Busan City

Introduction
Cosmopolitan port city with brash urban panache. It may not have the old temples and palaces of Seoul, but there's plenty to see and do in Busan - water sports, nightlife at the beach resorts, the hustle and bustle of the port, wooded hideaways in the mountains, and amazing hot springs right in the heart of the city.

Destination Facts
Time zone: GMT +9
Area: 761
Coordinates: 34.5250 latitude and 129.1813 longitude
Population: 3660000
Area codes: 051

Getting there and away
Busan is served by Gimhae International Airport (tel: 972 3010). International flights are mostly to Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka), with less frequent links to Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Manila and Vladivostock. International airline offices in Busan include Asiana (tel: 972 4004), China Air (tel: 463 6888), China Eastern (tel: 973 8254), JAL (tel: 469 1215) and Korean Air (tel: 970 3238). On the domestic routes, there are regular flights to Seoul (1hr) and Jeju Island (1hr). A number of ferry lines link Japan with Busan's international ferry terminal near Jungang subway station. Combined rail-and-ferry tickets can be purchased for the Busan-Shimonoseki-Tokyo route - see www.korail.go.kr. On the Busan to Hakata (Fukuoka) route, the Beetle Jetfoil operates twice daily to Chuo Futoh Wharf in Hakata. It takes only three hours; the slow overnight ferry takes 14.5 hours. Other routes from Busan to Japan include Hiroshima (17hr), Hitakatsu (2.5hr) Izuhara (2.5hr), Kokura (4hr), Osaka (18hr) and Shimonoseki (14hr). Dongbu bus terminal is located at Nopodong station. Intercity buses travelling to Dongbu allow passengers to get off at Duhil station, a great time saver if you don't need to go to the terminal. Regular epartures from Dongbu include Daegu (2hr), Gwangju (4.5hr), Gyeongju (1.25hr), Seoul (5.25hr) and Ulsan (1hr). Seobu intercity bus terminal is just outside Sasang station. Regular departures Daewonsa (1.5hr), Hadong (2.5hr), Namhae (2.5hr) and Ssanggyaesa (3.5hr). There are two trains between Busan and Seoul: the saemaeul (4.5hr) and the mugunghwa (5.5hr). Visit the Korea Rail website (www.korail.go.kr) for detailed schedules.

Getting around
Korean Air Lines (KAL) runs two airport-limousine services every 30min from Gimhae International Airport, one each to the major hotels in Haeundae and Nampodong (1hr). A taxi from the airport to Seomyeon in the city centre takes around 30 minutes. The most economical link between the airport and city is bus 307 to Deokcheon train station or bus 310 to Sasang station. There are also buses from the airport to cities in the area including Gyeongju, Changwon, Masan, Eonyang, Ulsan, Yangsan and Jinhae. Subway fares use a two-zone system with set fares. Consider buying a Hanaro card for buses and trains (available at ticket booths) if you're staying in the city for some time. It can also be used in taxis sporting a flash seagull on the roof. There are two subway lines, with a third planned for 2007.

Weather
Busan has four very distinct seasons, and temperature contrasts between midsummer and midwinter are fairly extreme. The best time of year to visit is probably autumn, from September to November, when the weather is usually sunny and warm and the mountainsides are ablaze with bright colours. Spring, from April to May, is another beautiful season, with mild temperatures and cherry blossoms spreading across the countryside. Winter, from December to March, is dry and can be very cold, but winters here are milder than in the north. The peak summer period - late June to late August - is the monsoon season, with unpleasantly hot and humid weather and heavy rainfall.