Songdo, Busan: A Beach, The Busan Air Cruise Cable Car & A Suspension Bridge Too!
Songdo is an area in Busan that might be overlooked for hotspots like Gwanganli or Haeundae but honestly, it won my heart a couple weekends ago. Songdo is home to a lovely beach as well as bridges to walk across while looking at the Busan heonnyeo finding sea creatures, the Songdo Marine Cable Car, also known as the Busan Air Cruise, and the recently added suspension bridge and lookout too. Basically, if you’re looking for things to do in Busan or where to stay in Busan with things to do, this might just be the perfect spot for you.
It’s one of those areas that you could easily get a hotel in and never venture out to see any more of Busan because there’s just enough right there. Of course, you should see more of Busan, but if you want an easy weekend in Busan this summer, then maybe just head here, see the sights, stop into Huinnyeoul Culture Village on your way back to the train station and enjoy it.
Feel free to skip around. Here’s what you can find in Songdo, Busan:
- How To Get To Busan From Seoul
- How To Get Around Busan
- Where To Stay In Songdo
- Songdo Beach (송도해수욕장)
- Songdo Cable Car/ Busan Air Cruise (부산 송도해수욕장 케이블카가)
- Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge
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How To Get To Busan From Seoul
If you want to head down to Songdo this weekend from Seoul, here are the best ways to get there.
By Train
The best way to get to Songdo is by train. Get the train from Seoul Station in central Seoul and get to Busan Station in under three hours.
From Busan Station, you can take a local bus after you cross the road outside of Busan Station. Take bus #26 for 20 minutes and get off at Songdo Beach stop. OR, you could take a taxi from the station which will take the same amount of time and cost around W10,000.
By Plane
You could also fly down to Busan from Gimpo Airport which might be easier if you live on the west side of Seoul already and don’t want to travel into central Seoul. This will require a bit more travel once you get to Busan, so either way it evens out really, but here’s the info for plane just in case.
From the airport, you’ll then take a taxi about 40 minutes to Songdo Beach and it’ll cost around W25,000 or take the subway train from Gimhae Airport to Sasang Station and get out and transfer to bus 161 which you’ll ride for 40 minutes to get off at Songdo Entrance stop.
Where To Stay In Songdo
If you’ll be visiting Busan, make sure you know where to stay near the things you want to see. The city is long so if you want to see things on the east side, don’t stay on the west side! Check out my guide to hotels in Busan to help you figure out the best areas to stay in for you! Which neighborhood will suit you? Let’s find out.
Best Western Plus Busan Songdo
For our trip to Songdo, we opted to stay in Best Western Plus Busan Songdo. The hotel seems quite new and was clean and centrally located on the beach. This 4-star hotel was pretty budget friendly and is just steps from the beach. They also have a great concierge service and 24 hour front desk are happy to provide assistance throughout the time in the area.
We definitely enjoyed our stay here that included a buffet breakfast. If you can, definitely opt for the beach side rooms with a terrace. The best views out over the water from those rooms whether it’s day or night. Book your room on Booking.com.
Songdo Beach (송도해수욕장)
One of the great things about Busan is that although tourists from the around the country flock to Gwanganli and Haeundae in the summer, there are still other, and quite a few other really, beaches that people can find to spread out and enjoy the southern coast. I had never visited Songdo Beach before this past trip but I really think it’s a great destination for a beach and so much more. It’s not far from popular tourist destinations like Jagalchi Fish Market and Nampodong but really has enough restaurants and cafes in the area along with the other fun things to do that it’s a perfect summer spot in my opinion.
A couple things that stand out at this beach are the attractions IN the water. If you like swimming, you’ll love this beach. There is a head and tail statue of a seal in the water and early in the morning a swim team can be seen using it as the point for the laps to and fro. There is also a diving deck which you can swim out to and hoist yourself into the water from.
Songdo Beach was actually the first public beach in Korea, so a sign tells visitors, and was developed by the Songdo Amusement Co. Ltd. in 1913 after a resting facility was resurrected nearby by Japanese nationals residing in the area. It became a favorite leisure area for Busan locals in the 1920s after Cheonma-ro linked the area to the urban center of Busan and by 1940, it was the place to head to rest and relax on the seaside.
The area went through a period of decline in the 80s and erosion and loss of sand accelerated the decline which was worse off after a number of typhoons swept through the area. What visitors see today is actually a remodeled area that came about through a five year development project. The most recent addition to the leisure and culture area of Songdo is a suspension bridge which you can find information about below. The Songdo Beach area is absolutely a rather all inclusive spot for fun, relaxing, and features plenty to see and do.
The Neon Mosiac Wall
I don’t know what this wall is really called, but during the day on the western end of the beach is a beautiful mosaic wall that depicts the cable car and other features of Songdo Beach. Come night the wall is even more fun as it glides through fun neon colors. Head down to the western end in the evening to watch the light show and take some fun photos. I clearly had some fun with it… as you can see.
The Cloud Walkway (송도구름산책로)
- Hours: 9:00am ~ 11:00pm
- Admission: Free
Something you can easily spot from anywhere on the beach is the Cloud Walkway on the eastern end. The walk way which stretches out over the water and then comes back to land again is the longest seashore path in Korea at 365 meters long. You can walk out over the water and then you’ll come to Songdo’s Turtle Island where you’ll walk through a cave to the top of the rocks to continue on the bridge path. Or, take a break and take some pictures on the rocks with the various statues that are there. From here you can also get some lovely views of the cable cars going back and forth overhead.
Locals and tourists use the bridge to walk to and fro and get a different view of the seaside. In the early morning I spotted a local jogging group that used the path as their circular end point to then loop around to head to wherever they came from. It’s a fun addition to the seaside and helps people spread out as they enjoy the coastal area.
Songdo Cable Car/ Busan Air Cruise (부산 송도해수욕장 케이블카가)
I’ve heard about the Songdo Cable Car for some time and was excited we’d get to ride it on this last trip. The cable car in Songdo was a restoration project to revive a cable car that had been there some 30 years prior.
Opened in 2017, the Busan Air Cruise, the new name for the previous Songdo Cable Car, though really known by both, has 39 cable cars that can hold up to 8 people each. They run 1.62 kilometers from Songnim Park to Amnam Park and back again. The trip has visitors taken 86 meters above the sea and offers beautiful views of the Songdo seaside, Cloud Bridge, sparkling water, and rocky cliffs. The trip isn’t long and gets you across in just under 10 minutes but we absolutely loved the trip. You can choose to go just one way or round trip.
If you like cable car rides, there are a ton in Korea to choose from. Check out this guide to 18 cable cars in Korea to find.
How To Get There
- Address: 171 Songdo Haebyeon-ro, Soegu, Busan (서구 송도해변로 171)
- Parking Availability: Parking is available. 1 hour free parking is provided when using the cable car on weekdays and 2 hours free parking are provided when riding on weekends and public holidays.
- Hours:
- May – June & September – October: Sunday – Thursday & Public Holidays: 9:00am ~ 10:00pm: Friday & Saturday: 9:00am ~ 11:00pm
- November – April: Sunday – Thursday & Public Holidays: 9:00am ~ 9:30pm: Friday & Saturday: 9:00am ~ 10:00pm
- July – August: Every day: 9:00am ~ 11:00pm
- Admission: There are a couple options depending on what kind of cabin you’re looking to ride.
- Air Cruise (Standard Cabin): Roundtrip: Adults: W15,000; Children: W11,000; One Way: Adults: W12,000; Children 9,000
- Crystal Cruise (Glass Cabin): Roundtrip: Adults: W20,000; Children: W15,000; One Way: Adults: W16,000; Children: 12,000
- * Notes: Children under 3 are FREE and adults are considered anyone 14 years of age or older.
- Discounted Tickets: Purchase tickets on Klook for discounted tickets to the Busan Air Cruise.
Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge (송도 용궁 구름다리)
After taking the Songdo Cable Car and alighting at the other side, visitors can now walk down from Amnam Park to the Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge which allows pedestrians to cross to nearby Dongseom Island. This bridge was recently opened on June 4, 2020 after an 18 year closure after the previous suspension bridge was damaged in 1987 by storm Thelma and subsequently removed in 2002.
The new suspension bridge spans 127 meters and actually takes visitors out to a circular section that surrounds the top of the island. City planners have said the bridge is shaped like a lucky key and when you walk around it, it will bring you good luck.
Currently visitors can’t actually step on the island itself, but the views from the bridge and the wind rushing by is spectacular. It’s a wonderful addition to the cable car ride and makes the adventure all the more fun and thrilling. If you want to continue the adventure in the area, there are paths from the bridge and cable car drop-off that lead into Amnam Park. The area was off-limits for a number of years because of military restrictions so the park is very well preserved and features a dense pine tree forest and one of the most popular paths in the park is one that leads down to the coast.
The Songdo Coast Bollegil Trail is the dulle-gil, walking path route, of the area and actually starts at Hyunin Square and leads to Amnam Park. But you could of course do that backwards. If you’re starting at the suspension bridge, you’d walk through the forest path down to the sea and follow the rocky formations around to an iron viewing deck. The walk through the forest is a healing forest where you are recommended to stop and meditate and think on your challenges while pondering your hopes for the future. It’s a beautiful area to see whether you’re just checking it out from above or heading in for a good walk through the forests down to the sea. Just take it all in here.
In the Amnam Park area near the cable car station, visitors can also find various art installations both in the park and on top of the station, so be sure to really have a good look around. One of the most intriguing installations to me was what seems to be a new kind of ‘padlock’ installation. Around Korea, young Korean couples are known to place padlocks on walls or fences for an everlasting love but here there is a “Dragon of Wishes”.
Visitors can write their wish on a “scale” that can be added to the dragon wall so in the end, it all comes together to form a beautiful artistic installation with wishes and hopes. The dragon scales can be purchased inside the ticket office if you want to add one. I think this is such a great idea since the padlock walls are known to be quite heavy and can actually damage fences and structures that were never meant to hold so much weight. How clever!
How To Get There
- Address: 193 Amnam-dong, Seo-gu, Busan (부산광역시 서구 암남동 산 193)
- By Cable Car: Obviously, the most fun way to get to the suspension bridge would be via the Busan Air Cruise. The bridge is just down a flight of steps and there are plenty of signs to get you there. Just follow your way down and across and then back up if you’ll be taking the cable car back across again.
- By Public Transportation: If you won’t be riding the cable car, you can take bus 7 that can be found at the bus stop outside of Jagalchi Subway Station, exit 1. You’ll find the bus stop after walking about 250 meters from the station. Get off at Amnam Park Stop and walk into the mountain about 5 minutes. Follow signs to get to the suspension bridge.
Basic Information
- Days: Closed on the first and third Mondays of the month, New Year’s Day, and Chuseok.
- Hours: March – September: 9:00am ~ 6:00pm; October – February: 9:00am ~ 5:00pm
- Note hours may change depending on inclement weather.
- Note that the hours for the cable car and the suspension bridge are not the same so if you want to use the cable car AND see the suspension bridge, make sure you take the cable car early enough as the suspension bridge closes earlier than the cable car.
- Admission: Free* (Like many new tourist attractions in Korea, the suspension bridge is now free. However, the city has plans to implement a small fee from the beginning of 2021.)
Songdo is definitely on my top list for best spots to stay in Busan with plenty of things to do in Busan including a beautiful clean beach and a cable car too. It’s not as touristy as you’d think considering how much there is to do so if you’re looking to stay away from the crowds in Busan, check out this option for your next trip to the southern coast of Korea.
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