A temple on rocks, facing the sea? It's Haedong Yonggungsa in Busan.

After checking in, we took a short rest and then left for Haedong Yonggungsa  해동용궁사, a temple which is no doubt, unique of its kind. Besides a place for worship, what makes the temple unique and now a tourist must-go is that Yonggungsa temple sits on a rock facing the sea, whereas most temples in Korea are located in the mountains. 

At the entrance, you will see twelve signs of the (Chinese) zodiacs - Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. In the Chinese and Korean culture, each calendar year is marked by an animal, which is deemed to have specific characteristics that are shared by people born in a specific year. 

Legend had it that Buddha called all animals of the world when he was about to leave this world, but only twelve came. Buddha named each year after these twelve animals in the order they arrived. The rat arrived first and the ox came next, followed by the tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Hence, they became the zodiacal animals we know today.

Further up, you'll see a Traffic Safety Prayer Pagoda, which road users pray to for safety.

Traffic Safety Prayer Pagoda

After descending 108 steps, the beauty of the temple can be seen.  The 108 steps in Buddhist temples symbolizes the journey to enlightenment, although some say 108 represents the hundred and eight agonies and suffering in mankind.

108 steps and stone lanterns

Halfway through the stairs, you can catch a glimpse of the magnificent and peaceful view already. From here, you can get some great pictures of Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. The white bridge (picture below) connects to the main temple, shrine hall, pagoda and Goddess of Mercy statue (via a separate flight of stairs).

As you’re crossing over the bridge, you can toss a coin into the turtle-shaped statues to make a wish. I tried, and failed. Sad. Not exactly an auspicious day for me. Heh!

Or you can climb down to the rock stones if you wish to take the picture from a different angle.

Sound of waves, peaceful on top of peaceful.

Golden Buddha

The Dragon King / King of Ocean

You will see a lot of Buddha statues in different sizes and colors around the temple, which devotees pray to so different blessing are bestowed upon them, for e.g. happiness, academic achievement, love, wealth, health, fertility, (there's a Buddha of Granting A Son statue, mm-hmm) etc.

Laughing Buddha

Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, known for her compassion and loving nature

If you’re in Busan, pay Yonggungsa temple a visit. It's breath-taking and undeniably, it is one of the most picturesque temples in all of Korea.

How to get here?

1. Alight at Haeundae Station (Busan Subway Line 2), and get out from Exit 7. 

2. Take Bus #181 and get off at the Yonggung National Fisheries Research 용궁사 국립수산 과학원 stop. When the bus announces ‘Yonggungsa’, it's time to alight. It takes about 20-25 minutes to get here from Haeundae station.

3. From the stop, walk approximately 15 minutes up the steep road.

Santorini in Busan? It's Gamcheon Culture Village!

Touted as Busan's Santorini, Gamcheon Culture Village 감천문화마을 was formed by Korean War refugees back in 1950. Thanks to the governments effort to beautify and promote the culture village, it has turned into a tourist attraction in Busan with its distinctive, multicolored terraced houses, which is a rare sight in modern days.

Besides resident houses that are still occupied, there are also special 집s (Houses) or rather, mini gallery or exhibition rooms, known as House of Light, House of Darkness, House of Peace, etc. around the village that were established to convey relevant messages to visitors.

Gamne Cafe

Outside the Cafe

There is an observatory at the peak of the village for visitors to enjoy a panoramic view of the village and the harbour nearby. However, visitors are advised not to go up Haneul Maru observatory after 6pm, to respect the resident's privacy and so not to cause disturbance to the residents.

Follow the fishes. The fish mouth points to the direction you should follow.

Located on a hillside which is easily reachable via public bus, Gamcheon Culture Village is a stark contrast from the city view, peaceful and distinctive.

Gamcheon Culture Village is erected on a hillside overlooking a harbour

To get to the peak, just follow the fish arrows and climb up the narrow stones. Best to wear comfortable shoes as the ascending stairs are quite steep.

Besides the picturesque view, another distinctive feature of the village is the narrow alleyway. Generally, the distance from one building to another is just a shoulder-width wide away.

A fresh coat of paint for Tree-of-Hope

The final attraction (if you follow the suggested walking route) at the village is the Little Prince, a character from a French novel of the same name, sitting with his fox friend. 

Gamcheon Culture Village, in the eyes of Little Prince

Is it just me, or do you think it's a little heart-wrenching looking at Little Prince and the fox staring at houses?

To get to Gamcheon Culture Village, take the bus no. 2 or 2-2 from Toseong subway station (Exit 8) and get off at Gamjeong Elementary School (the last stop). The village signage is visible upon alight.

This village is well-worth a visit.

Gamcheon Culture Village
10-13 Gamcheon-2-dong, Saha-gu,
Busan, South Korea

The Guest House @ Haeundae, Busan

After a few days in Nampo-dong, we moved to Haeundae to visit the one special temple (more about it later!) and for Haeundae Beach. My friend and I stayed at The Guest House (TGH) which I am so impressed with, and it is just minutes walk away from the beach. 

I didn't expect much from a hostel, but TGH proved me wrong as it offers quality accommodation and great service, managed by a lady boss and her friendly staff. There are a good selection of eateries within TGH's surrounding, and the lane that houses a stretch of 돼지국밥 (Pork Soup with Rice) restaurants is just nearby. TGH is also near the Haeundae subway station (approximately 5-7minutes walk).

Pictures taken with guests are hanged at the stairs leading to reception

The hostel is separated into a Family, Male and Female floor, which I think is a great way to ensure privacy and comfort. Each guest room has a different theme and the whole place is wi-fi'ed. The bathroom is shared (four guests can use the shower room at a time), and guests can hang out at the common area (living room), mingle with other travelers, watch the TV, or have a leg massage with the massager provided by TGH.

TGH is pleasant, clean and nicely decorated. Travel information manuals are available at the common area or you can ask the manager(s) directly for some get-around and travel tips. 

Paintings add a nice touch. Female floor.

Female floor

Female floor

Technologically-advanced guesthouse 

To ensure privacy, guests are given a RFID chip to tap into their room

We booked two beds in a 4-bed dormitory, but since there were no other check-ins that day, we had the room all to ourselves.

I really like TGH's interior. It's really simple but modern, and the white paint is a perfect backdrop to bring out the 'wooden' floor and the brown fixtures inside. For whatever reason, I just felt warmer here.

Living room on the Female Floor.

Bread toaster and coffee/tea-making facilities are available 24/7. 

Tired of walking? Get a massage!

Another common area on Female Floor

The hostel rate is USD22 per bed per night, inclusive of self-cook breakfast, which consisted of cereal and milk, mushroom soup, bread, butter and jam spread, eggs, cheese, coffee and tea, and orange juice.

The kitchen (which allows cooking) is located on the Male floor where the reception is.

Kitchen

  

Breakfast table

For the XX-chromosome, the grooming section in the bathroom (separated from shower area) will probably be the place you hang out most while you're in the guesthouse. As you can see below, a nice collection of nail polishes is available for you to play with :)

Washing and drying machine is available to use for a nominal charge. For the price that we paid, I think it was really worthy. Central location, cosy interior, friendly managers, not-bad breakfast. Awesome little place!

The Guest House

3F,599-4,Woo-dong, Haeundae Beach / BEXCO

Busan, South Korea