Making the most of Busan
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships dock at the Busan Port International Cruise Terminal. You will be greeted by Korean dance and music.
Free Shuttles are provided by the city, the ride from the Cruise Terminal into downtown is about 30 minutes. The shuttle drops off at the Nampodong area.
The port is more of a commercial port than a tourist destination.
With nearly four million people, Busan is South Korea's second largest city and the country's largest seaport. This gives the city an international flair, with sailors from around the world trooping through and, these days, more than a few tourists (mostly from China, Japan, and Russia) too.
Beomeo-sa Temple, subway Beomeosa. One of Korea's Great 5 Temples, this large temple complex is located up in the mountains, seemingly much further away from the big city than the few kilometers it is.
Taejongdae is one of the famous tourist attractions in Pusan, with its white lighthouse overlooking the green sea. Many people enjoy eating fresh raw fish on the rocky shore, taking a boat around the Olyuk ('five or six') Islands, and seeing the famous 'Suicide Rock.' When the weather is nice, Daema Island can be seen in the distance, 56 km away. The scene from the observation deck is beautiful and the white lighthouse together with the green sea looks very exotic. The walk from the entrance to the lighthouse is quite long. However, a shuttle bus runs from the shops.
Getting around
Busan Hop on/off tour. The Haeundae route is every 30 minutes while the Taejongdae route is every 40 minutes.
The Taejongdae route has a stop near the cruise terminal - simply walk out the port gates and turn left towards the Maritime Museum. Walk slightly uphill behind the building until you reach the main road and the HOHO stop is straight ahead. By subway
The three lines of the Busan Subway connect the bus terminals and nearly all sights of interest together. Rides are W1,100 or 1,300 depending on distance (hang onto your ticket until you exit), and both signage and announcements are in English so finding your way is easy.
There are plenty of taxis prowling the streets of Busan. Regular taxi flag drop is W1800 for the first two kilometers, then the meter starts ticking at W100 for each 169m. Deluxe taxis (black and red) charge W4200 for the first 3 km and then W200 for each 199m.
It is certainly doable to tour the area independently as it is quite safe and Koreans are very friendly. For best results, you should have some print-outs of where you want the taxi to take you.
Busan as a whole is far too large to walk around, but some areas like Gwangalli Beach and Yongdusan Park are best covered on foot.
Most Korean cities offer regularly scheduled city bus tours that provide visitors with a convenient and affordable way to take a closer look at the city. These tours often provide visitors the opportunity to get on and off the bus at the attractions they wish to see.
Food and shopping
The International Market in the vicinity of Biff Square, where the shuttle drops you off. Do not get lost, this is a large area of small streets!
Ja-galchi Fish Market is also close to the shuttle stop. If you're in Busan, then you must visit Jagalchi Fish Market, which Busan is famous for. This market displays freshly caught fish and various other sea creatures that are still alive.
Money
The currency of South Korea is the won. 1 US$= approx 1000 won.
ATM are ubiquitous, but most Korean ATMs don't accept foreign cards, only special Global ATMs do. These can be found at airports and some subway stations in major cities, as well as in many Family Mart convenience stores, so stock up before heading to the countryside. Credit card acceptance, on the other hand, is very good, and all but the very cheapest restaurants and motels will take Visa and Mastercard.
Staying connected
Korean. English is fairly well spoken, especially by the younger generation. They surely like to practice their skills on English speaking tourists.
South Korea is the world's most wired country and Cafes which offer free WiFi for customers, known as PC bang, are ubiquitous through the country. Most coffee shops have WiFi.
The emergency number for police is 112
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours Mon-Sun 1030-2000.