We sailed under another suspension bridge this morning but today it wasn’t anything we were aware of. We were due in at 7:00 and had set an alarm for 6:30 and by the time it had gone off we had already passed under it. For this last port of call before returning to Hong Kong we had booked another private tour with a company called Korea Go Tours who I first found on Viator but I always like to try and seek out the company and book direct. This is what I did but then found another layer and that they use freelance guides so took another slice of the fee for themselves. At least I removed one from the equation.
Our guide who has an adopted Western name of Jason made contact via WhatsApp the previous night to confirm details for meeting up, and although we had booked on the understanding there was a maximum of 6, until last night there was only the two of us. A couple of messages back and forth and we accepted a late addition to our group of another couple from our ship who facilitated a price reduction. The couple turned out to be Swiss and really fluent in English and we got on really well from the offset.
After disembarking the ship 20 minutes before our meeting time we managed to locate Jason very quickly along with the other couple who were already with him. After brief introductions we set off on our tour of Busan.
Our first stop was not a scheduled visit and was purely a quick photo visit to see the Busan Cinema Center which holds the record for the largest cantilever roof in the world. The roof extends 85 metres from the central support column without any intermediate supports. I thought there wasn’t a lot of building considering its footprint but it was impressive all the same.
Next was another photo stop and this time to see the Haeundae LCT The Sharp towers at Haeundae Beach. 101 floors in the tallest tower which was the same as the 101 Taipei.
The next place was a 25 minute drive to Haedong Yonggungsa, which is a unique Buddhist temple located right on the sea front instead of somewhere mountainous.
It was busy but very picturesque and we spent maybe an hour looking around. All the while we were there, we were able to watch some Buddhist ceremony’s being practiced and even enter the area where they were happening.
Despite there being signs asking people not to photograph these, there were still idiots taking that never to be seen again holiday snap.
Once again we were on the move and this time for a cable car ride across Songdo Beach. Only a few minutes queuing either side with a 20 minute visit on the other side for photos.
Our next stop was for lunch and was probably the most uncomfortable part of the day, our guide took us around to the Jagalchi Market which is a fish market with a lot of very live wiggling items for those who like their seafood fresh.
To make matters worse, our travel companions liked the Idea of having lunch here in the food court. Our guide told Nicole that unbelievably they could conjure up something for her to eat, rice, seaweed and vegetables so we obliged our fellow travellers of their wish. In the end Nicole ate really well and if you could take your mind off of what was going on around, we managed to get through the ordeal.
A short distance away was BIFF Square which is famous for its markets and this is what we explored next. After a bit of souvenir shopping we were back in the van and on our way to our final stop which was to Gamcheon Culture Village, another of Busan’s tourist attractions.
It has the nickname of Korea’s Machu Picchu and is is known for its layered streets, narrow alleys, and brightly painted houses, It wasn’t that busy and was a nice area to explore and do some window shopping.
From there it was back to the ship to put our feet up, it was a long day and it felt like we had crammed a lot into it. What made it all the better was it worked out at less than £70 a head plus food and cable car tickets. An absolute bargain if you ask me. We are back in Busan next year so have taken our guides contact details so we can meet up again for part two.
Fitbit Steps – 13,991
That was a really colorful place. Sorry about the fish market. Squiggly things to a vegan would not have made her happy, I am sure.