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Busan offers diverse tourist attractions
By Lee Hyo-sik
By Lee Hyo-sik
Busan ㅡ When you think of the southwestern port city of Busan, you immediately conjure up tens of thousands of beachgoers on Haeundae Beach, one of Korea’s most famous summer vacation spots. It attracts millions of holidaymakers from both home and abroad from July to August.
But the reality is Haeundae is just one of many tourist attractions in the city. There are numerous other beautiful beaches, parks, cultural sites, entertainment spots, festivals and museums.
``Both Korean and foreign visitors have tons of things to do here in Korea’s largest port city throughout the year. Busan offers diverse tourism, leisure and entertainment services across the city,’’ said Joe Ig-geon, assistant director at the tourism promotion division at Busan Metropolitan City.
Joe also said a growing number of Japanese, Chinese and other foreign visitors are coming to shop at the city’s traditional markets and modern department stores, as well as taste its unique seafood-based cuisine and view pristine natural scenery.
Taejongdae
This is Busan’s best marine observatory on the southern tip of Young Island, which has been designated as one of the nation’s most scenic spots. Taejongdae has razor sharp cliffs and strangely shaped rocks decorating the beach. On a sunny day, Japan’s Tsushima Island can be seen on the horizon. Tourists can reach the observatory easily by using the Danubi train at the entrance.
Gwangan Bridge
The country’s first double-truss bridge spanning the sea has become a famous tourist site in Busan, particularly at night, with its fantastic illuminations producing more than 10,000 different colors and bathing the horizon in light. Every October, a fireworks festival is held on Gangalli Beach, which lights up the bridge. The event attracts more than 1 million tourists every year.
Yongdusan Park
The park was named Yongdu, which means the head of the dragon in Korean, because of the shape of the mountain it is located in it looks like a dragon’s head from the air, moving from the sea to the land. It is located at the heart of the old downtown area.
Busan Tower, which is at the center of the park, has an observatory at the top providing unforgettable views of Busan and its port. One of Busan’s representative landmarks looks like a lighthouse symbolizing the harbor. It stands 120 meters tall on a hill top 69 meters above sea level.
The construction of the tower was completed in October 1973. The park also has the statue of Admiral Lee Sun-shin, a flower clock and a bell for New Year’s Eve.
Jagalchi Fish Market
It is the largest seafood market in Korea and the spot that tourists must visit to grasp Busan’s deep connection with the sea, as well as the lives of merchants there.
Residents and visitors can find bargains at the market, which is located in the western part of Busan port, as fresh fish straight from the sea is taken there. At the modernized Jagalchi market center, visitors can buy live fish on the first floor and dried sea food on the second floor. On the third and fourth floor, there are many seafood restaurants in which hungry tourists can fill their stomachs with a variety of dishes.
Modern Shopping Spots
When you have done enough shopping at Jagalchi and other traditional markets, you may want to move on to modern shopping facilities because the city has the state-of-the-art department stores, which just opened over the past two years.
Lotte duty free shop in Seo-myeon is the best place for both tourism and shopping. Paradise duty free shop was the first duty free shop in Busan and located in Haeundae beach, offering the most luxurious goods and the best service for both foreign travelers and Korean visitors.
Lotte Department Store is located in Centum City, a novel residential area in Busan. It is a splendid building equipped with distinguished facilities such as a luxury hall to the greatest scale in the Yeongnam region. The department store is prominent from others in building design, interior decoration and convenient facilities.
Shinsegae Department Store in Centum City is the largest department store in the world with 294 square kilometers in gross area, larger than Macy’s Department Store in New York.
Delicious Food
There are hundreds of unique and seafood based dishes in Busan. Above all, visitors do not want to miss out on fresh raw fish and other side dishes that come along with it. Tourists may also want to try seafood soup at hundreds of restaurants in and around Jagalchi Market
The city is also famous for `` Dongrae pajeon,’’ a Korean style pancake with green onions and lots of seafood. This popular market food has been known to boost longevity, thanks to the wholesome ingredients like green onions, beef, squid and clams.
Milmyeon, cold wheat noodles, is Busan’s special dish loved by native residents. Noodles that are chewy but not too tough go well with the pleasant and sweet meat stock. It is mostly consumed during the summer when people crave cold dishes.