later played a significant role in trade on commerce between Korea, Japan, and China. Throughout that time, the city witness rapid growth, especially during the Japanese colonial period in the 1900s. During the Korean War, Busan served as a temporary capital. Today, it is known for its bustling port, gorgeous beaches, and vibrant cultural scene.
When to Spend Two Days in Busan
While any time of the year is a fantastic time to spend two days in Busan, spring and fall are the best seasons to visit. Spring brings the cherry blossoms and mild and pleasant weather. Fall brings the most crisp days with autumn foliage and the Busan International Film Festival. Summer brings more crowds, while winter brings cooler weather.
How to Get To Busan
Busan has an international airport where you can catch flights from many places in the world. Skyscanner is my favorite way to search for flights. However, we opted to fly to Seoul because it was cheaper. From Seoul, we caught a train to the main train station from the airport and then caught another bullet train to Busan. It took about two hours to get from Seoul to Busan and I thought it was much more comfortable than an airplane.
Transportation in Busan
Busan is very easy to get around. They have an extensive bus and train system. Each ride costs about $1. If you are going to spend one day in Busan, buy a one-day unlimited metro pass. This will take care of all of your transportation needs. I recommend buying a Cash Bee Card if you are going to spend two days in Busan. You can load these cards with T-money and it allows you to use any bus, metro, or bike in the city. It will deduct the amount used off your card and you can reload the card when the balance is low. You can also buy a day pass for $3.50. Taxis are also available.
Where to Stay for Two Days in Busan
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Busan hotels here!
There are lots of cool areas to explore in Busan. If you want to stay in the most central area, stay in the Biff Square Area. We opted to stay at the Hotel Foret Premier Nampo. It is conveniently located next to Biff Square, an area filled with tons of street vendors, and only a couple blocks from the metro. Best of all, we only paid $50/night! I would highly recommend this hotel and would stay here again. Other options include the Park Hyatt Busan and the Westin Josun Busan.
What to Do During Two Days in Busan
Day 1
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Cost: Free
Hours: 5am-7pm
How to Get There: Take bus 1003 to Bus 100 and get off at Yonggungsa Temple. It is about a 10-minute walk from the bus stop.
Start the day out at the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. The Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is located right on the seaside with impressive views of the sea. The original temple was built in 1376 but was destroyed during the Japanese invasions. This beautiful seaside monastery was then rebuilt in the 1930s. During Buddha’s birthday, there is a gorgeous display of lanterns. Plan to spend an hour or two wandering around the complex and enjoying the views.
Alternatively, you can book a guided tour that includes a visit to the Yonggungsa Temple.
Gamcheon Culture Village
Cost: Free
Hours: 9am-6pm
How to Get There: Take bus 87 to Yangseong Store
After spending time at the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, check out the Gamcheon Culture Village. This village was established in the 1920s, when the government wanted all the poorer people to be in one area near the city. Later, the houses were painted in bright colors and became the tourist attraction it is today. The Gamcheon Culture Village is often referred to as the Santorini and Machu Picchu of South Korea. This village is a gorgeous place to take pictures. Grab some lunch at one of the many cafes in the area. You can easily spend a couple of hours wandering the steep streets and eating all the snacks.
Busan Tower and Yongdusan Park
Cost: $6 General Admission for the Busan Tower, Park is Free
Hours: Daily 11am-7pm
How to Get There: Take the metro #1 to Nampo-dong.
Built in 1973, the Busan Tower offers great views of the city. One unique thing about Busan Tower is that it is not used to transmit anything, unlike Seoul Tower. Busan Tower is located in Yongdusan Park, which is a fantastic area to view the cherry blossoms when they are in bloom. There are also many walking trails which make for a nice stroll around the park.
Eat Dinner at Outdark
Cost: $$
Hours: 5pm-2am
Tonight, opt to have dinner at Outdark. Outdark is a chain of Korean Fried Chicken and beer restaurants throughout South Korea and several other places in Asia. All they serve is different flavors of fried chicken, fries, and beer! There are also several dipping sauces served with the chicken. The small portion is enough for at least two people.
Day 2
If you have enough time, add a second day in Busan. Today will be spent outdoors hiking and enjoying nature.
Oryukdo Skywalk
Cost: Free
Hours: 9am-7pm
How to Get There: Take bus 27 to the last stop.
The Oryukdo Skywalk opened in 2013 that overlooks the uninhabited Oryukdo Islands in the bay. Visitors are able to walk out on glass over the ocean. You will be required to put little booties over your shoes in order to walk out over the glass area. Plan to spend 10-15 minutes enjoying the views.
