A refreshing tour of Busan - Igidae Coastal Walk – Day 9 in South Korea

After the unfortunate turn of events yesterday, we woke up with a fresh start beginning with a very nice Korean meal from our host. I was very thankful that so far, we have stayed with very friendly and hospitable hosts and our host in Busan was especially nice as he has agreed to tour us to different places in Busan. The plan for the day was to go to Igidae Coast, UN Memorial Cemetery, Busan Cinema Center, Shinsegae and finally, go to Haeundae where the Busan Fireworks Festival will take place.

Igidae (이기대) Park is not really famous with tourist, maybe because going here would be quite tricky for first-timers as you would need to transfer trains/buses and walk before you reach the start of the trail. Igidae is one of Busan’s beautiful coastlines and is known for its spectacular views of Gwangan Bridge, Haeundae Beach, Baeksan and Jangsan Mountain, it’s not just a good place for a morning stroll, but you can also set up picnic here or fishing posts! It’s a good spot where you can take your family for a nice day out. The 5-kilometer coastal trail would be perfect for the sunny weather.

The panoramic view of Busan

A very rainy day in Busan – Day 8 in South Korea

We have been watching out for the change in weather forecast in Busan for the date of our arrival. For two weeks the prediction has not changed – it said rainy with thunderstorms. I was still optimistic, this was a forecast after all. The day that we will be arriving was the original planned date for the Busan International Fireworks Festival. The weather has been good all through out our stay in Gyeongju, and I prayed that it will stay the same in Busan.

We went to Shingyeongju station early enough to buy tickets and have a quick breakfast. Our previous experience with KTX was not that good, no one to blame though. The ride that we will be using to Busan was KTX and was pretty cheap considered we will be there for only 30 minutes.

Gyeongju’s nightscapes - Cheomseongdae Observatory and Anapji Pond, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do - Day 7 in South Korea

This is third installment from our tour around Gyeongju, the first two were at Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple.

We were supposed to go to Shilla Millennium Park, however it took us quite some time to get a bus out of Bulguksa so when we arrived at the Millennium Park it was almost dark already and we decided not to proceed as we would not be able to take good pictures due to the lighting.

After having an early dinner of Jajjangmyeon, we got on a bus back downtown to go and see two sites recommended best by our host that we visit during nighttime - Cheomseongdae Observatory and Anapji Pond.

We first visited the Observatory as I wanted to save Anapji pond for last. We walked from Gyeongju train station to Cheomseongdae and took us almost 30 minutes, but you can also take Bus 10 or 11 and get off at Wolseong-dong office. You can see the observatory without paying any fee, however the admission of 500 Won wouldn’t hurt since they use to money for the maintenance of the said structure.

Cheomseongdae Observatory

A picture tour of Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do - Day 7 in South Korea

In my previous post about Gyeongju, I shared my experience on going to Seokguram Grotto.

After the 30-minute hike down from the Grotto, we finally arrived at one of South Korea’s most beautiful temples and also a UNESCO World Heritage site, Bulguksa Temple.

Bulguksa is a large complex of shrines and pagodas built as early as 535 AD and has survived a number of fires and wars. It also houses traditional Buddhist Art during the Silla Kingdom. It is positioned at the slopes of Mt. Tohamsan which is also quite near from Seokguram Hermitage.

"Meeting" Buddha at Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do - Day 7 in South Korea

After our fail KTX train the other day, me and my friend have finally settled in at Gyeongju. Even though we only have one day to visit all the must-see sites of this city, I wanted to make sure it will be very memorable.

Gyeongju is one of South Korea’s most popular cities that attract not just Korean tourists, but also lots of foreigners as this city is rich with culture and history being the former capital of the kingdom of Silla dynasty that lasted for almost thousand years . Gyeongju will allow you to step back in time with its picturesque architecture from the Silla Kingdom. Some of the famous sites (that also includes some that are even UNESCO-recognized) are Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Daereungwon Royal Burial Grounds, Bunhwangsa Temple, Cheongseongdae Observatory, Ahnapji Pond, Namsan Mountain, and Bomun Lake Resort.

I am now regretting the one day we have missed because we could have used this to go around – but anyway, there’s no use crying over spilt milk.  Our host has work in the afternoon but he went with us to Seokguram Grotto as he has never been there yet.

We took a cab to Gyeonju station (downtown) and inquired at the tourist station regarding the bus station and schedule to Seokguram Grotto and the nearby temple, Bulguksa. While there, also get a map of the city as it will be very helpful on planning your next destinations.

We took Bus 10 (you may also take Bus 11) from the bus stop near the station. The trip took about 30 minutes. We got off at Bulguksa bus station then took another bus going to Seokguram Grotto. The bus from here comes every 30 minutes.

The beautiful pavilion near at the foot of Mt. Tohamsan

The first (fail) KTX ride and our cravings for Kalbi at Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do - Day 6 in South Korea

We left Yongin very early and took a cab from Jukjeon station to Suwon KTX station. The cab fare was a bit pricey but we had to take an early train ride going to Gyeongju, and because the train transfer going to Suwon from Jukjeon would require us riding four different trains, we had no choice.

A review of Everland Amusement Park, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do - Day 5 in South Korea

I wasn’t really ecstatic to go to Everland that day – don’t get me wrong, I love amusement parks, but I have heard reviews, some were good, some were not. Anyway, I still had my expectations set high. I was hoping to have fun that day. 

Operating Hours: 09:30 ~ 22:00(Mon-Sat) / 09:00-22:00 (Sunday & holiday)
One-day Pass
Daytime : adults 38,000 won / Teenagers 32,000 won / children 29,000 won
Nighttime : adults 31,000 won / Teenagers 26,000 won / children 23,000 won

A view of Everland during autumn