Spa Land Centum City Busan: Complete Guide, Tips, and What To Expect
Last Updated on April 4, 2026
Walking into a Korean jjimjilbang for the first time is one of those experiences that sounds intimidating in theory and becomes one of your favorite Korea memories in practice. The nudity, the communal baths, the strangers in various states of undress, it all sounds like a lot until you’re actually inside and realize everyone is just relaxed and focused on their own experience.
The jjimjilbang, or Korean spa, is one of the most memorable Korean experiences you can have. And if you’re going to do it once, or if you want to do it properly, the place to go is Spa Land Centum City (스파랜드 센텀시티) in Busan.
Here’s why: 18 mineral hot spring pools fed by water pumped from 100 metres underground, 13 distinctively themed sauna rooms, and an amazing seshin scrub experience. It’s located inside the world’s largest Shinsegae Department Store in Centum City, which means it’s extremely easy to get to and easy to combine with a shopping day. I half expected it to be impossibly crowded and was genuinely surprised to find it calm even on a Saturday.
If you’ve never been to a jjimjilbang and you’re nervous about it, this guide will tell you exactly what to do, in what order, and what to expect at every stage. By the end of your visit you’ll understand why Koreans go back week after week.
- How To Get To SpaLand Centum City
- Basic Information
- What To Know About Spa Land
- What To Do Inside of Spa Land
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How To Get To Spa Land Centum City
If you’re heading down to Busan from Seoul, check out this guide to Busan, to know how to get there either by flight, train, or bus. 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.
Address: 35 Centumnam-daero, Haeundae-gu, Busan (부산광역시 해운대구 센텀남대로 35 (우동))
By Subway: Take the subway to Centum City Station on line 2 and go out of exit 12. Walk straight for 110 meters to find the entrance to the spa.
Basic Information
Hours: 6:00am ~ 11:00pm
Admission:
- Adults: W17,000 (weekdays) & W20,000 (weekends and public holidays)*
- Students 8-18: W13,000 (weekdays) & W16,000 (weekends and public holidays)*
- Discounts: Before you pay full price at the door, get a deal on Creatrip or on KKday, both offer deals throughout the year that can bring the admission down meaningfully. It takes two minutes and is worth checking before you go.
- Notes: The basic ticket is good for 4 hours. Upon leaving, your wrist key will be scanned to add up the charges from inside and should you go over four hours, you pay an additional W3,000 per hour. HOWEVER, if you spend at least W10,000 inside (which isn’t difficult if you get a drink and lunch or a snack) then you can stay an additional 2 hours without an extra charge.
What To Bring: You don’t really need to bring anything other than yourself because they provide you with a tee-shirt and shorts to be worn in the sauna and there are towels, shampoo and shower gel in the washroom. However, if you want your own toiletries, you can take them and use them inside.
Children: Children under 7 are not permitted. For children aged 7 to 13, they need to be accompanied by an adult of the same-sex.
Tattoos: There are outdated signs and even their website which says tattoos are not allowed inside, but they are. I have my rib cages tattooed and they were fine.
What To Know About Spa Land
Spa Land is gigantic and known for having hot spring water with sodium bicarbonate that is pumped in through pipes that descend 100 meters underground. The hot spring water is close to sea water and fills 18 different hot springs in the building. That’s not the only pull though. Spa Land features 13 different sauna and spa areas, which are sterilized 36 times a day.
There are two types of water that are pumped into the pools.
- Sodium bicarbonate water which is said to remove dead skin cells and make your skin and hair shiny.
- Sodium chloride water which is more similar to sea water and has heat preservation effects that are good for circulation and help to relieve pain from neuralgia and backaches.
It might just be the best jjimjilbang in the country. It’s definitely one of the most popular. The multi-floor complex is located inside the world’s largest Shinsegae Department Store which is located in Centum City, Busan.
The spa and sauna is pretty amazingly budget friendly for all that it offers. Yes, you do need to spend extra money inside if you want food or the scrub for example, but it’s amazing experience that definitely won’t break the bank is my point.
I half expected the spa to be insanely busy and crowded but was happily surprised to find it practically empty on a recent visit, which was even a Saturday.
