10 Best Road Trips near Busan

About an hour and a half drive from Busan, Daegu is a city full of unique attractions. Yangnyeong Market, which was famous as one of the three major medicinal herb markets during the Joseon Dynasty, still maintains its reputation, hosting an oriental medicine culture festival every year. You can also visit Seomun Night Market and the nearby attractions, where you can catch a vivid glimpse into the city's culture. As well as a wide array of products and foods, exciting performances held in the evening will make your shopping at this market a more pleasant experience. Daegu is home to Korea's first urban railway to adopt the monorail system, which is also called the "Sky Rail." From a sightseeing seat of this train, you can admire the cityscape and discover its hidden charms.

After exploring the bustling city centre, head out to the suburbs to visit Donghwasa and Haeinsa Temples nestled in the beautiful mountains. Relax while appreciating the natural scenery or take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life by participating in a temple stay program.

Gyeongju, located some 80 km away from Busan, is a true treasure trove of cultural assets itself, often dubbed a "roofless museum." You can glimpse into the thousand-year history of Silla and see traces of this ancient kingdom all over the city. The city is also home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju Historic Areas, and Yangdong Village. Bulguksa Temple and the central Buddha statue at Seokguram Grotto are masterpieces of Buddhist art that represents the ideals of the Buddha Land (buddha-kshetra). Oksanseowon Confucian Academy and Yangdong Village give a grasp of Confucian culture and traditions of Korea. Visit Cheomseongdae, the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia, and Gyerim, a forest of zelkova and willow trees with a sacred atmosphere.

You can travel in Gyeongju by car, but since it is a relatively small city, you can also take a tour of famous attractions by bike or scooter. You can easily rent them from rental shops in downtown Gyeongju or certain accommodations provide rental services as well. Be sure to check the availability when planning your trip.

Suncheon, a 2-hour drive from Busan, is a quiet city rich in culture and nature. Visit the Suncheonman Bay National Garden to see beautiful gardens in full bloom and experience a traditional therapeutic foot bath.

Other must-visit spots include Naganeupseong Fortress that encapsulates the history of the Joseon Dynasty of 500 years ago; Songgwangsa, a tranquil temple with a long history; and Seonamsa, which is known as the most beautiful temple in Korea. At Naganeupseong Walled Town, seeing its ramparts and inner village preserved in their original form, with locals still residing within the walls, you can experience traditional Korean culture in a vivid way. Visit Seonamsa Temple for tranquil meditation and stroll along the dense forest path and clear valleys. Refresh yourself in nature and experience new culture through a trip to Suncheon.

Geoje features unique coastal scenery that can only be seen in cities with many islands. It is about an hour’s drive from Busan over Geogadaegyo Bridge, which opened in 2010. The trails created on the islands Oedo, Naedo, Isudo, and Jisimdo, enable you to discover magnificent views while taking a walk. You can also enjoy sea bathing in the clear waters of the South Sea at numerous beaches.

There are nine scenic views you shouldn't miss in Geoje. These include: Haegeumgang dubbed the Geumgangsan Mountain of the sea; Windy Hill where the refreshing cool sea breeze blows; Oedo Botania, an exotic marine botanical garden in Mediterranean mood; Mongdol Beach with an impressive black pebble field; Geoje P.O.W. Camp Historic Park, where you can learn the living history of war; Jisimdo Island with splendid camellia flowers; Hongpo Coast with scenic views of sea cliffs; Gonggoji featuring a picturesque view of daffodil fields; and the gigantic Geogadaegyo Bridge. Take a tour of these spots and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of this coastal city.

Boseong is a city where you can recharge yourself exploring vast green tea plantations. Daehan Dawon Tourist Tea Plantation is the only tea tourism plantation in Korea, located on a vast plain of approximately one million square metres. Indulge in the fragrance of tea in the nation's largest tea production area. Every May, the city holds the Boseong Green Tea Festival, one of the major festivals centred on tea culture in Korea. The festival offers a variety of programs to learn and experience Korean tea culture, so visit the festival if you get the chance. The Tea Museum of Korea presents various programmes about tea, where you can learn and experience tea culture and history. The green tea ice cream served in the cafe inside the museum is a must-try delicacy.

