Busan is known for beaches and hills, but the Nakdong River gives the city a different kind of day out: riverside parks. Samnak Eco Park in Sasang District has reeds, wetlands and a bike road, and KTO says it is the largest of the four riverside parks along the river. This guide covers how to get there, what to see in autumn, a crab and clam soup stop nearby, and a museum for a backup plan.
Every fact comes from a named source. We checked them on 1 October 2026, and we say where sources disagree.
Where to Go: Samnak Eco Park (삼락생태공원)
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) says Samnak Eco Park is the largest of the four riverside parks created along the Nakdong River. Its English listing says it is 7 kilometers long and has a wetland eco park for migratory birds, lawns, wildflower fields and eco walking trails. It also has sports facilities such as outdoor swimming pools, soccer fields, tennis courts and bike rental stands.
KTO’s Korean listing says the land was once vinyl greenhouse farmland. Sasang-gu built a sports ground in 1998, and in 2006 a Nakdong riverside project restored wetlands and added eco-friendly fields for winter migratory birds, a water play area and an in-line skating rink. It describes three parts: sports facilities at the top and center, a large meadow of reeds and willows with walking paths, and a reed wetland in the lower part that attracts many migratory birds.
Two sizes. KTO’s English listing gives the area as 4.89 square kilometers. Visit Busan, the city’s official tourism site, gives 4,722,000 square meters, which is about 4.7 square kilometers when converted. We use neither number in our plan.
What it looks like in autumn
Visit Busan says that when fall breezes start, the marsh eco park has silver grass, and the trail is surrounded by silver grass and reeds. A bike road continues to a cosmos colony. It also lists a Samnak Auto Campground. Visit Busan’s autumn flower page says reed flowers can be seen throughout the park from mid-September to the end of October. It gives no dates for the cosmos.
Other seasons
Visit Busan says cherry blossoms and rape flowers come in spring, lotus flowers in summer, and migratory birds rest in the park in winter. This helps you choose a season. The photos on this page were taken in different seasons, so they do not all show October.
Hours, Fees and Rules
The park is free to enter, according to Visit Busan, except for parking fees. Bike rental costs money.
Hours conflict. KTO says the park is open 24 hours. Visit Busan lists “every day”. Its travel tips also list opening hours of 10:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and 09:00 to 18:00 on weekends and holidays, with closing at 17:00 in winter, and closed days on Mondays and Tuesdays in July and August and from December to February. We cannot tell which facilities those hours apply to. Check on site before you go, especially if you visit in winter or summer.
KTO lists the park’s information number as +82-51-303-0048.
How to Get There
Visit Busan gives these routes:
- Light rail: Busan–Gimhae Light Rail to Gwaebeop Renecite Station (괘법르네시떼역) Exit 1, then a 16-minute walk.
- Bus: Bus 123 or 126 to Samnak Eco Park.
- Car: Parking lots are in the park and the area.
KTO’s English listing says there is a public parking lot.
What to Eat: Gejang and Clam Soup
KTO’s Korean database lists Sacheon Gejang-jip (사천게장집) on Sasang’s jaecheop (freshwater clam) street. Gejang is crab marinated in sauce and eaten with rice. KTO says that at this restaurant the soy sauce version (간장게장) comes with chili on top, and the spicy version (양념게장) is tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. The main menu item pairs gejang with jaecheop-guk (clam soup). The listing says the soup comes with unlimited refills and that rice and side dishes arrive without waiting. Check whether refills apply to your order.
Hours are 09:00 to 20:30, all year. There is parking in front, and takeout is available. Phone 051-301-1094. To order, say 간장양념게장 주세요 (ganjang-yangnyeom gejang juseyo). If you have a shellfish allergy, ask staff first. The shop is about 3 kilometers from the park in a straight line (our estimate).
A closer option
KTO lists Haemul Wangchang Kalguksu (해물왕창칼국수) near Deokpo Station Exit 2. It describes noodle dough aged in two stages and clams delivered from Goheung each morning. The seafood kalguksu (칼국수) can be ordered from two servings. KTO says it is near Samnak Eco Park and that a walk there after the meal is pleasant. Hours are 11:00 to 21:00, with last order at 20:30, and it is closed on Mondays and on Seollal and Chuseok holidays. Cards are accepted and parking is available. This shop is about 1 kilometer from the park in a straight line (our estimate). We have not tried either shop.
Plan Your Visit: A Backup Stop
If the weather turns, KTO’s Korean listing describes Sasang Life History Museum (사상생활사박물관, our translation of the name) in Samnak-dong. It opened in May 2016 and shows how local people’s lives have changed, with special and planned exhibitions. It is run with local residents. It is open 09:00 to 18:00, with the last entry at 17:30. It is closed on Mondays (the next day if Monday is a public holiday), on 1 January and on the Seollal and Chuseok holidays. Phone +82-51-310-5136. It is about 0.3 to 0.6 kilometers from the park in a straight line (our estimate; it depends on which park point is used).
KTO also lists Samnak Water Leisure Town (삼락수상레포츠타운), which offers rowing and sailing on the Nakdong. We did not find hours or prices.
First-Timer Tips
These are our suggestions.
- Rent a bike if you want to see the whole 7 kilometers. Rental costs money.
- Bring water and sun protection. We have no sourced weather data for the park.
- Check the hours listed on site, because our two sources differ.
FAQ
How do I get there without a car? Take the light rail to Gwaebeop Renecite Station Exit 1 and walk 16 minutes, or take bus 123 or 126.
Is it free? Yes, except for parking. Bike rental costs money.
Can I see the cosmos flowers now? Visit Busan says reed flowers can be seen from mid-September to the end of October. It gives no dates for the cosmos, so we cannot confirm what is in bloom.
Is there something indoors nearby? Sasang Life History Museum is about 0.3 to 0.6 kilometers away in a straight line (our estimate). It is closed on Mondays.
What We Could Not Confirm
- Which facilities the weekday and weekend hours apply to.
- Bloom dates for the cosmos.
- The official English name of the museum.
- Bus routes from the park to the restaurants.
- Menu prices.
Related guides
- Dadaepo Sunset Fountain and Beach, Busan
- Busan Metro for Visitors
- Best Time to Visit Busan
- Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan
We post short first-timer guides on Instagram too: @rolo.koreaguide.
Sources
Checked on 1 Oct 2026.
- Korea Tourism Organization, TourAPI (English service): Samnak Eco Park (content ID 1351815). Korean service: Samnak Eco Park (1338947), Sacheon Gejang-jip (2785277), Haemul Wangchang Kalguksu (2853156), Sasang Life History Museum (3017191), Samnak Water Leisure Town (2756707). Photographs from these listings (KOGL Type 3), used unaltered.
- Visit Busan (official Busan tourism site): “Samnak Eco Park with different charms throughout the four seasons”, https://www.visitbusan.net/index.do?menuCd=DOM_000000301001001000&uc_seq=325&lang_cd=en ; “A romantic walk among Autumn flowers”, https://visitbusan.net/index.do?lang_cd=en&menuCd=DOM_000000302002001000&uc_seq=1004 . Re-read 1 Oct 2026.
- Distances: straight-line calculations from the KTO coordinates, not walking routes.
