Is Dubai safe for solo female travelers? Yes, Dubai is definitely safe for solo female travelers, and it is the perfect destination for solo female digital nomads! NomadHer, app for female globetrotters, interviewed Patricia, a personal trainer from Spain who is currently living in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. She didn’t hesitate to leave Spain to take a great opportunity in UAE. She travels and works at the same time, and she shared her thoughts on solo female travelling.

Join other solo female travelers heading to United Arab Emirates and meet local women in Dubai ! You can join the NomadHer community by downloading the app on the Google Play Store or on the Apple store !

Can you tell me a bit about yourself, when did you start travelling alone? Why? What is your current situation?

Aloha ! My name is Patricia and I’m a Spanish girl traveling as a personal trainer since May 2021. I started with solo travel because I accepted a job that allowed me to travel and work at the same time and I started also my online training business for women.

I always had the feeling that the world has too much to offer us to remain static in one place so I left my job in Spain, my house, my dog and my family and friends and.. here I am, 7600 km from my home, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Which countries did you visit ? Which is/are your favourite and why ?

I visited Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, France, United Kingdom. And.. I can’t choose only one. I believe that absolutely all countries (and especially the people who live in them) have many things to offer us.

Which country or travel experience really surprised you?

The country that has impressed me the most is Saudi Arabia. People, culture, religion, food and its landscapes are really incredible from north to south (and unknown to most people who don't live there). Saudi was closed for tourism until about 3 years ago, so now it’s a great opportunity to pack your bags and discover it.

What does travelling alone bring you?

In one word? EMPOWERMENT. All the fears I had before leaving Spain have disappeared. I am learning to ask for help, to solve my problems alone, to get by in a language that is not my mother tongue, not to judge people and to say yes to (almost) everything.

Did travelling change something in your life ? in the perception of yourself ?

Traveling change everything in my life. I have the feeling that I’m a new and better Patricia! I currently believe that I could live in any country in the world without feeling afraid or alone.

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What would you say to people who say that traveling alone as a woman is dangerous?

In my (unpopular) opinion, being a woman is a risk that we are born with, simply because we are. But, traveling alone is not the greatest risk we can have. Travelling makes you brave, strong , we meet other women who live and travel alone in cultures totally different from theirs and who have never had any mishaps. And now, we can use Nomadher to create community and support each other.

If you want to discover more about solo female travel in Dubai, join the NomadHer community and connect with over 15,000 women globetrotters from all around the world. You can join by downloading the app on the Google Play Store or on the Apple store !

How could we change this idea that women shouldn't travel alone, and should go with someone?

I believe that if we continue to perpetuate that we are weak and that something can happen to us, we will never be able to change the world.  As I said before, simply being born a woman is a risk, but that is changing in many countries.  In addition, women who travel alone are privileged, most of the risks and problems are faced by women who were born in certain countries, but we can avoid them.

What is your worst experience? How did you handle it? Did it have an impact on you, your behaviour or your life?

The worst experience was in Paris.  I was running in the street and a man tried to harass me.  If I'm honest, it's something that unfortunately we're used to (it's happened to me dozens of times in Spain). I always carry my phone with me in case something happens to me, so I called a friends who was in Paris and I run away.

What were the difficulties you had to overcome while travelling?

My biggest problems are given by the language barrier.  Also, not everyone speaks English, so when you have a medical problem it can be a bit more complicated to solve it.

Best souvenir while travelling ?

To meet GREAT people who become family forever.

How do you think travelling can empower women ?

Learn languages and training Strenght!

What advice and tips would you give women who hesitate to travel alone?

I think it's very important not to be afraid to meet a lot of new and different people, to ask for help if you need it, and of course to have the support of a community like Nomadher. And most important of all : enjoy

A message you want to give for the women who will read you ?

Do it, and if you are afraid, do it with fear!

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Hello. I am Yunzee Kim who is 33 years old and works as a journalist at Busan No.1 Economy. I was born and raised in Busan and I went to university in Busan too. So, my life was mostly happening in Busan💚 One day, I just started to run. Then, running changed my life for good. Due to the running, I can feel like a traveler in Busan. So, I want to share my story with you!😀

You can meet other female travelers around the world by joining the NomadHer community on the app ! You can download it on the Google Play Store or on the Apple store !

✨At first, Busan was where my normal life happens. So sometimes, I feel like I need to go somewhere else to feel excited or happy. However, that thought was totally changed due to running! After I started running, I went around every(figuratively) corner in Busan and I found new attractions that I didn’t expect before. So, from then, Busan became where my life happens at the same time where my travel begins. That is how I got to love Busan more and more.

✨Also, I love eating delicious food, which is not effective for my weight loss but I think I can eat whatever I want without fear of getting fat thanks to running. Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed by my workload, sorrowful because my writing is not good, or just stressed because of so many thoughts. At that exact moment, I just wear my running clothes, running shoes and go outside. From my home, I ran to Nampo-dong, Songdo Beach, or Youngdo shore. Every time I ran, I felt so different all the time because time, routes make a different scene.

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✨Especially, before dawn, I sometimes run to Songdo Beach. I need to pass by a market to go to the beach. Near the market, I realize so many people live their life as fully as they can. People working at the market are so diligent. I am so impressed and think “I need to live my life as fully as I can too”. If I keep running to the beach, I can watch the sun goes up and that makes a really speechless moment to me, because the scene is so beautiful and sublime.

✨Also, the sun makes the beach sparkling and shining and I feel so happy to see this. Songdo and Youngdo are connected with Namhang Bridge. So, I sometimes use this bridge to go to Youngdo or Songdo. If you go up the bridge and look around, you can see the most beautiful sea ever. Also, at night, the bridge’s light was on and that is an eye-catch point! Another favorite place is Youngdo’s shore. If I run to Nampo-dong and Busan Bridge and head to the shore, I get to see small ports where many boats are anchored.

✨Youngdo’s sea is not just a beautiful attraction. Somehow, it holds a kind of roughness where people live their life. I think that is the most attractive point to me since I am also a Busan citizen and traveler at the same time. So that place is my favorite place to run. When I run and I run into other runners, I say hi to them. Also after I finish running, worries and sorrow go away.

✨I think traveling can be done by airplane, train, bus, car and etc. but most of all, you can do travel on foot. I hope someday I can meet all members of NomadHer and run together to find out hidden attractions. If you guys run and find out the spot, please let me know! I hope one day I could go there and run around the spot. Thank you for reading my story! Everyone! I hope you live your life with confidence and happiness! Don’t forget you are the owner of your life!

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Is Kyrgyzstan safe for solo female travellers? Yes, Kyrgzstan is safe for female travelers, locals are always welcoming with smiles. Still, girls and women in Kyrgyzstan had assigned roles. The Kyrgyz society expects us to become good wives, have kids, and stay home to take care of the family and the house. NomadHer, an app for solo female travelers had the pleasure to interview Aishola, who currently lives in Kyrgyzstan. She has travelled in 15 countries and just came back from a 2000km tandem tour! She inspires a lot of women to go on their own adventures, and she shared her thoughts on solo female travelling.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself, when did you start travelling alone? Why? What is your current situation?

Hi, My name is Aishola. I am from Kyrgyzstan, a small country located in the heart of Central Asia. I recently came back home from a 2000km tandem tour through the UK and Georgia with my partner. I am 24 years old and I do a variety of things - I am a photographer, communication specialist, interpreter and illustrator. I think we are so lucky to live in a world where we can choose what we want to do for a living.

Unfortunately, girls and women in my country traditionally had assigned roles. The kyrgyz society expects us to become good wives, have kids, and stay home to take care of the family and the house.

I grew up in a small town and as a child I used to love reading lots of adventure books like 'Robinson Crusoe'. I was curious about the world and always wanted to know what it is like out there. Back then my family couldn't afford travelling to other countries and I think this pushed me to look for opportunities to travel for free. I used to apply for youth conferences, academic scholarships and volunteering programs abroad that were covering all expenses.

I was 16 when I visited the neighbouring country Kazakhstan with a friend to film a movie about a small Krishna community there. I remember wearing a sari and helping to cook meals for the monks and in return they provided us a place to live in a village for a week. In the evenings we used to spend time listening to music and prayers in the temple. I never knew about this culture in my life and it was amazing to be out there to get to know them.

There are so many opportunities for travelling even when you don't have any money. I did a theatre performance at the Strasbourg parliament in France, I was invited as a speaker to the Philippines at a global citizen summit, and I went to Denmark as a young leader and spent a year volunteering in Germany.

I still remember my first solo trip to New York when I was 17, exploring the city alone with my old camera and only 100$ in my pocket. Just imagine a girl from a small country, travelling 6000 miles solo to the megapolis? It felt like being in a Hollywood movie! I came back to the states for a year again as an exchange student and travelled a lot, visiting other states. My friends from college were asking me if I am not afraid to be sexually assaulted while travelling solo.

I was 18 and it was quite scary but I was determined to see more of the country while I had a chance. My scholarship covered my study expenses and I also used to receive 300$ each month. It wasn't a lot but I used to save up and travel on a budget - taking trains, buses, hitchhiking, staying in hostels or Couchsurfing.

You can meet solo female travellers in Kyrgyzstan and meet local female travelers through the NomadHer app! Why don’t you check who other solo female travelers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan are on Google Play Store or on the Apple store?

Which countries did you visit? Which is/are your favourite and why?

I haven't travelled to many countries, around 15, but was lucky to visit some several times. It's quite hard to travel with a kyrgyz passport. I need visas to most of the countries and the process of getting them isn't the easiest and cheapest. I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of the world. It's my dream and I believe dreams come true!

I truly enjoyed India for its nature, music, and food. It was a beautiful and wild country where you get to see and feel a different kinds of life.

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Which country or travel experience really surprised you?

Last autumn, my partner and I cycled through Georgia on a tandem bicycle and people were incredibly generous. One day we were stopped by a lady in a small village called Chinti who waved to us and asked us to wait.

'Wait for what?', - we thought. She ran back to her house and after a few minutes, she approached us with a huge bag of apples. It was very sweet. Another time we stayed with an 80-year-old man living alone high in the mountains. He shared his house, food, and of course the famous Georgian wine with us. We barely knew the language but being there made me feel like I am not a foreigner at all but a family member who came for a visit.

