One of Busanโs best beaches and top food and drink destinations, Gwangalli is also one of South Koreaโs premier beach resorts.
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From traditional temples to waterside parks, fantastic festivals to free aerial drone shows every Saturday, there are a lot of things to do in Gwangalli Beach – and of course it is great for sunbathing!
Even if you arenโt a fan of beach fun and frolics, Gwangalli Beach is still worth a visit – there are dozens of cool coffee shops and beachside bars with ocean views; the locals in Gwangalli Beach really know how to have a good sunset session.
An urban beach area with bags of character and good food galore, here are the top things to do in Gwangalli Beach in Busan (South Korea).
This article was originally published on 13 July 2023.
Getting to Busan / Gwangalli Beach
Fly to Busan
You can fly directly to and from Busan Gimhae International Airport (PUS) from Japan, Thailand the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, China and Malaysia.
There are dozens of domestic daily flights to Busan from Seoul and Jeju Island.
Train to Busan
The KTX train Korea is the fastest train to get to Busan in the south of the country, often taking less than 3 hours and running one or two times an hour.
Alternatively, foreign travellers can benefit from discounted rates with a Korea Rail Pass โ this is also better value if you are travelling long distances by train in South Korea for two or more days.
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Getting to Gwangalli Beach
The easiest way to get to Gwangalli is via the Busan Metro system to Gwangan Station (take Metro line 2) using a T-Money card.
The closest Metro exits to Gwangalli Beach itself are exits 3 or 5 – it is then an approximately 700 meter walk from Gwangan Station to Gwangalli Beach.
There is also a comprehensive bus network in Busan but based on our experience, if you are coming from downtown Busan, the journey takes longer.
Gwangalli Customised Private Tour
Given how big Busan is, if you are short on time, you can organise your own customised private tour of Busan or do a Premium one day private group tour from Busan to 10 cities.
Accommodation and hotels in Gwangalli Beach, Busan in South Korea
Kent Hotel Gwangalli by Kensington
This is where we stayed on our May 2026 Busan trip as it is a highly rated hotel located on the shore of Gwangalli Beach.
Rooms are fairly modern with city views or sea views with good Wi-Fi and coffee pod machines. There are loads of bars and restaurants on your doorstep plus the nearest subway station is about an 8 minute walk away.
The hotel has a rooftop where you can book a K-BBQ experience plus a 15th-floor Sky Lounge restaurant with amazing views – we also liked the beach facing beanbags in the hotel corridors.
Check out prices and availability on booking.com, agoda.com and expedia.com
H Avenue Gwanganri Beach
Affordable hotel located 200 metres from Gwangalli Beach with some rooms having a balcony and sea views.
Check out prices and availability on booking.com, agoda.com and expedia.com
Things to do in Gwangalli Beach in Busan, South Korea
1. Gwangalli Beach
We start our โthings to do in Gwangalli Beachโ with the obvious, the beach itself. One of the best beaches in both Busan and South Korea, Gwangalli Beach is a sandy shore stretching almost 1.5km along the Busan coastline – in a word, heaven!
Popular for sunbathing, watersports and picnicking, Gwangalli Beach has a tropical vibe with straw parasols dotted along the beach (great if you want to escape the sun – or rain).
Along the seafront at Gwangalli Beach, there are numerous bars, pubs and restaurants looking out over the water meaning you can sunbathe by day then relax by night.
At night, you can enjoy the Gwangan Bridge light show from the beach plus the weekly Gwangalli M drone show every Saturday (more on this in a mo).
The water is perfect for swimming at Gwangalli Beach (usually only allowed between July and September – with jellyfish nets installed). It is in a relatively sheltered bay with very few waves (so not ideal for surfing) โ there are many Busan boat trips and yacht tours so you can see Gwangalli Beach from the ocean too.
Did you know that part of the Marvel movie Blank Panther was filmed at Gwangalli Beach (namely the car chase scene)?
More recently, a slow postbox on Gwangalli Beach has gone viral, allowing beach visitors to write postcards in a small lit-up dome on the sand – these messages are then delivered exactly one year later.
2. Gwangalli M Drone Show (Free)
Busanโs Gwangalli Beach is the place to be every Saturday night with the weekly Gwangalli M Drone display over the night sky.
Seriously for us, this had to be one of the top 5 things to do in Busan, not just Gwangalli. It is also a great thing to enjoy in Busan with kids.
