[Travelogue] 8 Days 7 Nights Free Trip to Busan, South Korea 2025
From south to north, use the VISIT BUSAN PASS to explore beautiful sights and enjoy delicious food, starting your personalized Busan journey.
Gwangandaegyo Bridge
Background
Last year, during the 2024 “Second Visit to Kyushu 9-Day Free Travel, Entering via Busan→Hakata Cruise”, I entered Japan Fukuoka by ship from Busan, South Korea. That time, I only spent a short morning in Busan, briefly visiting Haedong Yonggungsa Temple and Haeundae. This July–August, with some work breaks, I set off again to explore Busan more deeply, this time with my equally free-spirited Pinkoi colleague Sean.
Date: 2025/07/29–08/05
TL;DR
Summary: Although Busan, South Korea, lacks the quietness and order of Japan, it offers a relaxed atmosphere and warmth of human connection.
Must-Visit Attractions:
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[North] Skyline Luge
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[North] Busan Yacht Tour Y Holic
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[North] Capsule Train
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[North] Jjimjilbang
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[North] Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
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[North] Shinsegae Department Store
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[South] Yeongdo Bridge
Must Eat:
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[North] Grilled Eel — PUNGCHEONMAN
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[North] Salt Bread — Jayeondo saltbread
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[South] Milgot Red Bean Cream Mugwort Glutinous Rice Cake
Must-Have:
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Korea Busan Pass VISIT BUSAN PASS (A must-have, saves a lot of money)
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Korea Busan Pass VISIT BUSAN PASS (A must-have, saves a lot of money)
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Korea Busan Pass VISIT BUSAN PASS (A must-have, saves a lot of money)
Things I didn’t get to eat this time: seafood pancake (missed), pork soup rice (had it last time), live octopus (don’t eat raw, many on IG got food poisoning), marinated crab (don’t eat raw)
Pre-Trip Preparation
Transportation
Flight Tickets
Busan Air (includes 15KG checked baggage).
Price: NT$6,728 / person.
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Departure: 07/29 (Tue) Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) 16:25 -> Busan Gimhae (PUS) 19:55
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Return: 08/05 (Tue) Busan Gimhae (PUS) 10:50 -> Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) 12:35
Total days: 8, Actual travel days: 6 (The first and last days are basically just for flights).
Transportation Card
KKday Physical Transportation Card
This year, iPhone can directly use the Tmoney in the Apple Wallet transit card, allowing easy top-up and use; however, I had already topped up a physical card purchased last year, so I didn’t use it.
Starting this year, you can also top up your transportation card directly through the Wowpass App. The process involves first loading money onto Wowpass using a credit card, then transferring funds from Wowpass to Tmoney. This method has more steps and requires a handling fee.
For any type, it is recommended to top up in Taiwan using a credit card (since some machines may only support certain card issuers) or bring some cash to Korea to top up at the machines. Naver Map
Bus Rules
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Bus rules in Busan: Carry-on luggage larger than 20 inches and handheld beverage cups are prohibited (holding but not drinking is also not allowed; you will be stopped).
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For buses, always board from the front door and exit from the rear door; the card reader at the front door is usually located behind the driver’s seat.
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Also, stores do not accept outside trash, so if you bring your own iced drink, it’s best to finish it and throw it away at the attraction or department store before leaving, otherwise it can be troublesome.
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For two or more people, you can just take a taxi comfortably. Busan has many taxis that are cheap, new, and very convenient.
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Please confirm the direction before entering the subway station
Korea Busan Pass VISIT BUSAN PASS
Busan Pass comes in two types: unlimited use for a limited time (24/48 hours) and limited use within 180 days.
KKday 2025/08 Busan Pass Information
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Because the itinerary is spread over these 8 days and the attractions we want to visit are limited, we chose to buy two BIG5 passes.
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Price: NT$1,380 * 2 tickets = NT$2,760
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Show the order QR code directly on the electronic version for use
Actual usage is as follows:
KKday 2025/08 Busan Pass Information
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One less blue spot (Did not visit Taejongdae)
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I rode the Haeundae Coastal Train once per day for two days.
Busan Yacht Tour Y Holic Reservation ⚠️
To use the Busan Pass for the Busan Yacht Tour, you need to make a reservation with the boat operator first. We chose Y Holic as an example.
After purchasing the Pass, contact the boat operator through the following channels:
IG: @yachtholic_info (We contacted through Line)
LINE: @yachtholic
Email: [email protected]
WeChat: yachtholic
Provide the number of people, date, time slot, email or contact information, and the QR Code for the Busan Pass.
Waiting for confirmation. Once approved, the reservation is successful!
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For the night session (18:00), an additional fee of 5,000 KRW per person is required. You can pay on-site or transfer in advance.
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Arrive 30 minutes early to queue for identity verification
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We planned to watch the sunset around 18:30.
If you don’t want to buy the Pass, you can directly book the yacht tour.
Korea Busan｜Haeundae Blue Line Park Coastal Train & Sky Capsule Train Ticket
Please note: The Coastal Train and the Capsule Train are different. Do not buy the wrong ticket. The beautiful Capsule Train is not included in the Busan Pass and requires a separate ticket purchase; it is very popular, so be sure to book in advance before your trip.
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Sky Capsule Departure from Uipo
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2-person seat (1 ticket for 2 people)
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Price: NT$861
Korea SIM Card｜Korea High-Speed Unlimited Data eSIM
- 7-day unlimited data plan (Did not purchase because I went to the airport on the last morning)
Naver Map
Interlude — The Day Before Departure, I Found My Naver Map Account Locked
https://help.naver.com/service/5640/contents/20783?lang=en&osType=COMMONOS
The reason is suspected to be that logging in from Taiwan triggered Naver’s account protection mechanism due to suspicious activity.
