My Weekend in Busan, Korea | Taejongdae, Haeundae, and More
Busan is without a doubt one of my favorite cities in all of Korea. It's the second largest city after Seoul, but its beaches and warmer weather gives everyone a laid back feel. It's like comparing New York and San Diego. I love the bustle of the city, but Busan's chill atmosphere and colorful sites can't be beat.
I actually flew to Busan this time, as it ended up being cheaper than the train. It took about 45 minutes and I was able to take the train straight from the airport to my AirBnb. I stayed on the top floor of an apartment building overlooking Haeundae Beach and it was spectacular. Don't forget to use my Airbnb code to say $35 on your trip!
I arrived very late Friday night so I went to bed immediately, but woke up early Saturday morning to catch the sunrise and head to the beach. Haeundae is one of the most famous beaches in Busan and definitely gets crowded later in the day.
After saying hello to the ocean, I hopped on a bus to Ordinary Flower & Cafe (opens at noon, closed mondays). Check out their Instagram to see why I made this my first stop. Their french toast was absolutely amazing and I will need to go back a few more times to try everything.
After eating my fill of toast, I took the bus to Vintage Alice, a gorgeous little thrift store run by two really nice girls that didn't mind me trying on pretty much everything in the store. I ended up getting a rainbow scarf that I wore all winter long!
My next destination was Busan Tower. I'm not the biggest fan of Namsan Tower in Seoul, so I didn't know what to expect with Busan's, but it was really lovely! The view was amazing and there were lots of little activities and photo zones inside the tower too. I stayed up there for more than two hours watching the sunset.
Unfortunately, the noodle shop I planned to go to was under construction and I was more tired than I expected, so I headed home from here. I had a busy day ahead!
That day included Taejongdae, one of my favorite spots in all of Korea! It is a huge piece of land at the tip of the Korean peninsula with stunning views, gorgeous trees, and plenty of rest stops. On clear days you can even see Japan! If you aren't much of an outdoors person, you can take the tram all the way around it and get off whenever you please!
I hiked to my heart's content and then grabbed a bus to my next destination.
It wouldn't be a trip to Busan without visiting the colorful houses of the Gamcheon Culture Village! Even though my friend who grew up in and lived in Busan her entire life has never been ;)
My suggestion is to start at the Avant Garde Cafe which overlooks the entire village. From there you can start your journey all around the tiny alleys grabbing street food, window shopping, and enjoying the street art!
After this I met a very close friend for dinner, went to sleep, and headed back to Seoul!