South Korea’s second city makes the most of its setting between mountains and sea, looking across to Japan. Once best known for merchant ships heading out of its port, Busan is now making waves of a different kind. It’s taken on the mantle of Culture City of East Asia – and we have given the city top place in Lonely Planet’s Best in Asia 2018. The Busan International Film Festival has been a big promoter of Asian cinema, but many audiences will have got their first glimpse of Busan from scenes in this year’s smash hit Black Panther. Here are five unmissable experiences in the city:
1) Join Busan’s citizens on the beach
South Korea has a ‘work hard, play hard’ reputation, so it’s worth checking out the spaces where locals go just to chill. For Koreans, Busan is among the world’s great urban beach destinations. The three most central spots are Gwangalli, Haeundae and Songdo – each of these smiling curves of sand have a skyscraper backdrop. Rent floats from booths at Haeundae, take the cross-bay cable car at Songdo and finish on Gwangalli at night to see a multicoloured light show playing on the Diamond Bridge offshore.