Busan Haeundae Workation Review | 3-Day Itinerary & Recommended Spots

1. Busan Workation 3 Days 2 Nights

Recently, 한달살러 and 청개구리 launched a program offering workation support for up to 100 employees, business owners, and freelancers outside of Busan on a first-come, first-served basis!

Thanks to this program, I was able to travel with my mom and enjoy both workation and a family trip at the same time.

Here, I will share my experience at various workation spots in Busan!

2. Accommodation Review: Toyoko Inn Hotel Haeundae 2nd Branch

✅ Accommodation Information

• Hotel Name: Toyoko Inn Hotel Haeundae 2nd Branch
• Location: About 1 hour by bus from Busan Station
• Price: Thanks to the 한달살러 x 청개구리 event, I paid 74,800 KRW for a double-bed ocean view for 2 nights and 3 days. Check the official website for actual prices
  • Parking costs an additional 10,000 KRW per day
• Facilities: Free WiFi, work desk, comfortable bed, basic amenities (Note: Toothbrush/toothpaste need to be purchased separately, so bring your own)
• Pros: Quiet environment, fast internet, and free breakfast!!
• Cons: The room was very dry, but it could be resolved with the provided humidifier
• Others: Check-in/check-out times differ for members and non-members
  • Non-members: Check-in 4 PM / Check-out 10 AM
  • Members: Check-in 3 PM / Check-out 11 AM
• Membership Fee: 15,000 KRW (one-time, lifetime), no annual fee

👉 Recommended for: Digital nomads working on laptops, travelers looking for a quiet environment, and those who want to enjoy a budget-friendly hotel with free breakfast and sightseeing at Haeundae

Whenever I travel, choosing the right accommodation is one of the most important factors. Traveling can be physically exhausting, and if I don’t get proper rest, it affects my ability to enjoy the trip the next day.

For this program, the accommodation was pre-set to Toyoko Inn Hotel Haeundae 2nd Branch, so I wasn’t too worried. I looked it up online beforehand and saw many positive reviews calling it a “great budget hotel.”

Indeed, when I checked in, I found it to be well-organized and efficient.

The bed was clean, and there were four hangers available for clothes.

I also read online that they provide pajamas, which I found amusing. But yes, I saw them in the lobby, where you could take them freely! The design reminded me of hospital maternity gowns—a rather unexpected touch.

Opposite the bed, there was a desk for work, a hairdryer, a humidifier, a mini fridge, an electric kettle, cups, and a telephone.

I was wondering why they had a humidifier, but after spending a few hours in the room, I realized it was incredibly dry. I don’t usually mind dry environments, but this was the first time I felt the urgent need for body lotion. Using the humidifier helped a lot.

The bathroom had shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, just like most hotels. However, the most interesting feature was a built-in clothes drying line inside the bathroom. I’ve traveled a lot, but I’ve never seen that before. Super convenient! ㄴㅇㄱ

And the highlight—breakfast!

Toyoko Inn Hotel offers free breakfast, and you can see from my Day 1 and Day 2 breakfast photos that the meals were quite generous.

My mom is very picky about food, especially when it comes to MSG. But even she enjoyed the breakfast, thanks to the amazing home-style cooking by the ladies in the kitchen. Moms know best when it comes to cooking! 🙌🏻

3. Busan Workation: Day 1 Itinerary

📌 Day 1 Course

• ✅ Huinnyeoul Culture Village: A redeveloped artistic village with beautiful mural alleys, cafes, and a coastal walking trail (Closed to visitors as of March 2025).
• ✅ Aether: A cozy and aesthetic cafe in Huinnyeoul Culture Village.
• ✅ Huinnyeoul Ramen: A self-service ramen restaurant.
• ✅ Seomin Haejangguk Bean Sprout Soup: A 24-hour Korean restaurant (near the accommodation).

💡 TIP: Busan is known for strong sea winds, so bring warm clothes.

I arrived in Busan by KTX at exactly 1 PM. Since hotel check-in was at 4 PM, sightseeing with my luggage would be inconvenient. So, I used Zimcarry, a luggage delivery service at Busan Station (1st floor, Exit 5), to send my bags directly to the hotel. If you have a Mastercard, you can get a discount—so keep that in mind!

Huinnyeoul Culture Village can be reached from Busan Station by taking bus #508, which takes about 40 minutes. While some parts were under construction, and some buildings had collapsed, the view was breathtaking. The ocean stretched endlessly, creating a refreshing and liberating atmosphere.

It was quite cold and windy that day, so I only took a quick stroll through the village before heading into a cafe. Among the many options, Aether stood out with its aesthetic interior.

The owner was very kind, guiding us through the menu and preparing our drinks and scones with care. I ordered a lemonade, and it was incredibly refreshing! If you love lemonade, I highly recommend trying it—it gave me an instant boost of energy.

After spending time at the cafe, we were about to return to the hotel when we spotted a self-service ramen shop across the bus stop.