What does travelling alone bring you?

Travelling alone can be intimidating at first, but once you are on the road, you start learning about yourself, you grow and you find what inspires you, you become more motivated to meet people and the great thing is that you can explore places at your own pace.

I think many of us are terrified of being alone, but it's so important to have 'me time. It teaches you to rely on yourself and tests your ability to overcome obstacles and challenges on the way. Although I am not an expert so I am looking forward to spending more time travelling by myself soon again.

Did travelling change something in your life? in the perception of yourself?

Travelling isn't always easy. It's quite challenging because it forces you to leave your comfort zone. It pushes you to grow, to be flexible, to be resilient and we all know, growing isn't always the easiest process.

I always thought I am happy with a 9-5 office job, but travelling full-time this year definitely changed my perspectives on life. I realised there are so many opportunities to work remotely and explore the world at the same time, especially while young.

What would you say to people who say that travelling alone as a woman is dangerous?

People were saying that to me all the time too and every time I would hear that I would start having doubts and think if I am doing the right thing. I like the saying 'Feel the fear and do it anyway'. You can travel alone and minimise dangerous situations. I think that's why the Nomadhers app is so wonderful because it allows you to meet other globetrotters so that you can travel together or find tips and insights on what countries are safe to travel for female solo travellers.

If you want to learn more about women-friendly destinations in Kyrgyzstan, join the NomadHer community and connect with over 10,000 women travelers all around the world! You can join by downloading the app on the Google Play Store or on the Apple store !

How could we change this idea that women shouldn't travel alone, and should go with someone?

I think it's great to collect stories of women who travelled alone in the past and who are travelling those days to show it's possible and absolutely normal to choose to travel solo and that any woman can do that.

What is your worst experience? How did you handle it? Did it have an impact on you, your behaviour or your life?

I try to take things easy because I know that travel doesn't always go as planned. Sometimes it means you can get food poisoning, acne, mosquitoes… or all at the same time! Not long ago I got bed bites all over my body while I was in Georgia.. My whole body was itching and burning for a week.

I was angry at myself for making a decision to stay in that exact hotel and for not checking the bedsheets. But this incident taught me to be grateful for different kinds of experiences on the road. It's important not to dwell on things but just accept circumstances and mistakes and learn from them. Nonetheless, I love travelling and I think those kinds of uncomfortable moments make you truly feel alive.

Today I am proud of who I am and I know what I've been through and know what I want even though it might take a lot of work to achieve things.

What were the difficulties you had to overcome while travelling?

I think I am always overcoming myself. Sometimes I would think oh no I can't do it but then I think Aishola you are here maybe only once in your life, why not make an effort to wake up early to see a sunrise up in the mountain or jump into this cold ocean water or go on this crazy roller coaster. You have you and you can challenge yourself to do things!

Best souvenir while travelling?

I stopped buying souvenirs because most of the time I travel light and on a tight budget but what I truly appreciate is the stories I collect along the way. I love talking to people, photographing, filming stories and making memories and personally this is the best souvenir for me from whatever country I visit.

How do you think travelling can empower women? What advice and tips would you give women who hesitate to travel alone?

Travelling alone makes you stronger. It's challenging but it's the best way to learn about yourself. I think you don't need to immediately start travelling alone to other countries. You can start locally… go for a solo date, go for a solo hike, visit interesting places in your home town. And maybe at some point, plan a trip or just go for a spontaneous adventure to another country.

A message you want to give to the women who will read to you?

It's interesting how we all can build plans but never actually try to make things happen. We often overthink situations too much and simply forget that life is too short. We all have fears and doubts and it takes time and courage to work on yourself - chasing a dream can be terrifying, but giving up on a dream is heartbreaking.

I always remind myself of those words: 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step', Laozi.

You just need one single step and with every new step your confidence will grow!

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In Jan 2020, after working on my van for several months, putting so much effort, and getting out of my comfort zone so many times, I finally hit the road to Belgium and The Netherlands on my own! I had no idea what to expect, and what this world had to offer me.

✨ Why Vanlife?
To escape painful daily life. Buying my van also meant << there’s no turning back >>. At that time, I didn’t know I was running away from pain and emotional burnout. All I knew was that I needed to go. And once on the road, I couldn’t escape anymore: All my wounds reopened, and I need to heal them.

✨ How has it changed me?
Back my first solo trip. After 3 days, I felt completely LOST. Here’s one truth about vanlife: you are REALLY free. You depend on nothing but you, no train, no plane, no restaurant, nobody. I know it seems like the coolest thing, but at the same time, sometimes balance is the key.

So, what do you do when, like me, you are supposed to be the happiest woman who reached her goal but ended up crying for 2 weeks, feeling miserable and helpless, in a van that didn’t even have a shower 😂 (and yes, we still shower in the gym)?

✨You learn to listen to yourself.
And that was what this whole trip was about. It wasn’t about discovering new cities, it wasn’t about meeting new people. No. For me, it was all about reconnecting with myself first. The reason for all those tears was because of all those wounds that needed to heal.

So I asked myself, why do you think do we like to travel so much? For me, I feel that somehow it disconnect us from our painful daily life, and allow us to breathe, live the present moment, and create a deep connection with ourselves, and with others.

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💚 Here are 3 Lessons I’ve learned while building my van:

👉 Learn to ask for help.
I’ve learned that often, people would be glad to help you, but they think you can do everything on your own because, when you don’t ask for help, that’s the image they perceived from you. And that’s also the image we want them to see.

But, Loneliness can hit really hard. Taking care of yourself is also asking and opening doors for others.
⇢ Be humble enough to say that you can’t do everything, or that you don’t know to do something.
⇢ Be honest with yourself, it’s the first and most important key to healing.
⇢ And, if you feel stuck, then you know it's the time to ask for a professionnal.
⇢ Asking for help is showing your vulnerability, which makes you way more relatable, human, and inspiring.

👉 Be part of a community.
Surround yourself with people who truly understands you.
I was really at a lower point of my life, two years later, I now have vanlifers as friends, but also incredible solo female travelers that I met during NomadHer’s events, and now, I don’t feel lonely anymore, I feel empowered. Empowered enough to empowered others.

👉 Take action, no matter how scary it can be!
Listen to your fears, embrace them, and do it anyway. Because, when you overcome your fears, you grow, you become more and more courageous, and nothing can stop you.
Travelling in a van is such a unique experience of freedom. You really reconnect with nature, and this allows you to create sooooo many memorable and unique experiences like being stuck in the mud and having three ladies push that 3.5T truck 😂.  So yes, I was afraid of vanlife. I was so afraid of my first solo trip.
Yes, I was afraid to tell everyone that I wanted to coach people.
But no regrets. At all.
Now, I am full of happiness, and so are my coaches.

💚  Keep in mind, nothing is perfect:
I don't want to paint you a perfect (van)life. It was HARD and painful.
Building my van, I made mistakes that forces me to disassemble and rebuild everything again.
But I've learned from my mistakes and this time : I asked for help. I ask for a professionnal and learn so much.
I am sharing you this because I am not afraid to be vulnerable.
I've learned to embrace the pain rather than hiding it. And it's because I was true and honest to myself that I was allowed to find my inner peace.

💚 Now, how do you think this trip has empowered me?
Today, I am proud to say that I have really strong self-confidence because I know exactly who I am, I know what I’ve been through, I know what I want and what I don’t want and nobody can take that away from me.

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Can you tell us a bit about yourselves?

We are Valentine, Claire and Liora, French business school students, and we are creating a podcast project together. We traveled in different countries during our studies: Valentine went to Spain, Claire to Japan and Liora to Morocco and Mexico. It was therefore essential for us to build on this momentum and include travels in our project. So we started at the beginning of January our three months trip around Europe in order to interview people and discover their vision of love and relationships according to their culture, their religion,... The idea is to meet people that are different from those we usually meet and to discover new cultures.

How did you meet ?

We met in preparatory classes in Versailles, France. We attended the same boarding school, so we immediately formed very strong bonds since we lived together for two years. And once we were in Paris, we continued seeing each other.

What countries have you visited so far during your trip?

For the moment, we focused on the capital cities of each country, so we went to Copenhagen (Denmark), Stockholm (Sweden), Tallinn (Estonia), Vilnius (Lithuania), and now we are in Warsaw (Poland).

We are going to continue to go South and come back a little bit more to the West, so the capitals that we plan to visit next are Vienna (Austria), Bucharest (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Istanbul (Turkey) and Athens (Greece).

And among all these capitals, which one did you prefer?

Copenhagen and Stockholm

Copenhagen is very colorful and there is water everywhere, it is truly beautiful. But we especially loved it thanks to the people we met there. Our host was great, we still speak almost daily with    him, and we really got along well with him. Even if it is a big city, it looks like a village.

In Stockholm, we loved the fact that it is full of islands, and we really enjoyed its big city vibe. And in terms of architecture and museums, everything was open, so we had the full experience!

The only drawback for these two cities is that they are very expensive for people who want to travel on a budget. We had to restrict ourselves a lot when eating and bought sandwiches in the supermarket.

Did anything surprise you during your trip?

In terms of behavior, whether in Copenhagen or Stockholm, Scandinavian people are rather shy and when we asked someone to take a picture of us, they looked a bit strangely at us. For them, it's quite strange to talk to people in the street. So, for our interviews, many people refused to participate at first, but hopefully we were still able to collect some very interesting content.

We also met people who made us question all our beliefs. As French people, we realized we were behind on many subjects because they are very evolved and ahead of us in terms of gender equality. We met a Swiss woman who lived in Denmark, and who told us that, for the first time in her life she felt more of a person than a gender. We felt like we were living in the future compared to France, which is already evolved compared to other countries. So we have a lot to learn from the Scandinavian countries because they are ahead of us in  many societal issues.

Besides, we sometimes interviewed people with radically different opinions from ours. And as a result, we feel our conceptions and beliefs regarding several themes such as marriage or monogamy are evolving.

So it's mostly the words of the people we interviewed that stay in our minds.

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And what does travelling bring to your respective lives?

You feel like you get to know yourself differently. Being constantly faced with new people gives us confidence because we realize that we have things to say and that we are  interested in what people have to say, which creates real connections.

