Sokcho
We hadn’t originally planned on returning to South Korea, but after adding a few extra stops during our time in China, we ran out of days on our 30-day visa before making it to Shanghai. Rather than rush through the places we were enjoying, we decided to leave China and return later.
Looking at both the weather and flight prices, South Korea quickly became the obvious choice. Spring was in full swing, there were still several places along the east coast we wanted to explore, and it would be easy to fly back into China afterwards and finally visit Shanghai.
After a few relaxing days in Incheon and a final night enjoying the atmosphere of Seoul, it was time to leave familiar territory behind. We were heading to South Korea’s east coast, an area we hadn’t explored before, and looking forward to discovering a completely different side of the country. It would also be our first coach journey in South Korea, giving us the chance to see a little more of the landscape along the way.
South Korea isn’t a particularly big country, certainly not compared to the UK, so thankfully there weren’t going to be any epic coach journeys. Most transfers between places were only a couple of hours at most. As we headed towards the east coast, the first thing we noticed was how green and hilly the landscape became. The closer we got to Sokcho, the more mountainous it looked, although that wasn’t exactly a surprise. One of the main reasons we’d come here was to visit the Seoraksan national park.
Sokcho appealed to us for more than just its proximity to Seoraksan National Park. It is also a popular coastal resort, with beaches and scenic seafront walks. Our last visit to South Korea we enjoyed the walking trails that seemed to be everywhere. With both the mountains and the sea on our doorstep, Sokcho seemed to offer the best of both worlds, and we were very much looking forward to exploring it.
We’d booked a seafront apartment, which provided a bit of a home-from-home. Having our own cooking facilities meant a trip to the supermarket was one of our first priorities so we could stock up on a few provisions. I always miss cooking when I’m travelling, so whenever I get the opportunity to get back into a kitchen, I make the most of it.
First impressions of Sokcho were very positive, but we’d save exploring it properly until the following day. For the rest of the evening, we were quite content to rustle up a home-cooked meal and settle down to watch a film. After months on the road, it was a reminder that sometimes it’s the simple things in life that bring the most enjoyment.
The South Koreans seem to love walking, and that’s something we can certainly relate to. Refreshed after a good night’s sleep, we couldn’t wait to get out and explore. Today’s plan was a coastal walk.
Our apartment was conveniently located in the centre of town, meaning we could simply head left or right along the seafront. Both directions appeared to have plenty of places of interest, but today we opted to head left. Looking at the map, I spotted a pagoda overlooking the sea a few miles away, which seemed like as good a destination as any, so off we went.
It only took us a couple of minutes to reach the beach promenade, and we were immediately impressed. A beautiful stretch of powder-white sand, with the Sokcho Eye and the pier standing out along the beachfront. It was a lovely day too—blue skies, a slight breeze, perfect walking weather.
Quirky art installations lined the pier, along with painted murals along the walkways. It was exactly the kind of creativity we remembered and loved about South Korea. They always seem to go that little bit extra — they even install air blowers to remove the sand from your feet when you leave the beach. I love that!
As we left the pier behind and headed north, we hadn’t been walking long when we noticed up ahead that a section of the sea defences had been painted with cute characters. They really do love all things cute here and great to photograph.
What was also nice to see as we walked along was the bright blue sea on one side and the impressive mountains framing the city in the distance, with modern apartment blocks in between.
This route didn’t follow the coast the entire way, as further along we came to an estuary, so we had to head towards a bridge up ahead. It was still a pleasant walk, and the elevated position on the bridge gave us even better views of the mountains.
Once over the bridge, we made our way back towards the coastal to the harbour and lighthouses, enjoying the walk and stopping frequently to take photos along the way.
We continued on, and the road leading down to the pagoda was lined with seafood restaurants. They absolutely love their fish here. The restaurants all had tanks outside filled with live fish ready for customers to choose from, along with some unusual seafood and some of the strangest creatures we’d ever seen. We could never bring ourselves to choose a live fish; all we wanted to do was take them back to the ocean.
The pagodas (we later discovered there were actually two of them) offered wonderful views and made us realise just how far we’d walked. It was certainly far enough for one day, although we were more than happy to leisurely stroll back and enjoy another evening at the apartment.