You can reactivate your account through identity verification, but I’m not sure if it’s because I forgot what name to enter or if foreigners can’t pass the real-name verification. No matter what I entered, it always showed incorrect information, and eventually, the account got permanently locked.
According to online information, you can fill out a form to request lifting the protection mechanism “ Members residing outside of Korea_Request to lift account protection measures”, but I was unsure about the name issue, so my first request was rejected:
Appeal Failed
For the second time, I directly went to the Help Center to fill out the application form:
The content of my appeal:
1. Your NAVER ID.
Your Naver account. If you forgot your ID, you can recover it using email or phone number.
2. The registered name, date of birth, and contact information (mobile phone number or email address) of your NAVER ID.
Date of birth: YYYY/MM/DD The birthday you registered
Mobile Number: +886XXXXXXXXX The phone number you registered
Email: The email you registered
Registered Name: Sorry I really forget which name I've input, it may be one of the following:
Possible name combinations you want to try
XXXXX LI
LI XXXXX
XXX
李XX
but my real first name is XXXX, last name is Li
3. Attach your overseas identification card.
As attached file.
4. The details of your request to the NAVER Help Center.
I forgot the name I input and want to lift the account protection measures.
The more information you can provide, the better. Finally, attach a file with a photo of the passport personal information page.
Then it was successfully unlocked:
You will receive a temporary password email. Use the temporary password to log in to Naver Map. Remember to change your password and enable two-factor authentication login (because we have disabled Naver’s login protection mechanism).
Naver’s response is quite fast, usually resolving issues within half a day; if you worry about being locked out unexpectedly, you can first apply for “ Members residing outside of Korea_Request to lift account protection measures “ ( Refer to this guide _).*
Food
The only advance reservation made was for the Korean beef BBQ in the west, Hwanokjeom Jeonpo Branch.
CatchTable
Speaking of Catchtable, this platform is quite convenient for booking Korean restaurants in advance.
Fun
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Day 1 07/29 (Tue): Arrive in Busan, Head Straight to Haeundae Hotel
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Day 2 07/30 (Wed): Morning Skyline Luge, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple; afternoon Coastal Train + Capsule Train, return to Haeundae, Busan BUSAN X the SKY; evening Mijeon Wang BBQ
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Day 3 07/31 (Thu): Morning Cheongsapo, honey butter toast, coastal train back to Haeundae, afternoon Spa Land, evening Busan yacht tour, grilled eel for dinner
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Day 4 08/01 (Fri): Move to Nampo-dong, Songdo Marine Cable Car, Yonggung Cloud Bridge, Gamcheon Culture Village, Throat Pot Lid BBQ for dinner, Busan Tower night view
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Day 5 08/02 (Sat): Lotte Department Store, Yeongdo Bridge Opening (only on Saturdays)
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Day 6 08/03 (Sun): Lotte Department Store, Bupyeong Can Market, Baeksan Bay Cultural Village, Bokcheon Temple Night View
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Day 7 08/04 (Mon): Move to Seomyeon, have Korean beef for dinner
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Day 8 08/05 (Tue): Gimhae International Airport, Busan, Return Trip
Accommodation
Benikea Haeundae Kolon Hotel (Day 1 — Day 4, Three Nights) )
The location is quite convenient, about a 10-minute walk to Haeundae Main Street. The room has windows but no sea view, with twin beds for two people.
- Price: Actual cost NT$12,032, about NT$2,000 per person per night.
Hotel Noah (Day 4 — Day 7, Three Nights)
About a 5-minute walk from Jagalchi Subway Station, directly across the street is BIFF Square. The room has windows and twin beds.
- Price: Actual payment NT$7,783, about NT$1,298 per person per night.
Air Sky Hotel (Day 7 — Day 8, One Night)
Only one stop from the airport, the total time for waiting, riding, and walking is about 10 minutes. The room has windows and two single beds.
- Price: Actual charge NT$2,835, about NT$1,418 per person per night.
Side note: After completing the booking, this hotel will send an automated message requesting a deposit. If you have already paid the full amount at the time of booking, you can ignore it.
Visa
South Korea offers visa-free entry. You only need to fill out the online entry application form three days before departure, and you can complete immigration upon arrival with just your passport.
Ready to go, let’s start!
Day 1 07/29 (Tue) Taiwan to Haeundae
~=13:30 Arrive at Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 2
Check-in counters open around 13:50, with check-in and baggage drop completed by about 14:10.
You can first complete online check-in and seat selection (free) on the Busan Air official website here.
14:30 Complete Immigration + Eat Something
Since we had to head straight to the hotel after landing in Busan, we ate well in Taiwan beforehand.
15:00 Start waiting for the flight, activate eSIM
Because I was worried about poor airport Wi-Fi, I activated the eSIM in Taiwan first via Taiwan eSIM Activation.
~=16:40 Flight Departure
Slight delay of 15 minutes for takeoff, the seats are quite small.
~=20:05 Arrive in Busan, South Korea
Busan Airport is a joint military-civilian airport, and photography is prohibited.
~=20:30 Pick up luggage + complete immigration clearance
First, went to the convenience store at the airport to buy some snacks for energy, exchanged money, and took a short rest.
~=21:00 Arrive at Gimhae Light Rail — Airport Station
It takes about a 5-minute walk from the airport.
First, accompany Sean to top up the transportation card. There are two machines here for topping up transportation cards (Self Service Charger), and you can only add value in multiples of 1000 KRW.
After swiping your card to enter, please find the platform heading to Sasang Station. The next stop is “West Busan Distribution Area.”
