7th Busan International Fireworks Festival

       7th Busan International Fireworks Festival

          Date: 2011. Oct 21(Fri) ~ Oct 29(Sat)
         Venue : Gwangalli Beach and Gwangan Bridge Area
         Organized : Supervised by Busan Metropolitan City, Visit Korea Committee /
        The Organizing Committee for Busan Culture & Tourism Festival

Foregin service center( telephone) 82- 51-441-3121

beautiful Gwangalli Beach in Busan

Gwangalli Beach is one of the most popular beaches in South Korea.
Not quite as popular as Haeundae Beach to the east, this beach in Busan still manages to draw lots of visitors both because of its beautiful white sandy stretch of coastline and the area’s cafe scene.

It is particularly popular with young people in this area and young visitors to Busan in general. Besides the wide variety of eclectic cafes that each offer a different experience in terms of design and ambiance, the area on which the beach is situated is also home to a number of restaurants, bars, and clubs.  You will also have no problem whatsoever locating hotels near Gwangalli Beach as there are plenty in the area.

If you have never traveled to South Korea and simply search for any beach in Busan to help determine where to stay, you may overlook Gwangalli Beach. This will be no fault of your own. There are simply larger and better-known beaches such as Haeundae. You will find, however, that there are a lot of options for things to do on and around Gwangalli Beach. Numerous festivals and events take place throughout the year on the beach, including the Busan Sea Festival held every summer. Namcheon-dong is located at the southern portion of the beach and plays host to the Cherry Blossom Tree Festival each and every year. This is a very popular time of celebrations at Gwangalli Beach. People come from all around to take part in traditional Korean festivities and games. You can do everything from learning ancient forms of Korean wrestling to taking the kids to fun and interactive singing and dancing workshops. There is definitely no shortage of things to do at this beach in Busan.

The Novotel Ambassador is a gorgeous hotel located closer to Haeundae Beach, but well within driving or even walking distance of Gwangalli. It is worth a mention because it is one of the nicest hotels near Gwangalli Beach where you can also get a lot of value for your money. Booked far enough in advance, the Novotel Ambassador offers highly competitive rates, especially considering the wide range of luxurious amenities. The Novotel features an indoor and outdoor pool, sauna and spa, restaurant, 24-hour concierge service, and spacious guest rooms and suites.

The Busan Hotel is another of the popular accommodations in the area where you can find reasonable rates without having to compromise on anything. The amenities are comprehensive including massage and spa treatments, onsite dining, and swimming pools. The guest rooms and suites are decorated with fine furnishings and provide excellent views of the sea. It is one of the best hotels near Gwangalli Beach, both for the price and for the location. It is close to downtown and much of the nightlife in Busan. It is also right by several fish markets if you want to try the best in freshly caught raw seafood. Do not overlook this beach in Busan if you happen to be staying in this part of South Korea. Gwangalli offers a lot of cool cafes and a fun, laid-back environment where you can relax.

Cafe-lined streets at Gwangalli Beach in Busan city

You haven’t experienced a summer in Busan until you grab a meal or a cold drink at an outdoor cafe.
The youth melting pot of Gwangalli Beach turns into a mecca of cafes in the summer.

The Suyeong District designated an 800-meter section of seashore road as a “no car” area every Satur-day and Sunday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., in large part so restaurants in the area can offer outdoor seating.

After swimming and tanning on the beach in the afternoon, head this way at night to enjoy beer, tea, ice cream and snacks at the cafes. And don’t forget about the amazing sight of Diamond Bridge, which is even more impressive lit up at night.

The outdoor cafes lined up along the shore feature parasols, tables and chairs.
There are also various cultural performances, further adding to the area’s allure.

Performances include jazz, saxophone, and Korean traditional dance. They start at 7 p.m. at Gwangalli’s outdoor performance hall and six other smaller performance halls including Park Hotel, Guess Who and Terrace G.

Stroll along the footpaths and feel the real Busan

Stroll along the footpaths and feel the real Busan
A walk through Busan’s  scenery

In Korea, spring is a great season to go for a walk. All of Busan is ablaze in flowers, and a beautiful spring scent permeates the air.

Within Busan, Galmaet-gil footpaths are especially famous spots for its spring ambience and are perfect for a scenic stroll. Comprising 21 courses, Galmaet-gil is the collective name for the footpaths connecting Busan’s most beautiful shores, forests and parts of the city.

The word Galmaet-gil is a hybrid of galmaegi or seagull, the representative bird of Busan, and gil, which means road. When combined, the word Galmaet-gil means “blue city” or a city you’d like to walk in, which is just the kind of place Busan is looking to become. Here is introduction to the best Galmaet-gil footpaths in Busan.


