Busan Activities

The new Busan Aquarium in Haeundae Beach adds excitement to the area year-round. The US$30 million facility was designed by a combined Australian and Korean team. It houses a total of 35,000 animals belonging to about 250 species. Of special interest are the 2.5-meter- long shark and giant turtle. Other facilities include an outdoor park, a simulator, theme restaurants, resting room, and souvenir shop. Though bigger than the COEX Aquarium in Seoul, Busan’s Aquarium admission charge is cheaper. Hours are 9:00 - 21:00 (9:00 - 24:00 during summer).

Children's Grand Park is a huge amusement park situated at the foot of Baekyang Mountain 3 kilometers from downtown. The Park is equipped with about 20 rides, a children's hall, a swimming pool, a zoo and forests as well as an extensive 6,800 square meter lake. In the vicinity of the lake are trails through the thick forest, making it an enjoyable place for walking. In addition, visitors can watch seal shows at the zoo or can view the entire city of Busan from the observatory. Admission is free early in the morning and at night.

Geumgang Park is located at the foot of Geumjeong Mountain. Strange rock formations, rock cliff faces, and a thick pine forest make strikingly beautiful scenery. A cable car runs to the top of the mountain. In the park one finds a zoo, botanical garden, world sea life exhibition hall, and other amusement facilities. Historic sites make the park an interesting place for people of all ages.

Jeju World on Jeju Island is a major amusement park, providing fun for lovers of thrills and rides.

Located on the sea, Busan is a place where you can relish fresh natural dishes ranging from raw fish, seafood soup, roasted eel to roasted beef and barbecued goat meat. The local specialty is raw fish. Also worth a try is grilled Dongrae - a traditional plate with Korea rice wine, known as makkolli.

The 6-story Shindonga Market near the Jalachi Fish Market in Busan harbor has many fresh seafood restaurants. The surrounding area has numerous and stalls which serve raw and cooked seafood. Along the main street in front of the market area you can find several restaurants offering regular Korean food, for those tired of fish. At night, many tent stands serve seafood and drinks outdoors.

The downtown Kukje Market area has many small restaurants serving Korean food. Mokja Golmok (“Let's Eat Alley”) contains countless street vendors serving all kinds of inexpensive snacks and sit-down food. The area has many bars, karaoke singing rooms, night clubs, restaurants and trendy shops that stay open quite late.

Gwangalli Beach is sometimes called Cafe Town. During summer, cafes with unique styles and colourful lights entice many visitors. Even in the winter, people can enjoy a different type of fun, sitting down by the big picture windows or enjoying romance. Large and small raw fish restaurants combine with several live fish markets to offer tourists and locals many opportunities to enjoy fresh seafood. People can choose from all levels of service from small stands to upscale restaurants. You can buy live seafood in the market then bring it to a fish restaurant, or you can select the fish you want at a restaurant, and they will prepare it for you with some hot and sour dipping sauce.

Head to central Seomyeon for Western restaurants, Burger King and Walmart.

Annam Park is a rocky tree covered peninsula jutting out into the sea. Hiking trails lead up to the park's peak, giving spectacular views of Busan, the surrounding cliffs, islands, and the South Sea. Several small areas along the paths have exercise equipment where the health conscious can build up their muscles, and benches for the weary to rest. A small foot bridge near the top feels very unstable when you cross it, but is actually quite secure. The park also offers tennis courts and a small break water for fishing. Several food stalls along the break water offer snacks, drinks and seafood dishes.

Dadaepo Beach peninsula represents Busan's southernmost area, jutting into the South Sea near the mouth of the Nakdong River. A network of trails covers several kilometres of the rocking outcropping, and many people come to the area for morning exercise or weekend picnics. Although a few areas are quite steep, the views of the coastline, small offshore islands, and the ships in the South Sea make the effort worthwhile. In addition to the ridge line trail, several paths go down to rocky beaches for fishing. The Korean military considers the area strategic, and a small camp, complete with a manned machine gun, overlooks the path from the beach. Signs warn against taking pictures and list several casualties over the years.

Jeju Island’s magnificent Halla Mountain and coastal highway are idyllic for hiking and biking. These scenic places grant fresh sea air and stunning views of the ocean and surrounding islets. In the springtime, the mountain and highway is vibrant with flowers. In the summertime, birds hover above the sea, crying out to their friends. In winter, the mountain peak is draped in snow and the sea becomes calm and quiet. All of these different aspects make it one of the most popular destinations for nature-lovers year-round.