Regarding the hosts who welcomed us, it renews our faith in humanity. They welcomed us with open arms in a very warm way, and it's something we hadn't necessarily experienced before. When we go back to France, we will try to give back by welcoming people and helping them discover Paris.

Traveling also opens your mind, and gives you a kind of benevolence, the desire to know people without judging them. When we meet someone, we have no preconceived ideas about them because we don't necessarily know the local social codes. We can't put them in a box, so we are much more open to meeting people, and we create friendships with people we wouldn't have talked to in France.

This also confirms our desire to live abroad after our studies precisely to continue to enrich ourselves culturally by meeting people from many different backgrounds.

Have you ever had a bad surprise, a problem ?

We never really had any bad surprise but constantly moving from one place to another with our big bags without any place to settle down can be rather tiring. But we really don’t have much to complain about !

What is your best memory during this trip?

Hard to choose!

The moments we shared with our first host in Copenhagen. We were truly fascinated by their warm welcome. He and his partner were very interesting and knowledgeable people.

We also enjoyed riding bikes in Stockholm. Pedaling was hard and it was cold, but looking back at it, it was a bit of a dream to cycle through the islands.

Another good memory is our ferry crossing from Stockholm to Tallinn. We did this trip at night, and we had never done such a thing, it was incredible. The ferry looked like a cruise ship, it was huge ! We were about 200 while the boat could welcome up to 2000 passengers, so we almost had the entire boat to ourselves. And we discovered that for the Finnish and the Swedish, it is a little a tradition to come on weekends on the ferry and to make the round trip to spend time on this moving city. It is crazy!

What do you think of your experience with couch-surfing as women ?

It was our first time using couch-surfing and the app, so at first we were sending requests like a message in a bottle, but it's actually really simple. We send about 20 requests each time and about 3 or 4 people generally agree to host us, so we have many choices!

We are impressed by people’s hospitality, they show us around the city, host us and feed us. We try to make small gestures in return. People are so kind, they leave us their house keys without even knowing us.

But it is true that as a woman, it is more complicated, we have precautions to take. Even if we travel together, we really look at their previous comments before choosing a host. For a single woman, we would recommend staying at women’s places or with people with many comments.

What would you say to women who are afraid to travel alone?

We would like to tell them that this fear is legitimate because, as women, we are always a little more vulnerable. But if you take the right precautions, there is no reason to be. There is a very large community of women who travel alone, as you can see on NomadHer, and when you are in the right networks you are quickly reassured. You can get advice from someone on the spot and therefore be much less afraid.

And don't forget that when you travel alone you are never really alone! It is much easier to meet people whether in a hostel or through social networks.

An advice we can give is to go step by step!

How do you think travel can empower women?

Through meeting and discovering new cultures. We interviewed an Indonesian woman who moved to Estonia, and she told us that coming to Estonia allowed her to see  all these European countries where she could talk freely about her condition as a woman and the abuse she had suffered from in the past, whereas in Indonesia, it is rather shameful to talk about it. Traveling can therefore allow women to discover other possibilities, to do new things and to assert themselves.

On the other hand, going to countries where women's freedom is less obvious allows us to realize how lucky we are, for example in France.

Traveling is therefore a way to free yourself and become aware of your condition as a woman in different countries. There is also this side where you do everything by yourself, you don't need anyone to take care of yourself. It builds up your self-confidence !

What is Relationtrip?

This project was born a little less than a year ago and the goal was to gather the three of us  around a trip that would allow us to meet really different people. We wanted to end up with a product that we could "present to the world", hence the podcast format.

It's a documentary on matchmaking in India which made us aware of the stark differences between countries as far as relationships are concerned. The theme of couples is very interesting because we push people to really open up, which in turn allows us to strongly bond with them.

We plan on making six episodes. Each episode will explore a theme around relationships such as the dating phase, marriage, etc… In each episode, there will be crossed testimonies of people we interviewed in each country we visited. The goal is not only to portray cultural differences, but rather to show the most striking testimonies, those that can be really eye opening to people. We want our listeners to think to themselves "I never thought of it that way".

Most people we interview are women, which gives a true feminist dimension to this podcast. We want to explore couples as being one of the main patriarchal shackles oppressing women in many countries and see how we can free ourselves from them.

We hope to broadcast our podcast on the main streaming platforms: Deezer, Spotify, Apple Podcast, etc. Our goal is to release it in French in September 2022, to have enough time to take a step back on the interviews and to offer the best possible quality.

Do you have any final message you would like to share with the NomadHer community?

Setting a project, a goal can help you get started, and meet new people.

So, take the plunge, go for it, and for those of you who are a little afraid to do it, just do it once before it becomes almost an addiction. You'll never regret doing it.

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One of the most popular questions that are asked in our NomadHer community is “where is the safest country to go for my first solo trip?“. This isn’t an easy question to answer. But, In NomadHer community, there are lots of women solo travellers who are willing to share their tips and stories. We all understand how difficult to start the first solo trip in life. That’s why we ask our NomadHers to recommend a safe country for women travellers based on their experience. and here are their answers.

🌟 South Korea

“In South Korea, If I want to go to the bathroom when I was at a cafe, I just went by leaving my laptop on the table without being worried like who’s gonna take it. People in here have a mindset like why people take mine that is not theirs. This thought is so natural here. So which cities I visited in Korea, I was never worried about who stole my cellphone or didn’t need to wear a small bag inside of my jacket.”

by Soyeon, South Korea

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“My first solo trip was in South Korea and I felt safe from the beginning to the end. All places on the street were well organized. It was my first trip on my own. I felt relieved all the time in here.”

by Line, France

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🌟 Germany

“Germany is the place I have felt the most comfortable walking and doing stuff on my own. I was never disrespected, harassed, or taken for granted and a very respectful culture.”

By Maria, Colombia

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“I have lived in Germany and especially in Berlin for almost 11 years and I can confirm that I have never felt threatened or felt unsafe. People mind their own business and really respect personal space and at the same time they are open-minded.”

By Maria, Germany

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🌟Japan

“South Korea and Japan are one of the safest countries to travel solo as every convenience store is open 24 hours and many street lights are out there and you feel safe for walking alone in the night most of all, I like the fact that there are fewer chances of being stolen your phone and camera which is so important for me.”

By Hyo, South Korea

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🌟 Iceland

“For me it’s Iceland. It is 100% safe for a woman alone. You don’t feel insecure when you walk during the night in a street or if you have any precious things with you. Minds are open and they are used to having great equality between men and women which is really precious. Moreover, cities are small so you don’t have the feeling to be lost with billions of people around you and Reykjavik is a really easy city.”

By Judith, France

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🌟 Estonia

”I would like to add Estonia, I spent 10 days in this country alone, I was a bit scared before visiting the city because many people asked me “Isn’t it dangerous for a lonely woman?” And the answer is 100% no.

People mind their own business but if you ask them for help, they will try their best to help you. But at first sight, they can look distant and cold. I talked to some employees of shops, restaurants and I was really surprised by their kindness (which is a bit different from France) you have many different cultures in Estonia which are perfectly mixed together.

A guy explained to me that policemen were just a few in the countryside because of the low criminal rate. I was harassed only by stupid tourists who wanted to find a girl in Estonia during their trip (and they probably believed I was Estonian so they asked me) but not local people. And I just advise you to be careful of these Western tourists who visit Eastern European countries to live a kind of “Very Bad Trip” because most of the time they come from Western Europe but otherwise I feel very safe.”

By Judith, France

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🌟 Czech Republic / Belgium /Austria

“During my five-month travel through Holland, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Germany, were off-work hours I was totally alone, I can say that these are countries I totally safe and relaxed. There’s also an app that helps you out with less safe areas, you just have to put the city and it will tell you where it’s less safe at certain times of day or night, I believe it has been mentioned here, Wher.”

by Monica , Portugal

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”Germany and Austria, depending on the area of course but when I walked alone there I felt so safe. And you can enjoy nature around city too. So, If you start your solo trip at first time in your life, then I recommend these countries.”

by Jeannine, France

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Christmas season is around the corner and we have asked where NomadHers wish to celebrate Christmas and here are some responses that we have heard from them!🌟

1️. Prague, Czech Republic

“I will bring into the discussion Prague. this city is like a fairy tale and very affordable. I think it is a great Christmas destination. Walking Hradcany neighbourhood especially in the morning, and the city has so many cafes and bakeries where you can work or just relax and many beautiful pots from where you can see the city above.”

“Prague. Christmas market is held in this season and it’s amazing. I love to have a hot latte, and a cup of latte in Prague is cheaper than in Korea. Most of the attractions are closed to each other. You can go there on walking. I was happy that I don’t need to take a bus.”

By Soyeon and Eleni

2️. Colmar and Strasbourg, France

“The whole Alsace region, especially Colmar and Strasbourg! If you are based in France or if you want to come during this time of the year, You get the whole Christmas experience. The architecture, decorations, Christmas markets, and the cold weather and the snow! “

By Maria

3️. Paris and Nice  France

“Paris is the place to visit at least once in your life. Hot wine and Christmas music are everywhere and you will not realize how time goes by seeing all these small and beautiful gift shops on the corners of the street.”

“Paris is really charming, city of light and I love to spend Christmas in Nice (South of France) it’s warm but not too much, not too much crowded, blue sky and then for the new year I would go to the snowy mountain.”

By Hyojeong and Jeannine

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4️. Australia

“I’d love to hear from someone in the Southern Hemisphere. I was trying to explain to my youngest kiddo why Australia had images of surfing Santas where the US has images of snow. He still didn’t quite understand the difference in weather, culture, etc. Someday perhaps”

“Would love to know warmer places with just as much magic. Some of us are “visiting the snow” not embracing the snow visiting us.”

By Shawna

5️. Chicago and  New York, USA

“Chicago and New York City are absolutely magical at Christmas, with the lights and especially outdoor ice skating.”

“One city where most of the NomadHers are heading out for Christmas Season and New Year in New York in the USA. Endless Christmas lights and the vibe of the carol with hot chocolate is a must to try”

By Maggie

6️. Rome, Italy

“The whole of Europe is decorated warmly, When I was young living in Rome, I would be amazed at the streets decorated with lights and Santa’s at the corner, and Christmas trees every now and then. It was surely magical in the eyes of a kid. I never got to experience the same after having left Rome. In India, it’s more of a private celebration, and will find decorative trees and ensembles only at Malls.”

