South Korea in 2 days!!!

There are extremely frequent buses between Seoul and Busan (departures every 10-15 minutes or so), the journey takes about 4.5 hours, and will cost around 25,000 - 30,000 Won one way depending on the bus (cost just a guess, as I don't live in Busan but regularly travel between nearby Changwon and Seoul so the price is probably about the same).

Train (KTX) is quite a lot quicker but also considerably more expensive. Flying is also an option (50 minute flight) but Busan airport is at Gimhae which is some distance from the centre of Busan, so the train is probably the best option for you.

Where you go in each place depends on your interests. My favorite spots in Busan are Dadaepo beach (a nice stretch of sand and much less developed/busy than famous Haeundae), and Taejongdae (a nice coastal walk with lighthouse and tramcar ride). Busan also boasts the world's largest department store (Shinsegae). Jagalchi fish market is a popular tourist attraction.

When travelling around Korea I usually stay in "love motels" (easy to find everywhere, usually clean, no pre-booking required, usually around 30-40,000 Won per night). No specific recommendations but you won't have trouble finding a place to stay. There are a few hostels too but I don't know anything about them, sorry.

Oh, Dominic...you're such a sweet guy...thanks a lot...

I forgot to ask if you know by the way - is it easy to do the currency exchange in Seoul/Busan - i would like to exchange Japanese Y to Korean W...are there currency exchange booths/kiosks in the city...or smth like it...

i've noticed if your profile that you're teaching in Korea - Seoul or other city? How is it? Good pay, more or less? How long have you been there for?

Im teaching in Japan, jsut actually started a couple of mons ago...had an opportunity to teach in Korea but went to Japan instead...don't know if i made a right decision, just kidding...

What is it that everyone is talking about Thailand??? Is it a good spot to be...my friend from Russia actually just moved back from Thailand - she said it's not for her..culture, people, too hot and so on on on...any way,she didn't like it there...

Well, if you are in Seoul or Busan and would like to meet for a chat or beer as im coming this Sun to Korea - you are welcome...i love meeting new people from all over the world as well...would be nice to share some experiences...

Assuming you enter/exit South Korea through Incheon International (ICN), it is also conceivable to take a direct flight between ICN and Busan Gimhae airport (just once, either direction), depending on your international flight schedule. Gotta admit, it takes longer to get to Gimhae airport from central Busan than to the train station, and ICN-PUS flights are not exactly cheap. But it saves time and effort when compared to Busan-Seoul KTX (3 hours) combined with Seoul Station-ICN shuttle (1.5+ hours). Well, just a thought. It might not be worth it unless both flight schedule perfectly fit.

You 'might' find some individual currency exchange shops in both cities, but FX is carried out predominantly in banks. JPY exchange has huge demands, therefore you should be able to convert it as easy as USD in most bank branches. Bid-ask differences across banks are fairly negligible unless you're converting some millions, but Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) historically offers the best rate among others.

PM sent! :-)

dominic77's recommendation was good!. And I also recommend to take a KTX train to get to Busan from Seoul. But I personally recommned that you would stay two days in Seoul and visit Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi-do area. It is really short time to see around Seoul in 2 days, definitely...

Questions:
1.What train/bus can I take to Busan and come back...

I'd get the KTX fast train to Seoul Station & back to Busan if youre returning to Japan. Around 3 hours and a lot more comfortable than a bus. About 60k won or $50 US, each way, so quite a bit cheaper than Japanese trains.

1. Where in Seoul could I get some guidance with maps/directions...

Seoul Station tourist info booth, or Incheon Airport / Busan Port, for English & Korean Brochures.

1. What should i visit in both cities as a must..one day each..

Busan: Busan Tower, Beomeosa (temple) Taejungdae, Jagalchi Fish market, Dongbaek Headland near Haeundae Beach, or better still, the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Busan

Seoul: Insadong, Namsan Tower, Gyeongbukgung (palace), Itaewon, if time. Personally I'd prefer to see one of the other temples or Pagoda (Tapsol) Park, a short walk from Insadong.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Seoul

1. Any suggestions/recommedantions/advice on where to stay centrally in Seoul/Busan - inexpensive but decent place...

Seoul: http://www.guesthouseinkorea.com/?gclid=CJai9aOIxKICFQ1ubAodw3FaRQ

Busan: I usually stay in a motel for around 40k won in the Choryang Foreigner's Street, near Busan KTX Station, but that area can be seedy after 10 pm. A strange mixture of a China / Russia town. There are some good guesthouses in Busan though, & I'm sure others will recommend them.

Wanna add something to dominic's asw.
There are night buses as well. You can travel around Seoul, get on the bus and sleep at night, arrive in Busan next morning.

Cost is same as day buses.

Great way to save time and money for hostel.

Maps of Seoul are basically EVERYWHERE.
They have tourist centers all over the city. So don't worry about maps.
English is spoken at tourest centers.

Edited by: semy1991

hey guys...THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR GREAT SUGGESTIONS...
Some of it unfortunately came after i already left for South Korea...anyway, I jsut got back and I had a great time - stayed 2 days in Seoul and went for a day trip to Busan - awesome places...so much to do, see and enjoy....just, i wish i could have a bit more time...maybe, next time...