Oryukdo Island Cruise

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Multiple trips this year (to Bijindo, to Boracay, to Samgwangsa Temple) have really transformed my simple appreciation for sunsets into a genuine love for sunsets. Beyond the “nice Camera Reel, br0” aspect, sunsets give me exactly what I need, no matter what mood I’m in. If I’m having a bad day, the setting sun is a reminder that tomorrow is new day. If I’m feeling insecure, it reminds me that night will cover things like a blanket and provide some anonymity. If I’m in a good mood, sunsets push me over the precipice into a free fall of total bliss.

This was the case last weekend when the girls and I packed up our things after an afternoon on Haeundae Beach to ride a ferry around the Oryukdo Islands at sunset. While we had a nice day crisping in the sun, we were all individually in weird places due to external circumstances. We really needed to close the weekend out on a high note, y’all.

We reached the Mipo Ferry Terminal at the end of the beach, and purchased a ticket aboard the 6:30PM ferry. We had about 40 minutes to kill, so we ate, drank, derped, and were merry in the ferry terminal, (a true testament to the “Bumnaegol 3”). Afterwards, we boarded the vessel with about a dozen others, ready and raring to see Busan’s coasts, islands, and of course, the sunset.

The Oryukdo Islands are (depending on the time of day) five or six rock islands, proudly protruding from Busan’s choppy waters. They are pretty famous throughout the city because these are typically the first masses that people see when sailing into Busan. They are pretty clearly uninhabited given that they are literally mossy rocks offering little to no shelter, with the exception of “Lighthouse Island”. If you haven’t already guessed, this rock houses a large white lighthouse with a series of winding stairs and observatories (we unfortunately didn’t make a pit stop here). The islands are a pretty random thing to be so widely admired, admittedly, but with the sun peeking out from behind them, I began to see why people enjoy them.

I’ve seen my fair share of sunsets on Busan’s coasts and beaches, but it was such an experience watching it from the water. At one point, the sun was hovering over Busan’s famed Marine City, casting shadows of the iPark, Zenith, and Exordium buildings over the water. We had incredible views of Diamond Bridge, Gwangalli Beach, and Igidae Park – it was basically a (boat) trip down memory lane of all the things I’ve seen and experienced in Busan.

After the boat made it around the Oryukdo Islands, the winds began to pick up. The other passengers opted to descend to the lower decks, but Mary, Steph, and I wrapped ourselves in our beach towels and blankets to continue watching the (now hazy) skies and sights. I huddled for warmth with my arms wrapped around my girls and felt so blessed with life in Busan.

The entire trip back to the ferry terminal was a practice in the very real phenomenon known as “sunset gratitude”. This is where my friends and I repeatedly tell each other how happy we are to have met one another and how lucky we are to be living in such a peninsular paradise. It’s basically like a drunken heart-to-heart, without the alcohol.

The 70 minute Oryukdo Island Cruise is certainly worth the price for the views of Haeundae and Gwangan. I recommend you take an evening ferry on the weekend, since they run more often than during the week. Get out there and practice some “sunset gratitude” of your own!

Directions
To get to the Mipo Ferry Terminal, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Haeundae Station (stop 203). Take exit 3 or 5 and walk straight out until you reach the beach. Turn left and walk along the beach ends. Continue down the road and the ferry terminal will be on your right. The Oryukdo Island Cruise costs ₩22,000. More information can be found here.

Igidae Park

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

I was enlightened about the wonders of the Igidae Park coastal walk after a conversation with one of my former Korean co-teachers.

“Jenny Teacher, remember when we were crossing the Gwangalli Bridge for the field trip? What was that giant green building on the left side of the bridge called The View? It look so interesting.”

“Ah, yes – that is the Igidae Park area. It is very popular amongst Busan locals for its hiking and views of the city. My husband and I go all the time, it’s very beautiful.”

My interest about Igidae Park was officially piqued after this conversation, especially as I had already had an amazing time on a coastal walk near Songdo Beach with Mary and Steph.

After exploring and lunching in the nearby Daeyeon area, we grabbed a (series of) cab(s) to the park. I say “series of” because each and every cab driver we said “Igidae Park-uh” to offered a perplexed look in response. Eventually, we came across a driver who knew the way, but heed my advice: it will be in your interest to know how to instruct your cab driver to Igidae in Korean or to have a photo readily available. It will save yourself some time in the relatively cab-less Namcheon area.

The etymology of the park’s name comes from an absolutely insane story of revenge, involving Japanese lords during Japan’s occupation of Busan, Korean comfort women (known as “Gisaengs”), and the surrounding cliffs of Igidae. Disgusted at the thought of being concubines to the Japanese imperialists, two of the Gisaengs grabbed one of the inebriated officers and threw themselves below. Perhaps you can discern from the photos below, but just in case you can’t, THE AREA IS ABSURDLY ROCKY AND THEY DIED (assuming the legend is true). This legend is simultaneously empowering and points out exactly how damaging nationalism can be to one’s psyche.

Igidae Park boasts a 5.2 kilometer hiking trail around the perimeter of Jangsanbong Mountain, adjacent to Gwangalli Beach. The entire hike around the seawall can take anywhere from 2 to 2 1/2 hours, and offers beautiful views of Busan’s cityscape. While we didn’t make it around the entire coast, (read: we were lazy and kept getting distracted by taking the “perfect yoga photo” – derp), we easily could have since the terrain itself was fairly undemanding.

The girls and I ended our day at Igidae Park with a heart-to-heart on the coast. The atmosphere of the park was so serene and I felt a renewed sense of vitality watching the sun go down with my people.

Much like the Songdo Coastal Walk, Igidae Park is off of most foreigner’s radars, and yet takes advantage of Busan’s most appealing features – its coastline, mountain ranges, and towering skyscrapers. Spread news of Igidae Park widely, because as you know, secrets don’t make friends.

Directions
To get to Igidae Park, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Namcheon Station (stop 211). Go straight out exit 3 and proceed down Suyeong-ro for about 3 minutes. Take the first left and continue walking, past the Metro grocery store and under the overpass. Eventually, you will  see an ostentatious building called “The View”. Take the stairs up on the left side to reach the park. The walk to Igidae takes about 20 minutes. Additionally, a cab from Namcheon Station costs approximately ₩4,500, depending on traffic. Entrance to the park is free.