By Olive

7️. Goa, India

“If you are in India Goa and Kolkata’s Park Street are vibes! Goa is on the western coast of India, it’s a state and Kolkata is my city on the eastern coast of India. Yes, you are right people sell food, the street is wonderfully decorated with Christmas tree Santa lights, events are held at the park, fairs are held and carols are played the whole day. It’s a grand affair.”

By Minakshi

8️. Romania

“Romania is the best for this beautiful castle. I will bring into the discussion Prague. this city is like a fairy tale and very affordable. I think it is a great Christmas destination. Walking Hradcany neighborhood especially in the morning, and the city has so many cafes and bakeries where you can work or just relax and many beautiful pots from where you can see the city above. “

By Marie

9️. Budapest, Hungary

“Budapest is the city already amazing without Xmas time but with it’s a picture is just the perfect. There are historic and beautiful castles that will catch your eyes! and  Don’t miss the Christmas market in Budapest. The biggest Christmas market takes place on Vörösmarty square in the heart of the city. You can enjoy delicious foods and accessories there.”

By Monica

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The guide to Busan for solo female travelers

Made by NomadHers with love💚

How much does NomadHer recommend Busan for solo female travelers?

(😩 Bad, 😊 Fine, 😍 Amazing)

Our score is: 😍 Amazing

When traveling alone, you often feel like you have to solve everything on your own. At the same time, it is when you receive the most help from others. You learn along the way.‘I will help others too!’ As you keep doing that your perspective gets wider. At first, when you travel alone the only thing you can see is yourself. But as time passes you will find yourself focusing on others too and experience your heart getting bigger. Affection does exist in solo travel.

NomadHer always supports females’ solo travel. She Can Travel Anywhere.

1. NomadHer’s Overall Rating

Busan is highly recommended for female solo travelers. With pleasure, we would give Busan three out of three stars. You are probably wondering why so let us tell you. Have you been to a city that is brighter at night? Busan is a bustling place even late at night with people enjoying the night sea. Restaurants do not close until morning. Isn’t that incredible? But more so, public transportation connects every part of the city. You can go anywhere at any time. Even going to the ocean and the mountains are quick and easy.

What if you get lost or have no clue about something while traveling? Do not hesitate and ask for help. Because Busan’s warm climate attracts tourists all year long, the local people are used to meeting tourists all the time. Busan is a city where you will be welcomed by the warm hospitality of the locals.

2. A Short Summary

Are people living near the coast usually so kind? In Busan, you can count on the kindness of the people. As the only place in Korea where you can spend a warm winter, it is always lively with tourists. So people living in Busan are no stranger to the energy of the city full of tourists.

Are you lost while traveling alone? Don’t worry! Ask anyone around you! People in Busan are more than willing to help! Can people be this kind? Absolutely! They know Busan's charm very well that visiting once is never enough.  

Surprisingly, Busan is where city and local sensibilities meet. Would you believe it if you could enjoy the views of the ocean and mountains in between the tall skyscrapers? From water sports such as surfing, yacht, cruise to beautiful forests, there is never a dull moment. Busan has amazing local food that is part of many Koreans’ food bucket lists. Let’s travel to Busan together! Feel free to download the PDF version of this guidebook.

3. Words you should know in Busan

Busan has a unique dialect with a stronger accent than other regions. It is one of the reasons why K-dramas love to include Busan’s dialect. The dialect can sound strange at first, but you will soon find yourself familiar with it. Try to keep some phrases in mind and use them in everyday conversations with your friends once you get back. Isn’t this the beauty of the Busan dialect? Your trip will be so much more fun if you know some phrases. They are really easy too, so wouldn’t it be better to learn a few before the trip?

Mat-jae?

It is used to confirm once more that something is correct. For example, while giving a change of thousand-won you can say ‘mat-jae?’ to confirm that it is the correct amount.  

Moe-ra-ka-no?

When a person is confused about what has been said to them, they say ‘moe-ra-ka-no?’. If you ask for directions too quickly in English, you would probably hear this a lot. ‘What are you saying?’ ‘Moe-ra-ka-no?’

Ji-gi-nae!

This translates to ‘Awesome’, ‘Amazing!’ For instance, if you are trying on different clothes at a shop, the worker can say ‘Ji-gi-nae!’ to express that the clothes look good on you.

Gae-ahn-ta! or Gae-ahn-na?

‘Gae-ahn-ta!’ means ‘I’m fine. Don’t worry!’, whereas ‘Gae-ahn-na?’ translates to ‘Are you okay?’ If someone says ‘Gae-ahn-na?’ to you whose face has turned red from eating spicy food, he or she is asking out of concern if you are fine.  

Why-rano?

It is a dialect for ‘What is wrong with you/me?’ You can say ‘What’s wrong with you?’ ‘Why-rano?’ to a child nagging you to buy them a toy. Or you can say ‘What’s wrong with me?’ ‘Why-rano?’ to yourself when you forget your phone at home. It can be used in many ways.

Oi-so!

It means ‘Come here!’ At local markets, you will hear this the most. When you hear ‘Oi-so!’ at markets, remember that the merchants are saying ‘Come here and take a look.’

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4. Emergency Numbers

As a female, what troubles you the most while traveling alone in a city that you have never been to is your safety. We probably have all experienced saving emergency numbers on our phones and having a separate note with all the numbers in case of losing the phone. It is also a good tip to prepare a physical copy of your passport for a quicker process at the embassy when you lose your passport. Especially when you travel solo, we highly recommend having emergency numbers right at your fingertips for that country or city. We have compiled emergency numbers in Busan for you.

Busan Tourism Organization’s Tourist Information Service 1330

If you urgently need help or service in a foreign language while traveling in Busan, try making a call to 1330 operated by the Busan Tourism Organization. It is available 24 hours and provides a translation service. You can use it at a restaurant or in a taxi when you need a translation service. You can also use it if you get lost or encounter an unexpected situation.  

24-hours Female Emergency Call 1366  

During your travel, if you experience any sexual harassment you can use the Female Emergency Call. To protect female rights, it operates 24 hours and provides service in foreign languages. Associated with Professional Consultation Service, Medical Institution, and Law Institute, you are able to receive support any time.  

Busan Police Station 112 / Your Country’s Embassy Contact Number

If there is any case of personal danger, call the police station. We also recommend learning your country’s embassy emergency contact number in advance.

5.  Do

Have you ever felt clueless after you had arrived, having thought to yourself that you were very prepared while planning and researching your trip? Either making new friends or going to new places, it is essential to break the fear of something new. So, we are introducing you to the Dos and Don’t in Busan to make sure that Busan doesn’t feel totally strange to you. Feel free to skim through them on your train or plane to Busan!  

It is okay to feel warmth in Busan’s dialect.

You can be very surprised when you hear Busan’s dialect for the first time. Its strong accent can make you think ‘Is that person mad at me?’ or ‘Are those people fighting?’ Don’t worry. We guarantee you that in less than a day, you will find yourself already used to the dialect. As much as the dialect’s strong accent, you will fall in love with the peoples’ enthusiastic personalities.  

It is safe to walk alone at night and appreciate the view of the Gwangan Bridge.

You have never walked in the streets alone at night while traveling? Then ready to be surprised. Busan is brighter at night.

The night view of Busan is very beautiful. In particular, the lights of the Gwangan Bridge are on from sundown to 24:00 from Sunday-Thursday and until 2:00 from Friday-Saturday although they vary seasonally. The laser show happens three times a day (20:30, 21:30, 22:30) for about 10 minutes. Even late at night, many people come out to the beach to watch the colorful lights on the Gwangan Bridge. Busan is a safe city where females can walk alone at night.  

It is okay to bargain at the Jagalchi Market and enjoy fresh seafood.

If you like fresh-caught fish, try visiting the Jagalchi Market. Known as the “sanctuary” of Busan’s seafood, Jagalchi Market is a 5-minutes walk from Exit 10 of the Jagalchi Station. Seafood is sold on the first floor. On the second floor, there are restaurants that provide tables and side dishes to go with the seafood that you bought. To enjoy various kinds of seafood, it is a good idea to go together with many people. You can find other people to go with you on NomadHer! With 40000 won to 50000 won for two people, you will have a very filling meal.  

Walk along the Busan Galmaetgil Road by yourself.

Galmaetgil Road is Busan’s walking course that is connected to the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. If you need meditation or some alone time this course is an amazing fit for you.

When you travel in a city, the liveliness of the city can energize you. But you might also want to escape to nature and spend some quiet time alone to reflect upon yourself. In Busan, you don’t have to go out of the city because there are many coastal walks along the beach. The most popular tracking course which takes about three hours and is 10km long is one of the Galmaetgil courses. It starts from the Moontan Road and passes the Songjeong Beach to the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. You will meet many people walking along this course. Although you are alone, you can feel like you are walking together with them.  

Do not give up on finding your belongings that you forgot at a cafe or a shop.

CCTV is in every street and every shop in Korea. The same goes for Busan. You will be surprised at how casually people hang out at night. At a cafe, you will often see people just leave their laptops and go to the restroom. Be ready for another surprise. Koreans do not take anything that is not theirs! When you travel to a new place alone, there are so many things to carry around that you sometimes forget your belongings at a cafe or shop. ‘Since many hours have passed, I bet someone already took mine.’ Don’t be so discouraged. The owner of the shop or other customers who find them will hand them over to the shop to keep them. Remember that you can expect peoples’ kindness in Busan!  

Do not panic when your phone doesn’t have a battery.

Did you forget to charge your phone last night by falling asleep while going through your photos? Don’t worry. Many cafes in Busan have outlets and they even provide charging service for customers who forget to bring their own chargers. When you order your coffee, it is totally fine to ask the worker if you could borrow a charger!  

When getting on a bus, ask the bus driver if the bus is going to your destination!

One of the difficulties during solo traveling is that you have to find directions to an unfamiliar place and travel by yourself. When the city itself is strange, finding the right way can be so overwhelming. When you are trying to get on a bus but unsure whether the bus is stopping at your destination, ask the bus driver! The bus driver will not only tell you kindly but also notify you when the bus is near the destination.  

The heaven of free WiFi

Busan offers free WiFi in main tourist attractions, subways, and public places. The Internet speed is extremely fast. At cafes and restaurants, they always have free WiFi, so you can ask for the WiFi name and password when you order.

6. Don’t

When planning for your trip, group places that are close to one another.

When you look at the map of Busan, the land is long vertically. Although the distance may look short on the map, in reality, it can be pretty far. If it takes 30 minutes to get somewhere, a round-trip will take more than an hour. The travel time might become longer than you think. It is important to take the travel distance into account more than anywhere else.  

Be prepared to swim even during the winter.

Every single year, in front of the beach during the winter in Busan there is a special event. It is called the Polar Bear Swimming event. What if over 5,000 people go and dive into the ocean and swim? At this swimming festival, the person who swims 80m first in a cold ocean wins the race. So don’t think that people in Busan only swim during the summer. Well, there are so many things to look around even at a winter beach!

It is better to go earlier to famous tourist spots or to enjoy activities even during weekdays.

Busan is crowded 365 days with tourists. It is better to arrive earlier for famous tourist spots to save your time. For example, for a city tour bus, there is a limited number of passengers who can take the bus and it is better to arrive 30 to 40 minutes earlier at the city tour bus station. In the case of Haeundae Beach Train & Sky Capsule(Haeundae Blueline Park), it is better to go earlier if you wish to have an ocean view even with a reservation.

Do not eat food on public transportation.

Yes, sipping a cup of coffee with freshly baked bread, on the other hand, that’s the joy of walking around in a new city. However, it is not appropriate to take a sip of coffee or eat food on public transportation. For years, it has been a huge problem to take food out of sanitation issues in public transportation.

It’s better to take public transportation.

Busan is a metropolitan city and you can go everywhere with public transportation. Even Korean people do not bring their own car when they go and travel to Busan. Because they do not have to. It is super handy, fast and you can grab a public bus or metro every single 8 to 15 minutes. It’s more complicated to find a parking spot with a car. In Busan, taking public transportation will save your time than bringing your own car.

7. Sightseeing Courses to Recommend to Solo Female Travelers

Solo traveling is the best way to listen to our inner voice and realize that there are many sentiments and feelings that we didn’t notice in our daily life easily. In our daily busy life, we rarely get chances to figure out what we really want and who we are and while traveling solo, we discover different parts of ourselves.  

While traveling by ourselves in different corners of Busan, every single day will be a new adventure. Sometimes you might feel like just chill out, on other days you might feel like talking to local people and also meeting new people. Your feelings will be different from today. This is a guide for those who wish to try new things with different themes for solo female travelers when they travel to Busan in South Korea.  

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🌺THEME I.  For those who wish to jump into the big ocean and feel nature

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1) Try to go surfing at Songjeong Beach

If there is a city where you can feel sunshine with a breeze touching you and waves are leading you to jump in, what would you like to do? Don’t you want to just dive into the ocean? Well, then you are in the right place. Songjeong Beach is the surfing spot if you get chances to travel to Busan.  

Don’t worry even though you have never tried surfing yet. You do not have to worry because you have never tried surfing and do not have to be nervous. What if it is your first time going surfing? You can go and try to take surfing courses at surfing shops around the beach. It feels so liberating to go surfing and dive into the water while seeing the sunset. You can learn everything starting from A to Z when it comes to surfing at Songjeong Beach.  

Q. Where can we try to go surfing?

There are two exemplary surfing shops at Songjeong Beach.

     -  Surf Holic

This is open for everyone starting from the elementary level to professionals and different levels of surfers can take courses. They also offer accommodation and some other options.

Price: 65,000 won per 1 class (Including Suits, Board Rental Fee)

Opening Hours: Everyday 06:00~21:00

How to get there? : Busan Metro Exit 2 of the Line Donghae and take a walk around 15 min to Songjeong Beach

Instagram: @surfholic_kr

-  Songjeong Surfing School

Starting from entry-level to professionals, different levels of surfers can take classes.

Price: 65,000 KRW per class (Including Suit & Board Rental Fee)

Opening Hours: Everyday 06:00~20:00

How to get there? : 15min from Busan Donghae Metro Line Exit 2

Instagram: @sjscsurf

2) Feel the true local vibe of Busan at Haeundae Beach  

Haeundae beach might be the most popular spot for summer vacation. If you get a chance to go and walk around Haeundae beach, You will easily see why Haeundae beach is the symbol for summer vacation for South Koreans. Also, there are many activities that you can try in Haeundae Beach. Just within 5 min walk, you can grab and eat fresh seafood and also can go to the traditional market of South Korea.  

After Sunset, there are endless lights across the border and it makes the atmosphere so romantic. Well, you might wonder whether it is safe to walk around 2 am in Haeundae Beach. You can wonder whether it might be quite dangerous for a solo female traveler. Not at all! Haeundae Beach would be full of travelers and locals who wish to get some breeze from the ocean. You will feel the dynamics of the travelers and locals who are standing outside of the beach. You do not have to feel lonely even though you travel solo as the vibe of the Haeundae beach is so dynamic and always full of people. Don’t miss this chance to see two different faces of the Haeundae beach and you can go and grab morning coffee in front of the beach in the morning and see endless lighting and buzzing streets at night.

3) See the sunset over the Yacht at Gwangalli Beach

You can easily see the Yachts at the seaside of Busan and can observe a Yacht tour easily in any part of Busan. Especially, yacht tour around sunset time is especially popular as you can see the ocean full of red and mysterious colors. Well, taking a Yacht in Busan is such an affordable option! Most of the Yacht tours will have a tour around Gwangalli Beach and the price might be slightly different depending on the size of the Yacht but starts from around 20,000 KRW to 40,000 KRW. Don’t worry about taking a Yacht by yourself as the staff on the Yacht are so friendly and also you can get chances to talk to other people on the Yacht. Feel free to listen to the music on the Yacht and the time flies as you would feel that 1 hour is quite short.  

Q.Where can I book a Yacht Tour?

There are many different Yacht programs in Busan. Most of them have an almost similar price range and programs and feel free to choose what you prefer.

- Let me Yacht(요트탈래)

The Yacht tour starts from Busan The Bay 101 and is for 60 minutes. You will get a chance to have a tour around the Gwangan Bridge. Don’t forget to bring your ID for the ID verification check.

Price : Morning Time 20,000 KRW / Sunset TIme 40,000 KRW / Evening 30,000

Opening Hours: Every Day 09:00~22:00

How to get there? : Busan Metro Line Dongbaek Station Exit 2, 10min walk

Instagram: @yachttale

- Yacht Holic

The Yacht tour lasts for 60 minutes starting from Busan Yachting Center for 60 minutes. You can get a great view over Gwangan Bridge with a Yacht Tour for 60 minutes. Don’t forget to bring your ID for the onboarding process.

Price: Morning Hour 30,000 KRW / Evening Hour 35,000 KRW

Opening Hours: Everyday 11:00~23:00

How to get there? : Busan Metro Station Line 2 Dongbaek Exit 3, 10 min walk

Instagram: @yachtholic

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🌺THEME II.  For those who wish to feel the youth local vibe

1) Feel the vibe of Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village

Have you ever seen the diverse and endless colors of the houses when you search for Busan Traveling? Yes, That is Gamcheon Cultural Village which is also called the Machu Picchu of South Korea. It first started as Busan’s cultural art project and tried to create the space for artists within Busan, and now Gamcheon Cultural Village is reborn as the artistic space with the collaboration with local residents and artists. You can get a chance to see so much graffiti on the wall in different corners of the town.  

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How to enjoy Gamcheon Cultural Village?

You can get a stamp tour map with 2,000 KRW and will get chances to walk around different spots of the town based on the map including observatories, art galleries, etc.

Working Hours: It is not recommended to visit the Gamcheon Cultural Village during late hours as there are currently local residents living in the village. All the facilities are open from 9 am to 6 pm and open until 5 pm during the wintertime

How to get there? : Grab the metro line 1 at Toseong Station exit 6 and take the local bus Saha 1-1, SeoGu 2, SeoGu 2-1 and get off at Gamcheon Cultural Village. There are quite many hills and it is better to bring sneakers and a bottle of water!

2) Discover Yeongdo, the heaven of Busan’s Local Creators

Starting from the western part of the Yeongdo, Currently, Yeongdo is one of the hottest spots in Busan where all creative young local creators gather together and work. They are working on brewing the traditional alcohol, brewing the beer, and trying to revitalize the old swimming pool into a complex cultural space. Busan is making Yeongdo an attractive space where South Korean youth gather and solve the local problems and bring new value to the community. If you wish to visit the cultural district where you can feel the vibe of the youth, then you must definitely visit Yeongdo.

  The places below are within 5 minutes of walking distance. Shall we visit together?

       - Complex Cultural Space with local masters and artists, AREA6  

It is a complex cultural center where there are artisans and artists who have been living in Yeongdo for a long time. It opened in 2021 and currently, around 10 shops and business owners are incubated at AREA 6. There are shops such as traditional alcohol breweries, tea coffee shops where you can try Korean traditional tea, arts and goods shops where you can see the artists' artworks in posters and postcards, leather factories, and also Korean traditional souvenirs shops. I strongly recommend you to go and visit if you wish to see all the artworks made by local creators.  

Opening Hours: Everyday 11:00 am ~ 19:00 pm (Every Monday is a day off)

How to get there? : We recommend you take a bus as there isn’t any metro station near here. There might be several bus recommendation options.

Instagram: @area6.yeongdo

-Coffee shop transformed from an old swimming pool, GEMSTONE  

The place has been transformed from an old swimming pool into a trendy coffee shop and a cultural center. There is interesting furniture and artwork in every single corner of the coffee shop. Isn’t it so interesting that the old swimming pool has transformed into a coffee shop? There are many spots where you can take trendy photos in different spots of the coffee shop.  For those who wish to experience a unique coffee shop experience, it is recommended to visit GEMSTONE.  

Opening Hours: Everyday 11:00 am ~ 22:00 pm

How to get here? : Strongly recommend taking a bus as there isn’t any metro station near the cafe. On the Kakao Map Application, there will be some bus recommenda -tions to get to the coffee shop.

