20 Free Things To Do in Busan 2026 Guide

Looking to do Busan on a budget? From Gamcheon Cultural Village to coastal walks, K-Pop activities to the National Maritime Museum, there are many free things to do in Busan.

Featuring Busan beaches, seaside parks and observation decks, we also include Busan’s weekly free drone show taking place twice every Saturday night at Gwangalli Beach.

Taking in temples to fun festivals, here is our guide to the best free things to do in Busan to suit all ages.

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Every Saturday night at 8pm and 10pm (7pm and 9pm from October to December), over 300 aerial drones take to the skies of Gwangalli Beach and create an incredible skyborne spectacle, with various scenes and characters created.

The characters and images created by the Gwangalli M drones vary weekly so you never know what to expect from the aerial display.

There are often bonus aerial drone shows at different locations on public holidays and at festivals and major events.

2. Gamcheon Culture Village

If you are only going to do a handful of things in Busan, make sure you visit Gamcheon Cultural Village – and it is free to visit, although there is a new Gamcheon tourist curfew asking visitors to only visit from 9am to 6pm.

Gamcheon culture village is easily one of the most visited places in Busan given how colourful it is. Brightly painted terraced dwellings, labyrinth alley-ways and maze-like backstreets are all part of the charm.

Not to mention cute coffee shops galore, several of which have incredible rooftops that provide postcard perfect panoramic views of Gamcheon Culture Village and Busan Port.

Formerly a mundane mountainside area where refugees settled after the Korean war, houseproud tenants initially painted their roofs and walls in bright colours and others followed suit. Today, thousands of tourists flock to Gamcheon culture village every day.

Whilst you could refer to it as one of Busan’s tourist traps, it is a jubilant and joyful place to explore with incredible panoramic vistas at every corner and dozens of alley-ways, and nooks.

More things to do in Gamcheon Cultural Village >

3. Enjoy Busan’s Best Beaches

Busan’s beaches are the best – and a fun free Busan activity too! The coastal setting of Busan makes for some of the best beaches in South Korea – blessed with sandy shores where the sea meets the city skyline, this is why you should be Busan bound for your big beach trip.

From glass skywalks to incredible drone shows, beachside festivals to coastal walks, there are lots of beautiful Busan beaches to explore, all for gratis (plus watersports and surfing if you have budget).

Famous beaches include Haeundae and Gwangalli but we’ve also compiled a list of Busan’s best and lesser known beaches here including Dadaepo and Songdo.

From the epic eastern Busan beaches to the more subdued southern beaches, here is our guide to the best beaches in Busan >

4. National Maritime Museum of Korea

We’ve been to Yeongdo several times before but it wasn’t until our latest Spring 2026 visit that we finally made it to one of Busan’s best known attractions located on the island – National Maritime Museum of Korea.

You know you’ve made it to the right place when you see all the old submarines and sailing ships parked up outside the domed museum exterior – we visited on a week day so it was busy with school groups and nursery visits.

Inside, there are permanent galleries dedicated to Korea’s maritime history and temporary exhibitions, plus there is a small aquarium section – better yet, admission to the National Maritime Museum of Korea is free (although there is a charge for the 3D cinema).

After you’ve visited all the exhibits, check out the views from the rooftop observation deck looking out towards the Jodo Island (Achi Island) and nearby cruise terminal.

5. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

A short bus ride from Haeundae Beach, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is described as the ‘most beautiful temple in Korea’ with stunning panoramic views of the sea and surrounding coastline.

Incredibly popular (especially with coach groups), the original Haedong Yonggungsa temple was built in the 14th century but later destroyed by bombing and rebuilt in the 1930s.

During celebrations and religious festivals like Buddha’s birthday, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is adorned with lots of bright lanterns across all its paths and roofs making it even more beautiful.

The one downside is that it is included on a lot of Busan 1 day itineraries and day trips organised by coach companies so it can get very busy. For a slightly quieter temple experience in Busan, try Baengnyeonsa Temple or Okryeonseonwon Temple.

6. Walk Alongside Busan Green Railway

If you’ve missed out on booking the famous Busan sky capsules, you can always walk the same route and see the same stunning coastal setting for free.

The Busan Green Railway Coastal Walking Trail AKA the Haeundae Green Railway is a 5km coastal track on a wooden deck built alongside the Sky Capsule monorail track and Beach Train route along the former Donghae Nambu Railway Line.