Texas Street is the international hub of Busan. Located near the harbor and train station, many stores here cater to foreigners, selling blankets, hand bags, shoes, clothes, and leather goods. During its popularity as a red light district for military men based in Busan or passing through, it was called Texas Street due to the image of Texas in America as a wild, frontier area. Since then it has been formally named "Commercial Street for Foreigners." In recent years, signs in English have been replaced by Cyrillic ones to cater to the influx of Russian sailors since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Many shops and bars have also sprung up to cater to a new boom of Chinese speaking tourists who now come in greater numbers.

When a Busan woman gets married, she heads for Busanjin Market to find everything she needs to set up her new household. Everything from Korean and Western clothes to bedding and lines can be found here. Many shops sell silk and other raw materials for making clothes.

Kukje (Gukje) Market, located in downtown Busan was originally formed by Korean War refugees, and has grown into Busan's largest market. Here you can find just about everything and the best wholesale prices for clothing, silk, linen, curtains, bags, glasses, and many imported items. The stores are small and the vendor-filled alleys are narrow. If the weather is too hot or cold, there is also an extensive underground shopping arcade. Kukje Market spills out into the streets and continues into Kwangbok-dong & Nampo-dong. Along its southern boundary is the Jagalchi Fish Market.

Stretching between Kukje Market and City Hall in the Kwangbok and Nampo-dong areas over 1,000 shops selling name brand goods. Many street vendors with hand bags and fashion accessories also line the streets offering very attractive prices. The area is popular with the younger generation, especially due to nearby BIFF Square. BIFF Square holds the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) every year. Officials have attempted to create a Hollywood-like atmosphere by having hand prints of famous movie stars and directors in the sidewalk. At night, street vendors of all sorts come out and make the area even more crowded. An underground shopping arcade has many shops offering the latest fashions for clothes and accessories, CDs, and other trendy items. When the outside weather is nice, many shoppers still come here. When the weather turns wet or cold, it gets very packed with people mingling around trying to avoid the elements.

Seomyeon offers a multitude of malls, theaters, traditional market places, Western restaurants, and an underground shopping center which sells clothing, shoes, jewelry and home appliances. Lotte Department store houses about 600 retail shops. Western restaurants and Walmart are here as well. There is also a cultural square known as BIFF Square as it hosts the annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) . In addition, there are year-round concerts and performances held in the square. Seomyeon is especially crowded as it is the only transfer point on the subway and many bus routes stop here. It is definitely worth a look for a place to hang out at night or shop during the day.

Choryang (Shanghai Street, The Russian District) is where you can find all the Western-sized clothing, underwear and shoes. You can find a jacket of your favourite American sports team. There are lingerie shops which sell lingerie, of course, but also perfume and cologne. Shopkeepers speak English and Russian and accept payment in US dollars or Korean won. This area becomes more of a "red light" district in the late evening.

Jagalchi Market is the local fish market, but there is a lot more than fish; that's why it is always crowded. You can find Western-style food, military surplus and Western movies, CDs and media. There is a movie theater featuring Korean and Western movies. They sell inexpensive clothing as well. There is an Outback Steakhouse and an Italian restaurant, plus other restaurants with nice atmosphere. Great place to hang out for an afternoon.

Busan Electronics Products General Market is the place to go if you couldn't find enough electronics elsewhere in Busan. They sell TVs, refrigerators, rice-cookers, washing machines, etc. They have especially lower prices than anywhere else in Busan.

Duty Free shopping is at at Kimhae Airport, equipped with famous brand boutiques such as Max-Mara, Bally, Cartier, Burberrys, Dunhill, and Missoni. Items from Cartier, Hermes, Rolex, Gucci, Omega, Piaget and Chopard can be purchased 30-40% cheaper than at the open market. In addition, the Busan International Ferry Terminal Duty Free Shop focuses on tobacco and liquor. Other products include perfume, cosmetics, and Nina Ricci, which are sold at reasonable prices.

Busan is a city of sport. Having been one of the host cities for the 1988 Olympic Games, the 1986 and 1997 East Asian Games, the 2002 FIFA World Cup and Asian Games, as well as various football and yacht competitions, Busan offers world class sporting facilities. It is also home to the Lotte Giants, who play in the Korean baseball league and the Korean soccer team Busan I'park.

Gwangalli Beach is host to numerous beach sports. Sports enthusiasts can water ski, Jet Ski, wind surf, among others.

Haeundae Beach has always been popular in the summer where visitors can cruise the coast and island in motor boats, sailboats and cruise ships. People convene on the beach to walk along the boardwalk, fly kites, swim, sail, and look for shells in the sand.

Golf courses are at the Chungmun Tourist Complex, Busan Asiad Country Club, Busan Country Club, Kaya Country Club, Kyungju Chosun Country Club, and Tongdo Country Club. In addition, there is an indoor golf range at the Lotte Hotel.