After exploring Busan for a few days, our journey through South Korea continued. We travelled with a Dutch tour operator by bus, which made the transition from Busan to Seoul smooth, with beautiful stops along the way. If you’re planning a longer itinerary in South Korea, this route from Busan to Gyeongju (with an overnight stop in Ulsan) offers an incredible cultural experience.
This Busan to Gyeongju itinerary highlights the best stops between Busan and Gyeongju, including colourful villages, UNESCO temples, royal tombs, and scenic coastal views.
Stay Connected in South Korea
One thing that makes travelling in South Korea much easier is being connected from the moment you land. I always use Airalo eSIM, which I’ve used in Japan, South Africa, and Indonesia as well. It works perfectly for maps, translations, bookings, and transport.
If it’s your first time using Airalo, you can use my code: DANIEL22410.
Having internet immediately helped us navigate between cities without stress. In South Korea, locals mainly use Naver Maps, and for translations, Papago works better than Google Translate.
From Busan to Ulsan – Cultural & Coastal Stops
🎨 Gamcheon Culture Village
Our first stop after leaving Busan was Gamcheon Culture Village.
This colourful hillside village is filled with street art, murals, and small, creative shops. Our Korean guide told us it was built on what used to be an old cemetery. Whether that’s legend or fact, the atmosphere is very unique.
You’ll see many statues and paintings of The Little Prince, which makes it a popular photo spot.
Tip: Get a small portrait painting done as a souvenir, such as a special keepsake. The little shops also sell magnets, jewellery, and cute plush souvenirs.
🌍 United Nations Memorial Cemetery
Next, we visited the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea, holding over 2,300 graves of soldiers from 11 nations who died during the Korean War.
It’s a peaceful and emotional place, and it really gives perspective on Korea’s modern history.
If you’re travelling independently, I found similar historical tours on GetYourGuide that include this stop.
🌊 Haeundae Beach & Sea Life Busan
We continued to Haeundae Beach, one of Busan’s most famous beaches. Unfortunately, it was rainy that day, so we visited SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium instead.
It was lovely to see different marine life compared to Europe. One of the cutest moments? Watching small children on a school trip singing along during the mermaid show.
🛕 Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Before heading to Ulsan, we visited Haedong Yonggungsa.
This temple completely changed how I saw South Korea. Built dramatically along the coast, it’s colourful, vibrant, and filled with detailed statues. I truly fell in love with Korean temples here; they are very different from those I’ve seen in other parts of Asia (mainly Indonesia).
If you can, take your time here. The ocean backdrop makes it magical.
Overnight in Ulsan
We stayed at Mercure Ambassador Ulsan, right next to the sea.
This was one of our best hotel experiences in South Korea, with beautiful rooms and an excellent breakfast with sea views.
Exploring Gyeongju – The Museum Without Walls
The next day, we explored the Gyeongju area, often called “the museum without walls.”
🏯 Bulguksa Temple (UNESCO)
One of the highlights was Bulguksa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and masterpiece of Buddhist art from the Silla Kingdom.
Here you’ll find:
- Cheongungyo and Baegungyo bridges (33 steps), also called the “Stairway to Heaven”
- The famous Dabotap Pagoda (Pagoda of Many Treasures)
- Monks are actively praying and visiting.
If you love history, definitely book a guide here. It truly feels like stepping back in time, especially if you imagine the temple without tourists.
🏺 Gyeongju National Museum & Royal Tombs 
We also visited the Gyeongju National Museum, where many treasures found in nearby tombs are preserved. Archaeologists are still discovering artefacts, and the jewellery collection is stunning.
Nearby, you can explore the Cheonmachong Tomb, also known as the Tomb of the Heavenly Horse. You need a ticket to enter, but it’s very interesting to see the burial structure from inside.
🌙 Donggung Palace & Gyochon Village
We missed the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond; I heard this is especially beautiful at sunset. So if you are nearby, don’t miss this 
stop.You can have lunch or dinner in Gyochon Hanok Village, a charming traditional village area. When we visited, there was a festival atmosphere due to APEC events, which made it feel even more lively.
Final Thoughts – Is Gyeongju Worth It?
Absolutely yes.
If Busan is about sea views and markets, Gyeongju is about history, temples, and royal heritage. It gives you a deeper understanding of South Korea’s cultural roots.
For travellers planning a route from Busan toward Seoul, this is a perfect cultural stop.
Travel Tips
🚍 How to Travel
- Tour bus (like we did)
- KTX train from Busan to Gyeongju
- Private day tours via GetYourGuide
💸 Budget
Gyeongju is affordable, especially for food in local restaurants. Entry tickets to tombs and museums are reasonably priced.
