Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints. Like so many cities in Korea, Busan is surrounded by mountains, which makes it a great location to take nighttime photos. As with my other articles on nighttime viewpoints in Daejeon and Seoul,
I’m going to list some of Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints in this article. This includes mountains and some locations that don’t require hiking. Hope you find these helpful, so let’s begin with Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints.
Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints
1 – Jangsan / Yaksuam
#1 of Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints is Jangsan/Yaksuam. In my mind, this location is what many consider to be the iconic Busan nighttime viewpoint. Many photographers come here for nighttime photos of Busan. While certainly not the easiest to get to, it provides a spectacular view over Gwangalli Bridge, Marine City, and Bexco area.
While I titled this one Jangsan and the view from the summit of Jangsan is certainly amazing, you don’t have to go the whole way to the summit to get the great views like in my photos. In fact, you just have to go slightly above a place called Yaksuam, where there are a bunch of rocks that provide a great location for taking photos of the night view. If you are going to the summit, it can take an hour or more. However, for Yaksuam, you can do the hike in around 30 minutes, so much better for when you want to come down in the dark.
To find your way to this point, there have been many Korean bloggers who have put excellent directions on how to get there. Even if you can’t read Korean, the post I’ll link here provides photos and enough details you should be able to find it from Yaksuam area. Here is the link to the directions: Directions to Jangsan Yaksuam Viewpoint.
2 – Bongraesan
#2 of Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints is Bongraesan. Bongraesan is a lesser known nighttime viewpoint in Busan, however, it is definitely one of my favorites. It is located on Yeongdo Island which is connected to Busan by bridge. It’s not terribly far from Busan KTX station and the views from the summit are incredible. There are fantastic views towards Marine City, and especially Busan Harbor. The bridge views are phenomenal as well as you can see both Namhandaegyo and the new busan habor bridge lit up.
To get here though, is a challenge as public transport to here isn’t very easily accessible. Especially by subway, there is no easy connection. Best way to get here, would be to get a taxi from Busan Station and ask them to drop you off at Yeongdonggu Daebeopsa (영동구 대법사). From there, there is a trail that will lead you to the top.
3 – Hwangnyeongsan / Geumnyeonsan
#3 of Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints come in a pair as you can hike from one to the other quite easily. Also, these are arguably the most famous viewpoints in Busan. They are easily accessible by car or by public transit and offer spectacular views of the city.
From Marine City and Gwangan Bridge to Busan Finance Tower, you can see it all from these viewpoints. Also, the infrastructure is really great here with wooden viewing platforms, roads to get there and even coffee shops at the top to have a drink while taking in the views.
To get here, the easiest way would be to get in a taxi and ask them to take you to either Hwangnyeongsan (황령산) or Geumnyeonsan (금련산). If you prefer to take public transportation though, you can get on the subway to Geumnyeonsan Station. From Exit #6, walk to Geumnyeonsan-Ro road and take a right. Stay on this road until you reach the top. This road eventually connects to Hwangnyeongsan as well. The views along the road are fantastic and there is a nice sidewalk with viewing platforms along the way.
4 – Gwangan Bridge
#4 of Busan’s Best Nighttime Viewpoints is the stunning Gwangan (Diamond Bridge). It’s easy to get to and at night is amazing to watch. Anywhere along Gwangalli Beach you have fantastic views of this bridge. Grab some snacks and drinks, head down to the beach at night and enjoy the views of Marine City to the left and other city views to the right.
It is during the end of October/early November though, that the Busan Fireworks Festival happens and this viewpoint becomes the focal point for this festival. Thousands upon thousands of fireworks are shot off from the bridge and barges in the water at Gwangalli Beach and the bridge is right in the middle of it all. It’s one of the most spectacular festivals to attend in Korea, but you do have to get there early to get a good spot as over a million people will attend the festival.
To get here, the best way is to take the subway to Gwangan station and use exit #5. Out of the exit, take a left to the first road called Gwangan-Ro. If you follow this road, it will take you down to the beach and the views of Gwangan (Diamond) Bridge.
5 – Marine City
#5 of Busan’s Best Nighttime viewpoints is Marine City. If you really want to get a feel for Busan and the beauty of this oceanside city, I highly recommend Marine City. Here you can find some of the tallest buildings in Busan and some of the most amazing architecturally. With curves and beautiful lines, it’s the perfect place to go at night time and admire all the lights. Especially with reflections in the nearby water, it doesn’t get much better than this. Also, with the ease of access to get here and the wide variety of cafes and restaurants, it’s a great place to spend an evening with a friend or a loved one.
The best views of Marine City are from a restaurant called The Bay 101. It’s become really famous in recent years and gets quite popular for those wanting to get the perfect instagram shot or selfie. It’s popular because the views of Marine City from here are second to none.
To get here, use exit #1 from Dongbaek station and walk straight on the sidewalk of that road unti you cross a small waterway. At the crossing, in front of you to the right, you should see The Bay 101. All you have to do now, is enjoy the views.
Planning Your Trip
1. Where to stay in Busan?
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links through booking.com and klook.com, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
If you are wanting to stay overnight in Busan, which I would recommend if you want to take advantage of the beautiful night view points, then there is no shortage of places to stay. Use the easy map below to look up various accommodation options in the city.
Our recommendation is to stay near Gwangan Beach for the easiest access to the viewpoints listed in this article!
2. Tours / Activities / Things to Do
The Busan area has a wide array of things to see and do. If you want help booking and tours/activities or just want to see some of what is available, check out just a few of the options below from klook.com
Well, those are my recommendations for viewpoints in the city of Busan. What are some of the other viewpoints you recommend in Busan? Let us know in the comments below!
If you are in the city of Daejeon, check out our nighttime viewpoint recommendations here.
If you are in Seoul, check out our recommendations of viewpoints here.
