Touring around Busan in 28 hours (and why I think it's more of a charmer than Seoul)

If I had to choose only one destination between Busan and Seoul, I’d definitely choose Busan because first, it’s where the beaches are and second; it’s home to the Busan Film Festival. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Seoul and I’d love to go back without having to think twice but films and the beach are two great loves and it just so happened that in Korea, both can be found in where else – Busan. But these two are just the icing in the cake, if you plan to explore Busan, you'll be amazed at how its people are a destination that no tourist should ever miss.

Sad to say, most travelers skip this quaint little town thinking that it doesn’t have much to offer. Not for me. Even with 28 hours, I knew I wanted to be in Busan.



While I’m not much of a package tour kind of traveler, the low cost tours in Busan initiated by the local tourism board, proved to be very favorable especially to those who are short in cash and time.

So I headed to the Busan terminal. Nearby, I saw a park / plaza where the Busan City Tour buses were parked. There are several tour packages for tourists to choose from. Buses are scheduled to take and pick up passengers to/from tourist destinations, on a regular schedule so tourists get to hop on/off on the bus as they please.

I had planned to avail all of the three tours offered:

• Haeundae tour (KRW10,000)
• Taejongdae tour (KRW10,000)
• Night tour (KRW10,000)

A Haeundae ticket can also be used for a Taejongdae tour, provided that you’ll be touring on the same day. The night tour; however, should be purchased separately.

 I arrived in Busan at 4PM in the afternoon and I enlisted in the first tour that I could catch – the night tour.  So I hopped on the tour bus along with other tourists. Each seat is equipped with a touchscreen monitor that allows you to check where you are, where you’re headed next, and the various destinations included in your choice of tour along with a brief background for each. The best thing about bus tours is you get to make friends with fellow tourists. And yes, you’ll have someone to take your photos, thanks to your friendly bus driver / tour guide.

After the night tour, I had the chance to walk around. Busan was colder than Seoul, not good for someone nursing a bad cold but the smiles of strangers were keeping me warm. In Seoul, everyone's glued to their phones and tablets almost everywhere but in Busan, people definitely knew how to pause, smile, and strike a conversation.

When I arrived in Busan and could not find my way to my guesthouse, I tried asking for directions from bus drivers and vendors. While language barrier can turn into a huge challenge, the locals went out of their way. We were conversing through charades and sketches while enjoying a good laugh at the same time.  Despite our efforts, I still had a difficult time finding my dorm. Thankfully, I met a Korean woman who knew how to speak English and she gave me the instructions loud and clear.

As for my Busan adventure, my favorites were Haeundae beach and Taejongdae. But what's making me want to go back to Busan is its warm and funny people who had been my company for 28 hours.