Day 6: Busan - Peace gardens

We woke up feeling pretty tired this morning after a busy day yesterday, but we had plans we didn’t want to miss — a bus tour exploring the southern side of Busan.

To get started, we hopped on a local bus to Busan Station. The bus was decorated with little teddy bears hanging from the handles, gently swaying as we drove along. It was both amusing and oddly charming. We’d already noticed how much South Koreans seem to love their teddies, often attaching them to their bags, but seeing them take over an entire bus was definitely a first!

From there, we took a city bus heading toward the sky observation point along the Jeolyeong Coastal Trail, making our way toward Taejongdae. The trail stretches about 3.7 km along the coastline, and while we expected a scenic walk, we hadn’t quite prepared for the constant hills and endless steps winding up and down the rugged cliffs. It was beautiful, but definitely more of a workout than we anticipated!

By the time we reached Taejongdae, we were more than ready for a break. We happily grabbed a coffee and a cup of fresh strawberries. Exactly what we needed after the long walk.

Later, we visited the Peace Garden which connects into the UN Memorial Cemetery. The site commemorates the soldiers who fought for South Korea during the Korean War. It was a quiet, reflective place and a meaningful contrast to the earlier part of our day. There were lots of juniper trees and a lovely stream with water gently running through it.

After all that walking, we headed back to our hotel for a nap and a rest but this wasn't where the day ended. To make sure we got enough steps in we walked to a street that had lots of cherry blossom trees. It was stunning as the trees were in full bloom. Definitely worth the extra steps.Read more