Busan lures visitors with beaches, seafood and nature

Busan lures visitors with beaches, seafood and nature

The Korean Peninsula is known as "the land of the morning calm"
due to its beautiful hills that directly overlook the open sea.

South Korea's biggest port city, Busan, is one of the cities
that is being developed as a major business and industrial center
while at the same time preserving nature.

Busan just finished hosting the 14th Asian Games in October,
the second major sporting event after the Olympics.

The city has proven itself to be a true metropolis with all
its modern facilities and a proven ability to manage such a grand
sporting event.

It's not just that modernity is being sold as the major
attraction for tourists.

Haeundae Beach is Busan's most popular beach and it can easily
be reached by city bus or subway.

The beach may not be as beautiful as those in Indonesia, but
it is still a favorite place for residents of Busan to spend
their time, especially in summer, as it is the best beach in the
country.

If you visit Busan in January, you may witness or even
participate in the Polar Bear swim in late winter.

As a port, Busan has a lot of seafood restaurants selling
everything from sushi to fried fish or seafood soup. You name it,
they sell it. However, various dishes of fish are more expensive
than if you buy dishes containing chicken or beef.

While you are in Busan, you may want to try some fresh seafood
and the best place to do so is at Jagalchi market where you can
pick the fish, octopus or lobster yourself and have it cooked as
you like.

It is especially enjoyable to have a freshly fried fish
accompanied with spicy thick fish-bone soup while enjoying
Busan's scenery, especially in the evening.

Jagalchi market is the biggest fish market in the city
although there are others like Millak, Cheongsapo and Dadaepo
markets.

Located in Nampo district, Jagalchi market complex also sells
various dried sea products, such as seaweed and squid. It
reminded me of home, especially ikan asin (salted dried fish).

Not so far from Jagalchi is Kukje Market, a shopping complex
similar to Blok M in South Jakarta with rows of shops creating an
enjoyable labyrinth of stores selling clothes, souvenirs and
other items, including jewelry. You can also find hanbok or
traditional Korean clothes there.

Along the sides of alleys street vendors sell various
traditional snacks to fill your empty stomach.

For shopaholics, Kukje Market is the place to go although
there are other interesting places, such as underground malls in
Nampo-dong and downtown Seomyeon.

These underground shopping malls also serve as the main path
for pedestrians especially during cold winters. An underground
shopping mall usually runs between several subway stations.

Although Busan is developing itself into an even stronger
industrial hub, it is still proud of its environmental legacies.

Of the most famous nature-related tourism spots is Taejongdae,
a 250-meter cliff composed of extraordinary rocks and a thick
forest, which is home to some 200 species of trees. What makes
this cliff most interesting is the presence of a seafood market
near the sea.

But you need a strong pair of legs just to climb down, let
alone ascend.

Many older South Koreans, however, are not deterred by the
difficult climb, and they have no trouble in going up and down
the steps, armed with their walking sticks.

No wonder South Korean athletes do so well in international
events.

Another place for nature lovers is Mount Geumjeong in the
northern part of Busan.

The mountain, with a peak of 801.5 meters above sea level, is
the home of Geumgang Park and Mount Geumjeong Fortress, the
largest fortress in Korea with its 17.3-kilometer perimeter.

Another feature of Mount Geumjeong is Beomeo-sa (temple) which
is located on the eastern tip of the mountain.

It is one of the top five temples in Korea and was built by a
Buddha teacher, Euisang, during the Silla Kingdom period in 678.

Another fact to remember is that Busan is the last major city
withstanding the attack launched by Communist North Korea during
the Korean War.

It served as a temporary South Korean capital and the place
for allied forces to launch counterattacks driving away the North
Korean soldiers.

Busan also houses the only United Nations cemetery in the
world which honors the fallen soldiers who were fighting under
the blue UN flag.

-- Novan Iman Santosa