As South Korea’s second-largest city, Busan offers a plethora of things to do. On any single day, you can be hiking up mighty mountains and enjoying panoramic views, relaxing on golden stretches of sand, soaking yourself in some soothing hot springs and tucking into some fantastic seafood. The city also plays host to the Busan Film Festival each year, one of the most important film festivals in the whole of Asia.
To really get a sense of where you are and to get a bird’s eye view of the city, head up to the summit of the 120-metre-tall Busan Tower. Constructed in 1973, you’ll get a brilliant view of the port from up here, and there’s also a café so that you can tuck into some tasty treats as you soak up the vistas. Other sites to visit here include the Gamcheon Culture Village – billed as the ‘Machu Picchu of Busan' – the contemporary Kim Jae Sun Art Gallery and the 14th-century Haedong Yonggung Temple – an important site of Buddhist worship.
Being a port city, Busan is famous the world over for its lip-smackingly good seafood, and there are plenty of options for all kinds of tastes here. You can’t miss a visit to Jagalchi Fish Market, Korea’s largest seafood market, which is open from 05:00 and is teeming with everything from anchovies to sea urchins. Other places to visit include the labyrinthine Gwangbokdong Food Street and the AnGa barbecue restaurant.