~=21:15 Arrive at Sasang to transfer to the Green Line
Just follow the green signs on the ground to transfer from the light rail to the subway Green Line, heading towards “Changsan” (the other direction is “Yangsan,” don’t confuse the characters). The next stop is “Gamcheon.”
~=21:20 Arrive at Green Line Sasang Station to wait for the bus
~=22:20 Arrive at Haeundae
When approaching Haeundae Station, the subway announcement includes the sound of seagulls.
~=22:30 Arrive at the hotel
~=22:50 出門海雲台大街覓食
The accommodation is located near Haeundae Traditional Market, which offers a wide variety of food.
~=23:30 Back to the hotel to start eating
Finally bought BBQ fried chicken in two flavors, traditional market spicy rice cakes, and convenience store alcohol.
One order of fried chicken is enough for two people; two orders are too much (like four orders in Taiwan). The actual cost was NT $1,210.
This mango wine (Iced tea highball with mango cubes) is delicious (5%). It contains canned mango chunks, and I later found out that Taiwan’s FamilyMart also carries it.
Day 2 07/30 (Wed) Skyline Luge, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Coastal Train, Capsule Train, BUSAN X the SKY, Mijangwang BBQ
09:30 Leaving — Super nice weather
There is a direct bus to Skyline Luge right at the hotel entrance.
10:25 Skyline Luge 👍👍👍
Around 10:30, we started lining up to exchange tickets (the Busan Pass must be exchanged before use). There were quite a few people, and we waited about 20 minutes to get the tickets. The Busan Pass allows you to choose between riding the luge twice or once on the luge and once on the zipline. Most people chose to ride the luge twice.
If you don’t have a Pass, you can also buy tickets on KKday first. _(Cheaper than buying on-site, but you still need to exchange the ticket to enter)*
After exchanging the ticket, go next door to choose a helmet that fits your size. Once you put on the helmet, you can take the cable car up.
~=11:00 Take the cable car
People all gather at the ticket exchange and purchase counters. There is hardly any queue for the cable car and luge ride afterward. During the cable car ride, you can see the track below. It takes about 5 minutes to reach the starting point.
If you are afraid of open-air cable cars, I noticed another cabin-style cable car nearby that seems to be opening soon(?).
11:05 Ready to Depart
You can overlook the adjacent Lotte World from above.
For first-time riders, a hand stamp will be given upon entry, and staff will provide a brief tutorial.
The operation method is basically:
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Keep your legs straight
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Move backward, apply the front brake
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No stopping midway, no stopping midway, no stopping midway; if you stop completely, it’s very hard to keep sliding.
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Slow down before turning to avoid flipping over.
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Beware of overtaking
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Both hands must control; holding the phone is not allowed. There will be cameras taking photos along the way, which you can purchase at the souvenir shop.
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Be careful not to lose your personal belongings.
It takes about 6 minutes to scroll from top to bottom.
Next are the souvenir centers and places where you can buy photos taken along the way.
Pass through the souvenir center back to the entrance, then line up again for the cable car.
This time, we lined up at the entrance gate (you can play directly without staff instruction).
H-sheng.
11:45 Leave and head to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
After exiting Skyline Luge, walk straight across the street to reach Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. It takes about a 10-minute uphill walk.
11:55 Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Since I visited last year, this time I just took a quick look around.
Arrived at the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple vendor entrance around 11:55.
This time I discovered that you can also enter Haedong Yonggungsa Temple from the right side of the entrance sign, which is a gentle downhill path leading directly to the main hall; the entrance side has steep stairs that are hard to climb.
12:45 Waiting for the bus to Songjeong Station
Busan has good heat relief measures. There are umbrellas at traffic lights, and most bus stops have fans that you can turn on with a button.
The route plan is shown in the image below:
Take a bus and walk from Skyline Luge to Songjeong Station of the Coastal Train, then take the Coastal Train to Cheongsapo Station, and transfer to the Capsule Train back to Haeundae.
~=13:15 Arrive at Songjeong Station
It takes about 10 minutes to walk here from the bus stop. It’s very hot and sunny.
The 13:30 slot was full, so I booked the 14:00 slot. ( Timetable )
Side note: The station staff did not allow the use of the Busan Pass PDF file and insisted that we must open the voucher from the KKday App.
The Busan Pass tickets can be used once per day and per station, so you can actually stop at various attractions along the route.
It’s still early, so let’s grab a bite at the convenience store; right outside Songjeong Station is Songjeong Beach (which seems less crowded), and there’s a convenience store nearby.
~=13:40 Start waiting for the bus
Remember to line up early for the bus, or you’ll end up standing at the very back.
After exiting the station, walk all the way to the platform. You can start waiting for the train after ticket inspection at the platform.
Around 13:50, the bus will arrive, and the crowd starts to stir and line up.
~=14:00 Departure
Sitting in the second row, the view is quite nice.
~=14:15 Arrive at Cheongsap Port
After getting off, you can see the stairs to the 2nd floor on the platform, which lead to the Capsule Train boarding area.
Open the link in the KKday order voucher to find the ticket voucher. After going upstairs, show the voucher to the staff at the pavilion (we booked the 14:30–15:00 slot). They will give you a number tag. When your number is called, you can board. If the calling has already started, you have to wait until they finish calling.
During the wait, I went to the souvenir shop next door and bought a fan.
The capsule train also provides free fans (see the far right photo).
~=14:30 Capsule Train Number Call and Queue
When the time comes, the staff will start calling numbers in order for the queue.
There is air conditioning above the queue area. Your voucher will be verified right before boarding (remember to have it ready). After boarding, the staff will take a group photo, and you can decide whether to buy it from them after getting off.
