You reach Busan Tower by stepping off the busy shopping streets of Nampo-dong and onto a series of covered outdoor escalators. They carry you up a steep hill and drop you right into Yongdusan Park.
Standing in the middle of the park is the tower. Because it sits on top of the mountain, the observation deck feels higher than you expect.
It was built in 1973, primarily as a tourist observation tower.
You might see signs calling it Diamond Tower. That is the new official name after a recent update. But almost everyone still calls it Busan Tower.
To get to the top, you take an elevator fitted with screens that make you feel like you are riding in a submarine. When the doors open at the sky deck, you get a clear look at how the city is put together—harbor cranes and cargo ships, the ocean beyond, mountains behind, and dense neighborhoods wedged right in between. And if you glance up, you’ll notice something missing from the top.
