The Best Decision for Busan: Ditching the 24-Hour Pass!

Before arriving in Busan, I specifically used DeepSeek to plan an itinerary with the 24-hour Busan Pass. After reading it, our group felt huge pressure from the tight schedule! Luckily, we decided to ditch the pass and just go straight to the places we wanted to visit—and ended up having the happiest two days of our Korea trip 😊! 1️⃣ Sky Capsule Train 🚀 Most people say the Mia-ri → Cheongsapo route has better sea views since it’s closer to the ocean. But departing from Cheongsapo lets you take photos of the opposite capsule trains with the sea in the background—and the view isn’t blocked at all! Honestly, Cheongsapo was a way better starting point for us. Taxi drop-off: Cheongsapo 2️⃣ Edge993 Café ☕️ After getting off at Mia-ri, walk toward Cheongsapo for about 5 minutes (go down the stairs to the coastal area, and you’ll find it). Order drinks on the 1st floor, then head upstairs to enjoy them—the view is amazing! Going to the rooftop at sunset is chef’s kiss—it’s the perfect spot to watch the sun go down over the sea 🌅! 3️⃣ Songdo Cable Car 🚡 Choose the crystal cabin for unobstructed views! Round-trip fare for adults: 22,000 KRW (they even gave us a lollipop as a little gift 🍭!). The cable car ride is short—only about 8 minutes—so hurry if you want to take photos! Pro tip: After getting off the cable car, walk straight to the right. You’ll see a suspension bridge, and beyond that, a nice (and short) hiking trail. We followed it to EL16.52 Café! 4️⃣ EL16.52 Café ☕️ The drinks are good, but their signature Tiramisu Coffee is incredible (see the top-right of Photo 5)! It’s such a cozy spot to sit back, zone out, and enjoy the scenery—total relaxation mode 🧘♀️. 5️⃣ SpaLand Sauna 🧖♀️ Take a taxi to Shinsegae Department Store. Enter through the door next to Dior to find SpaLand. There’s a discount after 8 PM—we paid less than 20,000 KRW! Process: Pay → lock up your shoes → get a towel and bathrobe → shower → soak in the hot springs → relax in the sauna. Head to the 2nd floor to grab instant noodles (charge it to your wristband) — we chatted, got a quick massage, and stayed until around 11 PM before leaving. 6️⃣ Gamcheon Culture Village 🏘️ We wandered around at our own pace: took silly photos in a photo booth, got a cartoon portrait drawn, and had a light meal at a small restaurant near the rainbow stairs. We spent about 4 hours there—no rush at all! Busan is meant to be explored slowly—stop and go as you like. Summer here is super hot and sunny, so spending more time in cafés, enjoying the views, is so comfortable and chill. #WantToVisitAgain #Busan #SlowLife