SOUTH KOREA: #TRAINTOBUSAN Adventures at the Country’s Largest Port City
I'm longing to visit South Korea five years ago since I first received my multiple entry visa. Pandemic hit worldwide so all my travel plans were cancelled then. Fast forward today, my visa would expire this year so luckily I was able to snag a promo fa…
I'm longing to visit South Korea five years ago since I first received my multiple entry visa. Pandemic hit worldwide so all my travel plans were cancelled then. Fast forward today, my visa would expire this year so luckily I was able to snag a promo fare last year, just to use my visa. I was eager to push my visit down south especially that the 2nd largest city issued their own Visit Busan Pass! Also, I wanted to try riding a train to Busan (without the zombies...hehe) so with KLOOK app, I pre-booked all of my travel essentials to embark on this journey. My mission is to get most out of Visit Busan Pass that will take me to different adventures within this city. An all-out sightseeing tour!
Sharing to you my solo trip to South Korea post-pandemic including expenses during winter at Busan 부산.
#TRAINTOBUSAN SOLO TRIP
#Busan #Seoul #SouthKorea
March 08-12, 2024 (Busan, South Korea)
1KRW = PHP0.043
Itinerary and Expenses (5D4N)
Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Fare: PHP4759.73 RT (MNL-ICN-MNL booked 12 Jun 2023 Php1base fare + 20kg baggage ICN-MNL)
*Korean Visa used was Multiple Entry (applied last November 2019)
Travel tax: PHP1670 (paid online at TIEZA via BPI online transfer with Php50 convenience fee)
Use Naver Map Mobile App for Navigation as bus and train schedules are accurate at most times.
1027H KTX Seoul to Busan (Should you miss your scheduled ride, go to KTX counter, show the QR code of your Korail Pass and get a new reserved ticket ride for KTX Seoul to Busan.)
1313H ETA Busan. Claim Visit Busan Pass at Busan Station Plaza. Visit Busan Pass is pre-loaded with 3000 won that you can use already for trains.
1330H Go to Busan Metro Station. Enter at Line 1. Alight at Beomnaegol.
1400H Walk towards accommodation: Check-in:
Kimchee Busan Downtown Guesthouse. Wash up and rest for a while. Free time.
KRW42916 - Kimchee Busan Downtown Guesthouse (2D1N Standard Single Room with Shared Bathroom reserved via BookingDOTcom)
1526H Go to Beomnaegol Station to load T-Money with 10k KRW load and use VISIT BUSAN PASS 48H Pass on 1st attraction. (This starts the 48-hour countdown).
Screenshot of Naver Map showing the Bus 583 to take going to Diamond Bay Cruise terminal.
Then go to bus station. Wait for Bus 583 bound to Yonghoman Sightseeing Boat Terminal. Alight there and walk towards Diamond Bay Yacht Cruise. Go to Cruise Center, show Visit Busan Pass in exchange of cruise ticket and pay KRW5000 surcharge for Haeundae Cruise at 1630H.
2100H Back to Cruise Center. Walk towards LG Metro City. Ride Bus NamGu2. Alight at Sanseong Church Cultural Center. Walk towards Ssangdung-e Dwaeji-gukbap.
Dinner of Dwaeji Gukbap at Twins Restaurant near Daeyeon Station.
Dwaeji gukbap (Korean: 돼지국밥) is a South Korean soup especially popular in Busan made with pork, soy sauce, miso, rice wine, sesame oil, and bone broth. The name literally translates to "pork, soup, rice". It is served with various side dishes like rice, salted shrimp, onion, noodle, kimchi, garlic, and green peppers, which all can be added to the soup. It originated during the Korean War in the 1950s as poverty food. It eventually grew in popularity. The dish spread from Busan to the rest of the Gyeongsang province and eventually the rest of the country. However, the dish is not well-recognized outside of Korea. The soup is enjoyed all year round (but particularly in winter) and at any time of the day. Many establishments that serve the dish are open from morning to night, with some even open 24 hours.
Walk towards Daeyeon Station. Ride Line 2 and alight at Seomyeon Station. Transfer to Line 1 and alight at Beomnaegol Station. Walk towards accommodation.
REST
2ND DAY (SATURDAY)
0700H BREAKFAST
0804H Check out from Kimchee Guesthouse. Walk towards Busan Int'l Finance Center·Busan Bank Station Line 2. Alight at Haeundae Station. Walk towards Haeundae Beach.
0900H Enjoy walk at Haeundae Beach.
Seen here are Haeundae LCT The Sharp (Korean: 해운대 엘시티 더샵). Located in front of Haeundae Beach, it consists of a 411.6 m (1,350 ft), 101-floor supertall landmark tower used as a hotel, and two 85-floor residential skyscrapers. The rightmost tower is the tallest in Busan (2nd in South Korea after Lotte Tower).