Haeundae Three Fishing Villages Walk  ( 8.4 kilometers, 3 hours )
Mipo, Cheongsapo and Gudeokpo are collectively known as the Haeundae sampo (meaning “three harbors”). The Three Fishing Villages Walk (Sampogil) takes you along the shore of those three harbors, following a trip around Dongbaek Island, the setting for the legend of Choi Chi-won.

After passing by Dongbaek Island, Haeundae Beach and the Donghae-Nambu line, the walk continues through the entrance of Dalmaji Road. After passing by the Moontan Road parking lot and walking for another 500 meters, on the right hand side you will see Haeundae Beach, Dongbaek Island and even Gwangan Bridge in a single glance. In front of the Korea Art Center stands a sign marking the entrance of Moontan Road, a 2.2 kilometer course taking in Mipo, a pavilion, an observatory and Eulmadang. The straight course from the forked lane of the trail leads to the Cheongsapo trail, and walking for another kilometer will take you all the way to the rock observatory.



From here, you can see not just Songjeong Beach, but right up to the front of Yonggungsa Temple. Keep going through the underpass at the Nambu Railway and you’ll come to Gudeokpo, from where the road leads directly to Songjeong Beach.

▷ How to get there: To get to the entrance of Dongbaek Island take metro line No. 2 to Dongbaek Station or bus No. 31 or 139. If you prefer to start from Gudeokpo, take bus No. 100, 100-1, 139, 1003 or 1006.


Gwangalli~Igidae~Jaseongdaegil ( 23.1kilometers, 8 hours )


This course starts from Gwangalli Beach, passes by Igidae and ends at Jaseongdae. It will take you past the city from Gwangalli Beach to Namcheon-dong, and from Yongho-dong onward, the course follows the shore. From the Igidae seaside pedestrian walk you can enjoy views of Gwangan Bridge, Dongbaek Island and Haeundae. From Seungdumal, you can see the Oryuk Islets, and from Sinseondae you can see up to Bukhang (North Port), Jodo and even Yeongdo. The course then passes by UN Memorial Cemetery, Pusan University of Foreign Studies, Seongji High School and finally Jaseongdae, which takes you on a road back to downtown through Jang Pass and Munhyun Rotary.

▷ How to get there: To get to the starting point on Gwangalli Beach, take metro line No. 2 to Gwangan Station and walk or take bus No. 41 or 83. The end of the trail, Jaseongdae, is near Beomil Station on line No. 1 and there are numerous buses.

Suyeong River~Oncheoncheon Street ( 15.5 kilometers, 4 hours )
The Suyeong River Oncheoncheon Street course starts from the Dongdae Bridge at Hoedong-dong. The course begins on a neat and clean road before passing through the wonderfully clean air of the citizens’ park under Dongcheon Bridge. Cross Sewol Bridge, go through the underpass, and in front of the Centum City Shinsegae Department Store you’ll come to the APEC Naru Park, a riverside park created to celebrate the APEC Summit Talks in 2005.

Cross Suyeong Bridge No.1 over the Suyeong River and walk downstream toward Wondong Bridge. From the bridge you will walk toward the Oncheoncheon pedestrian walk, which continues all the way to Dusil Station. Since the course passes by Busan National University of Education Station, Dongnae Station and Myeongnyun Station, you can hop on the metro at various spots along the way.

▷ How to get there: To walk the Suyeong River Oncheoncheon Street, it is best to start from Hoedong-dong. Bus No. 42, 99 or 179 will take you to the last stop of Geumjeong District Hoedong-dong. You can also easily get to Oncheoncheon from Busan National University of Education Station or Dongnae Station on metro line No. 1.

Come visit sunny beaches in Busan of south korea

Beaches welcome the summer with festivals of fun and exciting performances and sports events .

Haeundae, Gwangalli and Songdo beaches will open on June 1, and remain open until the end of September. This new arrangement means they will be opening a month earlier and closing a month later than last year. Songjeong, Dadaepo, Imnang and Ilgwang beaches are to open on July 1 and close on August 31 as originally scheduled.

                                            < haeundae beach >

Busan City is increasing the opening periods of Haeundae, Gwangalli and Songdo beaches from this year in order to promote their use throughout all four seasons. The three beaches receive the most visitors of any beaches in Busan City, and have also had the most requests to extend their opening periods.

                                < Gwangalli Beach  >

During low season in June and September, visitors are restricted to certain sections of the beach for safety reasons. However, the beaches’ locker rooms, shower rooms, foot washing areas, and drinking fountains will all stay open.

With the opening of Haeundae, Gwangalli and Songdo beaches being moved forward by one month, the local authorities have also lined up a series of special festivals, performances and sports events for locals and tourists alike to enjoy.

