Haedong Yonggungsa and Dongbusan: A Temple on the Sea and a Theme Park Next Door

This is the first guide on this site about Busan on its own terms, not as a stop on the way to Gyeongju. Haedong Yonggungsa and the Dongbusan Tourist Complex sit a few minutes apart on the city’s northeastern coast, in Gijang, and between them they cover two very different days out: a cliffside temple with ocean views, and a modern theme park and outlet complex.

I live in Gyeongju and visit this part of Busan often. Here’s what’s actually at each place, a food tip I go back for, and how to string them into one day or two.

Getting to Busan from Seoul

KTX and SRT now run as one combined national high-speed network as of this month, so booking is simpler than it used to be — you no longer need to compare two separate systems to find the fastest or cheapest train. Either way, the trip from Seoul takes a little over two and a half hours, with the intercity bus available as a slower, cheaper alternative at four to six hours. See our Seoul to Busan transport guide for the full comparison; for now, book your train in advance for weekends and holidays.

Haedong Yonggungsa

Most of Korea’s well-known temples sit up in the mountains. Haedong Yonggungsa is the exception: it was built directly into the rocks along the coast in Gijang, so instead of pine forest you get open sea, and the approach itself — down a staircase past a row of the twelve zodiac stone statues — is part of the visit.

Photo by Londenp (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

The car park is a short walk from the temple entrance itself, and it’s card-only with no cash option — worth knowing if you’re driving a rental.

A local’s note. I’ve been back to Yonggungsa more times than I can count, and the view never gets old — a temple sitting right in the waves is not something you see elsewhere in Korea. Right at the entrance there’s a jaengban-jjajang restaurant that’s genuinely good: a Busan-style seafood black bean noodle dish, stir-fried with squid and shrimp and served family-style on a large tray rather than in individual bowls. There’s also a solid hanjeongsik (Korean set-meal) restaurant nearby if you’d rather not do noodles.

Dongbusan Tourist Complex

Officially called Osiria, Dongbusan Tourist Complex is a large planned development still being built out in phases — the finished plan calls for around 35 facilities across four zones, though only part of that exists today. What’s open now is enough for a full day regardless: Lotte World Adventure Busan, a Lotte Premium Outlets mall with over 500 brands plus a Lotte Mart and cinema, IKEA’s Dongbusan store, and the Ananti Cove and Villaggio d’Ananti resorts.

A local’s note. One thing worth correcting: there’s no aquarium here, despite what some lists claim. What’s actually here is the outlet mall and Lotte World. It’s a genuinely good option if getting to Seoul’s Lotte World isn’t practical for your trip.

Putting the two together

Yonggungsa and Dongbusan are about 1.3 km apart as the crow flies, and both are reachable from the same Osiria Station on the Donghae Line, so treating them as one area rather than two separate trips makes sense.

Location map

Haedong Yonggungsa, Gijang-gun, Busan:

Frequently asked questions

Is Haedong Yonggungsa really free?

Yes, admission is free. Parking is not — it’s a card-only lot starting at 2,000 won for the first 30 minutes.

Is there an aquarium at Dongbusan Tourist Complex?

No. That’s a common mix-up. What’s there is Lotte World Adventure Busan, a large Lotte outlet mall, and IKEA.

How do I get between Yonggungsa and Dongbusan without a car?

Both are close to Osiria Station on the Donghae Line light rail, with local buses covering the last stretch to Yonggungsa itself.

Is this doable as a day trip from Seoul?

It’s possible but long, given the return train time. It works better as part of a Busan stay of a night or more.

Conclusion

This corner of Busan pairs a genuinely unusual temple with a modern theme park and shopping complex, both within reach of one train station. Go early for Yonggungsa, bring a card for parking if you’re driving, and don’t skip the tray-jjajang at the entrance.

Hours, prices and transit details checked in September 2026. Food recommendations are the author’s own as a Gyeongju resident who visits this part of Busan regularly. Theme park hours and prices change seasonally — confirm before you go.

Sources

• Haedong Yonggungsa — hours, admission and transit: visitbusan.net
• Dongbusan (Osiria) Tourist Complex — facilities: gijang.go.kr
• Lotte World Adventure Busan — official ticket pricing: adventurebusan.lotteworld.com