Boseong is also a city where you can relax in beautiful nature. In particular, Jeamsan Recreational Forest is an ideal summer vacation destination where the clear valley water flows. Don't miss the opportunity to visit Boseong, an excellent ecological trip destination providing relaxation, learning, activities, and healing all in one place.

Located an hour's drive from Busan, Eden Valley is a ski resort with a 2,040-metre-long luge track. Luge is a new concept sport in which you ride a cart similar to a sled, gaining popularity not only in Korea but also abroad. Enjoy luge riding with your family and friends or race each other for more thrills.

There are also facilities for other various leisure activities such as cycling and quad cycling. At the equestrian centre, you can get systematic horse-riding lessons in nature. Depending on the season, enjoy sledding and swimming as well. As glamping and barbecue facilities are also available, spend some quality time with your loved ones and build happy memories together.

Tongyeong, a 2-hour drive from Busan, is a popular tourist destination where you can enjoy hiking along the costal trails featuring superb seascape and evergreen forests. Tongyeong consists of around 570 islands, so you can travel in the city in many different ways. Saryangdo Island attracts many hikers with its rocky trails lined with cliffs cut into odd shapes by wind and rain. The island is particularly famous for viewing the sunrise and sunset. Of the two islands that make up Saryangdo, Hado is popular with fishing enthusiasts as it has 7 rocky fishing points where a variety of fish are caught. On Sangdo, you can enjoy a drive in the cool sea breeze for about an hour along the paved road that encircles the island.

Yokjido is an island with a rustic, friendly atmosphere where you can rest comfortably whenever you visit. At Cheonwangbong Peak, admire the scenic views of the coast, sunset, and sunrise, and visit Taegoam Hermitage following the hiking trail.

Ulsan is one of major industrial cities and the third largest port city in Korea. Leading domestic and foreign companies such as Hyundai Motor Company and Hyundai Heavy Industries are based in this city. Ulsan is also home to many scenic spots such as Taehwagang National Garden and Ganjeolgot Cape.

Taehwagang National Garden is Korea's first waterside ecological garden consisting of multiple gardens created with different themes. The unique Milky Way Garden, which is designed with the motif of the Milky Way, is one of the most popular gardens, featuring elegant bamboo trees illuminated by colourful lights. Ganjeolgot Cape is where the sun rises first on the east coast on New Year's Day. The nearby lighthouse standing on a mustard flower field presents a picturesque view. You can find the famous Ganjeolgot Somang Mailbox here. Write a postcard to one of your loved ones and put it in the mailbox; it will be actually delivered to the person.

Tongyeong, a 2-hour drive from Busan, is a beautiful coastal city where you can travel to its fantastic islands by ferry. Somaemuldo Island, which can be reached within an hour by boat, presents impressive scenery where the white lighthouse on the meadow finely contrasts with the cobalt blue sea and the clear sky. The rock cliffs in odd shapes around the island add to the picturesqueness of this island. At low tide, a sea path covered with pebbles is exposed between the main island and the island with the lighthouse. In this city often called the "Naples in Korea," you can come across tranquil, exotic scenery just by walking along the alleys of a fishing village.

If you like hiking, visit Mireuksan Mountain located across from Somaemuldo. The top of the mountain, which can be reached after an hour of hiking, commands a full view of Hallyeohaesang National Park, and on a clear day, you can even see Tsushima Island of Japan. Tongyeong is one of the must-visit cities in the southern part of Korea.

Yeosu, which can be reached in two and a half hours by car from Busan, is a city stretching along a long coastline dotted by scenic natural attractions. The city is home to over 300 islands, including Odongdo, Geomundo, and Geumodo. Odongdo is famous for the many camellia trees growing all over the island. Its trail lined with camellia trees was selected as one of the 100 most beautiful roads in Korea. With a newly developed trekking trail, which is covered with red clay, the island attracts more tourists.

Yeosu is also famous for beautiful spring scenery. In particular, Yeongchwisan Mountain, as one of the three largest azalea colonies in Korea, accommodates an azalea festival every year in the first week of April. At the festival, you can experience various cultural programs such as local food tasting, pungmul gut (shamanic rite), and pressed flower making. Don't miss visiting one of the city's beaches and admire the wonderful night seascape lit by colourful lights in the fresh spring breeze.