It offers sublime views of the Busan coast and out towards the ocean – parts of it were closed until recently due to landslides but it is now fully reopened in 2026 and well worth a walk – smell that sea air!

Our guide to the Haeundae Blueline Park Sky Capsules & Beach Train >

7. Huinnyeoul Culture Village / Huinnyeoul Munhwa Maul

This coastal walkway and village was easily one of our top free things to do in Busan – reminiscent of Greeks islands like Santorini, Huinnyeoul Munhwa Maul is white-washed residential village is a treasure trove of shops and trinket stalls, plus cute coffee shops that offer panoramic views of the Busan sea.

After the war, Huinneyeoul Culture Village was formerly an area where refugees gathered and settled.

It is one of the most famous places in Busan to see Busan Port and South Port and has featured in several K-dramas and programmes, most notably the films ‘The Attorney’ and ‘War Against Crime’.

A beautiful hillside village, whilst not on the scale of Gamcheon Cultural Village, Huinnyeoul Huinnyeoul Munhwa Maul is very much worth your time and is a lot more tranquil than peaceful – a prime spot to enjoy a coffee or afternoon tea on a terrace enjoying the sea-breeze and ocean vistas.

8. BTS V Photo Spot in Citizen’s Park

If you didn’t already know that Seomyeon district was ‘dynamite’, you might want to visit a free and famous BTS photo-spot in Citizen’s Park, which many BTS fans in Busan make a regular pilgrimage to.

V from BTS once posted on social media a picture of himself under an umbrella in the rain in the park and so many fans have since visited, a small sign painted onto the path now marks the very spot where V stood.

A true story – we hadn’t even heard of the BTS Busan Citizens Park photo spot before but whilst we were wandering around the park, a kindly old volunteer warden approached us and asked if we’d like a photo taken in the BTS spot. He was such a lovely man and was a brilliant ambassador for Busan and Seomyeon / Jeonpo.

9. Taejongdae

Taejongdae is one of the best known seaside parks in Busan, located at the south-end of Yeongdo Island and is free to visit*. As you’d expect, Taejongdae offers incredible panoramic views of the ocean – on a clear day, you can see as far as Tsushima Island.

Taejongdae has a plethora of paths along the coast to explore plus the famed Taejongdae Observation Deck.

*If you don’t fancy the walk, you can pay a small fee to let the Danubi Train take the strain, a cute toy train type set-up that drops you off at several places in Taejongdae park, the first being Taejongdae Observation Deck.

Read more in our guide to Taejongdae and the Danubi Train >

10. Yeongdo Sky Observatory

Busan is never short on sky observatories and we feature several in this ‘Busan free activities’ guide – Yeongdo Sky Observatory is located on the southern part of the island and can be visited day or night.

If you are scared of heights, this might not be for you as the platform largely comprises a glass floor so you can see the ocean and waves below – binoculars also look out to sea.

It connects to various Yeongdu coastal trails and is open 24 hours a day – to get here, take the Busan City Tour Bus (Green Line) and alight at the Yeongdo Haneul Park bus stop or use local buses city bus 82 or 85 and pay using your T-Money card.

11. Explore Jagalchi Fish Market

No trip to Busan is complete without a walk around Jagalchi Fish Market, South Korea’s biggest seafood market. Unlike other fish markets, the stalls and counters are just inside the complex and you are free to walk around without being bothered by stallholders too much

There are dozens of stalls outside all with their own seating areas, vying for your attention and custom – and we are talking seriously fresh (so fresh, you can eat dishes like octopus whilst the tentacles are still wriggling).

Although predominantly a day-time activity, many of the interior stalls and restaurants within Jagalchi Fish Market are open until early evening.

12. Watch Street Performers on Seomyeon Youth Street

The main outdoor shopping area in Seomyeon, this is where all the cool kids hang out day and night (hence why it is also known as Seomyeon Young Street).

Similar to Hongdae in Seoul or Dongseongno shopping district in Daegu, this is an avenue of shops, bars and restaurants that is lit up at night with bright lights and neon signs.

The K-Pop stars of tomorrow all have to start somewhere and Seomyeon is a breeding ground for up and coming street performers.

On all of our night-time Seomyeon visits (particularly at the weekends in summer), we’ve seen dozens of street performers from girl groups to accordionists, street-rappers to beatboxers.

