Weekend in Busan Part 2 (Fish Market and Haeundae Beach)

If anyone remembers about my post about Namsan Tower, there’s another similar tower in Busan. While we didn’t go up the tower this time, there were plenty of things to do in the surrounding area. The first being a sort of shopping district, where you can just walk through the streets surrounded by clothing stores and street food. There was another area that we passed through walking back that was basically only food carts. With the 3 other friends with me, we made it our goal to split up and go to different food stands to get some unique food, whether it be a chicken kebab, potato kebab, or glazed strawberry kebab.

Also nearby was the famous Busan fish market. Busan is surrounded by the ocean and therefore famous for its seafood. One must-try dish is raw octopus. Many might not find it appealing but as someone who normally dislikes seafood, my honest review is that it really doesn’t taste like anything. A Korean friend told me that this expensive dish is mostly eaten for it’s unique texture, the still writhing tentacles and sticky suctions after it’s been cut. If you’re an adventurer, this is definitely something fun to try.

While walking past the fish market, we reached the Lotte Mall. Lotte is a famous brand in Korea that owns a fast-food chain (Lotteria), malls, an amusement park (Lotte World), and even a holiday (pepero day, 11/11). We found one of the malls and decided to just explore, and unexpectedly, we discovered an amazing view on the rooftop of the mall. It was made to be like some sort of park overlooking the ocean for the general public. As always, we were lucky to have made it in time for the sunset. In the background of the picture, you might see a tall tower sticking out from the city, which is actually the Busan tower.

To end the day off, we decided to go to Haeundae beach, possibly the most popular location in Busan. The area near this beach is sort of like the city, with lots of food and cafes. There was a cool water fountain show in the middle of the square. You might see some elderly people selling fireworks, like roman candles and sparklers. I’m not exactly sure but while many Korean people were setting off the roman candles, I feel like it might have not been allowed on the beach. Just to be safe, my friends and I just purchased some sparklers to have some fun. While on the beach, we even saw what seemed to be a sand castle contest in the making.

It was night and chilly so while we didn’t get a chance to go in the water, it was still a memorable night. Hopefully, we’ll be able to find another beach near Seoul to have some real summertime fun once the weather gets warmer.

 

%d