1000H Waited at 1000H for the BUSAN X the SKY to open. Entrance is at the Haeundae Beach. It is the best and largest observatory in Korea where you can enjoy the vast ocean view of Haeundae and the splendid city view of Busan. You can visit here the world's highest Starbucks Store.
This Starbucks store is located at Haeundae LCT in Busan. This tower is said to be the second tallest building in all of South Korea with a total of 101 floors and with a height of 1,352 feet. This is second to Lotte World Tower which has 123 floors and is 1,821 feet high.
1100H Walk towards Haeundae Blueline Park - Mipo Station. Use Visit Busan Pass to claim Haeundae Beach Train Roundtrip (2 times). Wait for turn to ride the train. Alight at Haeundae Blueline Park Songjeong Station.
1213H Walk towards Songjeong Beach Entrance. Ride Bus 1001 Cheonggang-ri Public Garage. Alight at Dongbusan Tourist Complex. Walk towards Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Busan.
Located on the coast of Sirang-ri, Gijang-gun, Busan, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple received its name from a dream of Buddhist Monk Jeongam whom Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva ascended on the back of a dragon by the coast. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is hung over the edge of the land, where the sea meets the mountain like a piece of painting. Known as the most beautiful temple in Korea, the whole interior becomes a photo zone with an oceanic view. If you want to photograph the breathtaking view of the ocean, climb up the stairs next to the Daeungjeon Hall. Meet the benevolent Seaside Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and take memorable photographs where the blue sea becomes yours below your feet.
1300H Walk back to main road and cross the road to Skyline Luge Busan. Show the VBP (Visit Busan Pass) to claim ticket. Ride the skyline and luge downhill.
1400H Walk towards Lotte World Adventure Busan. Show VBP and claim tickets. Optional is to rent a locker near restrooms for KRW1000 (good for 3 hours). Inside the park, you can buy raincoat if riding water attractions for KRW3000. Debit cards work such as GoTyme card for locker rent, Maya MasterCard for raincoat purchase and GCash Visa Card for snacks purchase at café.
1600H Walk towards OSIRIA Station. Ride train at Donghae Line. Alight at Busan Nat'l Univ. of Edu. Transfer to Line 1. Alight at Nampo Station. Exit 1 then walk towards escalator going to Yongdusan Park where Busan Tower is located.Use VBP to claim ticket for Busan Tower. Enjoy the night views.
Busan at night from Diamond Tower overlooking Namhang Bridge.
Boogi is the official mascot of Busan. The name is a Korean acronym for Busan galmaegi, meaning a seagull.
1900H Go back to Nampo Station. Ride Line 1 and alight at Seomyeon Station. Transfer to Line 2. Alight at Gwangan Station. Walk towards Hotel Aqua Palace.
DINNER Took dinner at Gwangan road. Ox Bone Hangover Soup near Gwangan Station.
Haejang-guk (Korean: 해장국; Hanja: 解酲국) or hangover soup refers to every kind of guk or soup eaten as a hangover cure in Korean cuisine. It means "soup to chase a hangover" and is also called sulguk (술국). It usually consists of dried napa cabbage, vegetables and meat in a hearty beef broth. Above is 소뼈해장국 (soppyeohejangguk) or Ox Bone Hangover Soup.
2000H Show VBP to claim towel, sauna clothes and locker key at Hotel Aqua Palace. Enjoy Korean spa and sauna. Spend night here.
EARLY REST
3RD DAY (SUNDAY)
BREAKFAST
0700H Walk towards Gwangalli Beach Bus Station. Ride Bus 41 Jagalchi Station, BIFF Square. Alight at Chungmu-dong Beach Market. Walk towards Chungmu Market Bus Station. Ride Bus SeoGu2. Alight at Gamjung Elementary School. Walk inside Gamcheon Culture Village. Look for Little Prince Statue. Jungkook & Jimin Mural, etc. with views.
While the village's beautiful landscape gave it the nickname of the Machu Picchu of Korea, the town was a part of the painful history of Busan. Refugees settled in Gamcheon Village during the Korean War and cultivated the mountainous region to make a living. In 2009, students, artists, and residents decorated the village as a part of the Village Art Project, and the town grew into a leading tourist attraction of Busan since then. Gamcheon Culture Village has become a romantic town engraved with beautiful memories rather than the painful traces of Busan's modern history.
The photo zone where the little prince and the desert fox look over the village is the highlight of the alley trip. The artistic atmosphere lives on in the alleys where the village of pastel-colored houses is beautifully lined up like a maze. The little prince probably said this to tourists who visit the Gamcheon Culture Village: "The village is beautiful, thanks to the residents and artists who tried to change the village."
