Traveling to North Korea might not be the most common thing to do, but then again, also the things you find there are unique in a way. Symbolic monuments rising towards the skyline, mystical mountain scenery gliding through the bus window, and modern cities shouting out the glory of the late leader Kim Il Sung, North Korea is one of the last totalitarian dictatorships in the world, and a place where everything is monumental.
Pyongyang's attractions consist mainly of the many interesting landmarks built for the leaders of North Korea, the late Kim II Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong Il. The skyline of Pyongyang is marked by several monumental constructions, which keep the names of the leaders visible to everyone passing by. In addition to Pyongyang, North Korea is also home to many interesting natural sites such as scenic Diamond Mountains region of Kumgangsan, which is a target of many group tours to North Korea.
The climate in North Korea is temperate with hot summers and cold winters. Weather in North Korea is at its best between May and September when average monthly high temperatures generally reach 20 to 30 degrees of Celsius. This is the most popular season for traveling to North Korea. However, Pyongyang is worth a visit anytime. Traveling to North Korea is usually done by air through Pyongyang international airport.
Closed society with monumental sights: North Korea
Although traveling to North Korea has lately become easier, it is still everything but a common travel destination. Instead, it is a closed society where international tourists are an uncommon sight and the only possible form of traveling is by organized groups. Traveling around in North Korea is strictly controlled and travel outside the capital in most cases demands a special document. Therefore, an ordinary tourist practically has few other choices but to travel to the capital city Pyongyang. In North Korea, you will have to travel with a local guide who will follow you during your stay, which will make your stay in North Korea a quite expensive experience. However, due to the strict control, North Korea is a quite safe destination.Pyongyang's attractions consist mainly of the many interesting landmarks built for the leaders of North Korea, the late Kim II Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong Il. The skyline of Pyongyang is marked by several monumental constructions, which keep the names of the leaders visible to everyone passing by. In addition to Pyongyang, North Korea is also home to many interesting natural sites such as scenic Diamond Mountains region of Kumgangsan, which is a target of many group tours to North Korea.
The climate in North Korea is temperate with hot summers and cold winters. Weather in North Korea is at its best between May and September when average monthly high temperatures generally reach 20 to 30 degrees of Celsius. This is the most popular season for traveling to North Korea. However, Pyongyang is worth a visit anytime. Traveling to North Korea is usually done by air through Pyongyang international airport.
Photo: Ryuugakusei, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
In addition to this, you can also travel to North Korea by train from China. Group tours from South Korea are also available at times.
Half of former kingdom: Spoonful of North Korea's history
An independent kingdom for much of its history, Korea was occupied by Japan in the beginning of the 20th century. It became a subject of war between the Soviet Union and Japan, and after the end of World War II, Korea was split into two separate parts, of which North Korea was a communist country ruled by the Soviet Union and South Korea a capitalist protectorate of the USA. After becoming independent in 1948, North Korea tried to unify the country by force in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953, but this was prevented by the UN forces. However, the two Koreas are still officially at war with each other, and splitting of Korea has left remarkable effects on the culture of both countries.hint See also these nearby destinations: Pyongyang
