Busan(Dongnae-gu)

Opened on June 10, 1994, the Busan Marine Natural History Museum is the first and largest museum of its kind in Korea. The museum features some 25,000 marine specimens from over 100 countries around the world, including rare living species and those native to Korea. The museum opened a second exhibition hall in April 2003, and launched the Busan Fishing Village Folk Museum on February 23, 2007. Marine life on display in the museum The major exhibits of Busan Marine Natural History Musem include the largest existing man-eating clam, arapaima (the largest living freshwater fish), oarfish (a legendary fish that is said to live half of the month in the mountains and the rest in the sea), whale fish (the largest living of the fish species), jumbo squid (the largest of sthe quid species), a blade bone fossil of a dinosaur, piranha (an omnivorous freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers), sturgeon (toothless bony fish species, whose eggs are often eaten as caviar), water monitor (the second largest species of lizards), alligator snapping turtle (giant turtle with strong teeth and a violent temper), spur-thighed tortoise (the third largest turtle in the world) and more!


Busan(Haeundae-gu)

The Haeundae Grand Hotel is a five-star hotel situated in Haeundae, an extremely popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches and hot springs. The hotel has a variety of leisure and sport facilities, but is most popular for its hot springs sauna. The hotel sauna is supplied by special, natural hot spring water that is only found at the nearby beaches. Rich in calcium, the spa water is said to be excellent for your skin, increasing the skin’s overall softness and smoothness. Spa water used at the Haeundae Grand Hotel Hot Spring Sauna is pumped up directly from the natural hot spring water using a series of underground pipe systems installed in Busan between 1952 and 1955. While it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when the Haeundae Hot Springs were first discovered, records of the hot springs have been found dating back to the Silla Kingdom (during which the springs were referred to as the "Gunam Hot Springs") saying that Queen Jin Seong visited the hot springs as a means to treat her smallpox. One hundred years ago, the hot springs were also said to be a cure for leprosy and drew afflicted citizens from neighboring towns. Though the springs were once closed off due to frequent invasions by Japanese raiders, efforts have successfully been made to revive the hot springs of Busan, once again making them a popular spot for many visitors. In addition to the sauna, guests at the Haeundae Grand Hotel can also use the hotel’s jjimjilbang, which is comprised of various rooms such as a germanium room, a gravel room, an oxygen room, and an Elvan (quartz) room that has large heated beds made from a mixture of gems and stones. The jjimjilbang also has other heated beds made from Elvan and red clay.  


Busan(Dongnae-gu)

Bokcheon Museum, an archaeological museum in Busan, opened its doors to the public on October 5th, 1996 as a tribute to the long-honored history of Busan from the Samhan Era to the Samguk (Three Kingdoms) Era. The museum displays relics and artifacts excavated from the ancient burial ground in Bokcheon-dong. As many as 169 pieces of ancient helmets, diverse types of earthenware and iron-made weapons found in a series of seven excavations are on display throughout the museum. The array of relics and tombs discovered in the Bokcheon-dong ancient burial ground, designated as Historic Site No. 237, are essential to solving the mystery of the Gaya Kingdom, which remains an uncharted, secret land. Since opening, the museum has been conducting further research at the site of the burial grounds and remains in the local area to better understand the antiquated history and culture of Busan as well as the ancient kingdom of Gaya. The museum, as a reputable venue for historical education and exploration, also holds academic seminars and special exhibitions to share the research results and achievements with scholars and the community alike.


Busan(Gangseo-gu)

Busan Gyeongnam Horse Racing Park, officially opened to the public in September of 2005, was host to the horseback riding events of the 2002 Busan Asian Games. The park spans an area of over 1,243,101㎡, reaching into both Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do, and boasts stands seating up to 300,000 people, 98 sports facilities, 3 sand race tracks, and a parking facility. Race tracks are wider than the lanes on a highway, providing viewers with fast and thrilling races. Races are held every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and a total of 12 races take place each racing day. Not just a favorite spot for horse-racing, the park also contains an ecological park, a children's horseback riding site, flower beds, and the largest in-line skating park and cycling lanes in the country, making it a favorite leisure spot for citizens of all ages.


