Haedong Yonggungsa, Busan (해동 용궁사)

Korea is known for its beautiful palaces and temples, especially Haedong Yonggungsa Temple situated right on the coast of Busan.

We started our day by making the 5-hour bus ride from Incheon to Busan, and since we couldn’t check into our hotel until 6pm, we had a lot of time to explore. Our first stop was the temple – we took the subway from Busan bus terminal to OSIRIA station to grab something to eat at the Lotte Outlet before walking over to the temple. It took us about 25-30 minutes to walk from the mall to the temple itself (however there are a lot of guides out there to tell you a more efficient way of travelling there). The temple is at the top of a small incline, so wear your comfortable shoes!

Before you arrive at the main temple, you are greeted by a plethora of street food stalls, so if you’re peckish make sure to grab something here!

The temple was jam-packed with people, and it’s easy to see why. The structures and statues paired with its location on the coastline make it one of the most picturesque places in Korea.

Taking a left midway down the main stairs will take you to an area where you can get a great view of the temple, and a path along the coast where you can access the rocky seafront.

Even though it’s the middle of winter (it was about 5 degrees C by the time we got here) we were lucky to have clear skies and turquoise waters to accompany us.

Heading back down the main staircase takes you over the bridge towards the main part of the temple. Here is where the main worship sites are, and below the bridge is a wishing well, so bring some spare coins!

I honestly wish I’d had more time to research the different parts of the temple and the history behind it, however we were behind schedule and there were too many people to navigate around. Definitely try to come at off-peak times to enjoy your time!