Every Saturday night at 8pm and 10pm (October โ February, 7pm and 9pm), over 1,000 aerial drones take to the skies of Gwangalli Beach and create an incredible skyborne spectacle, with various scenes and characters created. For special shows like the Chuseok holiday, it increases to 2,500 drones!
One of the most popular ever drone shows at Gwangalli Beach recreated all of the members of BTS – we suspect half the beach screamed or fainted that nightโฆ
The characters and images created by the Gwangalli M drones change every week so you never know what to expect. One of our favourite bits about the Gwangalli M weekly drone show is the audible gasps and sighs from the audience gathered on the beachfront every Saturday.
We were lucky enough to see the Gwangalli M Drone Show a couple of times whilst in Busan during the Gwangalli Eobang Festival fishing festival so the beach was literally heaving with thousands of visitors and locals eager to catch a glimpse of the drones.
Along with Gwangalli Beach itself, we rate the weekly Gwangalli M Drone Show as the best free thing to do in Gwangalli Beach and Busan.
2026 update – we most recently saw the Gwangalli Busan drone show again in May 2026 and it was fun but also so busy. So something to be aware of if you donโt like crowds – possibly see the later show if so many people will have gone home.
3. Millac The Market
Overlooking the harbor at Gwangalli Beach with huge bay windows facing towards the ocean and Millak Port, Millac the Market is a popular Gwangan food market and contemporary cultural space that kind of reminds us of the cultural parks in Taiwan. We guess youโd call Millac The Market โwarehouse chicโ.
An old fish market converted into a sleek and shiny food court with red brick walls, steel interiors and street art on the walls, this is one of the coolest places to visit in Gwangalli Beach (and only a short walk eastwards along the coast from the beach itself).
We’ve visited Millac The Market several times including one sunny Saturday afternoon in Busan and were amazed to see hundreds of people sitting on the steps eating their street food and watching two live performers.
The set-up here is really nice, with all types of street food kitchens and restaurants with cuisine from all around the world plus a few craft shops and craft beer bars. Street food markets and festivals also take place on selected days.
Lately, this has become one of the best places for pop-up shops in Busan – for instance in Spring 2026, we visited and there was a temporary Jinro soju shop complete with the giant frog character.
4. Millak Waterside Park
Koreaโs first waterfront park, Millak Waterside Park 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 youโll 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.
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5. Gwangandaegyo Bridge / Diamond Bridge
Wow, the Gwangandaegyo Bridge in Gwangalli Beach is one โlitโ bridge – literally, Gwangandaegyo Bridge (AKA Gwangan Bridge) has the worldโs largest set of LED lights and sound equipment; it shines so bright it has been nicknamed Busanโs Diamond Bridge.
Southโs Koreaโs sublime suspension bridge in Busan is the second longest bridge in South Korea (after Incheon Bridge in Seoul) and spans over 7 km (one BIG bridge – and daegyoโ literally translates as this) – but who cares about this when the best bit is that it lights up at night!
Gwangan Bridge in Busan lights up every evening, with different times depending on the year. Generally, Gwangan Bridge becomes a beacon of light every evening from sunset until the early hours (usually 1am on weekdays and until 2am on weekends and public holidays).
So grab a beer from a nearby 7-Eleven or CU store or sit in a Gwangalli beachside bar and enjoy the nightly lights.
If your Busan itinerary allows it, weโd highly recommend combining the Gwangan Bridge lights with the weekly Gwangalli aerial drone show held every Saturday night. Or get up close and out on the water with this Gwangalli kayaking experience with Diamond Bridge views.
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6. Gwangan Beach Park
Gwangan Beach Park is a small area at the east end of Gwangalli Beach that is a nice spot to view the coastline or enjoy beachside bars and restaurants looking out towards the ocean.
Whilst we would describe it more as a beach promenade than a park, it is the best way to walk to Millac the Market and Millak Waterside Park and is popular with street performers and buskers.
One of our best memories of Gwangalli Beach was watching a very talented street performer here having to contend with lots of old Korean men dancing very drunkenly to his music – quite the sight!
This is also a really good spot to watch the Saturday Gwangalli Beach aerial drone show if you donโt want to get sand in your shoes!
You might like – 80 things to do in Busan >
7. Gwangalli Beach Premium Yacht Tour
Enjoy Gwangalli Beach from a different perspective on a luxury yacht – soak up sunkist views of Gwangalli and Haeundae Beach whilst enjoying complimentary beer or soft drinks.
The staff are also on hand to look after you and take pictures as a lasting memory of Gwangalli Beach.
All aboard the Gwangalli Beach Premium Yacht Tour – book with Klook >
8. Randyโs Donuts
In South Korea, there are lots of American food and drink chains like Starbucks and Krispy Kreme – one of the most popular American franchises in Busan is Randyโs Doughnuts, originally hailing from California in the 1950s.
Randyโs Donuts in Gwangalli Beach is a couple of blocks back from the waterfront – it is easy to spot as the queue often snakes out the door (or just look for the giant donut in the window!).
Retro styled to look like a vintage American diner, the interior at Busan Randyโs Donuts is as enticing as the sweet treats themselves; bright light, chrome services and friendly staff.
Classic flavours at Randyโs Donut include maple iced cake and chocolate sprinkles, plus you can get premium donuts like filled lemon jelly and raised butter crumb for around 3,200 Korean won (ยฃ1.90 / $2.50 USD).
Randyโs Donuts also has a very popular store in Seoul in the Hongdae district plus a second Gwangalli Beach branch at Millac the Market.
9. Gwangalli Beach Arcades
One of the best places for games arcades in Busan is Gwangalli Beach (along with Haeundae or Seomyeon)
A very โamusingโ thing to do with kids in Busan, three of the biggest arcades along in Gwangalli Beach are Waku Waku, Wangmimi arcade at Millak Market and ZZang Games on the seafront.
Most arcades have at least two floors of amusement arcade games, from air hockey to video games, claw machines to driving simulators.
Open until the early hours, the arcades around Gwangalli Beach are free admission with games charged individually.
10. Millak-dong Breakwater / Harbour Arm
One of the best places to get an incredible view of Gwangalli Beach is the harbour arm in the marina just outside Millak Market.
Popular at sunset (especially with romantic couples), this is an easy walk from the main beach and is a superb setting, with all the colourful fishing boats bobbing up and down in the water.
11. Gwangalli Beach Giant Plant Pot
Yes, you read that – at the end of the beach along the ocean walk towards Namcheon Seaside Park, there is a huge plant pot that was donated to the people of Busan after an art expo by a French artist – cโest formidable albeit a little out of place.
12. Gwangalli Watersports
This is one of the best Busan beaches to get out on the water with lots of wild waterborne activities from jetboats to sup boards.
Check out these bookable Gwangalli beachside activities:
- Gwangalli jetboat >
- Water sports and cycling 1 day tour at Gwangalli Beach >
- Stand up paddleboarding (SUP) at Gwangalli Beach >
- Busan marine yacht tour (join-in/private) >
13. Okryeonseonwon Temple
Located north of and just behind Milak Waterside Park, Okryeonseonwon Temple is the best known temple in Gwangalli Beach, attracting hundreds of worshippers and tourists every day.
This Jogyesa hillside temple is free to visit and features large white statues include a huge Buddha statue – compared to say nearby Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, it is very calm and understated and not too busy.
During celebrations and festivities such as Buddhaโs Birthday, Gwangalliโs Okryeonseonwon Temple is decorated with colourful paper lanterns – given its hillside setting, the views of Gwangalliโs skyline are also superb.
Admission to Okryeonseonwon Temple is free but there is a small parking charge if you bring a car (around 2,000 Won).
14. Korean Photo Booths
One of the most fun things to do in Gwangalli Beach (and in Busan at night), Korean Photo booth stores are dotted all throughout the neighbourhood.
Selfie kiosks are brightly coloured stores in Busan where you can borrow clothes and fun props (like vegetable hats, big sunglasses, animal paw gloves etc) and then pose for selfies or take photos in booths for a small fee.
The Photo Objet store (map) has fun sets you can pose in such as an airplane and a laundry.
Often these Korean selfie photo booths allow you to print out stickers as a lasting reminder โ one of the most popular Korean selfie photo booths in Gwangalli Beach is Photo Drink High Self Photo Studio.
Read more in our Korean Photo booth guide >
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Cheap Eats in Gwangalli
We ate in quite a few places in Gwangalli but two of the best and affordable places we liked were right on the seafront with amazing views:
15. 153๊ตฌํฌ๊ตญ์ ๊ด์๋ฆฌ์
Possibly the cheapest Korean restaurant in Gwangalli (map), this is a chain diner that offers all your usual Korean staples at low prices, from bibimap to bulgogi, soju to kimchi stew.
Order at the kiosk, wait for your number to be called and enjoy nice food at good prices overlooking the beach – if you are already aware of the Korean chain Gimgane, it is pretty much the same style and set-up as that.
We ate here a couple of times and most dishes cost around the 5,000 to 8,000 Won range – it is also a good place to visit if you need to eat in the early hours as it is open until 5am.
16. El Carnitas
Yes, we know this is a Mexican restaurant so if you are only in Busan for a short time, you might want to stick to other places – however, we saw this Busan beachfront Mexican was absolutely bustling one night so gave it a go.
It turned out to be one of the best Mexicans we had in South Korea, particularly the taco bowls (we find Mexican in Korean isnโt generally that good) – when the sun is shining and you can hear the sound of the waves as you sip your margheritas, everything is alright.
Gwangalli Beach Craft Beer Bars and Breweries in Busan
After a busy day exploring Gwangalli Beach, grab a cold beer at one of these Gwangalli Beach craft beer bars and breweries:
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17. ์ฃผ๋ SรDEN Craftbeer
A cute and cosy craft beer bar, we discovered ์ฃผ๋ SรDEN Craftbeer on our latest 2026 Busan trip – the staff here were so lovely and it is a popular spot with local workers and young couples.
A German style brewery with some European food offerings, we like to think of ์ฃผ๋ SรDEN Craftbeer as a little bit of Bavaria in Busan.
The bar staff here were absolutely lovely explaining to us all the beer types in perfect English and they made us feel very welcome – this is definitely somewhere we will return to every time we are back in Gwangalli. Prost!
18. Bronx Brewery, Gwangalli
We first discovered Busanโs Bronx Brewery at the recent Busan Craft Beer Festival. Based out of Gwangalli Beach with a bar overlooking the beach, several of their beers reference their incredible setting including their โLager on the Beachโ.
Brewing everything from Golden Ales to Stouts and Wort Lagers, Bronx brewery has an eclectic line-up of craft beers. However, we went back in May 2026 and whilst the beer was fine, we really didnโt enjoy your pizza.
We also think the online reviews are a bit skewed as they offer free beers in return for positive Google / Naver reviews – hmmm. Go for the brews with views, not the food.
It also has one of the longest opening hours of any Gwangalli Beach bar, churning out craft beer and chicken every day from 11am to 2am.
19. Naked Ape @ Millac The Market
Nice name, cool beers – Naked Ape is a newly opened brewery bar at Millac The Market from the Gorilla Brewing Team. 10 taps of craft beer are usually on tap at Naked Ape Busan.
During our visit, there were several craft beers exclusive to Millac the Market including Millac Pilsner, Millac IPA and Millac double IPA.
These Busan craft beers can be enjoyed with fried or popcorn whilst sitting amongst the brewery vats and listening to the musicians and buskers who perform in the auditorium just in front of the bar. Cheers!
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Other craft beer bars, breweries and pubs in Gwangjang Beach, Busan include:
Rainbow Beer
British style craft beer pub chain with several branches across Busan, all with big bright rainbow umbrellas as decoration.
Yangjojang Makgeolli Brewery (์์กฐ์ฅ)
Not a beer brewery but a makgeolli brewery. Makgeolli is an alcoholic milky, sparkling rice wine that is very popular in South Korea. Yangjojang Makgeolli Brewery makes several types of Makgeolli with a small seating area to enjoy their brews.
Happy Monk
A Gwangalli Beachfront bar and cocktail palace with incredible views of the sea – get there early to guarantee a seat.
Thursday Party
Because Thursday is the new Friday. Thursday Party is a chain of Busan based western style pubs with locations in Gwangalli and Seomyeon.
Fuzzy Navel
American style bar with diner fare with branches in Gwangalli and Haeundae.
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20. Gwangalli Eobang Festival
Something fishy is going on in Gwangalli Beachโฆ thatโll be the annual Gwangalli Eobang Festival, a celebration of the Busan fishing industry that takes place on the beach every May in Busan.
We were fortunate enough to be in Busan for the 2023 Gwangalli Eobang Festival and it was so much fun, with dozens of beach-based events held over three days (Friday through Sunday).
Some of the big Gwangalli Eobang Festival events in Busan include a street parade through Gwangalli, a historic Korean folk village brought to life on Gwangalli Beach (very cool!) plus a childrenโs fishing competition where they have to catch live fish with their bare hands.
We even witnessed a full scale Gwangalli Eobang classical concert and musical performance that ended up with everyone dancing with K-pop beacons.
Other Gwangalli Eobang festival highlights included dozens of pop-up seafood stalls on the beach, a huge drone show plus DJs on the beach at night.