~=14:40 Capsule Train from Cheongsapo -> Upo (Haeundae) Departure! 👍👍👍
It looks thrilling but actually goes quite slow; there’s no air conditioning inside the cabin, but there are fans and speakers where you can plug in your phone to play music.
Enjoy the scenery and take some trendy photos along the way (?)
~=15:10 Arrive at Oe-po (Haeundae)
Head towards the Haeundae area (tall buildings) and come out to the intersection. On the opposite right side is the famous and delicious Salt Bread — Jayeondo saltbread (will come back to buy later). On the left, walk down all the way to the entrance facing the sea, which is the Busan Sky entrance.
~=15:35 Busan BUSAN X the SKY
The glass facing Haeundae Beach is fenced off, so you can’t take photos up close.
There is a transparent glass floor bridge, but the glass is heavily worn, so the effect is so-so; there is also a transparent glass restroom.
Walking down to the café and souvenir shop, you can look back at the route the capsule train just took.
Ate a fish cake sausage stick to boost energy (taste was average).
Besides the cafes and souvenir shops, this floor also has free exhibitions.
~=16:00 Leave and walk back to buy Salt Bread — Jayeondo saltbread 👍👍👍
One order contains 6 pieces. I bought one to share at the hotel. The combination of fragrant, crispy texture with a slight touch of salt makes it very tasty.
There are many large-scale construction projects in Haeundae, seemingly preparing for the 2030 World Expo bid (which has already failed).
Rest at the hotel for a while, then go eat Mijeon Wang in the evening.
17:50 Arrive at 맛찬들왕소금구이 해운대점 — Matchandeul Salted Grill Haeundae Branch
There is a machine at the entrance for waiting. Enter your email to receive a notification. At 17:50, a small queue started to form.
Click the button to check the current number. You will also receive an entry notification email when it’s your turn, which is very convenient; also, be careful as the building opposite and next door are under construction.
18:25 Enter for Dinner
Waited for about 30 minutes before entering.
We directly ordered the double set meal (includes one meat each + soybean paste soup + pot rice) and a bottle of Cass beer, totaling about NT$1,500.
They will grill it well for you. Reviews say the meat tastes good but the portion is small and you have to wait in line.
~=20:30 After eating, return to Haeundae Main Street
Strolled along Haeundae Main Street to digest a bit and bought ice cream from a matcha specialty shop as a dessert to refresh.
Next door is the newly opened Olive Young Delight Project store, where I did some shopping; many items are buy two get one free, and you can get an instant tax refund on purchases over 15,000 KRW.
Went for a stroll at Haeundae Beach again before heading back to the hotel to rest.
Day 3 07/31 (Thu) Cheongsapo, Spa Land, Coastal Train, Busan Yacht Tour
Because I only transferred at Cheongsapo yesterday without exploring, I came again today.
11:00 Took the bus to Cheongsapo
The bus from Haeundae directly to Cheongsapo is a minibus. It passes through communities like Busan Sanso, where the roads are narrow and quite steep.
11:30 Arrive at Cheongsapo
Nearby, I randomly picked a place to have lunch (Gohyang katsu). I ordered a pork cutlet sandwich; the meat was thick, tender, and reasonably priced.
~=12:30 DIART COFFEE Honey Butter Toast
After lunch, we stepped out to the highly recommended Busan Honey Butter Toast at DIART COFFEE. We ordered one toast (₩10,000) and a coffee (₩5,500) to take a break.
You can refer to the card for how to eat it. In short, cut the bread into pieces first, then evenly spread butter and honey before eating.
The honey isn’t too sweet, combined with the buttery aroma and crispy bread, it’s delicious and not greasy.
~=13:30 Return to Cheongsapo to catch the coastal train back to Mi-po (Haeundae)
The ticket from yesterday was no longer valid, so I used the Busan Pass to exchange for a coastal train ticket again; here, since I boarded at a mid-station, I could only stand in the last row.
We passed by several observation decks along the way but didn’t get off because it was too hot.
~=13:55 Arrive at Oe-po (Haeundae)
After returning to Haeundae, I walked and took a bus to Shinsegae Spa Land.
~=14:30 Arrive at Shinsegae (SHINSEGAE) Department Store
No shopping, headed straight to Spa Land on the first floor.
14:40 Spa Land
Use the Busan Pass to redeem Spa Land access.
You can also purchase it in advance on Kkday even if you haven’t bought the Pass.
You will receive a sensor wristband upon entry. Use the wristband to store your shoes and clothes. Change into the special sauna clothes inside. You can also visit the sauna first (full nudity required) before going to the sauna rooms. The sauna entrance is in the direction of the women’s changing room.
The first floor has a sunbathing area, nail salon, snack stalls, and various types of jjimjilbang (sauna) rooms (during summer vacation, almost all are packed with people). The third floor has a restaurant (where you can eat grilled eggs and instant noodles), massage services, massage chairs, and a yoga room.
After the sauna, I went to the sunbathing area to lie down and soak up the sun, and ordered a drink (super sweet).
All purchases inside the venue are made by scanning the wristband, with payment settled upon exit.
Honestly, I didn’t get to experience the sauna this time; it was extremely crowded. I’ll try it next time.
17:00 Prepare to head to the yacht pier for the gathering
Reservation for the 18:30 session requires arriving early at the meeting point for roll call.
Before departure, I bought and ate some food at Shinsegae Department Store B1 to fill my stomach.
Take the subway to Dongbaek Station
After exiting the station, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach the pier.
The pier area only has vending machines and restrooms, which are dirtier and crowded with queues; it is recommended to buy what you need and use the restroom in the city before coming.
~=18:00 Arrive at the yacht pier
After passing through the tourist center, you will arrive at the pier meeting point. Each boat operator has a different pier meeting spot.