Busan(Saha-gu)

An excellent place to see exhibitions and learn about and experience ecology, the Nakdong Estuary Eco-Center is located in Saha-gu, Busan. The center consists of three floors with the first floor home to an information office, a maintenance office, an educational room, and a volunteers’ room. The second floor is home to exhibition rooms, an experience zone, a small library, and an observatory. Audio-visual rooms are located on the third floor. The center runs a variety of experience programs so that visitors may explore the estuary, observe plants and insects, walk around tidal flats and reed beds, and make wooden sculptures. In addition, visitors can observe birds and compare the eggs and beaks of various birds. The center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Mondays and New Year’s Day. The Nakdong Estuary Eco-Center, in turn is full of excellent amenities: picnic grounds, a botanical garden, a hiking trail, an observatory, abundant resting spots, an outdoor learning center, and lush trees.  


Busan(Yeonje-gu)

Established in 1986, the Busan Sports Complex features the main stadium, Sajik indoor swimming pool, an indoor gymnasium, Sajik Baseball Ground, and an athletes' training center. The main stadium was the venue for the 2002 Asian Games and several matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The Sajik Baseball Ground is home of the Lotte Giants, and seats up to 28,500 people. The Busan Sports Complex regularly hosts international sporting and cultural events, while providing excellent facilities for personal as well as group training.


Busan(Geumjeong-gu)

Beomeosa Temple, located in Geumjeongsan Mountain in Busan, is one of the three major temples in Korea, together with Haeinsa and Tongdosa. Up until today, the passion of practitioners of this temple continues, a passion that did not waver even during the war. The temple stay program has two types: the experience program and the relaxation program. Centering on chamseon (Zen meditation), the experience program includes yebul, 108 prostrations, and dado (tea ceremony). With the relaxation program, you may choose to take chamseon (Zen meditation) or have conversation with a monk over a cup of tea. The temple is close to downtown and you can use a city tour bus with departure/final stop in Busan Station to take a tour around the city.  


Busan(Yeongdo-gu)

Situated in Taejongdae Park, Yeongdo-gu, Busan-si, the Yeongdo Lighthouse was established in December 1906 and provided a guiding beacon of light to ships around Busan Port for over 100 years. The old lighthouse was replaced with a new one in 2004 and facilities were developed, making the site a maritime tourist attraction. The newly established site (720㎡) consists of a lighthouse, an art gallery, and a gallery of natural history. The white cylinder-shaped lighthouse is 35 meters high and its beam can be seen for about 40 kilometers. On Sinseon Bawi Rock next to the lighthouse, a dinosaur footprint was discovered that is presumed to date back to the Cretaceous Period. The footprint, along with other artifacts, is on display at the natural history gallery.


Busan(Nam-gu)

Busan Cultural Center is one of the representative cultural arts institutions in Busan and hosts a diversity of concerts, dances, plays, and other performances. It boasts international conference facilities and is a center of operations for seven different metropolitan arts organizations including the philharmonic orchestra, traditional orchestra, chorus, dance company, theater company, philharmonic youth orchestra, and the boys & girls chorus.Reflecting the traditional architectural style of Korea, the Main Theater has been built to resemble a ‘Bonchae’ (the main building of a traditional house), while the Medium and Small Theaters resemble a ‘Sarangchae’ (typically, the men’s quarters of a hanok). The structure of the center highlights the traditional beauty of Korea and seeks to capture the powerful spirit of the nation. Hosting over 1,000 exhibitions & performances throughout the year, the Busan Cultural Center strives to preserve the country’s culture while promoting local art forms from various regions of Korea.


Busan(Haeundae-gu) , Haeundae

Dongbaekseom Island (Island of Camellias) is an island located off one end of Busan's famous Haeundae Beach. Though the years of sedimentation have connected the island to the mainland, Dongbaekseom was originally an island and is still referred to as one. Dongbaekseom is easy to navigate thanks to the walking path that is built around it. The island has several different points of attraction, including the monument inscribed with a poem of scholar Choi Chi-won, the mermaid statue based on the legend of Princess Hwagok, and the Nurimaru APEC House. It also offers fantastic views of the Busan shoreline towards Mipo, Dalmaji Hill, Gwangangdaegyo Bridge, and Oryukdo Island. As the name suggests, camellias burst into bloom everywhere on the island from winter to spring.