Welcome to South Korea
After visiting Japan, we continued our trip to South Korea. South Korea is a relatively small country compared to Japan, which can be crossed by train in less than 3 hours. It was therefore particularly easy to get around.
The time period in which we were in Korea (late November-early December) was the start of winter, and we felt quite cold on some days because we were not prepared for this winter weather.
We entered in South Korea via a ferry between Fukuoka and Busan, and this is the city we’re going to present today.
Busan
The city of Busan is a port city in the south of Korea, which has more than 3.7 million inhabitants.
If the city itself is fairly modern and not that interesting, there are however many very nice places to visit.
Busan is first known for two of its temples: the Haedong Yonggungsa temple, built by the sea, and the Beomeosa temple, in the heart of the mountains.
The two temples, although having common features (notably the red and blue / green colors typical of Korean temples), have very distinct constructions and layouts.
Near the Beomeosa temple, it is possible to take a walk in the mountain towards the ruins of the Geumseong fortress. Although the fortress has been destroyed, you can see the remains of its guard wall and the main access points.
In the southwest of the city, there is the Taejongdae Park, in which it is possible to walk around and visit a lighthouse.
Not far from there is located the Gamcheon cultural village, known for its collection of colorful houses. This district has been renovated in order to attract more visitors to this formerly disadvantaged district. Many works of art and murals brighten up this place, and we were able to sit in one of the very nice cafes.
To learn more about Busan, you can watch the following video: