Things to Do in North Korea

About North Korea

Coal smoke and fermenting kimchi slap you first. They drift over Kim Il-sung Square where your footsteps echo like solo applause across concrete built for 100,000 dancers. North Korea does not let you visit. It visits you. In Mangyongdae district, families picnic under magnolia blooms while loudspeakers blast revolutionary anthems at 6 PM sharp, same hour, same songs, 50 years running.

Inside Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, chilled air locks at 16°C (61°F). Your shoes click across marble so glossy it mirrors 10-meter chandeliers above the embalmed leaders. The Yanggakdo Hotel climbs 47 stories above the Taedong River. Rooms cost €120 ($130) per night, breakfast included. Yet the TV offers only three channels.

Near the DMZ in Kaesong, bibimbap arrives in stone bowls for 8,000 won ($6). Pine mushrooms ride on top, picked from Mount Kumgang's slopes. The catch: guides shadow every step, and the itinerary is sealed before you land. Stand alone at Juche Tower at sunset. Watch traffic lights cycle red-yellow-green in flawless rhythm across a city of 25 million. You will grasp why this performance art pulls the curious back again.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Pyongyang's metro dives 110 meters underground through 17 chandelier-lit stations. Ride the red line from Puhung to Yonggwang for 5 won, less than a cent. Guides reserve your entire car. Locals use others. Taxis exist yet need hotel booking. Expect 2 euros for a 10-minute hop. Trains for Kaesong leave Pyongyang Station at 7:30 AM sharp. The 3-hour ride costs 12 euros, guide included.

Money: Carry euros in cash. North Korea trades in foreign notes. Your hotel exchanges at 1 euro = 130 won, fixed no matter world markets. Guides pay for everything. You never handle local bills. Plan €100-150 daily, meals included. Add €200 for souvenirs: propaganda posters at €15, ginseng at €50. ATMs do not exist. Cards are useless.

Cultural Respect: Bow at Mansu Hill. The 20-meter statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il demand respect. Guides show the three-second bow, hands straight. Never fold newspapers with leaders' faces down. At the DMZ, do not point at South Korean soldiers. Ask before photographing anyone. Never shoot military, construction, or statues from below. Small gifts for guides: cigarettes or pens.

Food Safety: Every meal is booked in advance. Food safety is therefore not an issue. Taste Pyongyang cold noodles at Okryu Restaurant. One bowl costs 8,000 won ($6), served with sharp mustard and vinegar. Taedonggang beer flows for 2 euros a pint, brewed with river water. Decline dog meat soup in Kaesong unless you are curious. Vegetarians get tofu or sesame-oil vegetables on rotation.

When to Visit

April brings cherry blossoms along the Taedong River. Temperatures settle between 15-20°C (59-68°F) and hotel rates stick at €120 nightly. May gifts clear skies for Ryugyong Hotel photos. Thermometers reach 25°C (77°F) yet humidity stays low. July and August punish with 30-35°C (86-95°F) plus 80% humidity. Hotels cut prices 20% but outdoor plans wilt.

Arirang Mass Games run August through October. Tickets range €80-€300 by seat, and rooms sell out months early. October delivers the year's finest weather at 20-25°C (68-77°F) and ginkgo trees burn gold around Kim Il-sung University. December drops to -10°C (14°F). Heating works yet feels thin. Prices fall 30% through February.

The Kimjongilia flower show lands February 16, Kim Jong-il's birthday. Domestic tourists increase. Guides urge booking six months ahead. Budget travelers aim for January or late November. Beijing flights dip €200 and hotels add free breakfast. Families should dodge July-August heat and December freeze. April or October give perfect days for the Pyongyang Zoo and Mangyongdae Funfair rides.