What to know: Unlike other jjimjilbangs, this one is NOT open 24 hours a day. This is something important to note as jjimjilbangs are often popular spots for people to spend the night if they don’t want a hotel because you could easily crash for a few hours and do it on the cheap. However, Spa Land is NOT the place to do that because they just won’t be open.
What To Do Inside of Spa Land
Spa Land is huge. Bright, modern, and surprisingly peaceful. Even on the weekends, it often feels calm because of the time limits and no-overnight policy.
Get Naked… and Dressed
First things first, get naked… and then get dressed again. Okay, so it’s important to know what you’ll be doing and where you’ll be going and the order in which you should do everything. When you’re going to be sitting in, sweating in, and getting hot in saunas, you don’t need to shower first.
So find your locker, strip and then change into the shorts and tee-shirt that were provided outside. Then follow signs to head out to the male/female sauna space. You should probably take a walk around to see how everything is connected and where everything is because it’s gigantic.
Pro Tip: Before you exit the sauna space, if you want to get a Korean-style full body scrub/exfoliation (seshin), check the times available and sign up for one. You’ll need to plan enough time to soak in the baths for 30 minutes before your scrub.
Visit The Various Saunas
Get your lay of the land and just take in the architecture because it is quite stunning. Each sauna space is interesting too but the overall white industrial feel of the sloping ceiling and the numerous windows is just lovely to walk beneath and check out.
There are 13 distinctively themed sauna rooms which include the: Finnish Sauna, Yellow Earth Room, Roman Room, Pyramid Room, Body Sound Room, Wave-Dream Room, Hard Wood Charcoal Room, Hamam Room, Bali Room, SEV Room, Ice Room.
What to look for: Outside of each room is a placard with the current temperature inside as well as an explanation about the room in both Korean and English.
The Salt Room is kept at a very steamy 50.5C and uses world-famous rough salt stones from the Himalayas. Skin helps the skin while removing body wastes. The salt helps with various skin ailments and diseases and promotes blood circulation and is extremely efficient in increasing immunity.
The Roman Room was another one of my favorites because of the design and comfort in the space. The room, kept at a comfortably hot 35.8C reproduces an old public bath of Rome and is a steam sauna. Steam activates the metabolism and helps eliminate body wastes.
Recommended route for first-timers: Start with medium-heat rooms (Roman, Hammam) to acclimatise, work up to higher heat (Salt Room, Yellow Ocher), then cool down in the Ice Room before heading to the baths.
The Hammam Room, kept at 36.6C is a room that reproduces the old Hammam style public baths of Turkey. This medium temperature room was very comfortable, especially after some of those very hot hot rooms we stopped into.
The SEV Room is a really interesting room that was never empty when we visited even with the small number of people so I didn’t get pictures, but it’s a very coloful space kept around 37.9C. It uses patented technology from Korea, Japan, the US and EU which compounds natural ore and metal to generate electrons.
Emitting these electrons to your body helps your tired body quickly recover by activating cell function while promoting the metabolism. Each corner is a different color with bright magenta, neon green, and blue so it’s quite impressive to see.
The Ice Room was a very welcome break to cool off between some of those hottest of rooms. Kept at 13.7C, the room reduces your body heat and makes your skin pores shrink and discharge body wastes. It promotes blood circulation… but just remember the room when you’re trying to cool off.
The Yellow Orcher Room: This super hot hot room is kept at 65.6C uses high quality ocher produced in Icheon. Applying yellow ocher mortar, it was designed to maximize the effects of yellow ocher. The infrared rays emitted by yellow ocher stabilizes brain waves and is effective in keeping your mental health. It helps to neutralize poisons, fight bacteria, and stops bleeding.
Enjoy enjoy enjoy all of the spaces. Take your time and check them out. If you’re with a group of people or a friend, don’t be surprised if you’re attracted to different spaces and different temperatures. It’s all about finding what suits you so walk around and enjoy them at your leisure.
Eat Something
There are plenty of standard Korean options to choose from on the menu and most dishes cost around W10,000 so it’s easy to spend the required W10,000 if you want to get that extra two hours inside for free. There’s also a cafe where you can get coffee though the drink of choice while in a Korean sauna is a vinegar drink to help you clean out the system.