0900H Walk back to Gamjung Elementary School Bus Station. Ride Bus SeoGu2 and alight at Chungmu Market. Walk towards Chungmu-dong Intersection. Ride Bus 30 Marine Product Export & Manufacturing Complex. Alight at Amnam Park. Walk towards Songdo Sky Park. Show VBP to claim cable car tickets.
1100H Walk from Songdo Bay Station to Amnam-dong Community Service Bus Station. Ride Bus 26 Gamman-dong. Alight at Busan Station. Go to KTX counter. You can book an earlier KTX train to Seoul. Just show the Korail Pass so you'll be given reserved seat ticket for KTX Busan to Seoul.
LUNCH
1230H KTX Busan to Seoul
1514H ETA Seoul Station
KRW100000 withdrawal via ATM in Myeongdong has KRW4000 fee.
10000 won T-Money Load at Discover Seoul Pass should you exhaust T-Money Load at Visit Busan Pass. Go to Line 4. Ride train and alight at Myeongdong Station. Exit 3. Walk towards Namsan Gil House. Check-in and rest a bit. Free time.
KRW42840 - Namsan Gil House (2D1N Deluxe Single Room reserved via BookingDOTcom)
I used my free time to shop souvenirs at Namdaemun Market and canvass for a luggage then go to Lotte Mart at Seoul Station. Unfortunately, Lotte Mart was closed that day so instead, I went to some K-drama locations near Yaksu Station (Doctor Slump), sightseeing at Gwanghwamun Square and Pedestrian Bridge at Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park before going back to Myeongdong.
LATE DINNER Samgyetang at Myeongdong using Maya MC card. Myeongdong store of HBAF. Bought HBAF assorted using Gcash Visa Card.
Samgye-tang (삼계탕; 蔘鷄湯), or ginseng chicken soup, meaning ginseng (Kor. sam) - chicken (Kor. gye) - soup (Kor. tang) in Korean, consists primarily of a whole young chicken (poussin) filled with garlic, rice, jujube, and ginseng. Samgye-tang is a Korean traditional soup for body health. Samgye-tang is a representative summer health food. Soup made with chicken that is slightly larger than the chick is called Yeonggye Baeksuk, and the chicken is divided into half is called Banggye-tang.
REST
4TH DAY (MONDAY)
BREAKFAST Free noodles, coffee and breads. Check-out from Namsan Gil House
0700H T-Money Load KRW10000.
Ride at Myeongdong Station Line 4. Alight at Seoul Station (Subway) Station. Transfer to Line 1. Alight at Yeongdeungpo Station. Walk towards Sealala Station. First use of Discover Seoul Pass: Shower at Sealala before going to Lotte World. Free for DSP users * Included: sauna (shower) * Excluded: jjimjilbang and water park. (Hence, you could no longer stay overnight at Sealala.)
0900H Walk towards Mullae Station Line 2. Alight at Jamsil Station. Walk towards Lotte World.
Lotte World Adventure (Ticket Box: Wild Gate)
Free Universal Pass - Valid for admission to Adventure and Magic Island
- Free use of rides (excluding Fantasy Forest, game facilities, coin facilities, etc.) - Free museum entrance MON 10:00-21:00) Usage range: LOTTE WORLD + FOLK MUSEUM. Optional Locker rent at Lotte World Adventure Seoul for KRW2000.
1200H LUNCH
At this point, I decided to go back to Namdaemun Market to buy a medium luggage for check-in and straight to Lotte Mart near Seoul Station for last minute shopping. You can still visit other attractions included in Discover Seoul Pass.
Medium luggage bought at Namdaemun Market for KRW50000. I brought this to Lotte Mart so I can put my groceries here. Luckily, they have lockers free to use.
1300H Go back to Jamsil Station. Ride Line 2. Alight at Sadang Station. Transfer to Line 4. Alight at Hoehyeon Station. Go to Exit 5 for Namdaemun Market. Last minute shopping of luggage. Go to Bukchang-dong. Namdaemun Traditional Market Bus Station. Ride Bus 501 bound to Seoul Staion. Alight at Seoul Station Bus Transfer Center 4. Walk towards LOTTE MART ZETTAPLEX Seoul Station. Shopping. Show your passport at counter to avail immediate tax refund for your purchase (Minimum of KRW15000 worth of purchase for immediate tax refund). I dined at Lotteria within Seoul Station for late lunch before going back to Incheon Airport.
Late Lunch: Bulgogi Burger Meal
Free Time
1800H Dinner
2000H ETD Seoul Station; Ride AREX at Seoul Station using Seoul Pass Code. AREX code and the ticket must be used within the duration of the pass (24h, 48h, 72h). ※ Issuing the AREX code initiates the countdown even before you issue the AREX ticket and board the train.
