Buan Itinerary 2026: Discovering Korea's Quiet Coastal Gems

September 2026

Let's embark on a journey to Buan

After a busy day of pottery classes and exams,

I finally set off for Buan.

The sunset that day was truly spectacular.

After traveling with my parents for a day,

I decided to explore on my own on the second day.

My accommodation was the Mohang Haenaru Hotel.

The ocean view was absolutely stunning.

Mohang seems to be one of the quieter areas in Buan.

I heard there was a charming cafe in a town called Julpo,

so I traveled from Mohang to Julpo.

📍Dalimwang Mandu

A dumpling and steamed bun shop located in Julpo.

I had a big breakfast, so I was looking for something light to grab

in Julpo – and this was the spot!

Oh, how adorable is this loofah!

It really resembles the owner's friendly image.

The owner was incredibly kind, even giving me a bottle of cold water because of the heat.

Julpo, a quaint little rural town.

For a moment, I felt like I was in Jeju Island.

Mohang and Julpo are located on the Byeonsanbando Peninsula,

but because they're quite a distance from Buan-eup,

they give off an island-like vibe.

I grabbed a quick lunch at a nearby park.

The rice steamed buns and kimchi dumplings were delicious!

📍Julpo Manha

I stumbled upon this cafe while looking for a 'workation' center in Julpo.

It seemed to be run by an architect,

and I heard they plan to build an art museum here later.

An establishment like this in the countryside? I just had to check it out!

Wow, the atmosphere here is just incredible!

It's a book cafe with so many books,

and to find such a sophisticated space in the countryside – absolutely amazing!

The view beyond the blinds,

and the vibe of this place matched perfectly.

If I had more time, I would have loved to read a book and linger here.

Spaces touched by an architect's hand definitely have a different feel.

The space is so beautiful and the atmosphere is so lovely,

I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area!

📍Buan Julpo Sunset Workation Center

I came to Buan as part of a program from Buyeo,

so I had to make use of the workation facilities.

I came without much expectation, but this place was truly amazing.

The facilities are super clean, and the view is insane!

There are two workation centers in Buan,

and both seem to have great facilities and views.

I'm not sure if just anyone can use this place,

but there was no one around, so I had it all to myself.

📍Naesosa Temple

I spotted a sign for Naesosa Temple on the way,

so I decided to check it out while I was here!

After passing the entrance, a magnificent fir tree path unfolded.

I arrived late in the afternoon, so there were no people,

and I could walk in peace.

There were many interesting plants along the way.

Are these lilies?

With a huge rocky mountain behind it,

Naesosa Temple felt grand and magnificent.

It's said that a monk built this temple during the reign of King Mu of Baekje.

While the current buildings aren't from the Baekje era,

it's a place where you can experience the late Baekje period's atmosphere.

Buyeo - Iksan - Buan

Naesosa Daeungbojeon Hall

The window lattices, carved with floral patterns from wood, are quite unique!

Naesosa Temple, with its beautiful fir tree path.

📍 Byeonsan Beach

You absolutely *must* see the sunset on the West Coast!

So we came to Byeonsan Beach,

the most beautiful place to watch the sunset in Buan.

While it wasn't overly crowded,

there were still quite a few people who came to admire the sunset.

I wish I had brought something too!

Ah, the West Coast sunset!

It was truly breathtakingly beautiful.

Every beach has distinct characteristics when it comes to seashells,

and at Byeonsan, the shells were pearly white and incredibly large!

No wonder 'baekhap' (a type of clam/shellfish) is so famous here.

I picked up a few as souvenirs,

it seems I always end up collecting seashells whenever I visit the seaside!

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📍Bada Maeul

We came here for some delicious clam porridge to start our morning!

The clams were incredibly plump and fresh.

Could it be that I'm just too used to the flavors from Chungnam Province?

I found the seasoning to be quite strong.

Especially the kimchi!! Why was it so salty?

Nonetheless, the clam porridge itself was really tasty!

📍Cafe 909

This was a cafe I made sure to visit to use my Jeonbuk Pass!

It's an ocean view cafe, and let me tell you, the sea here was absolutely stunning!

