Summer capital
and an assortment of fathom, as its Japanese elevated its status someactually quite tasty. But I
eating live sea creatures with tentacles that suck at your tongue while you try to swallow them.
But I digress, as Busan is really all about beaches.
We arrived just a week before the summer school break and already Haeundae beach was thronging with shirtless guys in beach shorts and svelte girls in swimsuits. Which was a bit of a paradox, considering how the Koreans shy away from the sun on normal occasions.
Grace, our Korean tour guide, explained that Busan was South Korea’s summer capital and, in August, one would hardly be able to see the beachline as it would be swamped with tourists and locals alike.
There are over 5,000 hotels providing 52,473 hotel rooms on Haeundae Beach alone, so that gives a brief idea of how brisk summer tourism is for this Korean holiday spot.
Apart from Haeundae Beach, other popular beach stretches include Gwanggalli, Hakdong Mongdol, Sonjeong, Gujora beaches and Geojedo Island, so really, it’s a just matter of choosing your personal hotspot to set up your umbrella.
Apparently, coffee has taken over as the “national drink” in South Korea, as at almost every corner there’s a hip café hangout. The weather was perfect at 27°C with a lovely cool breeze throughout. Sun, surf, beach parties and cafés – what’s not to like?
To cap off a lovely evening, we had a dinner cruise and drank in the night view of Haeundae and Gwangalli as we passed by the Gwangan Bridge. Nicknamed Diamond Bridge, the 7km suspension bridge is the second longest in South Korea, and a spectacular sight when lit at night.
For history buffs, there’s much to learn about Korea’s rich 5,000-year-old roots. Aside from the obvious Busan Museum, Busan Modern History Museum, Bokcheon Museum and National Maritime Museum, we had a chance to see museums off-the-beaten path like the Busan Women’s College (no, not to ogle at college girls) to learn more about tea from the Tea Museum there.
South Korea is predominantly Christian and then, Buddhist, and one of the most scenic temples in Busan is the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple along the coastline. First built in 1376, the temple’s main sanctuary was reconstructed in 1970, and its 108 stairs lead to a prime spot for a magnificent sunrise view. Even there, there’s shopping to be done as seafood, snacks and temple paraphernalia are sold on the walkway to the main sanctuary.
Other places to visit on Busan’s touristic map include the Nurimaru APEC House, Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre, and Busan Cinema Centre (for the K-Pop 3D concert), all of which showcase impressive mod architecture, Haeundae Aquarium, UN Memorial Cemetery and Gamcheon Culture Village, among others.
If you have time to squeeze in a short trip out of Busan, I recommend a night’s stay at the Gimhae Traditional Korean House for an insight into traditional Hanok life at Gimhae. Quite a unique experience as the hotel has been designed to resemble a typical Korean traditional home, composed of seven buildings, including an ancestral hall and servants’ quarters. We had to roll out our own mattress and sleep on the wooden floor, but (thankfully!) there’s no real hardship involved as there is air-condi- tioning and a modern washroom available. Here, one can sip Korean tea while eating traditional Korean cuisine, and there are even programmes to introduce tourists to the culture.
The short stay at Gimhae included an excursion to King Suro’s Tomb, Gaya historical/cultural village and Gimhae Clay Arch, famed for its architectural ceramics. Busan is also well-known for its unique buncheong ware (which literally means “bluish grey”) which has been enjoying a revival of sorts in recent decades.
Clearly, there are so many facets to the city and I haven’t even begun talking about the food yet.
Considering all it has to offer, it looks like Busan is set to become yet another favourite holiday destination for Malaysians.
Busan is AirAsia X’s second destination in South Korea after Seoul. The long-haul, low-fare carrier flies to Busan four times weekly. For more details, go to airasia. com.