Around 18:15, the boat operator appeared to start lining up and taking attendance, collecting an additional night fee on site (5,000 KRW per person).
18:30 Yacht Departure 👍👍
Wear a life jacket when boarding the boat and sit in the front seat on the second level.
It runs slowly and smoothly, heading all the way across Gwangandaegyo Bridge.
However, if you are prone to seasickness, it is still recommended to take motion sickness medication.
General Route Map:
~=18:50 Arriving before Gwangalli Beach
About 20 minutes later, we will arrive at the waters in front of Gwangalli Beach, where many visitors are playing SUP. We will stop here and set off fireworks. The fireworks are lit together by the crew members of the yachts sailing during this time, but it’s still quite bright, so it’s hard to see clearly.
Staff along the way are also very enthusiastic in helping to take photos.
~=19:00 Return trip
Caught the sunset glow.
~=19:20 Back to Land
After returning to the mainland, I took the bus back to Haeundae.
~=19:35 Return to Haeundae
Haeundae Beach has markets and food trucks.
~=19:55 Head to Haeundae for Grilled Eel at PUNGCHEONMAN 👍👍
There were many seats available inside, so we came in without waiting.
We ordered grilled eel, grilled beef slices, two cold noodles, and draft beer, paying NT$2,387 in total.
Grilled eel is crispy, tender, and juicy, very delicious with no fishy smell at all; the grilled beef slices are good but ordinary; the buckwheat cold noodles resemble brown sugar shaved ice but actually have a soy sauce flavor with crushed ice, making them refreshing and tasty.
After eating, we went for a walk along Haeundae Street, visited Haeundae Traditional Market (forgot to try the seafood pancake, so frustrating!), and bought some souvenirs. Tomorrow we will leave Haeundae.
Day 4 08/01 (Fri) Nampo-dong, Songdo Marine Cable Car, Yonggung Cloud Bridge, Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan Tower
09:15 Head out to Nampo-dong
Early in the morning, prepare to leave Haeundae and head to Nampo-dong.
~=10:30 Arrive at Jagalchi Station, Hotel Noah hotel
Luggage Storage.
BIFF Square
Right outside the hotel is BIFF Square, which is lively and convenient.
~=11:00 Lunch — Hongkong 0410 Nampo 1st Branch
Near noon, we casually picked a restaurant inside BIFF for lunch. This one serves Korean-Chinese cuisine.
Ordered fried dumplings, sweet and sour pork (medium, felt like a small portion would be enough), and Korean black bean noodles.
Fried dumplings are a bit greasy, but the sweet and sour pork is good.
12:15 Take the bus + walk to Songdo Cable Car Station
After getting off the bus, there’s about a 10-minute walk. It’s too hot, so I first went to a convenience store to get a self-made iced latte to cool down.
After entering, line up at the counter to exchange your Busan Pass for the cable car ticket (Pass is for the crystal cabin, round trip, so keep the ticket safe).
After getting the ticket, take the escalator upstairs to line up for the cable car. (They gave out lollipops, but I didn’t take one)
12:25 Board the bus
5–6 people per unit.
~=12:35 Arrive at Songdo
Turn right immediately and walk down.
Go down the stairs, turn right, and walk straight to reach the “Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge.”
~=12:40 Arrive at Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge
Use the Busan Pass at the nearby ticket counter to exchange for entry tickets.
There is no shade here at all, very sunny and hot, but you can get a bird’s-eye view of the entire Songdo Cable Car.
~=13:00 Return to Songdo Cable Car, queue for the cable car back
~=13:25 Leave Songdo and walk back to take the bus
There is also an observation deck near the cable car, but we skipped it because it was too hot.
Walk back to the bus stop, return to the city, then transfer to the shuttle bus to Gamcheon Culture Village.
~=14:20 Gamcheon Culture Village
We didn’t plan to take photos, just visiting spots; it felt like a rainbow village with some cafes. We strolled through quickly and then took the bus back to the hotel from another bus stop.
Here, the bus is a minibus, similar to the small buses on Yangmingshan. The driver drives aggressively, and it is very crowded.
~=15:00 Return to Noah Hotel for rest
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View from the room window
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I originally thought there were no coin-operated washers, but there is a free washing machine available in the third-floor restroom.
~=17:40 Depart to have dinner
About a 10-minute walk from the hotel.
~=17:50 Throat Pot Lid BBQ — Moggumung Nampo Branch 👍👍👍
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The unique feature is that the grill is a pot lid.
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The side dishes include a piece of vitamin C (I checked, and taking vitamin C before or after barbecue can reduce free radicals and lower the risk of cancer).
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At minimum, order three servings of meat, all grilled by the staff for you.
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Ordered two pork, one beef, two bowls of instant noodles, and Cass beer. Each meat portion was 18,000 KRW. Actually paid NT$1,060, which is very affordable, and the meat was delicious!! Highly recommend.
~= 18:30 Walk to Busan Tower
After eating, walk all the way to Busan Tower to digest a bit, about 20 minutes.
The whole way was lively, with many restaurants to eat at.
The navigation should actually be set to — 龍頭山紀念公園入口 Yongdusan Memorial Park Entrance , where there is an escalator going up; from there, you need to climb a bit of a hill (about 5 minutes).
19:00 Arrive at the foot of Busan Tower, wait for sunset before going up to see the night view
During this time, I visited the souvenir shop.
19:30 Go up Busan Tower
Show the Busan Pass at the first-floor counter to exchange for an entrance ticket.
You can scan the QR code on your Busan Tower ticket to play a puzzle game. Solving all the codes will earn you a small prize. (I have written the codes later on)
There were already many people waiting when I arrived.
19:45 Busan sunset glow.
20:00/20:10…There was a light projection and fireworks show, but the effect was mediocre.
