Busan
While visiting South Korea, I made my way down south and spent three days in Busan & Jeonju. I started out my trip in Busan on the Southern Point. My two days there were spent in the wet and windy weather courtesy of Typhoon Hinnamnor. Open businesses and venues were hard to find but I was lucky enough to enjoy a drink at the Westin while overlooking the bay. Behind the Westin is a nice walking path with tons of ocean views.
Haeundae Beach
I stayed at the Best Louis Hamilton Hotel in the Haeundae Beach area. The hotel is one block from the beach, and I would definitely stay there again. If you are craving a late-night snack, there is a convenience store right across the street.
How to Get from Busan to Jeonju
My next stop was Jeonju. It is about 3 hours by bus from Busan. I recommend going to the bus terminal and buying the ticket there when you are ready to leave. This helps eliminate paying any middleman fees online. The bus leaves frequently and there are various companies that operate. The easiest way to get a ticket is from a kiosk which you can put in English. The ticket costs about $17. The bus does not have a bathroom, but the driver did make one bathroom stop along the way.
How to get from Jeonju to Seoul
The bus route is also the main form of transportation back to Seoul (about 2 hours). I looked up the bus schedules online as there is more than one company. I went to the station 15 minutes prior and bought the ticket directly from the kiosk to avoid any fees. The bus is a full size charter bus and there was only about 6 people on each leg. On average, there is one bus per hour to Seoul.
Hanok Village
The main attraction in this city is the amazing Hanok Village. The village is filled with homes that are all designed differently. Along the sidewalk throughout the neighborhood runs a tiny steam flowing with clear water. This stream is just one of the water decorations you will see. This small city does not have a metro so walking is the main way to get around.
As you stroll through the village, wander in to one of the dessert shops where you will find a wide variety to choose from including Mochi ice cream with shaved ice.
Walk to the forest area and you will see the path leading up the hill. At the top of the hill, you will see Omokdae, a historic site. From here, you will find the viewpoint overlooking the village.
I stayed at the 24hour guest house hostel and it was very pleasant. This hostel is easy to spot due to its yellow-colored building. The owner is very nice, and I would definitely stay there again. Washing clothes is also available for $5. It was frustrating getting there because I had to walk from the bus terminal which was about 45 minutes. Due to language barrier, I was unable to communicate where I needed to go to a taxi driver, even with showing them the location on my phone.
