From the world’s first floating hotel, to one of Saigon’s premier nightspots in the 90s, the Hotel Haekumgang’s quiet exterior near the scenic North Korean Mt. Kumgang tourism resort belies its colorful history.

The 89 meter floating structure, which now sits in the bay to the North of the DPRK’s currently shuttered Kumgang Tourism Project, has travelled over 13000 km to arrive at its current location.

Between 2000 and 2008, the hotel was frequently used by South Koreans visiting the scenic resort. But like the other tourist facilities in the region, it has remained more or less empty since the