20:00 Busan Night View
~= 20:10 Leave the tower
There are still many photo spots before leaving.
~= 20:15 Redeem Small Souvenirs
Before heading down the mountain, remember to go to the outdoor unmanned ticket machine (Ticket Box):
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Enter password:
19731121(Busan Tower construction date) -
You can use the voucher to redeem small prizes at the souvenir center in the blue building outside (not the one on the first floor of Busan Tower).
A small souvenir is a card, available in various styles. I chose a transparent Busan Tower card:
Descended all the way down from Yongdusan Park.
There is an escalator here!!! (Going up only, no down escalator; part of it is under renovation)
20:30 Return to — 龍頭山紀念公園入口 Yongdusan Media Park Entrance
Remember, it’s closer to go to Busan Tower from here.
Strolled around the shopping street and found an HBAF almond specialty store, which seems to have the most complete range of flavors. Bought the Yellow combo pack (with small bags inside) along with some unique flavors (popping candy that really pops, spicy stir-fried rice cakes) and popular flavors (honey, Oreo, corn) as souvenirs.
20:45 Return to —BIFF Square to buy late-night snacks
There are many street vendors here, and the floor has celebrities’ handprints.
Makgeolli, BHC Fried Chicken — BHC Chicken Busan Nampo Branch (right at BIFF Square) 👍👍
Finally bought and ate:
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Makgeolli: Similar to millet wine or fermented rice wine, very good.
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BHC Boneless Fried Chicken: The seasoning and chicken are tender and very delicious.
00:00 Good night, Nampo
Around 00:00, the street vendors all clear out.
Day 5 08/02 (Sat) Lotte Department Store, Yeongdo Bridge Opening (Only on Saturdays)
10:45 Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch, Lotte Supermarket — Lotte Dept. Store Gwangbok Branch Aqua Mall
Leave around 10:XX, Lotte Department Store opens at 10:30, walk there leisurely.
First, head to the B1 food court cafe to grab a casual breakfast. (So-so, the coffee was Lungo)
11:30 Start wandering around the department store randomly
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Bought a few clothes at the Kodak store (on average NT$300–$500 cheaper than buying through Taiwan resellers).
The store offers direct tax refund. -
Bought a handheld fan
Use the receipt to find the tax refund machine in the B1 food court to print the tax refund form, then claim the cash refund at the airport. (You can get back about NT$60)
- The water dance show starts every hour from 11 AM at the department store and is quite impressive.
12:30 B1 Downtown Burger
After getting tired from walking, we went to B1 for Downtown Burgers at noon; I get it, but American burgers also offer kimchi!
After eating, stroll around the department store rooftop observatory (very sunny and hot).
~=13:30 Walk out of the department store and wait outside by Yeongdo Bridge for the bridge to open
It’s very sunny outside, and more people gather as it gets closer to 14:00; at this time, an ajumma came over and told us that from 8/2 to 8/30, due to the heat, the event is moved to 20:00!! Shocking!! Then people started spreading the news that it was changed to 20:00, and everyone slowly began to leave.
Later, I saw an announcement banner on the railing. (The board on the left shows the regular schedule)
13:50 Return to Lotte Department Store and Lotte Mart to continue wandering around
Lotte Supermarket also sells some souvenirs and skincare products (similar to Carrefour).
B1 Tax Refund Machine
It took a long time to find the tax refund machine, located on a small path next to Din Tai Fung.
- If it’s not an immediate tax refund, you need to scan the receipt barcode here to exchange it for a tax refund slip, and then claim the money back at the airport. (A bit troublesome)
I just learned that Korea has different tax refund agencies: Global Blue, GLOBAL TAX FREE, Easy Tax Refund, CubeRefund, and eTAX FREE. You can only use the corresponding refund machines ; I saw a cash refund machine at Olive Young that was GLOBAL TAX FREE, but my receipt was CubeRefund, so I still had to get the refund at the airport.
16:35 Return to the hotel to rest
When tired from walking, I went to B1 to buy Korean red bean and peach snacks, along with a convenience store hand-shaken drink made with an old recipe (iced cup + banana milk + unsweetened black coffee), then took the underground street back to the hotel to rest.
19:00 Leave the hotel to visit BIFF Olive Young for a stroll
I didn’t get to explore Haeundae at all OY, so I took the time to check it out. This store is very large, with many friendly staff.
Souvenirs
19:40 Arrived at Yeongdo Bridge, waiting for the bridge to open
Under the bridge, there is a booth for composite souvenir photos.
Traffic control will start around 19:50.
20:00 Bridge Opening
First, watch from under the bridge. Around 20:05, when it’s almost done, start moving up.
There was a projection introducing the history of Yeongdo Bridge, but the projector angle on the first day seemed off, making it hard to see clearly.
20:15 The bridge lowered again, resuming traffic flow
20:30 Dinner — Ton Black & Tempura Nine
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On the way back to the hotel at night, I casually found a pork cutlet restaurant to eat (the pork cutlet was just as tender and delicious).
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One actual charge of NT$366
~=21:50 Return to the hotel to rest
Day 6 08/03 (Sun) Lotte Department Store, Bupyeong Canned Fish Market, Baeksan Bay Cultural Village, Bokcheon Temple Night View
Today was just wandering around to kill time. The content is not recommended for reference, purely for record.
10:00 Head out and eat first — Egg Drop
- Located in the shopping street opposite Lotte Department Store.
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Order at the machine on the first floor, take a number ticket, then go upstairs to find a seat (make sure to check for available seats first).
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Waited about 20 minutes
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Ordered a ham and cheese omelette toast + hash browns + iced coffee: 8,400 KRW
It’s good, but I think some brunch spots in Taiwan taste better than this.
