JOM!

IT’S 16˚Celcius! All of us open our luggage and quickly put on our jackets as we step out of Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea. The strong wind does not make it easy. The time is 10am, and we have just arrived after a seven-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2.

With this being my first time in Busan, I am excited to see a different part of Korea. The last time I was in this country, I went to Seoul and that was three years ago. Despite being the second largest city in Korea, I can feel the environment is quite different from Seoul. There are less cars on the roads, and because it is located at the southern east coast, the air is also cleaner.

As we already had our breakfast inflight and are still full, Bemi Kim, our guide appointed by the Korea Tourism Organisation, takes us to our first stop — Busan Marine Natural History Museum at Dongnae-gu.

The first and largest museum specialising in marine natural history in Korea, this facility has on exhibit more than 25,000 items relating to marine life from over 100 countries. Admission is free and there are four floors to explore. Besides the variety of fish species, there are exhibitions on aquatic birds, reptiles, and fossils, including that of a dinosaur!

This museum is designed to raise the importance of oceans and plays a vital role in educating the public about life beneath the seas through its exhibitions and many displays. You’ll be surprised by the many species and sizes of each fish type.