The modern white-themed interior caught our attention. My mom, who rarely craves ramen, suddenly felt like having a bowl. So, we ordered Neoguri Ramen for 3,500 KRW.

After ramen, my mom mentioned she was craving bean sprout rice, so we found a 24-hour Korean restaurant near our hotel. I wasn’t in the mood for soup that day, so I opted for the bean sprout bibimbap—it was warm, hearty, and delicious!

After that, we checked into our hotel, retrieved our luggage from Zimcarry, and had a good rest for the night.

4. Busan Workation: Day 2 Itinerary

📌 Day 2 Course

• ✅ Busan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation: A free co-working space with excellent facilities.
• ✅ Osulloc Haeundae Branch: A cozy place to enjoy warm tea while working on a laptop.
• ✅ Haeundae Beach & Dongbaekseom Island: A must-visit spot for stunning night views.
• ✅ Haeundae Market: A great place to explore local street food.

💡 TIP: To fully enjoy the Haeundae night view, take a stroll from Haeundae Beach toward Dongbaekseom Island.

Day 2 was all about workation. Since my job allows remote work, I didn’t take any leave to come to Busan—which meant I had to work during my trip. As part of this program, I had to check in at Busan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation (CCEI), so I decided to work there while fulfilling the check-in requirement.

Since it’s a government-run space, the interior was well-maintained, the Wi-Fi speed was fast, and the atmosphere was quiet—a perfect place for remote work.

The process to use the space was simple: scan the QR code at the entrance of the 4th floor (which is entirely a workspace), and you’re good to go.

After working at CCEI until lunch, I visited the Osulloc tea house near my hotel with my mom. She caught a cold due to strong winds on Day 1, so we ordered warm tea and relaxed while chatting.

It was absolutely delicious. I don’t usually drink green tea, but whenever I visit Osulloc, I love it. Their bread and desserts were also amazing!

By the time we finished our tea, the rain had finally stopped. (I forgot to mention earlier—it rained non-stop from Day 1 evening until 4 PM on Day 2… Why does it always rain when I travel? 😂)

To celebrate the clear skies, we took a leisurely walk along Haeundae Beach. It was my first time in Haeundae, and I was surprised at how wide the sandy beach was.

After Haeundae Beach, we walked to Dongbaekseom Island, a small yet beautiful island nearby.

I finally saw the famous mermaid statue that I had only seen online, and we enjoyed the peaceful nature of Dongbaekseom. It took us around 40 minutes to walk around the entire island.

After our walk, we visited Haeundae Market to grab dinner.

Since my mom had never tried chicken feet before, we bought some. She also wanted fish cake soup, so we grabbed that too.

Back at the hotel, we enjoyed our dinner while watching the ocean view—a perfect way to end the day.

5. Busan Workation: Day 3 Itinerary

📌 Day 3 Course

• ✅ Busan Station: Traffic can be heavy during rush hours, so plan your departure accordingly!

On Day 3, I had a tight schedule, so after having breakfast, I checked out and headed straight home.

However, here’s a useful tip: Never fully trust the estimated time shown on maps, especially during rush hour.

I barely missed my bus and decided to take a taxi to Busan Station. The map said the ride would take 30 minutes, but in reality, it took 50 minutes due to traffic. If you’re catching a KTX train, be mindful of your timing to avoid missing your ride!

6. Tips for Those Planning a Busan Workation

• ✅ Use a luggage delivery service (Zimcarry)

  • Send your bags directly to your hotel and explore freely.
  • Discounts available for Mastercard holders.

• ✅ Key factors when choosing accommodation

  • Check Wi-Fi speed & a quiet environment for work.
  • Ensure the place has a desk for working.
  • Consider walkability and accessibility to key locations.

• ✅ Essential items for a Busan workation

  • Laptop & charger: If working from a cafe, a power strip might be useful.
  • Comfortable clothes & windproof jacket: Busan is a coastal city, so strong winds are common.
    • When I visited, the temperature was 4°C, but the wind chill made it feel like -2°C.
    • Travel is great, but staying healthy is more important!

7. Final Thoughts on the Busan Workation

📌 Why Busan is a great workation destination

• ✔ Well-equipped work-friendly spaces.
• ✔ Multiple workspace options (cafes, hotels, beachside locations, etc.).
• ✔ Exclusive discounts & free perks through the workation program.

👉 Busan is the perfect city for combining work and travel!

When planning a workation, two key factors are comfortable accommodation and a productive work environment. This Busan Workation met all my expectations, making the trip incredibly fulfilling. The free breakfast was also a big plus!

I had seen many Busan workation programs before, but I never had the chance to participate due to scheduling conflicts. After finally experiencing it, I can confidently say that Busan offers one of the best workation setups.

I’ve done workations in other places before, but none were as cost-effective and refreshing as this one in Busan. I highly recommend considering Busan for your next workation! 👍