11:00 Eat well before setting off again
On the way to Lotte Department Store, there is a “Big Shop” Busan souvenir store that specializes in Boogi and Busan-themed merchandise.
Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch, Lotte Supermarket — Lotte Dept. Store Gwangbok Branch Aqua Mall
Bored, continued browsing Lotte Department Store.
11:45 B1 Mukguk Table Steamed Cuisine Lotte Dept. Store Gwangbok Branch
After eating heavy-flavored food for several days, I wanted something lighter for lunch.
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Rice must be ordered separately.
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It has little to no flavor.
After eating, we strolled around a bit more.
12:50 Leave Lotte Department Store and head to Sky Eye Observatory — Yeongju Haneul Nun Observatory
Just wandered around nearby and found an observation deck I missed last year. There’s a direct bus (21 minutes), so I went there.
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Buses in Busan are almost all brand new electric buses with very cool air conditioning.
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Passing by Last year’s stop: Busan Station
13:00 Sky Eye Observatory — Yeongju Haneul Nun Observatory
After getting off at the bus stop, walk across the street and down to see it.
The view here is great, offering a full overlook of Busan’s Nampo area.
Heading down to Bupyeong Can Market — First, buy the colleague-recommended The Liter hand-shaken drink
- Only recommend: Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie, available in 600ML or 1,000ML sizes; refreshing and not too sweet, won’t make you feel more thirsty. Price is about 4,300 KRW.
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market
Inside the canned food market, there are many stalls selling dry goods, groceries, and seafood (like a traditional market). The area is quite large.
Bupyeong Can Market — Milgot Red Bean Cream Mugwort Rice Cake 👍
It is probably the most famous store in the canned market, known for its specialty — red bean cream mugwort rice cake.
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Since I don’t speak Korean, I just took a photo and showed it to the staff to order this.
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The staff said to keep it refrigerated when you get home, and it’s best to thaw it for half an hour to an hour before eating.
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Also bought a savory bread, which was pretty good!
Later, I took it back to the hotel to eat. The mugwort rice cake has a chewy texture paired with soybean powder and red bean cream filling. I found it quite unique and slightly sweet. If you pass by, give it a try!
Also bought another box of BHC Fried Chicken to have for dinner.
18:30 Depart Again
After resting in the evening, we went out again, mainly to visit Bokcheon Temple for night views. First, we checked out Baeksan Bay Cultural Village.
18:45 Baekcheon Bay Cultural Village
The most famous spot here is — Enjoy the view, coffee, and foot bath — VIEW, FOOT BATH CAFE foot bath café.
But since it was late, we just took a quick look around; there are many cafes and small shops along the coast, but maybe because it was late, there weren’t many people. The coastal walkway below was under maintenance and inaccessible. The weather was cloudy today, so the scenery wasn’t great.
19:00 Head to Bokcheonsa Temple
After leaving Baishan Bay, head up to Fuchuan Temple.
Originally, the map said the bus was only one stop away, so I thought I could just walk. After a few steps, I gave up; the map showed the bus was 1 stop (1 minute), but walking actually took about 20 minutes (all steep and shaky hills).
- Yeongdogu 1 or 5 are both fine
Take only one stop to the next station Sinseon Elementary School, then you have to walk the rest:
After getting off, I was stunned; it was still a very steep and shaky hillside. From here, I walked all the way up:
After passing the elementary school, you will see the entrance to Fuchuan Temple ahead:
This is just the beginning; you still have to climb a very shaky hillside all the way up to reach Bogwansa Temple:
Cars will be passing here, please pay attention to safety ⚠️
19:25 Arrive at Bogwangsa Temple
Arrived at Bokcheon Temple around 19:25 (almost exhausted). The map said 10 minutes, but since it was all uphill with breaks, it actually took about 25 minutes.
But the more tragic thing is — it closed! It closed! It closed!
That’s right, Bokcheon Temple is not really a public tourist spot; it’s a quiet temple that closes its gates at a certain time. According to colleagues, after around 18:00, you can only enter but not exit. They don’t rush people out, but once the gates close, no one is allowed in.
Tragic, we could only view the scenery from the loft outside the station. Later, some visitors who came because of its fame also stood there.
However, seeing us sweating heavily, the abbot threw two cans of ice water to us from inside. We were very grateful.
View of the cityscape from here.
Finally, I casually took a photo of the night view before heading down the mountain. I decided to come here after seeing photos from other bloggers:
This is what it should really look like inside
Going downhill all the way, everything is dark:
It is a very quiet village. After walking down, I took the bus back to Jagalchi Station.
Before returning to the hotel, I bought the Seed Sugar Cake at BIFF Square, where many people were lining up. I found it greasy and too sweet, not very impressive.
Around 22:00, it started raining in Busan! Luckily, our trip was almost over.
Day 7 08/04 (Mon) Busan Seomyeon, Shinsegae Department Store, Korean Beef
In the morning, head out and move to Seomyeon Station.
10:45 Arrive at Seomyeon Station
After arriving, I thought about storing my luggage directly at the subway station. Other places like Lotte Department Store also offer luggage storage.
Luggage storage here is very expensive: drop off at 10:45 AM, pick up at 8:10 PM.
Charged 6,000 + 7,000 KRW (about NT$280).
There is also an Olive Young in the underground shopping area at this station, so I restocked again.
11:00 Lunch Korean Style Knife-cut Noodles — Gijang Sonkalguksu
After shopping until nearly noon, head to a nearby market to eat Korean-style knife-cut noodles.
The menu choices are simple, only knife-cut noodles and seaweed rolls.
We ordered seaweed rolls to share, and I had the knife-cut cold noodles. The noodles were very chewy and refreshing; the downside was the lack of toppings (meat), making it a plain carb-only dish.
