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4 Hidden Hikes in Busan That Reveal the Real Korea

I Walked Busan Instead of Touring It — And It Changed Everything


There’s a version of Busan most people come for.

The beaches.


The cafés.


The skyline pressed against the sea.

And then there’s another version.

Quieter.


Less obvious.


The one that reveals itself only if you’re willing to move through it slowly—step by step, trail by trail, without needing to arrive anywhere in particular.

That’s the version I found.


Why I Didn’t Start in Seoul

Most people begin their journey in Seoul.

I didn’t.

I landed in Busan instead—and chose to stay in Yeongdo, a quieter island district that feels slightly removed from the rest of the city.

There was no itinerary.

Just instinct.


Chuseok — When Everything Shifted

A few days into my trip, I experienced Chuseok—Korea’s most important holiday.

Chuseok is about return.


Family.


Ancestry.


Continuity.

That day, I traveled into the mountains near Ulsan with a friend I had just met.

We shared a traditional meal in a place that felt untouched by time.

Something shifted.

Because I wasn’t just observing Korea anymore.

I was inside it.


The Beauty — And the Reality

Korea is stunning.

But it’s also intense.

Through conversations with locals, I began to understand the pressure that exists beneath the surface:

  • The expectations placed on children

  • The pursuit of success

  • The quiet weight behind a declining birth rate

  • The precision of beauty standards

At one point, I realized that in Korea, I’m considered borderline obese.

And instead of rejecting that…

I sat with it.

Because that’s why I travel.

Not to compare.


Not to judge.


But to understand.


Why It Still Felt Like Home

Despite everything, I felt something unexpected.

Familiarity.

I grew up in Tahiti, with a grandfather from China, surrounded by strong Asian cultural values—respect, structure, family.

So Korea didn’t feel entirely new.

It felt… recognized.

And maybe that’s why I didn’t turn away from the harder parts.

Because when something feels familiar, you don’t judge it.

You try to understand it.


So I Walked Busan

Instead of following a checklist, I followed the terrain.

The mountains.


The forests.


The coastline.

Here are four hikes in Busan that most tourists miss—but shouldn’t.


1. Taejongdae Park — Where the Land Ends

At the southern edge of Busan, cliffs drop dramatically into the sea.

It’s raw. Untamed.

I didn’t complete the full trail—I explored it via the Danubi Train and a short walk to an ocean-facing observatory.

And even that was enough.

Some places don’t need to be finished to leave an impression.


2. Oryukdo Skywalk → Igidae Coastal Walk — The Edge of Everything

Before starting, I had a simple bowl of kimchi ramyeon near the skywalk.

Then I walked.

Oryukdo means “five or six islands,” depending on the tide.

Even the landscape here refuses to stay fixed.

This trail is part of the Haeparang coastal route, and for years, this stretch was closed as a military defense area.

Watched, not explored.

As I walked, I reflected on conversations with Serena—about independence, expectations, and her dream of opening her own tea house.

By sunset, with Gwangan Bridge lighting up in the distance, something shifted.

It felt familiar.

Not new.

Recognized.


3. Jangsan Forest Bathing Park — The Reset

Before entering the forest, I stopped at


Shinsegae Centum City.

The basement food hall is overwhelming—in the best way.

I took my lunch to nearby Daecheon Park and sat quietly before beginning the hike.

Jangsan isn’t about reaching a destination.

It’s about slowing down.

I didn’t make it to Yangun Waterfall—I had a meeting in the city and had to turn back.

But that didn’t matter.

Because what I needed wasn’t the waterfall.

It was the pause.


4. Seokbulsa Temple — The Threshold

This was the one.

After a K-ride from Myeongnyun Station, I stopped at Sumteo Café—the last café before the ascent.

Then I followed the road.

And suddenly…

the mountain opened.

Seokbulsa is carved into a rock face called Byeongpungam—“folding screen.”

Twenty-nine Buddhist figures etched directly into stone, created in the early 1900s by a monk named Jo Il-hyeon.

It’s not ancient.

But it feels timeless.

I spent the entire day there.

And somewhere in that stillness, something became clear.

I didn’t feel like I had lived here before.

I felt like something in me recognized this place.

And that changed everything.


What Busan Taught Me

I came to explore a city.

But somewhere along the way, I started understanding something else.

Not just Korea.

Myself.

And maybe that’s what travel is meant to do.

Not show you more of the world—

but show you more of who you are in it.


*** WATCH MY VLOG ABOUT THESE HIKES***


Plan Your Own Solo Ways Experience

If this resonates with you, I’m currently designing curated experiences through The Solo Ways:

  • Walking-based travel

  • Cultural immersion

  • Café rituals

  • Personal transformation



Coming Next

A deeper look into Vietnam—wellness, culture, and nature through my collaboration with Zen Vacation.


 
 
 

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