11 Top Things to do in Busan for first-time traveler!

In March of last year, which is the season of late winter, I finally had a chance to visit South Korea for completing my dream vocation. My first destination is Busan, which can also be known as the City of The Blue Sea. Busan is the second-largest city in South Korea, it is a vibrant and bustling city, at the same time filled with tranquil natural scenery. Let's check out my recommended 10 top things to do in Busan! 

1.Get a taste of Busan-style hotteok at BIFF Square 

BIFF Square is the abbreviation for Busan International Film Festival, it's an event held annually in Busan. The movie characters come for all around the world will leave their commemorative handprints, and printed onto the street for visitors to have a look, like walking through Star of Avenue. There is a lot of cinema and theater located there, can be said to be a holy place for those fancy as film-lover!  

Besides that, BIFF square is now the main street filled with a lot of street vendors selling foods, providing a sheer number of choices that make me bedazzled when I reached Busan on the first day. There is a well-known food, Busan-style hotteok(호떡), and you can see a long queue in front of the stall selling this food. There are 3 different fillings available for these sweet pancakes, include black sugar seed, honey, and cheese. After you order your favorite filling, the staller will tuff the corresponding filling into the pancake, and then fried until golden perfection on an iron pan. The sublime combination of crispy pancake and rich fillings, make Busan-style hotteok a representative food of Busan, which is a must-try food! 

2. Shopping at Gwangbokro Culture and Fashion street

There are many branded shops lining on both sides of the Gwangbokro Culture and Fashion street, including fashion, shoes, make-up accessories, and so on. Those hipsters and shopping-avid will buy a lot of things unconsciously. I came to a shop known as Artbox, which is a local famous stationery chain store. There sell a great variety of goods brought cute element, which brings us back to girl generation, then we buy some accessories back home. You can enjoy the atmosphere of bustling fashion distinct, although you're not keen on shopping. 

3.Enjoy breezes of Haeundae

Busan is a city near to the sea, while Haeundae is undoubtedly the iconic sandy beach of Busan, and is one of the main attractions among local and foreign tourists alike. The stunning view of the sea is impressive, I have a leisurely stroll along the coastline, where I can found many seagulls flying in the blue sky, accompanied by the breeze brushed along my hair, which makes me feel relaxed and happy. There are many cafes nearby, and I choose one of them to enjoy my high-tea time. You better choose a spot near the window to have the best view of the sea, enjoy your noontime by relaxing the mind.

4.Enjoy night view of The Bay 101 and get a taste of Fish and Chips

There are a lot of high-stories buildings near The Bay 101, and there is nothing special during the day. During the night, The Bay 101 provides an amazing view, which makes an ambient photoshoot background for the public. When the sky becomes dark, the building gradually lit up with gorgeous lights, just like gazed up shining stars in the night. The best match with this dreamy night view definitely samples a savory meal! You must go to a restaurant called Fingers and Chat, which providing finger-licking fish and chips. It's really cold when I trembling sat outside of the restaurant during the winter! 

5. Explore historical and artistic face of Gamcheondong Culture Village

Gamcheondong Culture Village is one of the well-known attractions of Busan, a lot of colorful houses built in staircase-style gradually under foothill. The village now is shrouded in a dreamy fairy tale theme, but it actually has hidden sad history. Local citizens escaped to Busan a long time ago due to the war, and they throng here together and finally build up a village.
The government starts to improve and beautify the village 10 years ago, and transform into a travel destination that combines both history and culture. The popular reality show-Running Man even filmed in this village and earning more popularity for the public.

There is a well-known The Little Prince model tucked away in the side alley of the village, and attract a lot of tourists to line up, to snap a photo with this popular character. It's time to whip out your camera, as you can seize the best moment of the whole village from this angle. Every side corner of the village has murals and special art installations, which let you experience the ancient atmosphere.

6.Visit Haedong Yonggong-Sa

Haedong Yonggung Sa is the only temple built beside the sea of South Korea, and the architectural design of this seaside temple is magnificent and enormous. The temple nestled on the rocky shores, I can observe the waves crashing the rocks consistently in a quite close distance, which exudes a marvellous feeling. Every part about the quaint interior of the temple is amazing, and attracting peoples from all around the world come here to worship the Buddhas. When I immerse myself in the Zen ambiance, I feeling peaceful from my heart deeply. You must be mentally prepared if you come to the temple on the weekend, as the crowd of the people is endless. The staircase in the temple is quite narrow, so be careful when walking around.  

7. Feast on Giant Fried Chicken in Bupyeong Kkangtong Night Market

Korean fried chicken has always been a famous delicious meal. I discovered Giant Fried Chicken of Bupyeong Kkangtong Night Market earned good reviews online from the public, so I decided to try it when I reached Busan. I went to this restaurant during dinner time, a long queue outside the restaurant and many of them were local. The space inside the restaurant filled with customers. If you choose to dine in, don't forget to register with the boss, he will call you to go in when reaching your turn. Some peoples simply choose to take out. When I waited outside the restaurant, the worker fried the chicken until golden perfection, which exudes an attractive aroma and makes me feel mouth-watering. The portion of fried chicken served on the table is big, which same with the name of the restaurant. The fried chicken looks attractive, and you will feel crispy and flavorful when it touches your tongue.

8.Visit Busan Tower in Yongdushan Park

Busan Tower is a landmark tourism site of the city, and I have a stroll from BIFF Square to the Yongdusan Park. I took the escalator to see Busan Tower, which stands high in the park. Although I don't board on the top of the tower, I also can have an unobstructed view of the city from the park. The light of the buildings dotted the night sky, and I have a relaxed moment bring by this stunning night view.

9.Enjoy scenic ocean view of Taejongdae Resort Park

Teajongdae is a beautiful seaside park, and there are observation deck and lighthouse to enjoy a scenic view of the ocean. The other side of the blue sea glazed like sapphire, coupled with the view of the rocky cliff. The magnificent scenery makes me intoxicated. You just need to buy a ticket, feel free to ride on the train to reach the main destinations. Teajongdae Resort Park is located on a quite steeply hill. If you walk on your own, the journey makes you tired by consuming your stamina.

10.See Yongdodaegyo bridge lift once everyday

The bridge which rises only once per day, have you ever seen it? Yongdodaegyo Bridge is the first historical bridge crosses over the sea in Busan, built to connect Nampodong and Yongdo at both ends. At 2 p.m. of every day, the bridge will stop transport passing by for a while, and you can observe a lot of peoples throng beside the bridge. The bridge gradually lifted to the sky slowly, and the drawing of nine seagulls on the bridge came into my view. The tourist will rush in front of the bridge to snap photos. The bridge only lifts for around 10 minutes, so if you miss it out, you need to wait for another day.

11.Appreciating sunset of Dongbaek

Dongbaek still in the vicinity of Haeundae. There is a special semi-circular building-APEC, which opened from 9 am to 5 pm. You can have a stroll from Haeundae to Dongbaek. Many locals will walk or exercise in the park. Appreciating the beautiful and romantic sunset at dusk, the afterglow of the sunset sprinkled on my face, which indicates my Busan trip come to last night, and this city gives me a lot of precious memories!

If you are going to travel to Busan for the first time, you may refer my the things you must do in my top list above. Everyone has their different preferences, as I hope you guys can arrange a trip that will let you feel enjoy and satisfy! Let me share a tip with you, and you can reach the destinations above by taking public transport, including subways and buses. You just need to do simple research before departing, as I'm pretty sure it's very convenient to travel to Busan!

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