Haeundae Beach
Busan's most famous beach, a long stretch of sand backed by high-rise hotels. It is busy in summer and a pleasant seaside walk in other seasons.
Busan
Seaside temples, markets selling fresh seafood, the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village and Haeundae Beach are all in this port city.
Attractive locations
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Buddhist temple built on rocks right beside the sea, founded in the 14th century. Stairways and stone lanterns lead down to halls and a golden Buddha facing the waves.
Jagalchi Market
Busan's best-known fish market beside the harbour. Rows of stalls sell fresh seafood, and many sellers will prepare it at nearby counters.
Taejongdae
Rocky coastal park at the southern tip of Yeongdo island, with sea cliffs, forest paths and a lighthouse. A scenic train circles the park.
Beomeosa Temple
Buddhist temple on the slopes of Geumjeongsan, more than a thousand years old. Shaded paths, old wooden halls and forest scenery create a peaceful stop outside the city centre.
Gamcheon Culture Village
A hillside neighbourhood of brightly painted houses stacked on steep slopes, turned into an arts village with murals, sculptures and small galleries. Maze-like lanes lead to viewpoints over the harbour.
Gwangalli Beach
A city beach facing the lit-up Gwangan Bridge, with cafes and restaurants along the shore. Evening light shows on the bridge draw crowds to the sand and promenade.
Airports
Gimhae International Airport PUS
It is about 12 km in a straight line from Busan.
Ulsan Airport USN
It is about 52 km in a straight line from Busan.
Daegu International Airport TAE
It is about 88 km in a straight line from Busan.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the South Korea page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan6.8 °C39 mm
- Feb8.0 °C58 mm
- Mar10.5 °C87 mm
- Apr13.8 °C138 mm
- May17.0 °C148 mm
- Jun20.4 °C177 mm
- Jul23.9 °C287 mm
- Aug26.4 °C224 mm
- Sep23.7 °C187 mm
- Oct19.8 °C81 mm
- Nov14.7 °C54 mm
- Dec9.1 °C41 mm
Driest months: Jan, Nov, Dec. Wettest months: Jul, Aug, Sep.
Costs
Prices here are about 57% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
culture
Busan International Film Festival
The largest film festival in Asia takes place in Haeundae.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 112. Fire and ambulance 119. Korea Travel Helpline 1330 (English and other languages).
local government
Korean National Police (112)
Helps with: South Korea's police emergency number, listed on the Korea Tourism Organization's emergency page for crimes such as theft and assault. The page lists no police unit for tourists.
Who qualifies: Anyone in South Korea, including visitors, who needs police help.
Phone: 112
local government
1330 Korea Travel Helpline (Korea Tourism Organization)
Helps with: The national tourism organisation's helpline for travel questions and visitor help. The page lists support in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai and Malay.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in South Korea or planning a trip there.
Phone: +82-2-1330
local government
119 Fire and Medical Emergencies
Helps with: South Korea's emergency number for fire and ambulance, with a separate infectious disease line, 1339, listed on the Korea Tourism Organization's emergency page.
Who qualifies: Anyone in South Korea, including visitors, who needs an ambulance or fire service.
Phone: 119
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Republic of Korea
Helps with: The UN migration agency's Korea office. It works with the Korean government and partners on protecting people on the move and regular migration pathways, and runs trainings and events.
Who qualifies: Government and partner organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: 02-6925-1360
Address: 13th Floor, Hyoryung Building, 32 Mugyo-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul 04521
embassy
Foreign embassies in South Korea (official diplomatic list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Korean foreign ministry posts a Diplomatic List of resident missions as a downloadable spreadsheet.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy in Seoul.
ngo
Korean Red Cross
Helps with: The site describes disaster emergency relief, support for vulnerable people, life-safety education, medical services and blood programmes. The site is mostly in Korean.
Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use each service. It describes help for people affected by disasters and for vulnerable groups.
Phone: 1577-8179
Email: webmaster@redcross.or.kr
Address: (26465) 강원특별자치도 원주시 혁신로 50