To mix things up the following day, we took the bus to Seoraksan National Park. It only took around 20 minutes and dropped us right at the entrance gates.
It was another perfect day weather-wise: sunny but not too hot. The park has a series of trails, ranging from shorter, flatter walks to more strenuous uphill climbs. We don’t mind a bit of uphill walking, as long as there aren’t any scary drops.
There’s also a cable car that takes visitors to one of the higher peaks. We avoided that option, as after reading about it I reckoned it wouldn’t sit well with Shane’s fear of heights. Instead, we decided to walk the trail to Ulsan Rock which is one of the most iconic sights in the park and are known for their dramatic granite peaks.
The trail climbed steadily, but I told Shane that if it started to feel a bit too exposed or uncomfortable, we could always turn back.
The scenery in the park was stunning, and we discovered that the area was also home to several temples and a giant Buddha. The intricate detailing on the temples was beautiful, with courtyards filled with colourful lanterns.
A few miles into the trail, the pathway narrowed into a series of steps. However, the walkway was well maintained and fitted with handrails, so it felt safe and we continued. It was only every now and then, when we looked back, that we realised just how high we had climbed.
We came across yet another temple before continuing to an area filled with enormous boulders. From here, we could see back down into the valley and across the surrounding mountains, even making out the cable car in the distance.
We didn’t continue all the way to the top. The path narrowed further and started to look a little sketchy. I’m sure it would have been fine, but we’d already climbed a fair way and wanted to stop while the going was good and before Shane became too uncomfortable. So we turned back.
It had been a great trek, with amazing scenery, historic temples and perfect weather. Back near the entrance, we debated tackling one of the lower trails that led to a waterfall, but eventually decided we’d done enough walking for one day, having already covered quite a few miles.
We knew that returning to South Korea would give us the opportunity to do some great walks, and so far Sokcho wasn’t disappointing.
We had one more day here, so decided to do another coastal walk, this time in the opposite direction.
No expense is spared here when it comes to walking trails. The pathways are well maintained and there are lots of art installations along the way.
We remembered from our last visit that people here enjoy keeping fit, so there is no shortage of free outdoor gyms in many of the park areas. The nice thing is that they are actually used and enjoyed by local people.
They love their dogs here as well, especially small, cute dogs, so whilst walking we saw plenty of them. You can tell how much people adore their pets, although they do seem to go a little over the top with dog clothes, and many are pushed around in dog prams. I just hope they still get plenty of exercise, as dogs need their daily dose of scents (“wee mail”, as I’ve always called it) to find out what Bruno and Patch have been up to – ha!
We preferred the walk in this direction. It seemed to go on for miles, passing harbours, different beaches and a spectacular pedestrian bridge, as well as more gyms and colourful artwork along the way.
The beaches here are also really nice. It’s not quite summer yet, so there weren’t many people swimming, and the sea was probably still freezing. We later found out that swimming isn’t allowed until June, when the beaches are staffed with lifeguards. It made sense when we saw the lifeguard stations stacked together, ready to be put in place once the beach season begins.
Another thing we noticed was that every few metres there were coloured ribbons hanging from lamp posts, trees and various other places. We recognised them as possible trail markers, as we’d seen and followed similar ribbons on Jeju Island during our previous visit to South Korea. A closer look confirmed it, with the trail name printed on each ribbon.
When we looked it up, we discovered that the trail follows the entire east coast of the country from north to south. Covering around 770 km, it follows the coastline and is known as the Haeparang Trail. The route is divided into numbered sections and, just like on Jeju, hikers can collect stamps in a trail passport after completing each section – brilliant!
Unfortunately, we wouldn’t be spending months walking the length of the country, but we’d certainly enjoyed the sections we’d experienced on beautiful days like this.
We enjoyed the walk so much that we completely lost track of time. The beauty of it was that we could simply catch a bus back, so it didn’t really matter.
That evening we took some drinks and snacks down to the beach. It was my birthday, so what better place to celebrate? Although, to be fair, we don’t really need an excuse.
The beach promenade was brimming with life. People were out for an evening stroll, many were sitting on benches like ourselves, picnicking or barbecuing, and others were still making use of the outdoor gyms. We wandered down to the pier, which looked amazing illuminated at night, as did the giant wheel nearby. What a wonderful way to end my birthday.