Instagram: @gemstone_official_

-Samjin Fish Shop where 3 generations have been making a fish cake in Busan photo5

Fish Cake is one of the most common side dishes and staple food in South Korean meal culture where they fry fish with flour. Busan is famous for fish cake where they have a comparatively high portion of fish for fish cake. Yeongdo's Samjin Fish Cake is one of the most popular fish cake brands and you get chances to eat different kinds of fish cake flavor including Kimchi fish cake, Pepper fish cake, lotus root fish cake, and French Fries fish cake, etc. Are you hungry during your solo traveling to Busan? Then directly go to the Samjin Fish Cake store and try Korean Fish Cake!  

Opening Hours: Everyday 09:00 ~ 18:00

How to get here? : Take a bus instead of a metro station. You can search for Samjin Fish Cake Shop on the Kakao map for different options.

Instagram: @samjinamook

3) Sneak Peek into the true local community of Busan through a local market

Gukje Market  - Kkangtong Market - Bosu Book Market are all within 5 minutes of walking distance. Why don’t you try to have a look at all?

-Find everything here, Gukje Market

You cannot dismiss the joy of having a look around the local market. If you ever get a chance to visit the Gukje market, you will be surprised to see the huge dimension of the market and also endless curations of the beautiful products. This is the largest local market in Busan, and you will find everything here starting from clothes, accessories, lighting, furniture, bags, Korean traditional clothes called Hanbok, snacks, and everything here. Especially, if you are someone interested in fashion, interior design then these would be the best attraction sites for you. The time goes so fast at Gukje market and why don’t you just walk around in the market and have a conversation in Saturi (Busan local language) and talk to local vendors?  

Opening Hours: 09:00 - 20:00, Closed every first and the 3rd of the Sunday

How to get here?: Take a metro line 1 and get off at Jagalchi Station

- Heaven of the delicious food, Kkangtong Market  

Kkangtong market is always more crowded during the evening than during the days. Why? Because there is a delicious night food market opening here. There are so many delicious foods here at Kkangtong market and there are street shops opening every night which literally makes you so hungry. If you are not sure what to eat first? Then why don’t you go and check the food lists recommended by NomadHer for solo female travelers? It is preferable to bring the cash to pay at local shops and you can get chances to try Seed Hotteok, Tteokbokki, Bibim Noodle and different kinds of food. If you ever want to try the street food of Busan? Then we recommend you stop by the Kkangtong market.  

Opening Hours: Kkangtong market opening hours 08:00- 20:00 /  Night Market opening hours: 19:30 - 23:30 / Open 365 days

How to get here? : Take a metro line 1 and get off at the Jagalchi Station exit 7

-Bosu Book Store, where you will read old books  

If you are one of those who stop by the local book store whenever you go traveling, and you love reading books, then this might be heaven for you. There are many old and vintage books that would make you feel like taking a time machine and going back to the past. This is like a secret jewelry shop where you can buy and read books that are not available anymore in the normal bookstore. Why don’t you order a small coffee or tea with music coming from an LP?

Opening Hours: We recommend that you go around the afternoon time as it closes doors around the evening hours.

How to get here? :Take a metro line 1 and get off at Jagalchi station exit 7

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🌺THEME III.  For those who wish to put a comma in their life and take a break

If you travel around in a new city, you might get easily tired as you want to go and observe so many attraction sites at once. It’s normal that you would feel like you did not enjoy the sites enough and feel like you have wasted traveling experience. Traveling Solo is an essential experience to look back on who we are and get out from a busy and hectic life. Why don’t you travel to escape from the hectic and busy daily life? Why don’t you give “commas” in your daily life and take care of yourself?

1) Pray at Haedong Yonggungsa Temple right next to the ocean and make a wish

Temple was built where monks gather and study and pray for Buddha so most of the temples are situated in the deep mountain. However, interestingly, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple was built just right across the  Donghae ocean and the place attracts many visitors. You would feel so much Zen and peace in the mind. You feel so peaceful by listening to the sound of the wood. The place says that if you make a wish with your true 100% will then the wish can come true. What kind of wish do you wish to make at Haedong Yonggungsa temple?

Opening Hours: 5:00 am - before midnight

Price: Free Entry
How to get here? Take a metro Line 2 and get off at Haeundae Station and take a bus Line 181

2) Take a walk at Dongbaekseom in the middle of the city

Come to Dongbaekseom if you wish to have a look over Haeundae Beach if you do not wish to go further. It takes around 1 hour in total and you will have an endless view of the ocean and a walking road full of Dongbaek Island. When you take a walk around 10 minutes, you will see a road surrounded by pine trees and camellia trees. You will listen to the sound of waves and seagulls on the way and enjoy the moment of concentrating on yourself and get relaxed. At the end of the walk, there is a lighthouse and APEC house, the place where they organized an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference. Do not miss out on the chance of seeing endless lights near The Bay 101. You deserved to be loved and this course is definitely a gift for yourself.

Opening Hours: 24 Hours

APEC house: Free Entry, 09:00 - 17:00 (Holidays every Monday)
How to get here? : Take a metro line 2 at Dongbaek Station Exit 1 and 10 min walk

3) Grab a coffee at Huinnyeoul Culture Village at the end of the steep cliff with  an ocean view

Do you agree that wherever you go a cup of coffee or tea makes our day so peaceful? Huinnyeoul Culture Village has been a film scene background for various South Korean films. Houses in white color remind you of Greece’s Santorini village. Gamcheon Cultural Village consists of houses in different colors, Huinnyeoul Culture Village is just right next to the ocean. All across the road, there are various coffee shops and this is the best spot to just chill out with a sip of coffee. Just below the hill, there is a long pathway where you can take a walk. This course takes around 3 hours and it’s better to bring your sneakers. There is a small shop where you can have Korean Ramyeon with an ocean view and why don’t you try Ramyeon?

Opening Hours: Various depending on the coffee shops but it is better not to go too late as there are local residents

How to get here? Take metro line 1 and get off at Nampo Station. From Exit 6, take a bus 6, 9, 82, 508

4) Listen to the sound and story of nature at Taejongdae surrounded by endless forest

Taejongdae is on the top of a high cliff where you have the emerald blue ocean view entourage with pine trees. Every year people from Busan visit this place. There is an option where you can walk, or take a small train called Danubi and stop by the observatory, lighthouse, and Taejongdae. You can always get off the train and get on to Danubi train. If you go in a very late afternoon, don’t forget to have a sunset over Taejongdae. Especially try to stop by Yeongdo lighthouse where you will get an ocean view while walking down the floor. In total, it takes 3 hours. Even though you take a train, it is better to take comfortable shoes.
Opening Hours: 05:00 - 24:00, Free Entry

How to get here? : Take a line 1 metro to Nampo Station and take a bus 8, 30, 66, 88

Taejongdae entry Danubi train: 3,000 KRW for adults

5) Participate in a sunset yoga class at Busan Haeundae and Songjeong Beach

From spring to fall, near Haeundae and Songjeong Beach, there are different Beach Yoga, Sunset Yoga classes. There are seasonal classes and it is better to ask NomadHers on the NomadHer app as the information on the internet might not be correct. NomadHers living in Busan will be more than welcome to answer you with kindness. You can sit on the ocean with a breeze and try to find peace in your inner life.    

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🌺  THEME IV.  For those who wish to take an adventure and try different things

Sometimes we wish to try something exciting and adventurous. There are interesting outdoor activities in Busan and why don’t you give it a try?  

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1) Take Haeundae Beach Train & Sky Capsule and have a look at different sides of Busan

Haeundae Beach Train & Sky Capsule(Haeundae Blueline Park) was made based on an old train road and you can take a Beach train and Sky Capsule. Enjoying the view of the ocean from the Beach train will be a whole different experience. Keep in mind that you can always get off at any travel stop and get back on the train which goes from Mipo to Songjeong if you buy a free pass ticket. It is recommended to make a reservation in advance as it is very touristic and always full of people waiting for the train.  

Price: Different depending on Beach Train & Sky Capsule. Check the website.

Opening Hours: Different depending on the season and check before going

How to get here? Take metro line 2 and get off at  Jungdong station. 15min Walking Distance.

Where to book? : https://www.bluelinepark.com/booking.do

2) Take Skyline Luge and enjoy the speed in a safe way.

It’s a special activity where you will take the luge from the hill and roll down the hill.  You take a lift through a curvy way. It’s pretty easy to drive with 4 different courses.  During the weekdays, only 2 courses are available and all 4 courses are available during the weekend. It is situated right across the Haedong Yonggungsa temple and you can try it on the way to the temple.  

Price:22,000 KRW for twice

Opening Hours: Weekdays 10:00 - 18:00, Weekends 10:00 - 19:00

How to get here? Take a bus 1003 or 1001 and make a transfer to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple with a bus 181

How to book? : https://www.skylineluge.kr/busan/

3) Take Busan Air Cruise to feel that you are floating over the ocean

Busan Air Cruise(Songdo Marine Cable Car) is a unique experience with glass-bottom cars for views of the surrounding sea & mountains. It ranges over 1.62 km, starting from Song-rim park from the eastern side of Busan to the western side An-Nam Park. You will feel like you are flying over the ocean and will see an endless blue ocean with a view of the whole Busan City. It is another charm to see Busan City from the top of the sky.  

Price: 15,000 KRW to 20,000 KRW for a round trip

Opening Hours: 09:00 - 20:00

How to get there? Take a metro line 1 and get off at Jagalchi Station and take a bus 6, 26, 30, 71, 96, 96-1 and make a transfer

How to book: http://busanaircruise.co.kr/main/main.html

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8. Where to eat

Eating local food is one of the pleasures of travel. As solo travelers, we can decide whatever we want to eat. But at the same time, it is not easy to think and choose different food every day. So, here is what we recommend for you if you get a chance to visit Busan. These are popular local foods in Busan, so you can easily find them wherever you go.

1) Grilled clams in Songjeong Beach

Busan is surrounded by the east sea of Korea, so you can enjoy fresh seafood at a reasonable price. Wherever you go, you can find a restaurant easily. Songjeong Beach is especially well known in the area for fresh grilled clams. With butter and cheese on clams together, you can’t stop your chopstick.