Find The Entertainment Zones
There is also an entertainment zone, relaxation room, beauty treatments room, DVD room, restaurant, cafe and snack bar on the premises so there is plenty to last the entire time you’re inside. Don’t feel like you’re in a rush because the whole point is to have your own unique relaxing experience inside.
Head Outdoors
There’s also an outdoor co-ed area where you can soak your feet in baths that are various temperatures and the bottom of the pools are covered in little pebbles that you should walk on which Koreans will tell you is good for your health. I think it’s a bit uncomfortable myself but I took a few passes.
There are also some super comfortable places to relax in the outdoor area as well. Lots of relaxing, lots of fun.
Get Naked For The Baths & Get Exfoliated
Once all of the saunas have been visited, it’s time to head back into the gender-separated locker rooms to undress and then head into the baths. This is where foreigners might have the most discomfort, but let the butterflies fill your belly for a moment and soon enough you’ll realize it’s stranger wearing clothes inside than being nude.
Everyone else is naked so you only stand out when you’re not. If you want to prepare yourself for the step by step of what happens inside of a Korean shower room, then check out this guide to the Korean bath house to help you.
When you enter the bathing room, if you are looking for that all important Korean exfoliation experience, then turn left right after you go through the glass doors to find the sign up board. One of the scrubbing women, who you can easily recognize as they’re the only people wearing any sorts of clothes (underwear and a bra), will come to greet you to figure out when they can get you in.
Now you’ve signed up for a scrub, the next thing to do is shower. Yes, you need to clean your sweaty self up before you go soak in the pools. Don’t forget this step or you’ll get some not so happy looks from the Korean locals also there. Wash thoroughly. After washing, put your hair up or back so that no loose hair falls into the pools.
What the Seshin Scrub Actually Involves
The seshin (세신) is a full body exfoliation performed by a scrubbing technician using the iconic Korean Italy Towel, a rough mitt that removes dead skin cells in a way that is simultaneously alarming and deeply satisfying. You’ll lie on a vinyl table while the technician works systematically through your entire body. The process takes around 30 to 40 minutes.
First-timers are often surprised by two things: how much dead skin actually comes off, and how amazingly smooth your skin feels afterward.
Practical notes: The scrub costs extra on top of your admission. Check the current price board at the sign-up desk. You must soak in the baths for at least 20–30 minutes before your scrub to soften the skin. The technicians signal this to you at booking.
Washed and ready, now it’s time to experience the numerous pools of water. Take advantage of the numerous pools with varying temperatures and the ones with jets too and then get your scrub on. After the scrub, usually they’ll tell you to rest and relax in a pool a bit more and then rinse off one last time before heading back out to the locker room.
Out in the locker room, there’s a space to put on lotions and ampoules that are provided as well as dry and brush hair. Get dressed and you’re done!
If you’re only going to have one jjimjilbang experience in Korea, I hope you go here. If it’s going to be one of many, then this place will likely set the bar too high for the rest. Between the mineral-rich baths, thoughtfully designed saunas, and the full Korean cultural experience, you’ll be thankful that you tried it.
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37 Comments
Terry Breen
Do you have recommendations for facials in Busan?
Christina
Hello! I’m planning to visit with my foreigner friends and wanted to ask: do they turn out people who have tattoos? I live here in korea and have never been turned away from my local places, but i saw on tripadvisor someone said they were not allowed entry into the pools because of tattoos. ( i would assume it was an excessive amount)
I also have a friend who is nonbinary and wanted to ask if they allow people to change in the bathroom ? They likely wouldnt want to go into the naked pool areas but they would likely enjoy the clothes sauna areas.
Hallie Bradley
For the tattoos, I have both of my ribcages done and was just fine here. “Technically” the rule board inside was still old and said no people with tattoos, but they allow them. Maybe full body isn’t allowed, I can’t say. But I have pretty big tattoos and was fine here.
For your friend, no one has to go into the nude areas, just put on the sauna clothes and go through to the sauna spaces. That’s fine.
Julia
I visited Spa Land yesterday and based on your blog I had high expectations that were sadly not met at all.
Though it was not crowded the experience is definititly not as luxurious as it seems according to your description and pictures.
People were talking loudly with each other and in the sauna and relaxation areas, the staff at the body scrub could hardly speak english and was quite rude to foreigners. Overall I was very disappointed and even more felt uncomfortable at times.