We’d really enjoyed our time in Sokcho. It may have been short and sweet, but it had delivered beautiful beaches, stunning mountain scenery and some fantastic walks.
Tomorrow we continue down the east coast, with just a short bus ride of around an hour to another coastal resort, Gangneung. With more coastal walks and beaches backed by pine forests, we’re already looking forward to it.
Gangneung
Sticking to the east coast and continuing south, our next stop was Gangneung.
While researching the area, most people seemed to recommend either Sokcho or the Gyeongpo Beach area of Gangneung as a base. Both give you access to Seoraksan National Park, although Sokcho is definitely the closer option. Quite a few articles suggested that if you had the time, it was worth visiting both. Gangneung was often described as the more laid-back of the two, with coastal walks, long sandy beaches and stretches of pine trees lining the shore.
It sounded lovely, so why miss it out?
We didn’t feel we needed to spend a great deal of time there, but a couple of nights seemed like a good shout and would give us a chance to slow the pace a little.
Getting there was straightforward enough. We headed to the central bus station in Sokcho and caught a bus south along the coast. There was no need to pre-book tickets as the buses run frequently, so we simply turned up and only had a short wait before boarding.
Once we were on our way, we passed parts of the coastline we’d walked the previous day. OMG, we hadn’t realised quite how far we’d gone. Looking out of the window, it became obvious we’d walked almost halfway to the next resort. I’m genuinely not joking.
The journey itself only took about an hour, although that was just to Gangneung city centre. From there, it was another 40 minutes by local bus to our apartment near Gyeongpo Beach. No problem though. Public transport in Korea has been brilliant throughout our trip – buses are frequent, cheap and easy to use, making the final leg of the journey completely stress-free.
We’d booked another apartment just a short walk from the beach, so after dropping off our bags we headed straight out to explore.
We were impressed as soon as we arrived. Another fantastic beach greeted us, with powdery soft sand and a clear blue sea stretching out before us. With summer just around the corner, we could see where the lifeguard huts would soon be set up, ready for the warmer months.
Spring is a lovely time to be here, especially for walking. The temperatures are comfortable, the skies are often clear, and the beaches remain relatively quiet. Our previous visit to South Korea was in autumn, so we’ve yet to experience the country at the height of summer.
We can only imagine how busy these beaches become in the hottest months, and it would be interesting to experience that atmosphere for ourselves one day. Hopefully we’ll get the chance to return in summer next time, and maybe again in winter for the ski season – yeah right! More like for sledging and après-ski – ha!
That’s one of the great things about South Korea. Unlike some destinations, it really does have four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, while winters can be bitterly cold with plenty of snow in the mountains.
All around Sokcho we kept seeing references to the 2018 Winter Olympics, which were held in nearby PyeongChang. Looking around at the mountains and seeing the ski resorts marked on maps, it wasn’t difficult to imagine the area covered in snow and bustling with winter sports enthusiasts.
For now, we’d enjoy the spring sunshine and a coastal walk. It was already late afternoon, but that didn’t deter us, we headed towards Gangmum beach crossing the pedestrian Sotdae bridge. There were still plenty of people out enjoying the beach — walking dogs, jogging, and exercising. It’s what the Koreans love to do.
More art installations lined the promenade, along with outdoor gyms (including a really cool one right on the beach). But what made this beach feel more unique was the 4km pine forest running directly alongside it. Cycling and walking trails wound through the trees, and even in the forest there were more art pieces and exercise spots dotted along the way.
It never ceases to amaze us — the little extra effort that goes into making these places so appealing, with something to look at everywhere you turn.
We ended up walking for miles again, all the way down to Gangneung’s café street (Anmok Coffee Street), a stretch of road running right along Anmok Beach, packed with over 30 cafés. The whole place had quirky coffee-related art dotted along the beach too, which gave it a fun feel.
Like the previous day in Sokcho, we decided to take a bus part of the way back. We got off in Gangmum and were happy to walk the rest of the way to the apartment.
The sun was just setting as we strolled back, and the sky was incredible. Considering we hadn’t arrived until the afternoon, it felt like we’d had a full, proper day.
