I fancy myself as a bird-watcher (or 'birders' as we like to call ourselves), so I thought the Eulsuk-do Bird Sanctuary, west of Busan, would be worth a visit. I ride the beautiful Busan subway, then transfer to a bus which takes me to the main island in the estuary area where the birds breed.
Eulsuk-do, claim the Koreans, is Asia's largest migratory bird habitat, and designated Natural Monument #179 by the govt. The main island is swampy and full of reeds, but a major rehabilitation program is in place to restore the area as a premier bird habitat cum tourist attraction. It is definitely a great place for picnics and walks.
Unfortuntely the timing of my visit (month of May) is not too good. The critters which have left the estuary for warmer climes to the south (some all the way to Malaysia) have not yet arrived back for summer, while the other bunch which have come from the north to escape the harsh winter there, have left for home. I took a long walk in the hot sun and spotted some old avian friends.