Price is usually about 4~50,000 KRW. So how about finding a companion through the NomadHer community? Lots of people who love to travel are waiting for you.  

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2) Street food in BIFF Square    

Busan International Film Festival(BIFF) is held for 10 days from Thursday in the first week of October. You can see the handprints of famous movie stars in BIFF Square. And there is one more important thing to try. Don’t miss to enjoy lots of street food in this square. Ssiat-hotteok, a sweet Korean pancake stuffed with lots of seeds, is must-eat food if you visit Busan. There are various foods like flat dumplings and fish cake which are good for snack time. Enjoy the street food in BIFF Square!

3) Enjoy various foods in Bupyeong Kkangtong Night Market

You can find lots of different foods in Bupyeong Kkangtong Night Market. It takes only 15 minutes to walk from BIFF Square. The night market is held from 19:30-23:30 every night. You can see many foods in the daytime. But, if you visit during the night time, you can see more kinds of street food that make you happy. Here are what we recommend to try.  

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-Milmyeon  

Milmyeon is a cold noodle with a special sauce that you can taste three different flavors at the same time: sour, sweet, and spicy. And the broth is boiled for a long time with pork bones, various vegetables, and herbs together. If you like the red sauce flavor without broth, it would be a good choice to try “Bibim Milmyeon”. If you like to try with thick broth, then we recommend having “Mul Milmyeon”. Fight the heat of a hot day with Milmyeon.  

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-Dwaejigukbap

There are many pork and rice soup restaurants in Busan that have been in tradition for decades. Many Koreans visit the city to eat this from other cities. It's a soup in which pork bones are boiled for a long time. You eat it with rice along with pork meat in the soup. If you try it with salted shrimp or kimchi, it could be a perfect combination. You will get to know why this is comfort food to people in Busan.  

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-Seafood Pajeon

Jeon is a traditional Korean pancake. There are various kinds of Jeon depending on the ingredients. Busan’s Seafood Pajeon is especially famous for its abundant seafood, such as squid, clams, and mussels. If you have a bite, you will be surprised by its crispy texture with fresh seafood and various vegetables. You can’t stop eating until the plate is empty.

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-Yubujeongol

It is a fried tofu hot pot that puts seasoned meat and Korean-style noodles called japchae together in a fried tofu bag and boils it in a fish cake soup. The soft taste of fish cake soup and fried tofu bag with these ingredients harmonize to create a savory taste.

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- Busan fish cake and Multteok

Fish cake is a food made by mixing mashed fish and flour, and you can see this easily as one of the side dishes that Koreans eat every day. In particular, Busan fish cakes, which contain a lot of fresh fish, are popular enough to sell to all parts of the country. When you go around the local market, they sell fish cakes and long white rice cakes called Multteok together. Multteok, a chewy water rice cake that is boiled in fish cake soup, is a good combination to try with.

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-Nakji-bokkeum at Gaemijip which locals love

A spicy stir-fried octopus called Nakji-bokkeum is everyone's favorite food in Busan.
You can order for only one person, so you don’t need to worry about that. It is so delicious when you sprinkle sesame oil on seaweed and rice along with shrimp and octopus that are mixed with spicy sauce. Gaemijip's stir-fried octopus restaurants are open all over Busan, so it's good to find out if there's a restaurant near where you go.

4) Are you looking for a vegetarian restaurant? Don't worry, you can fully enjoy vegan food in Busan. I'll tell you about the restaurants that vegetarians in Busan love.

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-To enjoy vegan food for everyone, restaurant Arp in Yeongdo  

This place strives to make vegan food more accessible. They provide different dishes by hours. During the daytime, it runs as a brunch bar using various vegetables. At night, you can enjoy vegan burgers and bracken pasta.

Price: About 15,000 KRW per dish

Opening Hours: 12:00 - 21:00, closed on Thursday

How to get here: It takes about 20 minutes from the Nampo subway station. So we recommend you to use the Kakao map app to find a way to take a bus.

Instagram: @arp_kitchen  

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-A famous vegan restaurant around Haeundae beach, Homebistro

Homebistro is the place where you can enjoy vegan food and bar at the same time. Many foreigners have visited here. You can eat hummus salad/sandwiches with chickpeas, fried mushroom with sweet and sour sauce, tacos, and basil pesto plates. (The menu can change slightly depending on the ingredients for the day.)

Price: About 15,000 KRW per dish

Opening Hours: Wed-Sat 18:00~23:000 (closed on Sun, Mon, Tue)

How to get here: It takes about 10 minutes from Haeundae subway station by walk.

Instagram: @homebistroandcafe

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-Cozy vegan restaurant around Gwangalli Beach, Loveurth

It is a place where you can feel like enjoying food in the neighborhood. There are sweet pumpkin cream pasta, basil pesto cream pasta, potato watercress salad, vegan butter curry, and so on. The menu changes seasonally, so please refer to Instagram before visiting.

Price: About 12,000KRW per dish

Opening Hours : 11:30-20:00 (breaktime 15:00-17:00)

How to get here: It takes about 10 minutes by walk from Gwangan subway station Exit 3

Instagram: @love_urth  

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-Enjoy various kinds of fresh salad bowls, FULL FULL

In this cafe, you can enjoy different kinds of salad bowls. For example, a Korean bowl using tofu, a Ricottalia bowl with ricotta cheese, fruits and nuts, and so on. If you miss fresh salad during the trip, this will be a perfect place for you.

Price: About 9,000 KRW per menu

Opening Hours: 11:30-22:00 (Break time 15:30-16:30)

How to get here: It takes about 5 minutes by walk from Jeonpo subway station Exit 7

Instagram: @fullfull_salad

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9. Accommodation

Choosing accommodation is as important as making a travel plan. A reliable and comfortable accommodation has a huge impact on our travel experience. Especially as female travelers, we are worried all the time. ‘Will this accommodation be safe to stay overnight?’ Before you make a reservation, please refer to NomadHer’s tips on choosing safe accommodation in Busan.

Tips for accommodation  

1.  If the people who are choosing the guesthouse are mostly in their old age, then it is likely to be a pretty good accommodation. Old people have lots of experience, so they are very careful when choosing a place to stay. So it means that the guesthouse satisfies their needs by possibly having a comfortable bed, nice atmosphere, and guaranteed privacy. So if you find this kind of accommodation, it will be good to pay attention.  

2.  Safety and security issues are mostly influenced by how the host manages the accommodation. Safety and security issues are mostly influenced by how the host manages the accommodation. If the host is the type of person who drinks to the point of intoxication with guests, he or she would not be ready to handle a situation when some problems arise unexpectedly. When you find this kind of review, then It's a good idea to think again

3. If you find an issue with cleanliness, it is better to find other places. The average price of a guesthouse in Busan is about 20,000-30,000 KRW. It is a good price and most of them have good room condition too. Keeping a room clean is the most basic part of running an accommodation. So if you find a place that has a cleanliness issue, it is highly doubtful they can manage their safety and security well.  

4. Choose accommodation in the downtown area. While traveling, plans can change unexpectedly. Sometimes, we arrive at our guesthouse at night after hanging out. So we recommend choosing your stay in the middle of downtown where many people are around, restaurants are open until late at night and public transportation is convenient to use.

Recommendations on areas to stay  

1.  Haeundae subway station area  

Haeundae is the most popular district that people love to visit and stay in during their travels. There are many one-star hotels and it is always crowded with people enjoying the night sea. The Haeundae area is brighter at night than daytime because many restaurants open until late at night. So there are many guest houses to choose from.

2.  Jagalchi subway station area

Discover the lively and historical markets near Jagalchi subway station called “BIFF square”, “Gukje Market” and “Bupyeong Kkangtong Night Market”. This area is always crowded with people who go out to enjoy a midnight snack until late at night. If you love trying delicious local food, this district gives you an opportunity to discover the taste of Busan.

3. Seomyeon subway station area

This is one of the most popular youth districts near universities where you can meet many young local people on the street. Seomyeon Underground Shopping Center is directly connected to the subway station. There are many shops that sell clothes, accessories and cosmetics and so on. If you love shopping, it will be a good place to stay and look around.

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10. Transportation for solo female travelers

When traveling alone, sometimes we feel that it’s hard to make a plan from beginning to end on our own. But when you go on a trip to Busan, you will notice that there is no city like Busan that has well-organized public transportation. It is not complicated at all. So you don’t need to be afraid of using it. NomadHer will become your guide. In this part, we will introduce you to how to go to Busan and how to use transportation when you are visiting tourist attractions during travel.

1)  3 Ways to go to Busan

You can go to Busan by plane, train, or express bus. We will introduce them one by one.

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●  If you visit Busan by plane

To go to Busan by plane, you should go to Gimhae International Airport, not Busan  International Airport. It can be confusing, so please keep in mind that it’s Gimhae International Airport. Flight tickets range from 20,000 KRW to 100,000 KRW depending on peak season and off-season.

- You can go downtown by taking the Light rail from Gimhae International Airport

- If you get out of Exit 1 of Gimhae International Airport, you can easily find a sign that says it’s a Light rail ride.

- It takes about 20 minutes to get to Sasang subway station, where you can transfer to a city subway connected to the heart of Busan. It can take more time depending on your final destination.  You can purchase tickets by typing the final destination in the automatic ticket machine at the airport subway station. The basic fee starts at 1,400 KRW and there is an additional fee depending on the destination. If you go from the airport subway station to Haeundae subway station, it will say on the screen to put 2,000 KRW. You can put that amount in and buy a ticket. There is a currency exchange next to it, so you can easily change your money to Korean money.

- It can be easier if you have a Korean transportation card or if you are using a credit card with a transportation card function.

●  If you visit Busan by train

To visit Busan by train, you should go to Busan station. There are three types of trains that you can take. We will explain how to go from Seoul to Busan station, which is the most common route.  

-  KTX (Korea Train Express): 59,800 KRW for adults, which takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes (It takes much less time, but you may feel it is a little   expensive)

-  Mugunghwa-ho: 28,600 KRW for adults, which takes about 5 hours and 40 minutes (It takes longer, but it's a historic train in Korea. You can't miss the charm of taking a train around Korea.)

- ITX Saemaeul: 42,600 KRW for adults, which takes about 4 hours and 40 minutes.

