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Jagalchi Market
Full disclosure: I don't eat seafood as I don't like how it tastes, I don't like the smell and the texture. Looking at a fish on a plate that still has its eyes in makes me sick. If a dish contains a little bit of seafood, chances are I will taste that and refuse to eat it.
My wife on the other hand loves seafood. To make her happy, I sacrifice myself, and go to seafood restaurants with her, especially in coastal areas where there is fresh seafood. I have learned to cope with the smell and I just don't look at her food. This way, she is happy and I am happy because seafood restaurants typically have at least 1 or 2 non seafood dishes that they excel in. Seriously, I have had some of the best non-seafood dishes in my life in seafood restaurants. Why is that so? Well, I guess that since they only have few non-seafood dishes they get very good at preparing those.
Jagalchi Market was a similar make-your-wife-happy and maybe jealous event. I decided to go there and to take plenty of photos and videos.
Sometimes the journey is the destination and I think this applies to Jagalchi Market too. Walking to the market through streets lined with food stands was at least as impressive at Jagalchi Market.
So, even if you are not into seafood, my proposal is to go there and enjoy the walk - it is impressive!
Haedong Yonggungsa Dragon Temple
Unlike most other temples in South Korea which are located in the mountains, this temple is situated directly on the coast. It was built in 1376 and has been nicely maintained. I like it because of its location near the water and its beauty and attention to detail.
BEACHES, BEACHES AND MORE BEACHES
Gwangalli Beach
This is Busan's second most popular beach with a sand stretch of almost 1 mile (1.4km). Some people like the view on Diamond Bridge which stretches across the bay. As it was May, this beach was still mostly empty. We even saw a newly married couple posing for wedding photos.
The Best things to Do in Busan
On this page we show you the best things to do in Busan.
I arrived in Busan by train and has a hotel booked at Haeundae Beach, which is the highest rated beach in South Korea. Busan's subway is wonderful and there is no need to rent a car.
My hotel room had an all-glass facade in the bedroom and wonderful views on Haeundae Beach. The hotel was close to restaurants and stores and a 5min walk to the subway. What better place to spend my final days in South Korea in.
Haeundae Beach
Haeundae Beach is rated the best beach in South Korea for a reason. It is a beautiful, wide and fairly long stretch of sand in a beautiful part of town with many restaurants, stores and entertainment and it can easily be reached with the subway.
When I was there in May, everything was still relaxed and fairly quiet before the busy summer season. There were plenty of artistic sand sculptures on the beach and they started preparing for a festival that would get in full swing after I left.
Songjeong Beach
This is another beautiful beach. The sand is supposed to come from crushed seashells.
Dadaepo Beach
Dadaepo Beach is pretty much on the other end of the city and at the last stop of subway line 1. The rewards for going there are: Dadaepo Beach was almost empty, even though there are plenty of houses nearby. Also, the subway was nearly empty and I was guaranteed a seat, which is something I really enjoyed as I took the subway frequently and more often than not I was standing.
Dadaepo Beach and Haeundae Beach were my 2 favorite beaches in Busan.
My hotel: MS Hotel (book now)
I stayed in this hotel for 2 nights. It is a 5-10min walk from the Haeundae metro station and its entrance (lobby on the 7th floor) can be easily missed. The building is shared with other hotels.
My room was a good sized room with a king size bed. The long side of the room was all glass allowing for a fantastic view on Haeundae beach, which is the most popular beach in all of South Korea. The good sized bathroom has a shower with rain showerhead. A flat screen TV is hanging from the ceiling and I bumped my head in it a couple of times walking to the bathroom.
Breakfast is served on a table in the hotel lobby on the 7th floor and has very limited choices. You can either take the food to your room or sit in a small conference room to eat. Food available is: sliced break, margarine, strawberry marmalade, orange and pineapple juice, coffee, tea, hard boiled eggs, bananas and milk. You are supposed to put your food on a tray with a paper cover. No plates or utensils are available. Only small ice cream spoons that, I guess, you are supposed to spread the margarine on your break with.
The staff speaks good English.
Long story short: This is a nice hotel in a location that can’t be beat and I would stay there again.
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