By its nature, traveling to North Korea is a fascinating, unique and unforgettable experience. Approximately 2,000 Western tourists visit the country per year, with the majority spending their time visiting the country’s best known sites and monuments, places like the Juche Tower, USS pueblo, DMZ, Mansudae Grand Monument and of course, Arirang. But there is a lot more to North Korea than the polish of Pyongyang.
2010 saw new destinations like Hamhung opening their doors to foreign tourists, with new regulations giving American visitors far greater access than ever before. But with a wide range of operators now offering packages to travel North Korea, deciding on the right option has become an increasingly difficult choice.
Last year we featured the following tour because of the original and interesting itinerary – and we’re happy to recommend it again.
NK News readers are welcome to a 200 Euro discount if they mention NK News when booking.
Featured Tour # 1: Chongjin, Paekdu & Wonsan
Dates: August 22 – Tuesday 30 August (8Days, 7 Nights – excluding all travel time)
Price: 1595 Euros (inclusive of 100 Euro NKNews Discount)
*Price Includes: Round trip transportation to Pyongyang from Beijing, all internal flights and transportation, hotels, and food.
Americans Accepted? Yes
Click here for the trip itinerary
Young Pioneer Tours started its North Korea programme in 2009, quickly making a name for itself as an operator providing exceptionally good value. Several friends of this author have gone on tours with YPT, and all have reported good service, hence why we are happy to recommend this company to visitors of NK News.
Breakdown of itinerary, region by region:
Paekdu and Chongjin
Through chartering a Soviet-era Antonev AN-24 (of 1959 design heritage), visitors fly to the extreme north-east of the DPRK to visit two fascinating and rarely visited destinations – the legendary Mount Paekdu and industrial city of Chongjin.
Paekdu:
“Mount Paekdu is the backdrop for many of the almight mosaics and paintings seen across North Korea, and its significance for all Koreans is evinced by the dominance of South Koreans in the thriving tourist industry on the Chinese side of the mountain. North Korea reports that the sacred mountain was also the birthplace of Kim Jong Il, although this is largely refuted.
The average temperature on the mountain is -8 degrees C, the highest being 18 and the lowest recorded – 47. Within Paektu’s thorny crown of petrified lava is cupped the world’s highest lake, Lake Chon.
Getting to the mountain requires a drive that in itself makes the whole trip worthwhile, an ascent to the spiritual spring of Korea in a landscape like that at the beginning of the world.” – Bradt Travel Guide on North Korea
During the YPT Tour, visitors stay at the 47 room Begaebong Hotel; a large Swiss-style hotel at the base of the peak, some two kilometers from Samjiyon town.
Chongjin:
After Paektu, take the AN-24 to nearby dual use military / civilian Orang airport, to visit Chongjin – one of the least visited cities in North Korea, where events in Barbara Demicks’ “Nothing to Envy” book took place.
Chongjin is one of the DPRK’s most important steel and fiber industry centers. Near the port area are many factories, including Kimchaek Iron & Steel – a site which used to employ over 20,000 workers.
Reports suggest the city is still highly restricted for tourists, with the Steelworks Kindergarten and town museum the only places that foreigners can really see. Nonetheless, it is worth the visit, if anything for being one of the least visited cities of the DPRK.
At night, tourists can visit the Seamen’s Club which serves to cater for foreign crews as well as a meeting base for North Koreans and foreigners engaged in the shipping trade.
Because of the heavy concentration of industries in the area, Chongjin is also the DPRK’s air pollution black spot. However, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent shortage of oil to generate electricity, many factories have been shuttered. One of the first senior U.N. officials permitted to visit the area, Tun Myat, observed in 1997 when the North Korea economic crisis reached its peak, “Chongjin was like a forest of scrap metal, with huge plants that seem to go on for miles and miles that have been turned into rust buckets. I’ve been all over the world, and I’ve never seen anything quite like this.”
Pyongyang
Eating Out:
For the most part, tourists visiting the capital of Pyongyang wine and dine at a small and carefully selected range of hotel and tour-operator contracted restaurants and bars. While offering a tasty and realistic impression of local Korean food and drink, these locations are rarely visited by typical Pyongyangites. In contrast, this YPT itinerary brings visitors to restaurants, bars and fast-food eateries seldom visited by the majority of tour groups.
The Okryugwan (Jade Stream Pavilion): Located on the left bank of the Taedong river, this restaurant has been going since 1960 and is a major landmark of the North Korean capital.
“This large building, in mock traditional style, boasts a number of dining halls, including some special banquet rooms, and can seat up to 2,000 patrons.
Okryugwan has the officially recognized standing of the major guardian of traditional Korean cuisine, and functions as a type of living museum of culinary art. It was reported that together with a local college, it sent special research teams to the countryside. The teams were to gather data on traditional cuisine in order to introduce new dishes to the Okryugwan menu” – Andrei Lankov, in “North of the DMZ”
The Ch’ongryugwan (Pure Stream Pavillion): Officially the best eatery in Pyongyang.
