Travel
Exploring Korea: Great places to check out cherry blossoms
haps Magazine Korea
March 22, 2024
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So how about enjoying a beautiful flower picnic this spring? Red camellias can be seen on the roadside welcoming spring, while Japanese apricot trees are in full flower, and canola flowers are painting fields with a golden hue as they start to bud.
Cherry blossoms and yuchae flowers start to blossom from the end of March in Busan and reach their peak in April.
There are plenty of local hot spots to catch the best views including Dalmaji Road, Samik Beach Apartment in Namcheon-dong and Oncheon Stream Park.
Here are a few options to put on your list to enjoy around the city.
Haeundae Dalmaji Road
The Haewoljung pavilion and Haemaru lie along Haeundae Dalmaji Road, and if the weather is good, passers-by can even catch a glimpse of the Japanese island of Tsushima on the horizon.
As such, this viewing site attracts many tourists throughout the year, but the time when flowers bloom in spring is an obvious highlight. In particular, the road heading to Dalmaji Hill from Haeundae Beach is famous for its beautiful cherry blossoms.
It has been described as Busan’s most beautiful road by many tourists and local citizens.
Not only is it a good driving course, but also a great place to take a stroll. When the sea breezes pick up, the cherry blossoms flutter and create beautiful scenes.
This area is a top tourism spot that pulls in many foreign tourists even outside the cherry blossom season due to its sweeping vistas and views of Japanese territory.
How to get there: Take metro line No. 2 to Jangsan Station, then take either village/neighborhood bus No. 2 or 10.
Daewoo Marina Apartment – Haeundae
The cherry blossoms around Daewoo Marina Apartments in Haeundae are a more quiet place to check out the cherry blossoms in the city but are no less stunning than anywhere else.
How to get there: Take metro line No. 2 to Dongbaek Subway Station Exit 1 and walk the small path to the small ring road behind Daewoo Marina Apartments.
Oncheon Stream Park
Oncheon Stream winds between Allak-dong in Dongnae District and Yeonsan-dong in Yeonje District. With a town on either side, a beautiful flower road seems to appear. In the spring, it transforms into a splendid walking course due to the cherry blossoms, yuchae flowers and satuki. During summer, it comes into its own with the aid of a musical fountain and artificial waterfall.
How to get there: Take metro line No. 1 to Dongnae Station and walk for about 4 minutes.
Igidae Coastal Promenade
At Igidae Park in Yongho-dong, Nam District, visitors can enjoy an unforgettable coastal walk along the cliff. Just as its name, Igidae Coastal Promenade, suggests, this is one of the best coastal walking courses in the country, replete with the sound of waves breaking near the shore and the sight of the sea and sky stretching out into the distance.
The combination of the yellow yuchae flowers and blue sea is truly astounding. This makes for a great course for both drivers and hikers. Adding to the effect, visitors can see famous local tourism spots such as Gwangan Bridge and Haeundae APEC Nurimaru House. In the spring, cherry blossoms line the road, while in the summer, Mexican Rudbeckia, or sunflowers, make an appearance.
The formation of a veritable flower garden comprising rape flowers and royal azaleas creates a premium picnic spot in the city.
How to get there: Take metro line No. 2 to Kyungsung Univ. ? Pukyong Univ. Station and leave by Exit No. 5. Transfer to a local city bus heading for Yongho-dong. Get off at the Igidae entrance. Walk for about 10 minutes past Igidae Catholic Church.
Mt. Hwangnyeong Ring Road
This 3-kilometer stretch ranks as the city’s most famous road in terms of viewing cherry blossoms. The wide road creates a long tunnel of flowers while also bringing into view Gwangan Bridge and the nearby ocean, making for an impressive sight. Other highlights include the Geumnyeonsan Youth Training Institute and the astronomy observatory.
How to get there: Take metro line No. 2 to Mt. Geumnyeon Station and leave by Exit No. 6, then walk for about 30 minutes.
Samnak Park
Samnak Park turns into a sea of gold when the yuchae flowers blossom in April.
Along the 8-kilometer-long riverside, the flowers form a continuous band showing off their natural hues and beauty.
Meanwhile, a massive rape flower garden lies near the Busan Sasang and Gimhae light railway, which has emerged as a popular photo zone for local citizens and visitors to Samnak Park.
The flowers that bud among the Nakdong riverside ecological swamp are particularly exotic and fantastic.
The flowers and sights can be best enjoyed on foot or by bike. Located in Samnak-dong, Sasang District, Samnak Park is 323,966 square meters in size.
The park includes soccer and baseball fields as well as places to play foot volleyball, basketball, and tennis, among other facilities.
How to get there: Take metro line No. 2 to Mt. Geumnyeon Station and leave by Exit No. 5, then walk for about 10 minutes towards Gwangalli Beach.
Namcheon-dong Cherry Blossom Road
The cherry blossom road within Namcheon-dong Samik Apartment is also a famous tourist spot in Busan City.
The brightly colored cherry blossoms that hang between buildings and the fantastic night views of Gwangan Bridge make for a grand sight.
In April, when the flower is fully in bloom, the scenes can be breathtaking.
When the wind blows and the flowers seem to rain from heaven it just adds to the magical effect. As it is close to Gwangalli Beach, this area is a perennial favorite among citizens from other provinces and countries.
Large cherry trees that are more than 30 years old densely populate the area and create a veritable tunnel of cherry blossoms.
This connects directly with the beach nearby so foreign visitors local residents can enjoy both together.
How to get there: Take metro line No. 2 to Mt. Geumnyeon Station and leave by Exit No. 5. Gwangalli Beach is roughly a 10-minute walk.
Other Great Locations Worth a Look
Democracy Park
APEC Nurimaru Park
Wangja Apartments – Banyeo-dong