Igidae Coastal Walk
Cost: Free
Hours: 24 hours
This area has multiple trails to hike, but I recommend doing the 3-mile seaside loop known as the Igidae Coastal Walk. It goes right along the coast and has amazing views of Busan and the ocean. The Igidae Coastal Walk goes from Igidae Dongsaengmal (near the Oryukdo Skywalk) to the Oryukdo Sunrise Park. The Oryukdo Sunrise Park is a beautiful park to take a walk around in. If you want a shorter hike, the 1.2-mile forest walkway offers forest views that goes from Igidae Dongsaengmal to the Oryukdo Sunrise Park as well.
Korean BBQ
Cost: $$
After hiking around you may be hungry. Fill your belly with some Korean BBQ. You must eat at a Korean BBQ restaurant at least once when in South Korea. All the places we tried were great and all a little bit different. Just pick the first one you see and feast away!
Centum City
Cost: Free to look around
Hours: 11am-8pm
How to Get There: Take bus 5-1 to Centum Sensivill.
This mall contains the world’s largest department store, Shinsegae Centum City. Another popular attraction in Centum City is Spa Land. Spa Land is a Korean Style Spa/Sauna that is the perfect stop after a hike. It costs about $10 to enter and there are many pools to enjoy. The Centum City mall is also a great place to grab a meal at one of the many restaurants or the food hall.
Biff Square
Tonight, grab dinner in Biff Square. There is a TON of street food options and it is a perfect place to grab a meal. I recommend trying the dumplings and make sure to get a Hottak for dessert. A hotteok is a dough that is filled with brown sugar, honey, peanuts, and cinnamon. I only found them around Busan, so make sure to eat your fill of them during your two days in Busan.
More Than Two Days in Busan?
Beomeosa Temple
Cost: Free
Hours: 24/7
If you end up having more time in Busan, make sure to check out the Beomeosa Temple. This temple in the mountains that offers nice hiking trails around it. For those who would like to escape the busy city, Beomeosa offers temple stays.
Attend a Baseball Game
Cost: Tickets start at $6.50
If it is baseball season, don’t miss out on a baseball game at the Sajik Baseball Stadium, home of the Lotte Giants. It is a unique experience and quite different from American baseball. There are cheerleaders, a DJ, and you can BYOB and food into the stadium.
Total Costs for 2 Days in Busan
- Plane Ticket (From Los Angeles): $425/person
- Hotel: $50/person for 2 nights
- Transportation: $7/person for a 2 day unlimited pass
- Attractions: $12.50/person
- Total: $69.50 without airfare, $494.50 with airfare
Final Thoughts on Two Days in Busan
If you are able, I would opt for two days in Busan and allow you to see more than one day in Busan. You are able to get a nice sampling of the city and see most of the main sites. With one day in Busan, you can get a preview of Busan life and know what to come back and visit the next time. If you have more time, pair a South Korea trip with a trip to Japan.
22 thoughts on “10+ Fun Things to Do During Two Days in Busan”
South korea is high on my wish list and as you are studying there , You mentioned great details about food and places to visit.Will bookmark it for future reference
South Korea is awesome!
Looks like an amazing place! The architecture is gorgeous, the beach looks incredible and the food all looks delicious!
I am axious to go back!
Wow, Busan has such varied landscapes and is so colourful! I’ll have to put it on my bucket list.
It was so colorful!
What a delicious city to visit. Looks like you had a lot of fun.
The food was so delicious.
Busan looks like a great city with so many places to visit.i just love the temple ,it has a great view.would love to visit someday
I would recommend visiting!
South Korea has always been on my list, but I rarely see many travel posts about it. A few years ago I almost moved to Busan to teach English, but ended up not going through with it. This posts makes me wish I had! Can’t wait to read more of your posts!
Busan was amazing and I would try to get out there whenever you can!
Though South Korea is on my places to visit list, it was always Seoul and not Busan. But this guide has convinced me that I need to give it chance. Hopefully soon. Thanks for this blog!
I would try to go to both cities if you can!
I am always intrigued by South Korea but never knew about this colorful city – Busan. Strolling in Yongdusan Park with blooms of cherry blossom is really worth here. Gamcheon Culture Village is really a very colorful and photogenic spot.
The cherry blossoms were amazing!
You learn something new every day! Ive heard of Seoul but never heard of Busan. I would love to taste the Korean BBQ, im sure it was great. I would also want to take a hike on the coastal walk
Busan was so gorgeous and a great addition to Seoul!
Call me a weird, but this is the first time I’m learning about this city Busan! SK has been on my list lately and I cannot wait to visit the lovely country
A surprising amount of people had not heard about Busan!
That coastal walk looks amazing! I am so excited to visit in the summer. I am adding Busan to my itinerary now, thanks for sharing!
The coastal walk was my favorite! Although next time I would wear better clothes.