What a difference a day makes. (Every time I say that, a song pops into my head.) The following morning was dull, cloudy, and quite breezy. We planned to walk along the coast in the opposite direction, and while the weather wasn’t ideal for photos, it can’t be perfect every day.
Not to be deterred, we set off. It wasn’t long before I realised I should have brought a jacket. The breeze made it feel much cooler than it actually was. We were already too far along to turn back, so we’d just have to get a spurt on. Nothing a brisk walk wouldn’t remedy.
Despite the weather, people were still out walking and cycling. The coastline in this direction felt more raw and natural, with less development beyond the beach and pine trees.
A little further along, the coastal path brought us to Sagunjin Beach. It’s here that the sea defence blocks have been painted in striking pastel rainbow shades. I’d seen photographs of them before, and on a sunny day they look really impressive. Today we’d just have to make the best of it.
There’s also an observation platform shaped like the hull of a ship. From the top, you can peer down at the colourful sea defences and look out into the distance towards Gyeongpo. It felt wilder somehow, and the photographs had a much moodier feel to them.
We continued along the forest trail, where it was much warmer away from the coastal breeze. We could see ighthouses in the distance, so we made them our destination and kept going.
As we arrived, the area became more developed for tourism. There were several caravan parks, including a quirky one where buses of various sizes had been converted into accommodation, probably a great place to stay in summer. Today, though, it felt quiet and empty, but I imagine it will be buzzing with visitors in a few weeks.
The beach was lovely too, sheltered sheltered by the breakwaters and the lighthouses at the harbour entrance. Even on a grey day it looked inviting, and it was easy to see why people flock here in warmer weather.
From here, we retraced our steps. It was still a pleasant walk despite the weather; spring flowers were in bloom, and I couldn’t help but notice how well everything here is cared for. Even the trees lining the roadside path had feeder bags attached to them, nurturing nature in such a thoughtful way.
Even the forest trail is carpeted with protective matting, perfect for the wetter months. Back home, it’s wellies on and a muddy path underfoot—you wouldn’t get that here.
We passed a few outdoor gyms which, unfortunately, were empty today. Even so, despite the weather, we both enjoyed the walk. It got the steps in, and by now we’d certainly warmed up.
As it was our last night here, we decided to head out for some Korean fried chicken. We’d somehow not had any on this visit, mainly because I’d been enjoying cooking, so tonight felt like a bit of a treat. Fried chicken washed down with a few glasses of soju—about as Korean as it gets.
We found a cute local place, and it didn’t disappoint. We ordered a chicken dish to share and were glad we did when an enormous plate of chicken coated in a spicy, sticky sauce arrived at the table. We’d also ordered a side of tteokbokki, another local dish we’ve grown to love. Chewy rice cakes served in a rich, spicy sauce, it’s one of those dishes that keeps you coming back for more.
It was the perfect ending to our short trip here and gave us a real taster of the coastline and the surrounding area.
Tomorrow we head further south and a little inland to Gyeongju, a city steeped in history and culture. Once the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom for almost a thousand years, it’s often referred to as “the museum without walls” thanks to its wealth of temples, tombs, and archaeological treasures.
We’ll be taking the train, which should take around three hours along Korea’s east coast. The journey itself is said to be quite scenic, so we’re hoping for some good views along the way.
Gyeongju
This would be our first train journey in South Korea and, from what we’d read, it sounded much more relaxed than what we’d become accustomed to on the Chinese railways, which follow more of an airport-style procedure with passport checks and security screening. Here, it was simply a case of arriving 15–20 minutes before departure and, once the platform number was announced, heading down to board. Simple as that.
The journey was every bit as scenic as we’d hoped, following the coastline past a string of interesting seaside resorts. From what we could see, the entire stretch of coast looked pretty spectacular.
Eventually, however, the train left the shoreline behind as we headed slightly inland towards Gyeongju. The scenery changed to rolling hills and lush greenery, which was equally pleasant in its own way.
The train station is located a little outside the city, so we hopped on a bus directly outside the station to take us into town. Thankfully, our hotel was only a few minutes’ walk from the bus stop, meaning we didn’t have to lug our heavy bags too far.
