BUSAN
Temples in Busan and nearby Yangsan
These are the 3 temples in Busan and nearby Yangsan. Some are reached by metro and city bus, others by a short train or bus trip out of the city.
We have not checked travel time between the temples. The directions are the checked notes from each temple page, so check the route between them in a map app.
Admission and English-friendliness in the table are the same checked values as on each temple page. Open a temple for opening hours, etiquette and a taxi card you can show a driver without speaking Korean.
| Temple | Region | Admission | English | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beomeosa Temple | Busan | Free | High | Day visit or templestay |
| Haedong Yonggungsa Temple | Busan | Free | High | Day visit only |
| Tongdosa Temple | Yangsan (Gyeongnam) | Free | High | Day visit or templestay |
Beomeosa Temple 범어사
The spiritual crown of Mt. Geumjeongsan, one of the three great temples of Yeongnam
A majestic mountain monastery easily accessible by Busan subway, famous for its wisteria valley and stone streams.
Getting there: From Busan Metro Line 1 Beomeosa Station, walk up the lane between Exits 5 and 7 (under 5 minutes) to the Beomeosa Entrance stop (B-I Mart) and take bus 90 to the Beomeosa ticket office stop (about 3.5 km from the station). Bus 90 also leaves from the stop outside Nopo Station Exit 2.
Beomeosa Temple: Hours, etiquette and taxi card →Haedong Yonggungsa Temple 해동용궁사
A rare seaside temple perched dramatically on rugged coastal ocean cliffs
Unlike most mountain temples, it sits directly on the ocean cliffs. Best visited at dawn to beat the dense daytime crowds.
Getting there: From Busan Metro Line 2 Haeundae Station, take bus 181 from the Haeundae Station stop to the Yonggungsa / National Institute of Fisheries Science stop and walk to the temple (about 50 minutes including walking). A taxi from Haeundae Station covers about 8 km and takes around 30 minutes in traffic (roughly 12,000 KRW).
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple: Hours, etiquette and taxi card →Tongdosa Temple 통도사
One of Korea's Three Jewel Temples, enshrining actual Buddha relics without an altar statue
Enshrines genuine Buddha relics in its Diamond Altar instead of statues. The pine-scented Mupunghansong trail is sublime.
Getting there: From the stop outside KTX Ulsan Station, take bus 314 (or 13) to the Sinpyeong Terminal stop, transfer to bus Jisan 1, get off at the Jisan Village stop and walk to the temple (about 1 hour 20 minutes including walking, per Kakao Map). Check routes and frequency in a map app.
Tongdosa Temple: Hours, etiquette and taxi card →