“Ch’ongryugwan is almost equally famous to the Okryugwan. It was opened much later, in 1980, in a new building shaped to resemble a ship. The Ch’ongryugwan sits on the banks of the Pot’onggang, a minor but capricious tributary of the Taedong River. It has two levels: the ground floor is occupied by a large dining hall, while the upper floor is used for small dining rooms and banquet halls.” – Andrei Lankov, in “North of the DMZ”
Samtaesong (Three Big Stars) Burger Bar: A joint venture (with business from Singapore) fast-food restaurant.
“Located in the heart of Pyongyang, it is next to a subway station and within walking distance of various universities and foreign embassies. It occupies one floor in a two storey building and can seat about 80 people. Furniture, styled after fast-food joints in Singapore, was shipped in from China. Kitchen equipment and ingredients, such as the seasoning for the fried chicken and the waffle mix, were flown in from Singapore. The beef and the chicken are sourced in North Korea, while a local factory supplies the burger buns and patties according to Mr Soh’s recipe.” – From the Straits Times
Pyongyang Italian Pizza Restaurant : Another joint venture, this Italian restaurant is located near the School Children’s Palace – featuring both pizza and pasta dishes
“It has taken almost 10 years of work, but North Korea has acquired the technology to launch a project very dear to its leader’s heart – the nation’s first “authentic” Italian pizzeria. Despite the food shortages high-quality Italian wheat, flour, butter and cheese are being imported to ensure the perfect pizza is created every time.” Peter Foster in The Telegraph
Pyongyang No.1 Duck Barbeque: A regular feature on the majority of Pyongyang itineraries, this has been included for a reason.
“The pick of the bunch in Pyongyang, would have to be the BBQ duck restaurant. The tables are set up so you grill within the constraints of your chair and along side are various dips, sauces and side dishes. All in all a fun ‘fondue’ style approach to eating. Add in a bottle of snake-wine for authenticity.” Crewsada at Virtual Tourist
Accommodation:
In terms of accommodation, this itinerary gives visitors a chance to experience three of Pyongyang’s main hotels:
1. The Yanggakdo - an island based hotel complete with 9 whole golf course and two revolving restaurants
2. The Koryo – located close to the main train station, this centrally located deluxe hotel gives visitors a glimpse of life in downtown Pyongyang. Nearby are a selection of restaurants and bars.
3. Potonggang Hotel – located in the surbubs of Pyongang on the bank of the River Pothong, this “First Class” hotel features nine floors and an on-site restaurant.
Highlighted Pyongyang itinerary:
Amongst other sites, the YPT visit to Pyongyang takes in :
Arirang – the world-famous Mass Games, held at the largest venue in the World: the May-Day Stadium
Pyongyang Ice Rink – Your chance to skate at one of the major sports facilities of Pyongyang. Recently a well-known Russian team performed here, as documented by the “Show and Tell Pyongyang” blog.
Changgwangwon Health Complex – A mammoth bathing complex which opened for the public in March 1980, the Changgwangwon “probably exceeds anything one can find in the South in size and is not much inferior in service quality…the Changgwangwon can be described as a “super-bathhouse”. This granite and marble structure is complete with swimming pool, an impressive array of spas and showers, saunas and the like. It has its own bars and team rooms. And it is open to the general public, not only to currency paying foreigners or well connected cadres and their offspring” – A. Lankov – “North of the DMZ”
Pyongyang Metro System – For years tourists visiting the North Korean underground railway system have been restricted to visiting only the two main stations, Puhŭng Station and Yŏngwang Station. Recently this has been relaxed, and so on this visit tourists will get the opportunity to see other stations of the network.
Taedong River Cruise – Tourists will get the chance to cruise along the Taedong to take in the sites of Pyongyang while enjoying dinner on a special boat
The Arch of Triump and Kaeson Youth Park – A recently upgraded theme park, featuring a number of Italian produced rides and attractions, located next to Pyongyang’s replica of the Arc de Triomphe
Wonsan & East Coast
Located on the East coast of the DPRK, Wonson is a pleasant beach town that used to be the main port for travel to Japan on the now permanently moored Moranbong-92 passenger ferry.
The city features a beach with deep-sea diving boards (albeit kept in rather questionable condition), sauna and changing facilities. The port is bracketed by the Songdown pleasure grounds to the North and the southern Kalma peninsula resort of Myongsaisimni and its 4km of beaches.
This itinerary includes a visit to the Songdowon International Children’s Union Camp; a three star camp facility built in 1993 with lots of activities and events for up to 1,200 children – including those from foreign countries. A trip to a nearby co-operative farm is also included, giving visitors a chance to see life on one of the country’s many state run farming projects.
So there you have it, the Paekdu, Chongjin and Wonson Tour. If you are interested, please use the links below to find out more information:
Full Tour Itinerary Available Here
If you are interested in this tour, please mention NK News for a 200 Euro discount from Young Pioneer Tours.
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