AREX (Airport Railroad Express) 1 Free One-way ticket (must be used within the pass duration)
Express Train Information Center: Seoul Station (B2)
※ How to use the one-way AREX ticket:
Please get your AREX code by entering the QR number of your DSP from the "Issue AREX ticket" menu. -> get your ticket by entering the 13 AREX code issued from our web/app via the AREX ticket machine.-> Board the AREX train. (All these steps must be completed within the duration(24/48/72 hours)).
2053H ETA ICN Airport
T-Money refund can be done at convenience store in ICN airport. If you have loose KRW coins, buy any snacks. Otherwise, keep those as souvenirs. Wait for check-in counter to open.
Weighing scales so you can avoid extra baggage fees.
After Immigration, I waited for Sky Hub Lounge to open. Access was provided by LoungeKey of my credit card. Free food and rest before boarding.
5TH DAY (TUESDAY)
0040H FLIGHT
0040H PH ARRIVAL (Adjust clock back to GMT+8)
Mabuhay!
Notes:
1. It's my fifth time already in South Korea so I focused on my Busan Itinerary using Visit Busan Pass. Though I also availed 24hr Discover Seoul Pass, I skipped the major Seoul attractions. Got exhausted already (due to cold weather and sprain I got in Busan) so I had early rest. I have more Free Time as I need to rest abit due to jampacked itinerary...hehe. I learned my lesson this time of not bringing a thick jacket. I thought at weather forecast, it's 8 degrees Celsius only like in Baguio but when I arrived, 2 degrees breeze welcomed me...huhu. Hence, I was forced to buy a thick jacket at Namdaemun Market.
2. I initially planned on using Korail Pass for multi-city trip (Seoul to Busan, Gwangju, Ulsan, Gyeongju, Daegu, Daejeon) but I pushed for Busan-focused itinerary to make most of 48-hour Visit Busan Pass. It's super worth it at 85k won only for 48H pass but the attractions I went to amounted 200k won (when availed individually)! Choose carefully the attractions you want to avail. Best way is to visit nearby attractions per area.
3. Plug Type F is used in Korea (with two rounded holes) so bring an adapter. Good thing at Seoul Station they have some spots for charging devices. I also brought my Klook Universal adapter (freebie from Klook Travel Fest) if necessary.
4. When you run out of pocket money, you should have ATM card ready for International Withdrawal. Withdraw on a nearest ATM machine like Shinhan Bank near Gwanghwamun station or at convenience stores in Myeongdong and get KRW100000 if possible because I almost withdraw KRW50000 and saw they have the same withdrawal charge, so I opted KRW100000. About KRW4000+ is the charge per withdrawal. I also used my debit cards (GCash Visa, GoTyme Visa, Maya MasterCard) on convenience stores, restaurants and Lotte World Parks for some snacks. Sometimes, it's hard to find ATM so debit cards are life savers.
5. Take advantage of FREE activities within Busan using Visit Busan Pass. There are 3 spas included like in Centum Spa Land, Club Oasis and Hotel Aqua Palace. I planned on visiting all spas but I don't have enough time. The last one is the option where you can stay overnight so I did one night. Maybe next time I'll visit Centum and Oasis.
6. Survival apps: Naver Maps, MAPS.ME, Visit Busan Pass and Discover Seoul Pass apps (if using the passes). Naver Maps are super usefule due to accurate information provided from directions, to bus stops, buses to take and trains. Realtime so you won't get lost at least…hehe.
How would I compare Busan to Seoul? Chill! A bit relaxed and laid-back atmosphere in Busan compared to busy Seoul. Maybe because of beaches and mountains surrounding Busan. Akin to Cebu City in Philippines (due to busy international port with mountainous backdrop). Fun Fact: Busan and Cebu are Sister Cities! For prices, I can't say who's cheaper because I haven't done shopping in Busan. But on food, prices are like in Seoul. I'll try ko soon eating street food around Jagalchi and Gukje Markets if allowed. Despite a not-so-extensive Busan Metro, still it's efficient due to buses around Busan that complements their metro. Expect long walks as usual at you'll get to hike in their villages like Baguio…hehe
Hoping this guide helps you. For those planning to sightsee Busan and avail the pass, check first your must-visit spots. You can also fly from Seoul (Incheon) to Busan but I tried #TrainToBusan so I availed Korail Pass. You can also avail one-way ticket walk-in but expect some times that reserved seats will be sold out so as much as possible, book early. In my experience, Visit Busan Pass is a SUPER SAVER! With plenty of options on transpo, accommodation, attractions, food and shopping, you can do it! Enjoy your Busan trip!
) so I had early rest. I have more Free Time as I need to rest abit due to jampacked itinerary...hehe. I learned my lesson this time of not bringing a thick jacket. I thought at weather forecast, it's 8 degrees Celsius only like in Baguio but when I arrived, 2 degrees breeze welcomed me...huhu
Choose carefully the attractions you want to avail. Best way is to visit nearby attractions per area.
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