Daily Busan
Spend a spring day at Busan's urban parks
photo taken by Min Jae Lee
The warm sunshine and cool weather in May entice people of all ages to step out from the small confines of their homes, schools and offices. Thankfully, Busan has a wealth of natural resources where people can enjoy the great outdoors. From coastal walkways to mountain paths, the city has many places for citizens to commune with nature.
At this time of year, locals flock to lush urban parks to enjoy picnics and cultural events in the fresh air. Two of the most popular are Busan Citizens Park and Haeundae Arboretum, two reclaimed spaces that have transformed from desolate areas into vibrant oases, offering greenery, history and culture. From urban wastelands to beloved urban playgrounds, Busan Citizens Park and Haeundae Arboretum are prime examples of how sustainable development benefits people and the land.
🌲 Busan Citizens Park
Located in Busanjin-gu District, this expansive park sits on the former site of the now-closed U.S. military base, Camp Hialeah. Opened in 2014, the park is divided into five themed zones: Memory, Culture, Pleasure, Nature and Participation.
Highlights include the sprawling Hialeah Lawn Plaza, a vast green lawn over what used to be a landing strip; the Participation Forest, which features nearly 60,000 citizen-donated trees; and the 25-meter tall Haneulbit Waterfall fountain.
Visitors are now permitted to set up small tents or sunshades between May and October (except on Mondays), provided they do not exceed 2.5 meters by 3 meters in size and remain open on two sides. However, stabilizing accessories, such as stakes, poles or ropes, are prohibited. Mats are permitted year-round.
From May 2 to 6, Dasom Square will host the 5th Busan Spring Flower Exhibition, showcasing stunning floral displays and hands-on urban agriculture experiences. Visitors can also participate in a national flower tea competition, a floral design contest and a romantic proposal event.
Finally, Citizens Park is home to the Busan Concert Hall, the city's first performance venue dedicated to classical music. It officially opens on June 20 and features a state-of-the-art auditorium and Busan's first pipe organ.
＊Address: 73 Simingongwon-ro, Busanjin-gu
＊Hours: Open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight.
🌲 Haeundae Arboretum
Once a landfill, this now-thriving ecological park in Haeundae-gu District opened in May 2021. It spans about 415,000 square meters and is home to over 187,000 trees and 207,000 plants. The park will expand an additional 213,000 square meters by the end of this year.
Visitors can enjoy a stroll in various themed sections, such as the Rose Garden, the Wall Garden, the Herb Garden and the Ecological Wetland.
While the Mini Zoo is temporarily closed until June, sheep and goats freely roam the park grounds, grazing on grass and interacting with visitors. When the zoo reopens, donkeys and ostriches will be added to the arboretum's animal population.
Parkgoers can also explore the grounds via shuttle, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. between March and October. Each 14-passenger shuttle is free of charge and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition, the arboretum has sports facilities available for use. Residents can reserve courts or fields to play badminton, pickleball, gateball, basketball, soccer, futsal, foot volleyball and tennis via Busan's integrated online booking system (reserve.busan.go.kr).
Note: The park does not have food or beverage facilities, so visitors are encouraged to bring their own. Pets (except service dogs), bicycles, kickboards and scooters are not allowed in the park. Collecting plants, soil, insects or other flora and fauna is strictly prohibited.
＊Address: 77 Seokdae-dong, Haeundae-gu
＊Hours: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last entry is at 4:30 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.
＊Admission: Free
<Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어>
coastal: 해안의 commune: (자연을) 가까이하다 flock: 떼를 지어 가다 arboretum: 수목원 reclaimed: 재생의 expansive: 탁 트인 sprawling: 아주 넓은 lawn: 잔디 exceed: 초과하다 state-of-the-art: 최신의 landfill: 쓰레기 매립지 temporarily: 일시적으로 facility: 시설 prohibit: 금지하다
Editor: Song Soomi
Copy Editors: Ryu Hyoseung, Anton J. Mapoy