More things to do in Seomyeon, Busan >

13. Busan Citizens Park

A huge gorgeous gem of a green space towards the northern Seomyeon neighborhoods, Busan Citizens Park is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.

Sprawling over 100 acres with the modern city metropolis serving as a back-drop, you can enjoy an arts village and fun amusements for all the family including an artificial beach and a 25 metre waterfall.

It was once an enormous Busan Army Base but has now been donated to the citizens of Busan to enjoy and it celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024.

14. Millak Waterside Park

Korea’s first waterfront park, Millak Waterside Park near Gwangalli Beach is a popular local place to take street food or picnics and enjoy ocean views (possibly with the odd soju or three).

Thousands flock to Millak Waterside Park to see the Gwangalli sunset every evening (it can accommodate up to 40,000 people) and you’ll find benches, shade huts, flower gardens and a colorful pathway with rainbow blocks – you can even dip your toes in the ocean at high tide.

15. Songdo Gureum Cloudwalk and Geobukseon Island

Yes, Busan does have an awful lot of skywalks and glass walkways but this one is free to visit and easily accessible from Songdo Beach. It is also the longest skywalk in Korea plus also the very first curve shaped walkway in the country.

The Songdo Cloudwalk is a 350+ metres glass walkway that allows you to get up close to the ocean (be careful not to drop your phone through the cracks).

Immediately next to Songdo Cloudwalk is Geobukseon Island (Turtle Island), a man-made walkway with huge statues including a turtle egg and romantic couple. A very nic(h)e walk in Busan and also free to visit.

16. Huinyeoul Coastal Tunnel

Heard about the Huinyeoul Coastal Tunnel, a free to visit attraction in Busan?

A short walk down some rainbow steps from Huinyeoul Cultural Village, this is a small passageway that has been cut out through the mountains that leads to a small secluded beach, offering sublime ocean views.

Note this area is VERY popular with Korean teenagers for doing selfie snaps or group shots with tripods so you may have to queue for the best spots.

You can also continue along the Jeoryeong Coastal Walk from here towards Yeongdo Haneul (Sky) Observation Deck and Taejongdae. You’re welcome!

17. Free Busan Festivals Including Busan Haeundae Beach Sand Festival

Taking place every year (usually in May or June), the Haeundae Beach Sand Festival is one of the most popular annual things to do in Busan – and it is 100% free

We were lucky enough to coincide one trip to Busan with the Sand Festival and we highly recommend attending to see sand sculptures – taking your own bucket and spade is optional!

The Haeundae Sand Festival sees stunning sandcastles built all over Haeundae Beach by sandcastle designers from all over the world. Recently they even had a gigantic Busan BTS sandcastle (K-pop fans rejoice) plus another half dozen or so colossal castles.

The next Haeundae Beach Sand Festival will take place in late May / early June 2027.

Other free annual festivals in Busan include Gwangalli Eobang (fish) Festival in June, the Polar Bear Swim Festival (icy cold plunges) every December and the Haeundae Lights Festival in winter.

18. Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory

Easily accessible from Haeundae Beach and the Green Railway walking route, Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory is a unique glass walkway that curves over the ocean, 20 metres up from the sea.

It feels so weird walking on perspex plates with the sea waves underfoot. Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory is free and a fun thing to do in Busan with kids.

19. Dadaepo Sunset Fountain of Dreams

Splish, splash, I was taking a bath…in the Dadaepo Sunset Fountain of Dreams. Families visiting Busan will love this, especially splashing in the fountains.

Dadaepo Sunset Fountain of Dreams is a magical musical fountain that has lots of LED lights that usually runs from April to October.

Probably not worth a special journey in itself, this is more of a Busan activity to combine with a visit to Dadaepo Beach itself – the beach is literally a 60 second walk from the fountain.

20. Other ‘free’ Busan attractions (well kind of)

Newly launched and very similar to the highly successful Discover Seoul Pass, the Visit Busan Pass provides ‘free’ access to a selection of 30 tourism attractions in Busan for 24/48 hours.

The Visit Busan tourist attractions included on the pass include Lotte World Busan, Busan Tower, Skyline Luge Busan, Busan X the Sky, Songdo Cable Car and free hanbok rental.

Incredibly good value for money, read our guide to using the Visit Busan Pass >

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