Ulsan (울산(蔚山)) is a city in South Gyeongsang. It is the capital of the Ulsan Metropolitan District. While Ulsan is not listed in many tourist guides, it is the gateway to the Yeongnam Alps, considered to be one of the most beautiful national parks in South Korea. It also has twelve designated "Scenic Areas", from natural icons to man made buildings.
Ulsan is a seaside metropolitan city in the southeast of Korea with a population of 1.2 million. The city is known for its whaling heritage and as the industrial heart of the country. Today the city lives in a Catch-22 situation; in some districts it is impossible to escape the industries. Although these industrial sites are breath-taking in scope, a testament to the achievement of man, they blight the landscape. On the other hand, the investment from these industries undeniably makes the city a better place to be.
Ulsan has an extensive public bus network with plans in place to build Light Rapid Transit system in the future. If staying in the city for any length of time then buying the transportation discount card makes economic sense. It will entitle the holder to a ₩50 discount on fares (₩200 discount on Chwaseok "seated" buses) and a free transfer between bus services if made within the hour. Upon exiting the first bus be sure to place the card over the box with an X and O to initiate the free transfer. The cards can be bought and refilled at the vendor shacks located next to any major bus stop in the city. Depending on design it should cost no more than ₩5,000.
Ulsan has designated Twelve Scenic Areas of interest to tourists visiting the city. 1 Mt Gaji (가지산), Geori-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun (Bus: 807, 1713), ☏ +82 55-356-1915. Selected as one of the 100 Most Beautiful Mountains in Korea, Mt Gaji is the tallest mountain in Ulsan. There are well marked hiking trails up the mountain and are accessible from Seongnamsa Temple. Free. (updated Dec 2025) 2 Sunrise at Ganjeolgot (간절곶), 20-3 Daesong-ri, Seosaeng-myeon, Ulju-gun (From Ulsan Train Station (KTX), take a bus or taxi toward Seosaeng-myeon; the trip takes about 40 minutes by car.
Popular on Munsu Mountain, the tallest in the city. Over 100 sport routes are available from 5.8 up to 5.13 Ulsan is the gateway to Gayasan National Park and is accessible from Eonyang, a suburb of Ulsan. Take a bus to the Eonyang terminal and change for a bus heading to Seongnamsa. Hiking in the numerous mountains around the city is very popular, especially among the Koreans. Just about any wooded area will be flush with hiking trails. The city has a fabulous river park with walking, running and biking trails. Flowers are plentiful and make for pleasant journeys along the river. 1 Ulsan Ilsan Beach (울산 일산해수욕장), 18, Haesuyokjang 10-gil, Dong-gu (1 kilometer north of Baneojin).
1 Ulsan Samsan Wheat Noodles (울산 삼산밀면 본점), 7, 125, Hyeop-ro, Nam-gu (울산 남구 화합로125번길 7) (Near Ulsan Express Bus Terminal), ☏ +82 0507-1317-6140. 10:30 ~ 20:30. It is a noodle that is only eaten in South Gyeongsang Province in Korea.It's a cool noodle called Milmyeon and you can taste the unique taste of Korea. ₩8,500. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Gyeongbokgung (경복궁), 595 Saneop-ro, Nam-gu (From Ulsan Station (KTX), taxi ~25–30 min to Samsan area; the restaurant is along Saneop-ro near the main commercial strip.), ☏ +82-507-1406-0794. 11:00–15:00, 17:00–23:00. A popular spot for premium hanjeongsik and charcoal-grilled beef, suitable for family or business meals.
Bench Warmers (one block north and one block west of the clock tower ring, look on the right up a short alley for the sign). Great foreigner bar in Shinae (Old Downtown). They host a poker game on a weekly basis.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Aug, Ulsan typically sees ~33°C daytime highs and 15 rainy days.
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