                                      < Songdo beach >

Haeundae Beach will have an acoustic guitar live performance at the seashore road every weekend starting from 10 p.m., and a salsa dance festival at the event square. A “sports zone” on the shore will provide a venue for playing beach games such as volley ball and soccer.

Gwangalli Beach will host street performances every weekend at its meeting square with dance and saxophone shows. Gwangalli will also have an open marine sport academy teaching wind surfing, yachting, kayaking, and canoeing on the shore every day.

Songdo Beach will have a music concert at its center square every weekend, as well as a music fountain performance twice a day.

Songdo will also have a marine sport academy offering wind surfing, dinghy yachting and banana boating.

Budget Tour. "Sightseeing on the Most Frequented Streets of Busan!”

Budget Tour. “Sightseeing on the Most Frequented Streets of Busan!”

Oiso, boiso, saiso (Come, see, and buy)! — Busan’s common expression, which has become a trademark that originated from the female vendors selling fish at Jagalchi Market. The Busan budget tour focuses on Jagalchi Market, Nampo-dong street, and Yongdusan Observatory, where you can see the lives of the local people. This course also includes Haeundae and the coastal landscape of Taejongdae during the daytime and a sauna at a jjimjilbang and a hot spring at night.

▶09:00 Departure from Seoul, 14:00 Arrival in Busan
The trip takes approximately three hours by KTX from Seoul Station to Busan Station (about 48,000 won). There is a train leaving every 30 minutes or every hour. You can also take a Saemaeulho train (39,000 won) or a Mugunghwaho train (27,000 won), which take 4 hours and 15 minutes and 5.5 hours respectively. There are 5 to 15 trains a day. Express buses leave from Gangnam Seoul Bus Terminal between 06:00 and 09:00 every 20 to 30 minutes and the ride takes about 4 hours and 40 minutes.

• Travel Tip: If your hotel is located close to Busan Station, check-in before you start sightseeing, but if you are staying near Haeundae or downtown, which is farther away, put your luggage in a public locker inside the train station and start your tour immediately. It takes about 30 minutes from Busan Station to the first destination, which is Nampo-dong.

• Travel Tip: Have a simple lunch at Busan Station. The restaurant area in the station offers Korean, Chinese, or Western cuisine. There are also a number of restaurants outside the station. If you want to save more time, buy some sandwiches, gimbap (rice roll), and drinks before you leave Seoul Station and enjoy them on the train.


14:00~18:00 Sightseeing at Nampo-dong street ~ Yongdusan Park ~ Jagalchi Market

Well known for ‘Jagalchi Ajimae,’ the women vendors selling fish and seafood, Jagalchi Market is the venue for the annual Jagalchi Festival. The area includes a sushi center where a number of restaurants cater to the needs of visitors during lunchtime.

Across from the market is Nampo-dong. This area is also famous for the PIFF Square where the Busan International Film Festival is held every year. After you enjoy some sightseeing on the streets of Nampo-dong, make your way to the nearby Yongdusan Park, go up the Busan Tower Observatory in the center of the park or enjoy a view of the city.

Recommended!
Noodles at Nampo-dong Meokjagolmok!
The meokjagolmok (food alley) in Nampo-dong has a long history stretching over 50 years. It first started with a few cart vendors who catered to refugees after the Korean War. Today, there are about 30 to 40 vendors lining the alley to sell snack foods such as noodles, japchae (Vermicelli mixed with vegetables), gimbap (rice rolls), tteokbokki (rice cakes in hot sauce), and sundae (Korean sausage with a casing of intestines). With prices ranging between 2,000 and 3,000 won, travelers are sure to find delicious local food for a very affordable price.
 

18:00~21:00 Walk on Gwangalli Beach
Located adjacent to Haeundae Beach, Gwangalli Beach is famous as a dating place for many young couples in Busan. At night, the arch-shaped beach is more romantic as it is illuminated by the surrounding buildings and Gwangan Bridge. Then go to Gwangalli area when the sun sets for a walk on the beach and a great night view.


▶09:00~12:00 Visit to Taejongdae Park’s coastal cliffs
Famous for its oddly-shaped rocks and cliffs, Taejongdae Park offers a great sightseeing course along a 4.3-kilometer coastal road. The sites include Taejongsa Temple, a lighthouse, and an observatory, which are accessible on foot or by tram. The most popular is the Yeongdo Lighthouse Maritime Culture Area. First opened in 2004, this site offers views of the sea from a white lighthouse, which also has a maritime theater, a library (free Internet), a natural history gallery, and a coffee shop. After visiting the lighthouse, walk down to view the sea. You can easily access Taejongdae by taking a Danubi tour tram.