Out to sea, a line of fishing boats and private yachts circle around Gwangalli Beach and Gwangan Bridge with bright lights and beacons against the backdrop of the lit up bridge – magical.
Our final thing to do in Gwangalli Beach, Busan
21. Namcheon-dong Cherryblossom Street (in Spring)
Alas we werenโt able to see this ourselves as we have yet to visit Busan in spring but we hope to one day!
A well known cherry blossom spot in Busan, Namcheon-dong (AKA Busan Cherry Blossom Street) is a residential area chock full of cherry blossom trees that โspringโ into life every year. Cherry blossom season in Busan is generally from late March to early April.
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22. Other things to do near Gwangalli Beach, Busan
Haeundae Beach
Haeundae Beach is not only one of the best beaches in Busan but also one of the best beaches in South Korea – with its vast ocean views, sprawling sandy beach and towering skyscrapers immediately behind, Haeundae Beach is world-class.
Brilliant for swimming and watersports, Haeundae Beach stretches over 1 mile and is also famous for its annual Busan Sand Festival whereby dozens of huge sandcastles are built on the beach by artists from all over the world.
Read more in our Haeundae Beach guide >
Centum Spa Land Busan
Relax and unwind in Busanโs biggest public bathhouse and spa, Spa Land Centum (known as a “jimjil-bang” in Korea).
Located in the Shinsegae Department Store Centum City, this is an authentic South Korean spa and sauna experience. Spa Land Centum uses hot spring water full of sodium bicarbonate, which is pulled up from underground wells.
There are almost 20 different hot springs and 13 theme spas to choose from including the Ice Room and Pyramid Steam Room.
Don’t miss out on the best Busan spa experience – book your discounted Spa Land Centum tickets with Klook.
Dongbaekseom Park and Coastal Trail
Walk from Haeundae Beach to Gwangalli Beach via the coastal trail to Dongbaekseom Park – the views of the coast here are unparalleled and the boardwalks make the cliff-sides very accessible.
Based on our experience, this (along with the coastal walk from Haeundae Beach to Songjeong) is one of the most scenic walks in Busan.
The waters look tropical and azure as walk along the huge wooden walkways – youโll also get to encounter a suspension bridge (safer than it sounds).
You might like – Busan Haeundae River Cruise >
Lotte World Busan
Busanโs biggest and newest theme park and following in the footsteps of Lotte Adventure World in Seoul, Lotte World Busan opened in 2022 – it is actually about a fifth bigger than the Seoul Lotte theme Park so a boon for Busan!
Lotte World Busan features several special themed zones including Joyful Meadows and Rainbow Springs) with 17 rides and attractions including the Giant Digger rollercoaster with three 360 degree loops (maybe have lunch after you ride!).
As well as rides for all ages, there are daily parades and shows at Lotte World Busan including the Lotus Magic Forest Parade and the Magic Fairy Band.
Book your discounted Lotte World Busan tickets via Klook >
Read more in our Lotte World Busan guide >
Haeundae Blue Line Park Train
You might get a sense of deja-vu when you first see the Haeundae Blue Line Park – the colorful Sky Capsules (monorail) that travel along the coast with incredible sea views are very popular on social media.
Both the Sky Capsules and separate Beach Train follows the old Donghae Nambu railway Line from Songjeong to Haeundae, providing unspoilt views of East Busanโs coastline.
Book your advance Busan Blue Line Park tickets as part of a Busan day trip >
Read more about the Beach Train and Sky Capsules in our Haeundae Blueline Park Guide >
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
A short bus ride from Gwangalli Beach, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is described as the most beautiful temple in Korea (well so says the sign on the wall) with stunning panoramic views of the sea.
Incredibly popular (especially with coach groups), the original temple was built in the 14th century but later destroyed by bombing and rebuilt in the 1930s.
We were lucky enough to visit Haedong Yonggungsa Temple in the run-up to the Buddhaโs birthday so the site and coastal paths here were decorated with colourful paper lanterns.
You might like – East & West Busan Exploration with Busan Skywalks, Gamcheon Culture Village, and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple Day Tour >
Save money on Busan attractions with the Visit Busan Pass
Similar to the highly successful Discover Seoul Pass, the Visit Busan Pass provides โfreeโ access to a selection of 30 tourism attractions in Busan for 24/48 hours.
Visit Busan Pass tourist attractions include Lotte World Busan, Busan Tower, Skyline Luge Busan, Busan X the Sky admission, Songdo Cable Car and free hanbok rental.
Incredibly good value for money, buy your Visit Busan Pass here via Klook >
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