(x)clusive was part of the global social influencers chosen by Korea Tourism Organisation to join a 6-day trip with the Wow Korea team last December! The team consists of 10 members from all around the world, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Turkey and Egypt.
Other than the well-trodden roads in Seoul, the trip’s itinerary brought us to new places in Korea, such as Busan, Geoje, Yeosu and Suncheon. Read on for our recommendations of places to visit at these cities!
Wow Korea Trip’s 1st Stop: Busan
The first day brought us to Busan, which is the second largest city in Korea. More well-known as the city to go to in summer, Busan’s winter landscape is a tad different from summer Busan. While it is seemingly more crowded in summer, Busan is not a bad place to visit in winter as well, as the temperatures are slightly warmer than in Seoul.
Travelling to Busan
There are several ways of getting to Busan from Seoul, mainly via the KTX (Train to Busan, anyone?), by bus or by flight. The cheapest option would be via bus, which will cost you somewhere between $35 to $45 (depending on timing and grade of the bus). It takes about 4 hours via bus; while the KTX would cost you about double the price, but cutting the travel time to less than 3 hours. We had the privilege to travel via flight from Gimpo airport, which took about 40 mins for us to reach. Unless you are in a rush or are willing to spend a bit more for a good aerial view of Korea, it may be more affordable to go for the former.
Attractions in Busan
Gamcheon Culture Village
The colourful village first started as a refugee camp back during the Korean War, when Busan was named as the temporary capital. It was later on turned into a culture village in 2009, when students and artists started decorating the streets with colourful murals and art sculptures, to preserve memories of the past while bringing new life to the area.
Jagalchi Fish Market
Be it summer or winter, the street is always filled with stalls selling fresh seafood of all kinds – from fish to live octopus and shellfish. To witness the market in action, do visit in the earlier hours of the morning, when auctions for fresh seafood hulled in to the port are held daily.
BIFF Square
Not far from Jagalchi Fish Market is the BIFF Square, an area filled with street stalls selling delicious Korean street food and various merchandises. (If you are a fan of Artbox, there is also a giant store over there!) If you are visiting with a loved one, you can also try your hand at the UFO-catcher shops to catch some adorable plushies!
The Bay 101
Wrapping up the day with a beautiful night view, our final stop of the day was at The Bay 101, which is quite similar to the Keppel Bay in Singapore. Many couples visit this place to take memorable photos with the night city landscape. You may wish to visit this place before or after visiting the Haeundae Beach, which is a straight road along the coastline, about 30 mins walk away.
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Travel Tip!
If you are worried about losing your way, you should download an offline copy of the Busan map/subway map on your mobile device, or grab a copy of the map at the train station (guesthouses usually carry a bunch of them).
While free Wifi services may not be as prevalent as in Seoul, you may wish to either get a Wifi egg (Changi Airport has Wifi rental service, $5/day) or get your own Prepaid SIM card, which includes either Data only or Data and Call credit. Mobile U has a wide range of Prepaid cards, with up to unlimited (and stable) data (starting from $6/day) to choose from.
You can also find out more information on Busan at their official website.
Watch out for more travel tips and guides on Korea coming your way, only on (x)clusive!