If you see the Letskorail website, an integrated train reservation system in Korea, you can see the timetable of these three trains at once. Usually, the train from Seoul Station to Busan departs every 10 minutes, so you can choose a train that meets your schedule. Busan train station is connected to Busan subway station Line 1, so you can move faster if you go straight to the subway station along the connecting passage.

Letskorail website: https://www.letskorail.com/

●  If you visit Busan by express bus

You can go to Busan Inter-City Bus Terminal by bus. There are several Busan Inter-City Bus Terminals. We will introduce you to bus terminals that have the best accessibility to the center of Busan. You can make reservations for both places on the site below.

T-money Inter-City Bus Reservation Site: https://txbus.t-money.co.kr/main.do

-  Busan Seobu Inter-City Bus Terminal

When you come out of this terminal, there is Busan Sasang subway station on Line 2 within a 5-minute walk. It takes 17 minutes by subway from here to Seomyeon subway station, the street of youth in Busan. Let me explain based on Seoul, the most popular departure place.

How to get to Busan from Seoul?

You can take an express bus from Seoul Nambu Bus Terminal. It is connected to the Seoul Subway Line No.3. So it is easy to go there for solo travelers.

If you depart here, then you will arrive at Busan Seobu Inter-City Bus Terminal. The Seoul-Busan route runs twice a day, departs from Seoul at 13:30 and 19:00, takes a total of 4 hours and 40 minutes, and costs 32,700 KRW for adults.

-  Busan Haeundae Inter-City Bus Terminal

When you get off here, you can see the Haeundae subway station nearby. and the bus terminal is a 10-minute walk away from the most popular beach, Haeundae beach. If you have accommodation around here, you can unpack and start your trip right away. Let me explain the route that starts from Seoul as it is the most popular departure place.

How to get to Busan from Seoul?

You can take an express bus from Seoul Nambu Bus Terminal. It is connected to the Seoul Subway Line No.3. It is easy to go there for solo travelers.

If you depart here, then you will arrive at Busan Haeundae Inter-City Bus Terminal. The Seoul-Busan route runs 3 times a day, departs from Seoul at 7:30, 9:50, 17:00, and takes a total of 4 hours and 50 minutes. 36800 KRW for adults.

-  Good tips to know

Depending on the highway traffic situation, it may take an hour more to arrive in Busan than expected. If the schedule is tight, we recommend visiting Busan by plane or train rather than by bus.

If you take a bus, it will stop by 1 rest area for about 15 minutes. Delicious snacks are sold at rest areas in Korea, but you can't eat them on the bus, so please refer to them.

2)  Public transportation in Busan

Tip 1. When you travel alone in Busan, you can use three types of transportation:   subway, bus, and taxi. If your budget allows, taking a taxi could be an experience to talk about Busan’s story with a local driver.  

Tip 2. It's good to download the Kakao Map application, a Korean Google map. It has the function of finding the fastest way to get to your destination from where you are.

Tip 3. If you are not going to only use the subway, it is a good choice to buy a transportation card. There is more detailed information below.

●  If you only take the subway

If you only use the subway, you can use the ticket machine in the subway station to buy tickets. If you are a solo traveler, there are 3 options below.

-  One pass: Starting with the basic fare of 1,400 KRW. Additional costs will be imposed depending on the final destination.

-  1 Day pass: It costs 5,000 KRW and you can use it for a day an unlimited number of times (not applied to a Light rail and Donghae Railroad).

-  7 Days pass: it costs 21,000 KRW and you can use it up to 20 times for 7 days (not applied to a Light Rail and Donghae Railroad).

●  If you take the bus

There are three types of buses in Busan: town bus (when going to the neighborhood), city bus (when going downtown), and express city bus (when going to a destination far away). The basic fee in cash is about 1,150 KRW, 1,300 KRW, and 1,800 KRW each.  

However, it will be inconvenient to pay for the bus fare while carrying cash and coins every time. In fact, most locals pay with a transportation card instead of cash. If you don't just use the subway, it will be a good idea to buy a transportation card.

What's good about using a transportation card?

-   Type of transportation card: T-money, Cashbee card.

-   Purchase fee: About 3,000 KRW.

-   You can easily buy and recharge at any convenience store.

-   You can take the subway, bus, and taxi.

-   For subways and buses, you can get a discount of 100 KRW, and even if you take different routes in a row, you can still get a discount.

-   It can also be used in Seoul and other metropolitan cities.

-   Except for taxis, when you use the subway and bus, you must put the transportation card on the card machine when you get on and off so that you

   don't get any additional charge.

●  If you take the city tour bus

In Busan, there is a city tour bus that goes around Busan's representative tourist attractions. If you want to look around the whole city before diving into a trip or if you want to travel efficiently on a tight schedule, it is a good choice to use a city tour bus.

What is the City tour bus?

-  Red Line: Busan Station <-> Haeundae

 It runs 9 times a day. The first departure from Busan Station is 09:45 and the last departure is at 16:35. Departing from Busan Station, the bus operates a total of 15 stops including UN Memorial Park, Gwangalli, Marine City, Haeundae, and Centum City. The bus may pass by Busan's popular Busan Port Bridge and Gwangan Bridge.

-  Green Line: Busan Station <->Taejongdae

 It runs 9 times a day. The first departure from Busan Station is 09:30 and the last departure is at 16:20. Departing from Busan Station, the bus operates 4 bus stops in the direction of Taejongdae, including Yongdusan Park, Taejongdae, and Oryukdo Sky Walk.

-  Blue Line: Haeundae <-> Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Gijang Market

It runs 9 times every 50 minutes. Haeundae's first departure is 10:20 and the last departure is at 16:45. Departing from Haeundae Beach, the bus operates 16 stops, including Dalmajigil Road, Cheongsapo, Songjeong Beach, and  Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. Currently, Blue Line is suspended due to  COVID-19.

-    A Day pass can be purchased from the driver at the time of boarding at each stop. (first-come-first-served)

-    Free unlimited use of 3 lines, 24 hours a day at no extra charge.

-    Valid for 24 hours from the boarding time (applies only to the circular red line, blue line, and green line sections; the Night View and theme courses

    are excluded)

-    Some of the stops are non-stop, so please check the city tour site in advance.

-    Many people use the city tour bus on weekends. If you want a seat with a good view, you’d better go to a bus stop 30 minutes earlier than the

    departure time.

-    Closed: Monday, Tuesday

-    Price: A day pass is 15,000 KRW for adult

-    Site: http://www.citytourbusan.com/ko/00main/main.php

●   If you take the taxi

If you travel with your friends, it could be cheaper to take a taxi because you can share the fee with your friends. But if you are a solo traveler, the cost could be expensive. But there are times when you have to take a taxi.

If you want to know the taxi fare in advance, you can find out how much it costs to get to your destination from your current location through Kakao Map. If you feel tired, getting a taxi could be one way.

-  Fare  change line

Regular taxi :

Basic fare 3,800 KRW  (first 2km distance) + Additional fee

depending on the distance.

Black Deluxe Taxi :

Basic fare 6,000 KRW (first 3km distance) + Additional fee

depending on the distance.

-  Tips for using a taxi

Busan local taxi drivers know everything about Busan because they drive all over Busan. In addition, they have to drive for a long time and eat outside every day, so they know the best restaurants where you can enjoy delicious local food. If you take a taxi, talk to them and ask them about Busan's famous local restaurants!

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11.  Disclaimer

This guidebook was made by NomadHer and the Busan Tourism Organization in support of female travelers taking a step closer to the bigger world through solo travel. The information in the guidebook may have changed in the meantime due to COVID-19. Don't hesitate to correct us with better recommendations or the latest knowledge

Busan where city and local sensibilities meet is a good place to travel alone. It's always full of vitality with the kindness and the people who came out to enjoy the night beach and night market even late at night. It is also a place where you can experience surfing, yachting, and trekking in the mountains and seas.

Are you preparing for a trip to Busan? Don't forget that NomadHer and Busan Tourism Organization will always be with you on your trip!

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Letter from Kazakhstan💌

💎 A lifetime in months

For the last year of my studies, I had the amazing opportunity to do my internship abroad. After living 5 months in Siberia during my bachelor's degree, I chose to do my internship in Kazakhstan.

When travelling around Russia, I wasn’t alone, and it was, therefore, easier to go without being afraid, but for Kazakhstan, I was completely on my own.

The day I left Belgium, I remembered I cried all the way until Nur-Sultan where I needed to catch another flight until Almaty. I was terrified, I wanted to go back, my first solo trip, to a country that I thought was not developed, what was I thinking?

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Well, I am glad I didn’t. This country is everything but not what I imagined. Locals are warm, nice, helpful, funny, they have really great tolerance, they are open-minded, ready to show everything you need.

I met so many wonderful people and I arrived only one month and a half ago. I feel like I am at home in this country that is so far from Belgium. I feel like it was meant to be.

In Almaty, they are really lucky because just beyond the city there are the mountains. And the locals are going there every weekend, how could I not join them when this beautiful landscape is calling me all week?

Not far from the city you can find Kolsaï lake, Kaindy Lake and Charyn Canyon, which are stunning. I was left speechless when travelling to these places.

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I still have 1 month and a half left in this amazing country, and a part of me is already crying that I will have to leave one day. I fell in love with the culture that is so rich, I fell in love with the peace I found inside me every time I escape in the mountains, I fell in love with the kindness of the locals, I fell in love with the warm laugh that wraps me when I am with my friends here, I fell in love with their heart, their love, their tolerance, their joy.

When I am thinking about how much I was afraid at the beginning it makes me smile, little did I know at that time.  

I’ve always been told that an exchange is a lifetime in only a few months, and that hits me really hard here because that is so powerful and true. I have the impression that I am living a whole new life, when in fact I am just passing by in theirs.

But I am glad that I will keep this life with me for the rest of the time, that these few months will forever be my other life on the other side of the globe, that they will be mine to cherish every day later.

I am so grateful to be here, to have learned that I can do things alone even though I thought I could not. I am glad that I am not feeling insecure when I come home late at night, I am grateful for meeting so many powerful women here. I am grateful for this life

And I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Kazakhstan you stole my heart💖

From Lucille Villance (@luluenvoyage_)

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