The first thing that hit us when we arrived was the temperature. What a difference a day makes — there goes that song again. It was absolutely roasting and, if the forecast was correct, it was only going to get even hotter over the next few days.
Check-in times at hotels in South Korea tend to be on the later side, often around 4 or 5 pm, so unfortunately our room wasn’t ready when we arrived. Thankfully, they were happy to store our bags, so we headed straight back out to explore.
At the end of the street was a supermarket, so we picked up a few things to put together a picnic and set off in search of a park bench or somewhere shady to sit. We didn’t have to walk far before stumbling across a place to sit, and it happened to be at one of the most significant sights in Gyeongju: the Royal Tombs.
The tombs aren’t quite what you might expect; they appear as large grassy mounds rising from the landscape. If you didn’t know what they were, you’d probably assume they were natural hills. The tombs are scattered throughout the city, but a large cluster of them is located just a short walk from our hotel.
The area had pathways dotted with benches beneath the shade of mature trees, so we found a quiet spot and settled down to enjoy our lunch while escaping the worst of the heat.
After lunch, we continued wandering around the tomb complex. To be honest, there isn’t a huge amount to see from the outside. As I mentioned, the tombs are essentially large grassy mounds — impressive in size but giving little indication of what lies beneath.
There is a museum on site where visitors can learn more about the tombs and see how they were constructed, but we decided to save that for another time.
We didn’t really have a plan for the day; we thought we’d simply wander and see where it led us. Our first stop was another area of tombs just across the road. This site is particularly significant as it contains the tomb of King Michu of Silla.
It was noticeably busier here, with plenty of tourists exploring the grounds. We also saw lots of people dressed in traditional Korean costumes, posing for photographs — something that seems to be just as popular here as it was in China and across much of Asia for that matter.
At one point, we noticed a queue forming at a particularly popular photo spot where two of the burial mounds meet. Everyone seemed eager to have their picture taken standing between them, while we were more interested in photographing the tombs themselves. Thankfully, we managed to get the shot we wanted without having to join the queue.
We stopped shortly afterwards for a cold drink, as the temperature had now climbed above 30°C.
Gyeongju isn’t a particularly large city, so once we were rehydrated, we headed across to Cheomseongdae Observatory, which I could see from the map was close by.
Constructed in 633 AD, Cheomseongdae is the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in Asia. Remarkably, it has remained largely intact for nearly 1,400 years. Today, the observatory stands as one of Gyeongju’s most celebrated landmarks and forms part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage area, offering a fascinating glimpse into the scientific achievements of Korea’s ancient Silla Kingdom.
All this sightseeing had passed the time nicely, and we decided that was enough for one afternoon, so we headed back towards the hotel. By now, our room should be ready for check-in.
On the way back, we walked through the touristy part of town with its traditional hanok buildings lining the streets. We didn’t want to explore the area too thoroughly just yet — just enough to get a taste of what was there. After all, if we saw everything on our first day, there would be little left to discover over the next couple of days.
That didn’t mean we were finished sightseeing for the day, though. That evening we headed across town to Woljeonggyo Bridge (still not sure I’ll ever pronounce that correctly). I’d read it was one of Gyeongju’s must-sees at night when it’s all lit up.
It was around a 20-minute walk from our hotel, taking us through another traditional village that we’d definitely come back to in the daytime.
When we arrived, the bridge looked impressive lit up over the river. Originally built during the Silla Dynasty in the 8th century, the version you see today is a reconstruction completed in 2018, based on historical remains. It’s painted in bold red, green and gold and has a distinctive traditional wooden design with a pavilion in the middle.
It was fairly busy, but it was easy to see why. It’s definitely somewhere worth coming back to in the daytime for a better look. Our legs were certainly feeling the effects of all the walking, but it was hard to complain. Gyeongju had already exceeded our expectations, and there was still plenty more waiting to be discovered.
I had a rough plan in mind when we set off the following morning. We decided to head back over to the bridge and Hanok Village first. On the way, we passed by the Jjoksaem Ruins Excavation Hall, a unique “live” museum built directly over an active archaeological dig. It allows visitors to witness the actual excavation and restoration process of the royal tombs and showcases objects discovered within them, including weapons, jewellery and pottery. It was really interesting, and I was amazed by just how large each tomb was.
