This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.
Photos by Jess Sternberg. Follow her on Instagram here.
As a Canadian boy who has experienced some twenty-two winters in Southeastern Ontario, the relatively temperate climate of Busan has been a dream during the typically harsh winter months. Besides one day in mid-February when it “snowed” (read: there was light snowfall that evaporated before it even touched the ground), on the whole, the South Korean winter has treated me well. It has also given me the ability to remain active and explore the great outdoors of Busan during months where, in Canada, I would be hermitting indoors.
Taejongdae Resort Park, located on the southern coast of Busan in Yeongdo-gu, provided a perfect setting for exploring the great outdoors, in the form of a crisp January afternoon stroll. The weather on this particular Saturday felt like a late October day in Canada, so my fellow Toronto girls, Jess, Maddie, Mary, and I took advantage and ventured to the famous Busan monument to take some yoga photos and watch the sunset.
Taejongdae derives its name from King TaeJong Mu-Yeol of the Silla Dynasty (BC57 until AD 935) who used to fire arrows along this beautiful coastal area back in his heyday. The park is absolutely magnificent – serene forests, breathtaking views of the coast, and beautiful man-made monuments. The park itself is quite sprawling, so in order to reach the main attraction, the Taejongdae Lighthouse, in an expedient manner, the park’s Danubi train is almost necessary to save yourself a long journey on foot. Unfortunately, the girls and I mistook the line that was simply waiting to board the Danubi train as the line waiting to purchase tickets for the train, became impatient, and started walking along the road towards the sites of Taejongdae. [Note: We never made it to the lighthouse. All of the sads.]
While we never made it to the lighthouse or Sinseon Rock, (which according to myth was a relaxation spot for gods and goddesses), we did get to see Taejongdae’s beautiful Pebble Beach from one of the many observatories along the coastline. Mary and I surged ahead to visit the Taejongdae observatory, which provided some stunning views of the rocky Korea Strait and the famous “Suicide Rock”. A sombre statue of a mother with two children stands just outside the observatory to remind anyone who has ventured to Taejongdae to commit suicide that somewhere, their mother holds an unconditional love for them. The observatory was unfortunately our last stop before turning back, but provided us with some unforgettable panoramic views and interesting information about the “Taejong Rain” which happens around the 10th of May (on the Lunar calendar). As a result, Taejongdae serves as a famous site for rain prayers during droughts.
Eventually, the girls and I headed back towards the Pebble Beach, finding a quiet part of the forest where we could watch the sunset, undisturbed. Just to our left, we discovered a giant boulder on the coast, absolutely perfect for some sunset yoga photos. One at a time, we each slowly and surely crawled our way onto the rock, making sure we didn’t look down at the deep plunge beneath us should our loafers or Toms fail us. A couple of “rock”-solid warrior, mermaid, and lotus poses later, the girls and I left the park, while the sun finally set on the magnificent coastal park.
Directions
To reach Taejongdae Resort Park, take the Busan Subway Red Line (Line 1) to Busan Station (stop 113). From here, take Bus 88 or 101 until the Taejongdae Park stop (approximately 35 minutes). Alternatively, you can take Line 1 to Nampo (stop 111) and take a 20 minute cab ride to Taejongdae. Entrance is free. For those who want to explore Taejongdae without walking, the Danubi Train provides transportation for W1,500, as well as service in English, Korean, and Chinese.
Millennial Abroad 