Visitor Information
Hours : April~October: 09:00~24:00 (Ticketing until 22:00), November~March: 09:00~21:00 (Ticketing until 20:00)
Fare : 19 years old and above: 1,500 won, 13~18 years old: 1,000 won, 12 years old or younger: 600 won
(Free for children 4 years or younger and seniors 65 years or older)

Visit to Haeundae on a City Tour Bus
Budget travelers can take a city tour bus and enjoy some of the major tourist destinations of Busan for just 10,000 won. The bus tour, which is becoming more popular, offers both one-story buses as well as the double-decker buses. It offers the Haeundae, Taejongdae, and night tour programs, which all start from Busan Station. The tours take about two hours. If you buy a one-day pass, you can enjoy a leisurely tour and get on and off any time during the route.

Each seat is equipped with a personal moniter showing information on each tourist site. The audio service is available in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. The best seats are usually the front seats on the top deck, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on the schedule of the double-decker bus, please visit their website.

* Taejongdae Tour: Busan Station ~ Yongdusan Park ~ Coastal Ferry Terminal ~ Taejongdae Park ~ Jagalchi Market ~ PIFF Square ~ Busan Station

* Night Tour: Busan Station ~ Gwangan Bridge ~ Haeundae Beach ~ Dalmaji ~ Busan Station

* Haeundae Tour: Busan Station ~ Busan Museum ~ UN Memorial Park ~ Gwangalli Beach ~ Nurimaru ~ Haeundae Beach ~ Municipal Museum ~ BEXCO ~ Busan Station


Visitor Information
Fare: 20 years old and above: 10,000 won; ages 5~19 years old: 5,000 won
For inquires: +82-51-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese), +82-51-464-9898(Korean)
Website: www.citytourbusan.com (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
Location : Buses are lined up in front of the Lawn Plaza of Busan Station.

 Relaxation and accommodations at Vesta Jjimjilbang
To wrap up your trip, spend the night at a jjimjilbang for a uniquely Korean cultural experience. Vesta Jjimjilbang is located on Haeundae’s Dalmaji Hill. The side of the building facing the sea is all glassed in and so visitors can enjoy a fantastic night view of Haeundae and Gwangalli while taking a steam sauna.

This 5-story building has an information desk on the first floor, a women and men’s sauna on the 2nd and 4th floor, a jjimjilbang on the 3rd floor, and a fitness center and open-air bath on the 5th floor. Don’t miss the fabulous view of Haeundae from the open-air bath. Swimsuits are required. It is open from 11:00 to18:00 on weekdays and 09:00~21:00 on weekends and holidays.

Recommended!
Rejuvenate your skin at the skin treatment center
The skin treatment center on the 1st floor is popular with female customers. This space offers a nice retreat to soothe skin that has been exposed to ultra-violet rays and is a relaxing way to wrap up the day. Reservations are required. Couple rooms are available for friends and couples.

Business Hours: 10:00~22:00, the fee for a facial treatment ranges from 60,000 won to 150,000 won. For reservations, please call +82-51-742-8867 (Korean, English)

Visitor Information
Hours : 24 hrs
Price : 8 years old and above: 7,900 won, 8 years old and under: 5,000 won (price includes jjimjilbang dress)
For inquires: +82-51-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese), +82-54-743-5705(Korean)
Website: www.vesta.co.kr (Korean)
How to Get There: Go to the Haeundae’s Dalmaji Hill

Day 3

▶08:00~09:00 Breakfast
Enjoy a simple breakfast of eggs and a drink at the jjimjilbang. If you have a heavy bag, ask if you can leave it at the reception desk.

▶09:00~13:00 Visit to Yonggungsa or Beomeosa Temple
Because of their unique geographical surroundings, Yonggungsa Temple and Beomeosa Temple have totally different features. While Yonggungsa Temple, located on a coastal cliff, offers a beautiful view of the sea, Beomeosa Temple, which is nestled deep in the mountains, has a different ambience. You can choose either of the two temples depending on personal preference.

A round trip to Yonggunsa takes an hour by taxi (public transportation is not recommended) and two hours by subway to Beomeosa, so make sure to allocate enough time for a temple visit. If a temple tour isn’t how you want to spend your time, you can top off your Busan trip with a leisurely shopping trip to a duty free shopping center.

▶14:00 Departure from Busan

▶19:00 Arrival in Seoul

Good Sightseeing Option!

Ride the ferris wheel with a view at Meworld

If you are visiting Busan with your family, make sure not to miss ‘Meworld’. Of the few amusement parks in Busan, this is the newest one. While it is relatively small with only about ten amusement rides, it has all the essential rides. This is a great day trip option. Meworld’s greatest advantage is the excellent view of the sea, thanks to its location near Gwangalli Beach. Take the 103.5-meter high ferris wheel to get a birds-eye-view of Haeundae and the yacht center.