Happy Monday traveler!

This week, we’re taking you to Busan, South Korea. Get ready for a place where mountains meet the sea.

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A message from Passport Inspiration

Looking to plan an inspiring adventure right now?

Planning an international trip can be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be.

How?

You just need a plan for your plan.

It’s important to prepare with enough time for things like:

• Visas

• Dining

• Lodging

• Passports

• Excursions

• Travel Arrangements

  If you want a head start planning, we can help you prepare for an amazing trip.

🙌🏼This Week’s Inspiration

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and one of Asia’s biggest port hubs. This coastal city is bordered by mountains to the north and west. The Sea of Japan surrounds it to the south and east.

You’ll find the unique blend of urban energy and natural beauty in Busan.

We went there for a day while on a 5 Night Cruise on the East China Sea. There was no agenda for the day, no prearranged tour with the cruise company, just the desire to get off the boat and do some exploring on our own. We grabbed a map of Busan after getting to shore and set off.

The city is well-connected with public transportation, making it easy to travel around by subway or by bus. We were drawn to a place on the map that read Taejongdae Resort Park. Our map showed there were trails at the park and it was right along the water, so we decided to head there first.

Taejongdae Resort Park

The moment we fell in love with Busan was when we arrived at Taejongdae. This park had the most stunning views along the coastal bluffs. It was named after King Taejong Muyeol (604-661), who used to visit there. He was the 29th king of the Silla Kingdom.

The main hiking trail at Taejongdae is 3.5 km (2.2 miles) long and frequently gives you beautiful views of the pine forests, cliffs and sea. We loved walking around and ended up spending way more time here than originally intended.

Fisherman could be seen standing on steep rocks and reeling in their catches for the day. But the most inspirational thing we saw here were the women, down by the rocky shores, cleaning and preparing the captured seafood for the markets.

There were so many steps leading down to where these women were, and to think how they make the hike down and back up every day, perhaps multiple times per day, was impressive.

We heard the seafood caught here gets taken to the Jagalchi Fish Market, so we headed there next to check it out.

Jagalchi Fish Market:

The Jagalchi Fish Market is the largest seafood market in South Korea. This market has become a way of Korean life, since the Korean War, when families that were displaced turned to fishing in order to survive.

The market is divided into indoor and outdoor sections with stall after stall displaying the latest catches. King crab, live octopus, fish, shellfish, and dried seafood can all be found there. It isn’t a trip to Jagalchi without the ajummas (middle aged Korean women) beckoning customers to buy their seafood.

Haeundae Beach:

If hiking Taejongdae Resort Park and exploring Jagalchi Fish Market aren’t your thing, head to the beach. 🏖️

Busan has many beaches but one stands above the others.

Haeundae Beach is the most well-known beach in South Korea (pictured below). It has white sand and is a great place to relax and get away from the busier tourist activities (not to say that it won’t be busy, especially during the summer).

How to Get to Busan:

You can fly into Gimhae International Airport (PUS), take the KTX high speed train from Seoul to Busan, which takes approximately 2.5 hours, or you can do what we did and cruise to Busan for a day like we did.

Use public transportation or take the Blue Line Park Sky Capsule which is shown below to get around the city.

Where to Stay:

L7 Haeundae by Lotte - 4 minute walk to Haeundae Beach

Grand Josun Busan - full service spa, buffet breakfast, near Haeundae Beach

Lavalse Hotel - located near many key spots in Busan

Airbnb - beautiful apartment in a high rise overlooking Haeundae Beach

What to Pack:

Busan experiences all four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Pack accordingly, depending on what time of the year you go.

You definitely want good shoes for walking as with most of the Passport Inspirations. The beaches are also worth enjoying so keep that in mind (swimsuits, sunscreen, etc.).

👋 Have an Inspiring Week

Here are a few things to help you plan your trip to Busan.

• Check out Trisha’s Amazon list for women’s clothing

• Here’s Bob’s list for men’s clothing

• Use our Get Your Guide links for: sightseeing tours for cruise passengers, Blue Line Park Sky Capsule Train Tickets, and other full-day sightseeing tours

See you next week,

Trisha & Bob