Busan is today officially known as the Busan Metropolitan City and is second in the most populated cities of
South Korea after Seoul. Busan Port is the busiest spot in the country and has grown to become number five in the busiest ports in the world.
Today, Busan is the cultural, educational, and economic hub in the southeastern region of Korea, thanks to its early industrialization. It is also an excellent spot for hosting international conventions like the 2005 APEC convention. Korean local sports tournaments like the Asian games of 2002 and world sports activities like the FIFA World Cup have also raced the city of Busan. Busan is a proud member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, as of 2014,
December.
The large port city is also home to numerous stunning beaches for all water activities and is surrounded by the scenic magnificence of mountains and natural forests. Various temples across the city reflect the spirituality of the people of Busan, alongside monuments, shrines, fortresses, and statues featuring Buddhist beliefs.
Busan is located beautifully on the coast of the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula, bordered by beautiful lowly mountains on its northern and western sides, and season its southern and eastern sides. The famous Nakdong River also flows through Busan.
Other attractive features in Busan include the suspension Diamond Bridge of Gwangandaegyo that remains beautifully lit at night. The Haeundae Beach is another must-visit spot in Busan, renowned for being the most-visited and loved beach in Busan. Others are the ancient Beomeosa and Haedong Yonggungsa temples.
The city of Busan experiences a humid subtropical climate, which is classified as Cwa in the Köppen climatic classification. The weather is moderately cooler, though, because of the location of Busan on the Korean Peninsula. As such, scorching days and cold days are rare, and Busan experiences general cooler weather during the late spring and early summer periods. The late summer and early fall can be hotter and more humid, albeit within tolerable ranges.
Winter weather has the mercury averaging highs of 9.5°C (49.1°F) and lows of 1.1°C (34°F), with most days devoid of the extreme winter chill. This is also the moderately drier time of the year.
Summer experiences lovely weather, with the temperature in the highs of 30.3°C (86.5°F) and lows of 23.1°C (73.6°F) on average. Humidity remains high at 77.5% on average.
The rainy season extends from mid-
April through mid-
September. Busan experiences up to 31.6.9mm (0.3") of rainfall, and visitors are pre-warned since typhoons are highly likely to happen during this season.
Busan is a year-round travel destination even though most visitors arrive between
May and
August, during the peak of summer. This period has the warmest weather for swimming and other beach activities, and also is excellent for most outdoor fun and ventures. Between September and
October, visitors are warned of possible typhoon occurrences.
Some of the popular events in Busan include the Busan Sea Festival that is usually held in August to feature music shows and other cultural-themed concerts. The Busan International Fireworks Festival is also held in October on the Gwangalli Beach to witness beautiful firework displays. The same month sees Busan hold its annual International Film Festival to appreciate and award key performers in the film industry.