From here we continued towards the bridge. It was heating up again, so this time I’d come prepared and brought an umbrella to provide at least a little shade. You know it’s hot when the brolly comes out.
The bridge was just as stunning in the daytime as it had been the previous evening, and the traditional village was equally charming with its quirky shops and inviting cafés.
After crossing the bridge, we continued along the river towards the museum and Donggung Palace. We hadn’t planned on visiting the museum, but we reached it first and the thought of some air conditioning was enough to tempt us inside. I’m glad we did. Not only did it provide some respite from the heat, but it also offered a fascinating insight into the area’s history and the rich heritage of the Silla Kingdom.
Our next stop was Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. There was a small entrance fee to get in. We entered the main gate and I have to admit though that we were a little disappointed at first, as we had expected to see a grand palace and hadn’t realised that the original buildings had long since disappeared, with only the footings remaining to show where they once stood. We thought it was going to be the highlight of the day, but there wasn’t really much to see.
The grounds were pleasant, and we enjoyed walking around the pond and seeing the pagodas dotted around the site, and at least there were plenty of trees providing welcome shade.
As we didn’t need much time here, we headed back towards the centre. We were effectively walking in a large loop, which brought us back towards the park area with the observatory, although this time we approached it from the opposite side. Pathways led to a large field filled with a blanket of flowers, which was beautiful. But it was very open here, and we could really feel the heat. We were looking forward to getting back into town, where we knew there would be a little more shade.
Hwangnidan-gil, Gyeongju’s main tourist street, was buzzing with people enjoying the cafés, restaurants and shops. We spent a while wandering, browsing a few stores and soaking up the atmosphere, and we’d be back later when the sun went down, as it’s a really nice place to wander by night as well.
That brought us to our last day and we weren’t sure what to do. We felt like we’d seen most of the tourist sights within the town. I’d read that there was a temple in the surrounding mountains we could have taken a trip to, but in the end we decided to have a relaxed day because, to be honest, we were all templed out (it happens). Plus, this little heatwave was now tipping into the mid-30s, and it really takes it out of you. So there was no better excuse than to spend the day writing and going through our photos, which takes up quite a lot of our time.
We’d had a good time here. We’ve never been disappointed in any of the places we’ve visited in South Korea. Next, we move on to familiar territory as we return to Busan, which isn’t far at all. We can take the bus, which only takes around an hour. We loved Busan on our previous visit — it’s a big city, and we spent around three weeks there. Our favourite places were Gwangalli and Haeundae Beach, so we plan to spend a short time in both.
Busan
The central bus station was only a few minutes’ walk from our hotel. With frequent buses running to Busan throughout the day, there was no need to book tickets in advance. The journey takes around an hour and is surprisingly scenic, making it a pleasant ride.
We were quite excited about returning to Busan. We spent several weeks here on our previous trip, and we absolutely loved it. There’s just something about this coastal city – a relaxed atmosphere that makes it easy to enjoy. As it’s such a large city, we’d already explored most of the main districts last time. For this shorter stay, we decided to base ourselves in Gwangalli, a quirky beachfront town with plenty going on and a great atmosphere of its own.
From the central bus station, we caught a local city bus to the area where we were staying. From there, it was just a short walk to our hotel, conveniently located just off the beach promenade.
Unfortunately, check-in wasn’t until 4pm, which we find quite late, although it seems to be fairly common in South Korea. There was nobody at reception when we arrived, but thankfully there was a secure area where guests could leave their luggage. We dropped our bags off and headed straight out to make the most of the afternoon.
It felt good to be back in Busan. There was something comforting about returning to a place that felt familiar, and it almost seemed as though we hadn’t been away at all. In reality, it had been 18 months since our last visit, but the city still felt just as welcoming as we remembered.
Gwangalli Beach is a crescent-shaped sandy bay with a wide waterfront promenade that is perfect for a leisurely stroll. The seafront is lined with hotels, restaurants and seemingly endless cafés, many of which offer uninterrupted views of the iconic Gwangan Bridge stretching across the bay. Day or night, it provides a spectacular backdrop to this vibrant part of the city.