Oh, and their iced Americano? Super delicious!

You're treated to these incredible cliff views.

It seriously reminded me of the breathtaking cliffscapes at Sydney's Royal National Park... truly a sight to behold!

Heading from Byeonsan towards the town center,

all the views along the uphill road were just picture-perfect.

The views around Solseom Island are simply gorgeous.

I noticed there's a bike path here, and it looks absolutely fantastic!

I'm not sure if it's accessible for trekking,

but it's definitely a place I'd love to explore on foot.

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It takes about 30 minutes to drive from Byeonsan Peninsula to Buan-eup (the town center).

When I first looked it up, I was quite surprised by the distance!

If I were in Buyeo, it'd feel like driving to Nonsan or another distant town, so it certainly felt like a trek.

It definitely felt like a long way!

📍Sigor Japwhajeom

My main reason for stopping by the town center was to visit Sigor Japwhajeom and a local bakery!

First up, Sigor Japwhajeom!

I discovered this gem on Instagram.

It's a fantastic spot where young people from Buan create and sell unique local merchandise.

They create and sell character-based merchandise,

and there was a surprisingly vast array of goods to explore and admire!

There were also many creative maps and content pieces made like this.

Look at this super adorable

Sigor Jabjong (mixed-breed dog) keyring!

I really wanted the Jabjong one, but they were out, so I ended up buying a different keyring instead.

You'll find a delightful variety of goods, including postcards, magnets, keyrings, and so much more.

What truly captured my heart was how they created unique characters for each town and village in Buan,

each one perfectly embodying its distinct charm. So incredibly cute!

These graphic t-shirts are quite well-known!

I picked up a Buan magnet and

a Julpo-myeon sparrow keyring.

The prices were super reasonable too: ~$4 + ~$2.

You can even DIY your own t-shirts like this!

📍Ariul Tteok Gongbang (Rice Cake Workshop)

When you think of Buan, Seuljine Bakery is famous,

but I'd tried it before and was curious about other places, which is how I discovered this spot.

They're known for Ariul Tteok, which are frozen honey rice cakes.

If you defrost and eat them as is, they're incredibly soft and chewy,

and there's a famous type of tteok that supposedly never hardens.

I can't believe that place was in Buan!?

I was delighted to visit.

They make and sell bread here too.

I bought sweet pumpkin glutinous bread, red bean buns with apple, three-color bread, and more.

The bread was surprisingly chewy and absolutely delicious.

It's like a fusion of bread and tteok? It's bread, but it has a lively chewiness to it.

And if you get the mugwort bread, the mugwort scent is really rich and lingering.

Highly recommend it as a Buan bakery!!

📍Paran Gotgan (Blue Barn)

About a 10-minute drive from the town center, you'll find it amidst rural rice paddies and fields.

It's a cafe converted from a warehouse.

A brother and sister operate this place, having transformed their father's warehouse

into a cafe and stay, aiming to preserve its memories.

They even cultivate and sell their own rice,

and it seems they do indigo dyeing too.

Given it's the 'Blue Barn,' that would certainly fit the theme!

The front part is the original barn, while the back is a newly constructed building.

It lets in a lot of natural light, and with views of the outdoor plants and scenery,

it feels incredibly open and wonderful.

I ordered the rice gelato.

It was sweet and delicious.

Among the books on display, there was one called 'Plant Scale' that supposedly mentions Paran Gotgan,

so I picked it up to read.

This place was designed by architect Cho Byoung-soo,

and rather than tearing it down, they revived its past memories and traces

to be reborn in a way that fits the present day.

When a story is added to a space,

it seems to stick in your memory even more.

Ah! A space created by three siblings for their father.

That's how it will surely be remembered.

Julpo Cham Sae

Julpo is also a charming place.

It's behind the Blue Barn,

and it's said to be a field of blue cornflowers.

It seems it's not the right season now, which is a shame T_T

Have I not traveled enough around Korea yet?

There are so many beautiful and wonderful places

in every nook and cranny of the region!

This trip to Buan made me think

that I need to explore even more hidden corners.