Korea Day 8: A Relaxing Last Day in Busan, from Coralani to Spa Land

Day 8 in Korea, and my last full day in Busan! I wanted to take things slowly and enjoy a little more of what I’d loved about the city: cute shops, cafés and the sea. The day turned out to involve quite a lot of sitting back and relaxing, with brunch at 6ongone, dessert overlooking the water at Coralani, and a visit to Spa Land before ending the evening with the Gwangalli drone show.

MORNING STROLL AROUND GWANGALLI NEIGHBOURHOOD

I started with a walk around the neighbourhood and came across a pretty little shop aptly called Pretty Whale Gift Shop. They also stocked the aqua cubes I’d seen at Damagada, including designs for some of the places I’d visited in Busan that weren’t available there. Naturally, a few came home with me.

Pretty Whale Gift Shop, a little find on my morning walk.

A shop full of little seaside treasures.

Aqua cubes featuring familiar stops from my Busan trip.

A quieter corner with gifts, stationery and a wall of handwritten notes from one of the stores I browsed.

A closer look at the handwritten notes.

6ONGONE

Then I headed to 6ongone for brunch. There was already a queue outside, so I had to wait a while for a table. Inside, it was a lovely little space, with fresh flowers on every table, which I thought was such a nice touch. The staff were friendly too.

A glimpse behind the counter at 6ongone.

I enjoyed the pumpkin soup, and wished the portion could be bigger. The croissant was really good too, crisp and flaky with a sweet, slightly sticky glaze. Between the food, the friendly service and the pretty surroundings, it was a lovely spot for brunch on my last day in Busan.

Pumpkin soup, a golden croissant and summer snowflakes at 6ongone.

6ongone

Address: 1F, 48 Gwangan-ro 21beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan

Opening hours: 10 am–6 pm; last order at 5 pm. Closed on Tuesdays

CORALANI

After my visit to Broni the day before, I still wanted more café time by the sea. I hadn’t stayed very long because there were people waiting, and what I really wanted was somewhere I could sit back, enjoy dessert and watch the water without feeling rushed. After some searching, I found Coralani. Such a good choice!

I ordered a chocolate crêpe cake and a hot chocolate. Both tasted pretty good, although admittedly it was quite a basic chocolate-on-chocolate order. I managed to get a beanbag seat facing the sea, where I could properly sit back and relax. Around me, people were reading or enjoying their desserts, and I was quite happy just looking out at the water. I think this might have been my favourite café visit of the trip.

Blue skies and a rocky coastline stretching out below Coralani.

Another view of the coastline.

Chocolate crêpe cake and hot chocolate, with the sea beyond.

All settled in for an afternoon of dessert and sea views.

Books, beanbags and the sea. Everyone making themselves comfortable.

Coralani (코랄라니)

Address: 32 Gijanghaean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan

Opening hours: Daily, 10 am–10 pm; Last order: 9:20 pm

SPA LAND

Then it was off to Spa Land for even more relaxation.

Time for even more relaxation at Spa Land.

It was my first time visiting a Korean jjimjilbang. If you’ve never visited a Korean jjimjilbang before like me, there are two main parts: the separate men’s and women’s bathing areas, and the shared rooms where everyone wears the spa outfit provided. You receive towels and an electronic locker key, which also doubles as your payment tab for food, drinks and other extras. Everything gets charged to the key, and you settle the bill before leaving. Very convenient!

The entry flow as I remember is:

1. Check in at reception and check the locker number on your slip.

2. Store your shoes: Find the shoe locker with that number. Lock your shoes inside and take the electronic wristband key.

3. Enter the gantry: Tap the electronic part of the wristband against the gate’s reader.

4. Collect your outfit and towels at the counter inside.

5. Find your changing-room locker: Use the number on electronic key to locate the larger locker for your clothes and belongings.

   
   

You shower first before using the facilities. The communal baths are used completely naked, so that’s something to know beforehand if you’re a little shy. You don’t have to go for a soak, though. I showered, but the baths were quite crowded, and I didn’t really feel comfortable getting in. Instead, I changed into the provided shirt and shorts and headed to the shared jjimjilbang area.

There are different themed rooms and temperatures to try, with spaces to sit or lie down and rest between sessions. I spent my time enjoying the heated rooms and the outdoor footbath. Just a very leisurely afternoon of doing very little.

Giving my feet a well-deserved break at the footbath.

The Yellow Ochre Room, one of the many themed rooms in Spa Land.

Of course, there had to be snacks too. I tried the classic Korean sauna combination of a sweet rice drink, sikhye, and baked eggs. I also had some ramyun before leaving at Ramyun Land. All part of the experience, right? You choose your noodles, add your toppings and cook them at the self-service station. There was cheese available too, with one slice per person. It might have been just instant noodles, but that hot, cheesy ramyun tasted so good!

A little snack break with a rice drink and baked eggs.

Choosing my ramyun. Quite a selection!

Cooking my noodles at the self-service ramyun station.

Hot ramyun with a slice of melting cheese. Simple but so satisfying.

GWANGALLI M DRONE LIGHT SHOW

Finally, it was back to Gwangalli Beach for the Gwangalli M Drone Light Show, rounding off my last evening in Busan.

The drone show usually takes place twice every Saturday. I caught the 9 pm show. It’s free to watch from the beach, with each performance lasting around 12 minutes and a different theme each week. I could also watch the drone show from my hotel room, but I thought there might be reflections on the window pane, so I decided to watch it from the beach instead.

I probably could have chosen a better angle to line up the drones with Gwangan Bridge, but I didn't want to move to another spot after the show had started. I should have suspected I wasn’t at the best viewing spot when there was nobody around me haha!

AND...

That was my last evening in Busan. A little souvenir shopping, good food, hours of relaxation and a glowing rose in the night sky. Coralani was probably my favourite stop of the day; sitting back on a beanbag with dessert and the sea in front of me was exactly what I’d wanted. I might not have found the best angle for the drone show, but it still made a lovely ending to my time in Busan.