We love a good walk, so our first stop was the promenade. It was busy with a mix of tourists, locals enjoying the afternoon sunshine, dog walkers and joggers. There were plenty of benches to sit and watch the world go by, while various art installations added a bit of colour along the way.
As we walked, we found ourselves reminiscing. “Oh, do you remember this place?” and “What about that one?” kept cropping up as we passed familiar bars and restaurants. A few of them would definitely be seeing us again later, especially those with great views across the bay, perfect for watching the hourly bridge light show. But that was for later.
As we reached the far end of the beach, we spotted the holographic dome we’d discovered on our last visit. Inside is a project called A Letter Across the Year. You choose a postcard, write a message to someone special and post it there and then. Their promise is simple – exactly one year later, they’ll post it for you.
We’d done it on our previous visit and, sure enough, a year later our postcard arrived back home. Knowing it had worked once, we headed inside and posted another. Fingers crossed last year’s wasn’t a one-off, but I’ve got a good feeling we’ll be hearing from our past selves again in twelve months’ time.
Before we knew it, our stroll had passed a couple of hours, so we headed back to the hotel to finally check in.
We chilled out for a couple of hours before heading back out. We knew the area well from our last visit, so we wandered around the corner to a food court we’d really enjoyed before. It’s got a great atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating, music, fried chicken, beer and soju — I mean, what more do you need in South Korea?
Unfortunately, we were a little early and much of it wasn’t open yet. Rather than wait around, we decided to explore a little more.
Just across the road is a small harbour, so we decided to have a wander around there instead. From here you get one of the best views of Marine City’s modern skyline, which sits between Gwangalli and Haeundae. As the light started to fade, the contrast between the little lighthouse and the towering apartment blocks behind it made for some good photos.
Afterwards, we made our way back to the food court before heading to the promenade, which I absolutely love at night. It was still busy with people out for an evening stroll, but now the buskers had appeared. One guy was crooning love songs, while a little further along a boy band had a crowd gathered around them, belting out what was clearly a favourite song. Everyone seemed to know the words and was singing and swaying along.
Gwangalli really comes alive after dark. The lights from the city and the illuminated bridge create a fantastic atmosphere, and I’d completely forgotten about the small boats that head out onto the bay in the evenings. They were all lit up as they cruised across the water, and every so often one would launch a burst of fireworks near the bridge. I imagine it’s quite a sight for the people on board, although it’s not something we’ve tried ourselves. For us, watching from the promenade was impressive enough.
We decided to try somewhere new for dinner and a few drinks. Many of the bars and restaurants here are spread across the upper floors of the high-rise buildings lining the promenade. As you walk along, you can see them stacked one above another, each making the most of the views with balconies or huge open windows looking out towards the bridge.
The place we’d picked was on the fifth floor, so we jumped in the lift and headed up. The only thing with these venues is you never really know what you’re going to find until the doors open. Still, it was early, so we weren’t expecting much of a crowd.
Thankfully there were already a few people in, and more importantly, a couple of tables were still available by the large open windows overlooking the bay. It was exactly the spot we’d hoped for and the perfect place to spend our first evening back in Gwangalli.
Unfortunately, the following day the weather was terrible. The rain hammered down from morning until night and, judging by the forecast, it wasn’t going anywhere until late evening.
Ah well, never mind. We’d been here before, so it wasn’t as though we were missing out on things we’d never seen. In some ways, having a day forced indoors wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
We used the time to catch up on a few things, particularly our writing. When you’re travelling for long periods, days like these are often quite welcome. They give you a chance to slow down for a while, organise your thoughts and get a few jobs done before heading off on the next adventure.
Thankfully, the downpour had cleared the air and the following morning we woke to blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Perfect timing, as today we were planning to visit the neighbouring bay of Haeundae.
The easiest way for us to get there was by bus. You can just as easily take the metro, with both options being quick and straightforward, but our hotel happened to be closer to a bus stop, so that made the decision for us.
We knew that Haeundae had hosted its annual sand sculpture festival the week before. To be honest, I didn’t think we’d get a chance to see the sculptures, and after the torrential rain the day before I assumed they’d have been washed away anyway.