Having read some reviews I am not the only one with this experience. Sadly I have the feeling some Influencers and Bloggers are paid to promote the place.
So to everyone with some Spa experience I would recommened to skip the place or lower your expectations.
Hallie Bradley
Thank you for the comment. I wasn’t paid to post this article just to be clear, but I will say that spas in Korea are seen as communal experiences. Families, groups of friends, women go to meet other women and talk, share news, meet each other, relax together. They’re not meant to be silent in Korea so I can see how that expectation wasn’t met. Cultures are different and the bathing/spa culture of Korea is different from spa culture in the west.
Concerning the scrub, I speak Korean, so I likely wouldn’t have the same experience as you. It’s important to remember that the language in Korea is Korean so assuming staff will cater to other languages would be a mistake in any instance. I optimistically hope that the staff there didn’t mean to be rude but could have just been misunderstanding your goals and questions. I hope you’ll try another bath house in Korea because they are great experiences in my opinion.
RK
Hi Hallie, it’s really nice blog. I am planning to do this activity. Just couple of question is the scrub included in the ticket or we need to pay extra. Also how we pay inside for food as we kept everything in the locker at start of the sauna,
Hallie Bradley
The scrub costs extra as not everyone gets it. When you enter, you’ll get a bracelet to put on your wrist so you’ll use that for everything inside that needs money and then when you depart, you pay what needs to be paid. Have a great time!
P
Question on how long you think one should stay in there – we arrive in Busan around 7pm and then have very tigh schedule for the next 3 before we leave – would appreciate your imput
Hallie Bradley
There are so many different saunas that you’ll want to try that at least half a day is good. The last time we went in the morning and ate lunch there and then left early afternoon. That worked out well. Very relaxing. Hope you can fit it in.
Bolor
Hello. thank you dear. How about their locker? How big are they? I neet to go directly from airport with my s size luggage. Is it possible to leave my luggage at locker?
i.m
Thank you very much for the information and recommendation. I can’t find any information on their website as to whether Spaland has facials/body massages. Do you know how to tell me?
Hallie Bradley
They have a room off of the locker rooms that had a sign when I was there about facials and massages I believe. I didn’t spend time in there so I didn’t pay much attention to exactly what they offered but did see they had the options. There was also a place for the full body scrubs/exfoliations.
Winnie
Thank you for your information. I am wearing eye glasses. Can I wear them inside saunas of the temperatures? What about cell phones? Thank you.
Hallie Bradley
I don’t wear glasses but I wouldn’t see why you couldn’t wear them? I imagine they’d steam up, but I’m sure you have run into that issue before. You can’t use your phone in the baths area where people are nude, but you can in the bigger halls where the saunas and other activities are.
Ha
Thank you for the informative article. May I ask whether I should book in advance and how/where I should book? I got to their website but Korean language is a barrier.
Thank you very much.
Hallie Bradley
You don’t need to book in advance. You can just show up and enjoy. Their website definitely could use some help for the foreign customers.
Amelia
Hi hallie, thanks for the informative article. I was just wondering if it is possible to just enjoy Spa Land in busan without being in the buff at all? Would it be possible to skip the bath areas or would that be compulsory, so long as we enter the premises?
Hallie Bradley
You don’t have to go into the nude baths. You could just change into the shorts and t-shirt and go out to the saunas though you may want to shower after all the sauna time at some point. But yeah, you could feasibly skip the nude baths.
Jo
Thanks for the informative write-up. I saw your comments that no excessive tattoos are allowed. I plan to visit the saunas only, not the pools. Do u know if they allow people with full back and arm tattoos in? Thanks!
Hallie Bradley
It’s what their “rules” say, but I’m not saying they really bar with people with lots of tattoos. I was nervous they would, but they didn’t. I have both of my ribs done, my wrist, a tattoo on my back and no one said anything. For the sauna, I think you’d be fine as you’re mostly covered up with the t-shirt and shorts.
Ally
Thanks for the article – very informative!
We will be traveling Busan with my 11yrs old son during his spring break. Obviously Club D Oasis will be closed for the entire month of March, so I consider to go this place instead. I have two questions, if you don’t mind. Do you think it would be appropriate for my son to be in the men’s bath by himself – he does not speak Koreans at all.