Tours and Experiences Mentioned in This Busan to Gyeongju Itinerary
If you're planning your own journey from Busan to Gyeongju, I've listed the tours, attractions and experiences mentioned throughout this guide below. Some of these were part of our organised tour through South Korea, while others can easily be booked independently if you're travelling at your own pace.
These are the experiences featured in this itinerary:
🎨 Gamcheon Culture Village Tour
Gamcheon Culture Village was one of my favourite stops in Busan. The colourful houses, street art and small independent shops make it a wonderful place to wander around, and it's easy to see why it's one of the city's most photographed attractions.
→ [Gamcheon Culture Village Tour]
Gamcheon Culture Village was one of my favourite stops in Busan. The colourful houses, street art and small independent shops make it a wonderful place to wander around, and it's easy to see why it's one of the city's most photographed attractions.
→ [Gamcheon Culture Village Tour]
🛕 Haedong Yonggungsa Temple Tour
This coastal temple completely changed how I saw South Korea. Built dramatically on the cliffs overlooking the sea, it's one of the most beautiful temples I visited during the trip and one I'd highly recommend adding to your itinerary.
→ [Haedong Yonggungsa Temple Tour]
This coastal temple completely changed how I saw South Korea. Built dramatically on the cliffs overlooking the sea, it's one of the most beautiful temples I visited during the trip and one I'd highly recommend adding to your itinerary.
→ [Haedong Yonggungsa Temple Tour]
🐠 SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium (Optional)
Although we originally planned to spend more time at Haeundae Beach, the rainy weather led us to SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium instead. It turned out to be a lovely alternative, especially if you're travelling with children or visiting on a rainy day.
→ [SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium]
Although we originally planned to spend more time at Haeundae Beach, the rainy weather led us to SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium instead. It turned out to be a lovely alternative, especially if you're travelling with children or visiting on a rainy day.
→ [SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium]
🏯 Bulguksa Temple UNESCO Tour
Bulguksa Temple was one of the highlights of Gyeongju. Walking through this UNESCO World Heritage Site gave me a much deeper appreciation of Korea's Buddhist history, and I'd recommend visiting with a guide if you'd like to learn more about the temple's fascinating past.
→ [Bulguksa Temple UNESCO Tour]
Bulguksa Temple was one of the highlights of Gyeongju. Walking through this UNESCO World Heritage Site gave me a much deeper appreciation of Korea's Buddhist history, and I'd recommend visiting with a guide if you'd like to learn more about the temple's fascinating past.
→ [Bulguksa Temple UNESCO Tour]
🏺 Gyeongju UNESCO Heritage Tour
If you're short on time, a guided UNESCO tour is an excellent way to visit several of Gyeongju's most important historical sites, including Bulguksa Temple and other key landmarks, while learning about the Silla Kingdom.
→ [Gyeongju UNESCO Heritage Tour]
If you're short on time, a guided UNESCO tour is an excellent way to visit several of Gyeongju's most important historical sites, including Bulguksa Temple and other key landmarks, while learning about the Silla Kingdom.
→ [Gyeongju UNESCO Heritage Tour]
📱 Stay Connected with an eSIM
Having mobile data from the moment we arrived made travelling around South Korea so much easier. I used Airalo throughout this trip for maps, translations, transport and bookings, just as I have on previous trips to Japan, South Africa and Indonesia.
→ [Airalo]
Having mobile data from the moment we arrived made travelling around South Korea so much easier. I used Airalo throughout this trip for maps, translations, transport and bookings, just as I have on previous trips to Japan, South Africa and Indonesia.
→ [Airalo]
Planning Your Own Busan to Gyeongju Trip?
If I had to recommend just three experiences from this itinerary, I'd choose Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Gamcheon Culture Village, and Bulguksa Temple. Together, they perfectly showcase South Korea's colourful culture, breathtaking coastline and rich history, and they became some of my favourite memories from this part of our journey.
Some of the links above are affiliate links. If you book through one of them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting MissWidjaja!
Continue Exploring South Korea 🇰🇷
This article is part of my South Korea travel series, where I share the exact route I followed across the country, along with honest tips, itineraries and experiences to help you plan your own adventure.
Continue your journey:
➡️ Busan 4-Day Itinerary
➡️Busan to Gyeongju Itinerary (current article)
➡️ Andong Travel Guide
➡️ Andong to Seoul Travel Route
➡️ 2-Day Seoul Itinerary
➡️Busan to Gyeongju Itinerary (current article)
➡️ Andong Travel Guide
➡️ Andong to Seoul Travel Route
➡️ 2-Day Seoul Itinerary
Or explore everything in one place on my South Korea Travel Hub.
