North of Haeundae the coast turns rockier and quieter, and the trail runs through the fishing villages of Gijang towards Haedong Yonggungsa – a temple built directly onto the sea rocks rather than up in the mountains, which is unusual enough in Korea to be the reason most people come.
This is part of Galmaetgil Course 1, the longest coastal course: 33.6 km from Imnang Beach down to Moontan Road, about ten hours end to end. Route 1-2 covers the Gijang stretch, and you can take as much or as little of it as you like.
The Gijang coastal walking load
| Time | 2–3 hours for the temple and a village or two |
| Surface | Boardwalk, village lanes, rock coast path; long stairway at the temple |
| Ascent | Low – short rises between headlands |
| Shade | Very little – this is the most exposed of the popular sections |
| Exertion | Low to moderate |
| Leaving early | Limited – buses are spaced further apart than on the Haeundae coast |
| Facilities | At the temple and in the villages; sparse in between |
| Note | Check bus stops before committing to a long stretch |
Load figures are our editorial assessment for trip planning, not measurements.
What the Haedong Yonggungsa route covers
The stretch, in order
Haedong Yonggungsa – a temple complex on a rocky headland with the sea breaking below the halls. Korean Buddhist temples are almost always inland and uphill; this one is at the waterline, and the approach down a long flight of steps through stone lanterns is the part people photograph. Free to enter, open early, and busiest mid-morning.
The Gijang fishing villages – small harbours with drying racks, boat repair yards and seafood restaurants that are not aimed at visitors. This part of the coast is where Busan still looks like a working port rather than a resort.
Rock coastline – the shoreline between villages is dark volcanic rock, tide pools and low cliff, with sections of boardwalk where the path cannot cross directly.
The Haedong Yonggungsa walk itself
Mostly flat with short rises between headlands. Boardwalk, village lane and coastal path. Exposed – there is very little shade on this stretch, which matters in summer and is pleasant in autumn.
Two to three hours for a comfortable section taking in the temple and a village or two. The full course 1 is a serious day; almost nobody walks it in one go.
Because this is the least urban of the popular sections, exit points are further apart than on the Haeundae coast. Check where the buses run before you commit to a long stretch.
Haedong Yonggungsa route
Getting to Haedong Yonggungsa
Buses run to Haedong Yonggungsa from Haeundae and from Busan station; the temple is the usual starting point. Gijang itself is on the Donghae line, which connects to the subway network, so you can start at a station up the coast and walk back south.
Walking north to south, towards Haeundae, has the advantage of ending somewhere with plenty of transport and dinner options.
Combine Course 1-2 with
- Haedong Yonggungsa – the temple in detail
- Course 2-1 at Haeundae – the next stretch south, and an easy afternoon
- Busan seafood – what to order in the harbour restaurants
- Course 1-1 – the very start of the entire trail, from Imnang Beach
More on Galmaetgil
- Galmaetgil: the full network
- What a dulle-gil is
- Hiking in Korea
In an emergency
Korea has two emergency numbers, and both answer in English.
- 119 – fire, rescue and ambulance. This is the one to call for an injury on a trail.
- 112 – police.
Korean trails carry numbered rescue markers – small posts with a code on them. Reading that code to the operator locates you far faster than describing the scenery. Note the last one you passed.
Mobile coverage is good on almost all the routes described here, including the ridges.
Galmaetgil routes were restructured in 2023. Course-level distances follow Busan Metropolitan City’s current figures; section times are planning estimates. Temple grounds have their own opening hours.
Closures are the thing worth checking
Korean trails close for more reasons than just weather. National park ridgelines shut during the spring and autumn fire-risk periods, coastal sections close for construction or erosion, and some routes run on fixed opening hours rather than dawn to dusk. These are published by the managing authority and almost never by the blogs describing the walk.
Distances and difficulty ratings are worth taking from the official course data too. The national walking trail portal publishes track files and an assigned difficulty grade, which is a steadier basis for planning a day than someone else’s impression of how hard it felt.
What This Page Does Not Cover
This page reflects our own research and, where noted, our own visits, on Haedong Yonggungsa & the Gijang Coast (Galmaetgil 1-2) at the time of writing. It does not show every option available, it does not track prices (these change too often to keep accurate here), and it cannot account for individual mobility, budget, or seasonal closures on the day you travel.
What Should You Know Before You Go?
See the sections above for the specifics on Haedong Yonggungsa & the Gijang Coast (Galmaetgil 1-2); this page is meant as a starting point, not the final word – confirm current hours and conditions directly before you travel.