Busan Weekend Itinerary: Beaches, Markets, and Temples

Busan is Korea’s second city and its most relaxed — a port town of beaches, hillside villages, and the country’s best seafood. The KTX from Seoul takes under three hours, which makes it the perfect weekend escape.

Getting there

Book KTX tickets a few days ahead on the Korail app or website (about ₩60,000 each way from Seoul Station to Busan Station). Trains run every 15–30 minutes, so timing is flexible. Busan’s subway covers everything in this itinerary; your T-money card works here too.

Day 1: The coast

Drop your bags and head straight to Haeundae Beach, Busan’s famous stretch of sand. Walk the shoreline to Dongbaekseom Island park at the western end for the lighthouse view. In the late afternoon, take the Blueline Park beach train along the coast to Cheongsapo for sunset — book the sky capsule in advance if you want the cute private car.

Finish the night at Gwangalli Beach, where the diamond bridge lights up after dark. The beachfront is lined with cafés and raw fish restaurants; hoe (Korean-style raw fish) with a beach view is the Busan dinner.

Day 2: Markets and temples

Start early at Haedong Yonggungsa, the rare Korean temple built on oceanside cliffs instead of a mountain. It gets crowded by mid-morning — arriving before 9:00 makes a real difference.

Head back into the city for Jagalchi Fish Market, Korea’s largest seafood market. Pick your fish downstairs and the upstairs restaurants will cook it on the spot. Walk it off through BIFF Square and the book alley of Bosu-dong, then climb (there are escalators) to Gamcheon Culture Village, the pastel hillside neighborhood on every Busan postcard.

Catch an evening KTX back — Sunday night trains sell out, so book that return leg first.