Yonggungsa on the Cliffs by the Sea

On my first day in Busan, I went to Yonggungsa, a Buddhist temple situated on the cliffs by the sea.  Most Buddhist temples are actually situated in the mountains that's why this temple is quite unique. 

From the bus stop at the Haeundae subway station Exit 7, I took Bus 181, went down the Yonggungsa bus stop and walked more or less one kilometer to the temple itself. Many people alight at the Yonggungsa bus stop and there are signs along the road so it's difficult to get lost. The road was full of slopes which made my calves hurt even more. (I was still sore from the hiking I did in Gyeongju the day before.) However, this view made all the pain worth it.

Statues of the twelve zodiacs were by the entrance.

This dragon totally reminds me of Dragon Ball lol.

It was a warm afternoon but it was super windy by the sea so I couldn't take off my coat.

Buddha of Mercy

Just a word of caution, the toilets inside Yonggungsa are stinky because they don't have proper water closets. I swear it's the stinkiest toilets I've been to (and I live in Manila) so if you need to pee, do it somewhere else. There are many establishments just outside the temple.

Toilets aside, I think among all the Buddhist temples I've been to, Yonggungsa is my favorite because the environment on which it was built is just amazing. It's one thing to see it in photos and another to actually feel the sea breeze on your face while admiring at the views. To be honest, I didn't enjoy Busan very much because its character doesn't fit my personality. However, even if only for this temple, I would definitely recommend people to go to Busan! For people who like temples and culture, it's a must-see!