Also, is there any additional cost for exfoliation services? Thanks!
Hallie Bradley
Yes, there are extra fees for exfoliation depending on what service you choose which you can see inside. For your son, it depends on his personality and how confident he is, I think. I haven’t been through the mens side, but on the women’s side there is first a lot of rows of lockers to change into the spa shorts and shirt, next is the quick shower space to get clean before entering all of the nude baths. But if he’s just going to meet you in the communal space, he could just change, but he’ll have to navigate how to get from the locker room through the mens showers and baths to reach the communal space to find you again. Unfortunately, he’s above the age where he can enter the women’s room and go through with you, so he’d have to go in the mens side. But all signs are in English and Korean so if he can navigate on his own, he should be fine.
Eskimo
Hi, I’m looking to kill time before I’m allowed to check into my airbnb and going to Spa Land seems like the perfect solution. May I know if there’s a place for me to hold my luggage there?
Hallie Bradley
To be honest, I’m not sure, but I would guess that they would be able to put it somewhere for you. There’s a large locker room for belongings.
Lisa
Thank you and a very useful article as I does not find any useful information in their offical website. Thanks a lot for all your effort.
Laura
I’m reading conflicting info about what age kids are allowed – only 7 and up? 12 and up?
Hallie Bradley
In Korean it says from elementary student age they can enter so could be 7. I probably found 8 on a Korean site which would mean it’s 8 Korean age so 7 should be fine.
Angela G
Are the pool areas all gender separated and naked? I really want to do this but I’ll be traveling with my teenage son. He’s be game as long as we are not split for hours! Thanks
Hallie Bradley
The majority of the sauna rooms and pools are all together and clothed. They give you shorts and shirts to wear everywhere. The only time you’re separated is at the beginning when you go into the changing rooms to shower and dress in the shorts and shirt and then at the end. There are pools that are nude and gendered in the changing room areas. I’d just make a plan with him and say, enjoy the nude pools for a half hour and then I’ll meet you back at the front at the end if you want. Or bypass those completely and just enjoy the saunas and media rooms and other spaces that you can be all together.
Anaïs
Hello, is it possible to go there when you have your period ?
Thanks in advance
Sarah
Hi there! i just stumbled on your blog and will read more!
im considering going to spa land, but im quite overweight… so im afraid that the clothe sthat they’ll provide wont be big enough. do you know where i can find out the sizes? i would really like to go… but i just dont want o experince going there an dthen being told that nothing will fit me an di cant go in…
Hallie Bradley
Hi Sarah, that’s a good question. I would say generally at Korean spas in my experience, they have a women’s “free size” and a men’s “free size” option which basically means “one size fits all” however we know one size rarely fits all. I can’t remember what their sizing options are though they are a very popular spa for both Koreans and foreigners so they probably have a bit more than most standard Korean spas. But would say that if you have comfortable cotton shorts and a t-shirt set that you own, you could take your own just in case.
BlakeyD
Hi Sarah! I’m a plus size woman (US 20) and the clothes easily fit me. They do have sizes on the clothes (a straight size person would never think to look I’m sure) and I was wearing large pants and XL top. The sizes go up to 2X on bottom and XL on top. I hope you go – I had a blast – do not miss the body scrub in the wet area!
Amanda Lim
I read they have a rule of no tattoo allowed. I have tattooes but you can’t see it if I have t-shirt and long shorts on, except I do have a Hawaiian tattoo on my foot. Will I get kicked out? I can’t find updated reviews anywhere and your post is the most recent one I can find. Any advice would be appreciated!
Hallie Bradley
I have tattoos up and down my ribs, my wrist, my back, and my feet. It’s fine. The rule board says no excessive tattoos technically. Mine weren’t considered excessive so I imagine you’d be fine.
Chan
Are these sauna clothes plus size friendly?? Or do you know any other saunas that are plus size friendly?
Not sure if the clothing material they provide is stretchy one like normal T-shirts and tracks. Any insights would be really helpful please.
Mars
Thanks for laying this out! I was in Korea in 2012 or so and I remember spa land being strict about tattoos and if you had them you couldn’t go in… is this still the case, and just in general are tattoos still a bit of a stigma there? Thanks!