After eating, walk back to Lotte Department Store.
The Liter Seo-myeon Medical Street Branch
Bought another Liter of blueberry smoothie yogurt to refresh the palate.
- The ajumma here is very enthusiastic.
Lotte Department Store — Busan Main Branch
I found it hard to shop here, or rather, it’s even harder to shop than at Lotte Department Store - Gwangbok Branch yesterday. There are fewer floors and fewer stores; the only advantage is the large public rest area upstairs where you can charge your devices and rest.
There is also a Busan souvenir shop here, but it has far fewer items than the one in Nampo.
After visiting the LEGO store, not sure where to go next, so I took the bus to explore Shinsegae Department Store.
Another NC Department Store in Seomyeon has closed. If you want to shop elsewhere, you can try Jeonpo Coffee Street, which has many small shops (similar to the Dong District vibe), but it may not be very interesting for men.
Busan is good!
The slogan “Busan is good” is seen everywhere in Busan. Indeed, the travel experience was excellent—there are many buses, transportation is convenient, buses are new and cool, prices are cheap, and the food is delicious.
Shinsegae Department Store — Shinsegae Centum City 👍👍👍
A few days ago, I only visited Spa Land and didn’t explore the rest. This time, I’m making up for it.
Shinsegae Department Store is huge (Guinness World Record holder for the largest) and has a lot to explore.
If you haven’t had enough shopping, next door is also Lotte Dept. Store Centum City Branch.
Consisting of two buildings, each with several floors, and each floor is quite spacious; I casually noted down the prices at La Lebo in Busan (located on the first floor).
There is a free dinosaur park called ZOORAJI on the rooftop of this building, perfect for taking kids.
Strolled around casually; basically, all brands and all types of counters are available.
On the first floor of another building, I found Shake Shack, so I had to try it:
SHAKE SHACK BUSAN CENTUM
I ordered the crispy chicken combo. Besides their signature items, I think their chicken is tender and juicy, and really delicious.
The pager seemed to have some issues; it was actually ready earlier but didn’t ring.
The nostalgic good taste.
Travelogue: Osaka Shack Shake / Bangkok Shake Shack
~=17:00 Leave Shinsegae Department Store
~=17:45 Return to Jeonpo Station (Seomyeon)
Preparing to have Korean beef for dinner.
As soon as you exit Tampo Station, you can see the sign pointing to Tampo Coffee Street. There is a standalone Olive Young right outside.
There are many coffee shops and small stores in Tampo, giving it a vibe similar to the East District.
Flowerbeefhouse Tano Branch — flowerbeefhouse
It has a bit of an East District trendy café vibe. Luckily, I made a reservation in advance on CatchTable, or there would have been no seats available on site.
Ordered a Korean beef set + Jajangmyeon + Cass beer. The beef was tender but lacked beef flavor, so I found it just okay; plus, the actual price was NT$2,458, which is not very cost-effective. It’s not as good as the throat grill barbecue we had a few days ago.
The advantages are mainly beautiful photo spots, friendly staff, and their ability to speak Chinese.
19:15 Walk back to Seomyeon Station after eating
There are really many small shops, cafes, and even a ZARA from Daepo to Seomyeon.
After returning to Seomyeon Station, go to Lotte Department Store B1 food court to buy food, then prepare to go to the airport hotel
There is also a supermarket here. I ended up buying this takoyaki to eat back at the hotel, choosing the Korean-flavored one on the far right.
~=20:30 Head to the airport hotel
This time, heading in the opposite direction towards Gaya University, also on a Tuesday, it felt like seeing myself arriving in Busan last Tuesday.
~=21:00 Arrive at AIR SKY HOTEL
The hotel is located at the stop before the airport — Seobusan Distribution Area Station, with CU and GS25 convenience stores right across the street.
This room and bathroom are the largest and best equipped for three days, but we only stayed for one day as transient guests.
You can see planes taking off and landing directly outside the room window.
Bought peach wine at the convenience store to go with the takoyaki I just got. I think this takoyaki is great. Although it got soft after bringing it back, it’s made with black squid ink batter, has the crispiness of Taiwanese takoyaki, and is paired with Korean spicy sauce. Very delicious. 😋
Day 8 08/05 (Tue) Busan Gimhae International Airport, Return Trip
Time flies, and the eight-day trip to Busan is coming to an end. The last day only includes a trip to the airport.
From the hotel, take one stop to reach the airport (about 10 minutes).
After arriving at the airport, go directly to the second floor for international departures.
Still sleepy in the morning, forgot to apply for SES to speed up the next entry clearance.
Tax Refund
If you have a tax refund slip to claim, remember to follow this article for the process.
I lost my tax refund slip…
There are many self check-in kiosks along the edge of the second floor where you can check in and select seats. You can also see that the third floor has many food options and shops.
The counter was assigned to D at the far edge.
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Busan Air’s free baggage allowance is only: 15 KG
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Check if the power bank is placed inside a ziplock bag.
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After hanging up your luggage, be sure to wait in that area for 5 minutes to see if there are any issues.
That day, someone was being constantly called over the broadcast because they couldn’t be found…
~= 09:30 Departure and Waiting for Flight
The departure hall is small, with only one row; there are a few duty-free shops, a convenience store, and a café offering limited snacks. (If you’re very hungry, remember to eat outside before passing through departure.)
Since it is a military-civilian airport, taking photos of the planes outside is not allowed.
Not sure what to buy, so I got two cans of GD liquor from the convenience store to bring back to Taiwan.
Delay: Departed at 11:07, arrived early at 11:58
Busan Trip a Great Success!
Souvenirs
Didn’t buy much.
Thank you for reading
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