We chose Commodore Hotel in Busan with blind luck. The description on booking.com was appealing as it referenced its historic status, beautiful architecture, very large but aging rooms with reasonable pricing. To say that we were impressed when we walked in is an understatement. The exterior is beautiful, and when you enter the lobby which is the size of a modest playing field, you are greeted with an atmosphere of beauty, historic charm reflecting Busan’s identity.
The city is full of ultra modern skyscraper hotels, which are quite beautiful. Nonetheless, we feel so lucky to have found the Commodore. It hosts weddings, conferences, spa/sauna (men only) and a swimming pool 2 stories below ground. This 16 floor hotel seems to be booked solid every night with people from all walks of life, including 2 foreign cyclists. When we arrived, the fellow checking us in asked where our bikes were. We told him that they were parked in the front and he said, no..no, you must bring them in and park them in the lobby. He rushed outside with us and helped us get them up the ramp to the lobby. Our trikes will enjoy the best parking site of our trip…just outside the dining room in clear sight. It is amazing, sometimes the parking of our trikes at a hotel is the biggest challenge we face. But in this special place, they treated us like we were welcome without restrictions.
The entrance to the Commodore Hotel. The expansive lobby has a ceiling 2 stories high with intricate painting on the ceiling and large art pieces celebrating Busan’s history.
A view from our room on floor 14. From every angle, you marvel at the density of the buildings and the steep narrow winding lanes that lead uphill to people’s homes.
Our first order of business is to find our way back to the ferry terminal and get a pocket wifi so that we can function. We headed off on our trikes, down the steep road from the hotel to the glorious chaos of Busan streets. Locals we have met have warned us that cars are very dangerous for cyclists. Cars come very close, they drive super fast and it seems that a red light is optional. The rule of thumb is to never assume that you have right of way…always stop, even when your light is green and let cars do what they do. It is a fight you cannot win.
This trio of skyscraper apartments is our goal as they are opposite the ferry terminal. Buildings in Korea are illuminated in bold colours which makes the skyline quite beautiful at night. Last night there were lit up in vibrant shades of blue.
Convenience Stores are pretty good but smaller with fewer eating choices like bento boxes etc. we have much to learn. Liked the name of this one…Nice to CU.
Now that we are more confident having a modem and access to a map on our phone, we set out to explore a bit. Department stores in Asia has been interesting for us, so we gave the Korean Lotte a try. Like all buildings here, it is very tall. What we found most interesting were the observation decks on the top two floors. They are landscaped and quite lovely…and the view is incredible.
A significant challenge for us triking in Busan, is that every car has dark, shaded windows. It is impossible to get eye contact with a driver to get assurance that they see you, or will let you through. We realize that we must be extremely cautious here.
We have a bit of research to do regarding food so that we know what to order. Busan is also full of coffee shops and incredible bakeries. Bakeries are a good source of food as they sell meal sized take out salads, sandwiches etc as well as yummy baking.
Kevin StevensAre you riding the cross-country path to Incheon? If so, I can point out some spots that may be challenging for the trikes, and offer some workarounds. Reply to this comment 4 days ago
Barry BartlettTo Kevin StevensThanks for the offer but we have had to shorten our time in Korea. We were unable to get a return ferry trip back to Fukuoka in December. Instead we will return Nov. 26. We will go as far as can and turn around . We are very impressed with the Korean cycling infrastructure and we hope to return to Korea and do a trip to Incheon and then the east coast. What spots would be challenging for trikes? Reply to this comment 4 days ago
Kevin StevensTo Barry BartlettI wonder if it would be possible to get your trikes into the cargo bay of an intercity bus. This would keep you from having to turn around. If you wanted to play it safer, you could take the bus first (not necessarily to Seoul or Incheon, but as far as you would feel comfortable riding for a week). Then if the bus idea fails, you resort to your original plan.
Regarding the tricky spots on the route, I'll have to check my notes. Let me get back with you. Reply to this comment 4 days ago
Kevin StevensTo Barry BartlettThese notes are listed south to north.
The first few kilometers of the trail north from Busan can be very crowded with walkers. There is a peaceful trail on the west side of the Nakdong River between Eulsuk Island and Highway 104. Then cross the bridge on Highway 104 back to the east side of the River. This will bypass some of the crowding on the main trail.
Note that there isn't much in the way of amenities along the trail between Busan and Namji. Have some food and water with you, and take advantage of open shops and restaurants when you see them. There are little towns here and there, but they're often on the other side of the river and can be hard to get to. Lodging is also scarce. We stayed in minbaks the last two nights before Busan (heading south). If you need a western-style room, you may need to make a detour or two.
The trail has gained a reputation as being great for beginning tourists, so there's this idea that it's flat, straight, wide, and smooth. Much of it is, but not all.
The path to Musimsa Temple is steep switchbacks. I think it should be navigable by trike, and the temple is beautiful. If it doesn't work out for you, there is an alternate route on Road 1034. It'll be pretty obvious on the map.
A little ways north of there, before you reach Dodong Seowon Confucian Academy, there is a concrete section of path that is steep and tricky to negotiate.
Just north of Sanjubo, there is a steep hill with switchbacks. Someone warned us about this, so we crossed the river and took roads on the east side.
Just south of Iho Bridge, there is a series of barriers designed to force riders to walk their bikes on a particularly steep curve. Not fun if you have a heavy bike. Reply to this comment 3 days ago
Barry BartlettTo Kevin StevensThanks Kevin for the detailed tips. We did the ride north of Namji yesterday and the switchbacks were indeed very steep. Have a great trip back to Seattle. Reply to this comment 2 days ago