But, much to our surprise, they were all still there and looking as impressive as ever. Not only had they survived the weather, but many of them still looked almost perfect. It was a real bonus and something we hadn’t expected to see on this visit.
Haeundae is another impressive resort area in Busan. Modern buildings line the promenade, giving it a slightly more polished, contemporary feel compared to Gwangalli. That said, we still love both. They’re so close together that it hardly matters where you stay, as it’s easy enough to spend time in each and get the best of both worlds.
The beach itself is just as impressive. The sea looked incredibly inviting, especially in the sunshine, but it’s still a little early in the season. Swimming isn’t allowed yet until the lifeguards are on duty for the summer, which is a shame.
We were here mainly for the coastal walk we’d enjoyed so much before, so there’d have been no time for swimming anyway.
We took a while to look around at the sand sculptures first. The level of talent and detail is incredible — they really are works of art when you see them up close. It’s just a shame they won’t be around for long before they’re taken down.
I know I’ve said it before, but the Koreans really know how to invest in public spaces, especially when it comes to coastal trails and green areas. Everything feels well thought out and accessible, with plenty of steps, staircases and viewpoints built in rather than worked around.
This particular walk links around from the popular Blue Line Park, where you can take the coastal train or the little sky capsules that glide along this spectacular stretch of coastline.
The trail itself runs elevated above the ocean, lined with pine trees, and stretches on for miles. Along the way, staircases drop down at key points to open up different viewpoints across the water.
One of the standout features is the Haewol Observatory, an impressive viewing platform sitting roughly 20 metres above sea level and extending more than 150 metres out towards the ocean, giving you sweeping views right along the coast.
When we walked this trail 18 months ago, it ended up being our longest walk to date, clocking in 16 miles by the time we finished. But on that day we carried on much further along the coast, all the way out to Haedong Yonggung Temple. We weren’t planning to go that far this time, although knowing us, we’ll probably still end up clocking some serious miles by the end of the day.
As you walk the trail, I love watching the little sky capsules glide overhead. They move at a gentle pace of around 4km/h along the 2km elevated rail, giving passengers panoramic views over the forest and coastline as they drift by.
We exited the trail at the small village of Cheongsapo. There’s a little harbour here with twin lighthouses — one red, one white — both decorated with seaside designs that give the place a bit of character.
We wandered down the pier to take some photos, even though we knew we probably wouldn’t beat the one Shane took here last time (it’s still in our picture section). He caught it perfectly, just as the sun was starting to dip and the light hit the lighthouse just right.
We were a bit early in the day this time, so the light wasn’t quite on our side, but we still stopped for the shot anyway.
We were happy that this was as far as we’d walk today, so we headed back the way we’d come along the trail. Earlier, while admiring the sand sculptures, we’d noticed that more development had taken place along the promenade since our last visit. There was now an area lined with restaurants, all with outdoor seating—definitely not here last time.
We decided it would be the perfect place to end the day. We’d had a really enjoyable walk, and the weather had stayed perfect throughout. So stopping here for dinner felt like the ideal choice before heading back to Gwangalli. As an added bonus, by staying a little longer we got to see the sand sculptures illuminated after dark. They looked fantastic lit up at night and provided the perfect finale to a wonderful day.
Unfortunately, that brought our short time in Busan to an end. However, we’d had a great time and were glad we’d had the opportunity to return. Hopefully, in a year’s time, we’ll have a reminder of this wonderful place waiting for us if the postcard we sent manages to find its way back home.
But it’s not all bad news, as tomorrow we return to China and the city of Shanghai. If you’ve been following our journey, you may remember that we couldn’t fit Shanghai into our last visit as our visa time was coming to an end. By returning to South Korea, not only were we able to explore a few new places, but it also gave us the opportunity to re-enter China and finally visit a city that had been left on the wishlist.
This time, Shanghai is our only destination in China, although we’re hopeful it won’t be our last visit. There is still so much of the country we’d like to see. Shanghai also makes a convenient departure point, giving us more options as we begin making our way back towards Europe.
But there’ll be no talk of heading home just yet. For now, let’s enjoy the here and now and see what Shanghai has in store for us.
To continue our adventures, return to the China section after Beijing, or simply click the “explore China” button below.
