Hey guys—yes, it’s been a while, I know!

For a long time now, I’ve been trying out new things, exploring different hobbies, and honestly, I found myself getting burnt out from constantly trying to keep up with all these projects—including this blog. But I realised that while consistency is important, so is quality. As long as I’ve got a good balance between writing here, enjoying my other hobbies, and tackling life’s responsibilities, then I need to take the pressure off and post when it feels right.

Rant over. When we left off, we were heading from the bustling streets of Seoul to the coastal edge of Busan.

Trains and travel

For whatever reason our delusional selves decided, we booked our tickets to travel to Busan in the early hours. The night before—probably on a sugar rush—hyper mode activated: singing, dancing, and jumping around the room like kids at a birthday party. If you can picture a bunch of overexcited five-year-olds sprinting bed to bed, accompanied by chaotic noise and awful singing, then that’s pretty much what was happening.

This carried on until about midnight. Oh, and we hadn’t packed yet.

At one point, someone dropped a phone charger down the back of the bed, and the situation descended into impromptu gymnastics. Think: that person being me dangling off the edge, legs in the air, while the rest of them laughed and filmed it. It was like a budget version of an action movie rescue scene. Absolute carnage!

We eventually settled down, packed (finally), and crashed for a couple of hours before waking up and dragging our zombified bodies to Seoul Station—four tired, mildly grumpy girls hauling suitcases, clutching coffees and croissants. I’m sure we traumatised a few early-morning commuters. The journey itself was smooth and painless, and we reached our hotel in Busan without too much stress.

One thing I’ll keep repeating on this blog: you will not sleep properly when travelling. And no matter how irritable you get, you’ve just got to roll with it.

First few days

The first couple of days were mostly about getting our bearings and exploring. Busan has a very different energy to Seoul—it’s a gritty, lively port city with a mix of older and modern architecture, plus plenty of beaches. And yes, a strong fishy smell that lingers in the air when by the sea.

We did the typical tourist stuff: wandered through the streets, browsed local shops, visited the fish markets (not my scene at all—smelly, and I felt bad for the fish). But I’m not here to moan; this is a fun, friendly blog, after all.

We eventually ended up in Shinsegae Department Store in Centum City, which is absolutely massive. My friends are big on shopping and food, so we spent most of the day there. It’s got floors of clothing, a huge food court, and even a rooftop sky garden. Pretty chill for a first day, especially after the chaos of the journey.

Honestly, I think the suitcase-hauling had wiped us. Sometimes, a slow start is all you need.

Gamcehon Culture village

Day two was exploring Gamcheon Culture Village. It’s often referred to as the Machu Picchu of Busan—a hillside maze of colourful buildings, murals, narrow alleys, and cute houses, with sea views and independent shops scattered around.

The place feels like a living canvas. Art wraps around corners, climbs up staircases, hides in shadows, and bursts out in vibrant colour. It’s artsy, quirky, and a bit surreal. It has plenty of little independent stores selling all sorts of items and of course the famous mural of BTS members. Now I’m personally not a K-pop fan, but I can appreciate that this place is very special to locals and BTS fans! One highlight is the statue of the Little Prince and Desert Fox, where you can take all your aesthetic Instagram photos.

Now—don’t judge—but I’ve never actually seen The Little Prince, so I didn’t really get the statue. My friends, on the other hand, were obsessed and absolutely loved it.

Gamcheon is a great half-day trip—lots of cute cafes, photo spots, and galleries to explore. After soaking it in, we headed to our next spot.

Oryukdo Skywalk

After Gamcheon, we headed to the coast for more scenic views—specifically, the Oryukdo Skywalk, a glass-floored observation deck built into the cliffside.

It’s free to enter, but you do have to wear shoe covers (safety first). On a clear day, it’s a gorgeous, short walk with panoramic ocean views. If it’s windy, cold, or wet, though… probably not worth it. Thankfully, we lucked out with the weather.

There’s also a bunch of surrounding trails and cliff walks you can explore. But—and yes, I’m mentioning it again—we were knackered. So we called it and headed back.

Day 3 – Trams, Capsules & Beaches

With a proper night’s sleep under our belts, we kicked off the day with the Haeundae Beach Train, The Haeundae Sky Capsule & Busan Green Railway

These are fun, scenic rides that run along the coastline between Haeundae Beach and Songjeong. It’s a relaxed way to take in the coastal views and cityscape. We started the day slow, grabbed lunch via Grab, and wandered towards the beach.

After eating, we stumbled across a peaceful beach and sat for a while. Watching the waves roll with the fresh smell of salt and sand in the air, it was genuinely calming—one of those moments that makes you stop and appreciate how beautiful Earth actually is.

One funny yet ridiculous video we made was to all go spinning around like an orbit. Why? I honestly couldn’t tell you. So in our delusional minds, we recreated the video and asked some poor girl to record it whilst we looked like idiots on the beach.

Silly, harmless, and something which will never see the light of day —but we can look back on it and laugh!

Sky Capsules & Suspension Bridges

The sky capsule ride was brilliant—offering stunning views from a new angle. That said, if you’re scared of heights (like me), this might be a bit nerve-wracking. It’s totally safe, but the rational part of your brain and your survival instinct don’t always align.

Each capsule fits 2–4 people, and it gets booked fast—so plan ahead if this is on your list. Personally, I’d take this over the beach train for the views alone.

We also checked out the Songdo Cloud Trails / Songdo Suspension Bridge, another scenic cliffside viewpoint. Yes, more heights, and yes, I was mildly terrified—but it’s worth it. Entry is just 1,000 won, and it’s ideal for an early morning or sunset stroll.

Last days and final thoughts

We wrapped up our final day with a return to—you guessed it—the same mall from day one. Why? Honestly, poor planning. I didn’t research enough alternatives, and we ran out of things to do. Busan is lovely, but three to four days is more than enough, unless you’ve got a super detailed itinerary or specific interests.

If you love both city life and the coast, Busan’s a great mix. That said, next time I visit Korea, I’ll definitely head deeper into the countryside. I feel like I missed out on some of the real charm—the kind you find off the beaten path.

Korea and my thoughts

South Korea is modern, clean, efficient, and packed with culture. Seoul is a fast-paced, neon-lit capital full of shops and skyscrapers. Busan is more laid back, but still buzzing in its own way. The food is incredible, and the people are polite and respectful—even if reserved.

But if I’m honest, I regret not seeing more of the countryside. Compared to Japan, where I explored a range of cities and villages, this trip felt a bit city-heavy. I also think we leaned a bit too hard into the skincare-and-shopping side of things—fun, but not particularly immersive.

Next time, I want to explore the rural areas, the islands, and the history-rich spots that tourists often skip. Less retail therapy, more real experience.

In my next blog, three of us head to our new location, whilst one stays in Busan a bit longer before jumping to the final destination of the trip (don’t worry I’ll explain in my next blog!)

So as always, Thank you for reading my post—I hope you enjoyed.

Until my next blog of intrepid tales on my trails…!