North Korea

PaulieG

Has anyone on this board been to PyongYang in North Korea? I've done loads of research and I'm well aware of the restrictions and the pre-arranged itinerary for tourists and that you must stay with your 'guide' at all times, but I'd love to hear from someone who's actually been there.

JaneeMack

I dont think you can go to PyongYang as a tourist unless you work for certain causes or professions such as a journalist, medical, non-religious charities or NGOs. Well I'm a South Korean so obviously we cannot go but I think even for non-Koreans it is really hard to get the visitor visa. I think you can enter North Korea via China from the northern border but not sure how you can get to PyongYang from there.

yermanoffthetv

JaneeMack wrote: »

I dont think you can go to PyongYang as a tourist unless you work for certain causes or professions such as a journalist, medical, non-religious charities or NGOs. Well I'm a South Korean so obviously we cannot go but I think even for non-Koreans it is really hard to get the visitor visa. I think you can enter North Korea via China from the northern border but not sure how you can get to PyongYang from there.

Not true. Heres a link to a Swedish company who organise package tours http://www.koreakonsult.com/index_eng.html You can enter from China or Russia (via train) Ive never been myself but I had plans to go last year but everything changed and its on the back burner now. Im fairly sure at least one or two boardsies have been, its not as uncommon a place to visit as youd initially think (at least in recent years)

JaneeMack

I meant to say 'Fly to PyongYang'. Yeah, you can defo enter the country via Russia or China but going to PyongYang via road will be a bit of a journey.

PaulieG

Ok Thanks! Although things seem to have taken a turn for the worse regarding their relations with the outside world so I might leave it for a bit now.

Riesen_Meal

If you have an hour to spare, this will take you to North Korea free of charge :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Cienciano

A tour guide was on reddit doing an ama.
Anyone can go, but it's fairly expensive, and as you know, you'll just see what the guide allows you to see.
Interesting read:
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18g7z1/i_have_been_to_north_korea_over_100_times_ama/

Think that was his second AMA, if you search you'll find the other.
Here's the guides website, some info there too: http://www.koryogroup.com/

hfallada

The site wiki travel has lots of info on it. Apparently no matter who you book with you get the same package. You call the company and they get you your visa for the trip. But looking at pics on Instagram of people who have gone it looks incredible.

But one of the vistors said the plain clothes army official follow you every where and it's it's far from a holiday. I would love to go but I think with the fact the us army is on high alert and there is only one airport to get out of and practically no foreign embassies I'm shelving it for now. I know the national geographic is going to do a spread on north Korea this month. But I think as an Irish passport holder you will have zero problems with entering the country and will there. But the food is dreadful.

burstbuckle

Fieldog wrote: »

If you have an hour to spare, this will take you to North Korea free of charge :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

just watched all 3 episodes.Mental

PaulieG

Fieldog wrote: »

If you have an hour to spare, this will take you to North Korea free of charge :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Just watched them. Wow!

PaulieG

Yeah, I'm gonna put that trip on the back burner for now. Shlt just got real!

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Maybe_Memories

I'd love to go there as well. As said the wiki travel article has lots of great info. Check out their page on Ireland as well. It's so accurate to the finest detail it's actually pretty funny

R0C

Sorry to bump an old thread, but was just reading about visiting Pyongyang (via train from Russia), something I'd be very interested in doing at some point.

Searched here to see if anyone had done it and this is the only thread I found. So, did anyone make the trip?

mimihops

I haven't made the trip but have been researching it and the train route from Russia to Pyongyang is still closed to foreigners. Irish citizens can enter NK via train but only from China. There was talks of the Russia train route opening up sometime in 2014 but it hasn't happened, this is what Koryo tours advised me in June. Lupine travel have an epic looking trip leaving from London and going to Pyongyang via the trans Mongolian.

Great video clip I saw recently of Pyongyang - http://vimeo.com/102051605 - worth having a look.

ardmacha

mimihops wrote: »

I haven't made the trip but have been researching it and the train route from Russia to Pyongyang is still closed to foreigners. Irish citizens can enter NK via train but only from China. There was talks of the Russia train route opening up sometime in 2014 but it hasn't happened, this is what Koryo tours advised me in June. Lupine travel have an epic looking trip leaving from London and going to Pyongyang via the trans Mongolian.

Great video clip I saw recently of Pyongyang - http://vimeo.com/102051605 - worth having a look.

Cracking video. Reminds you of Eastern Europe 25 years ago. Are those the ex Berlin metro cars in the station?

mimihops

ardmacha wrote: »

Cracking video. Reminds you of Eastern Europe 25 years ago. Are those the ex Berlin metro cars in the station?

They are indeed! The DHL van at the end was a bit of a surprise for me as well, wouldn't have expected to see that in NK!

Ed_Stephens

Must say I'd love to go, you're accompanied by two DPRK guides, the reason there's two is so that they can keep an eye on each other as well as you. Lots of youtube videos on visiting but expect a very regimented tour.

galwayjohn89

Went to NK there last month. Was surreal experience. Nothing like I expected at all. On the train from Dandong to Pyongyang, we had a group visa which was with another person on a different carraige. Guard starred shouting at us before laughing and joking around. Then later we went to the restaurant cart and ending up drinking with them.

Tour guide spoke fluent English and knew exactly what was going on in the world. She had watched western movies and heard music etc. On the last night we went to Karaoke, bowling and bar with her. We also went to one of the theme parks I'm Pgonyang which was good fun. Got to talk to a good few locals without any guides near by. Amazing the number of football jerseys (Utd, Spurs, Bayern Munixh etx) there were. Obviously these were the lucky ones who live in the Capital.

The hotel is on an Island which has a gate you cannot cross. We decided to try go across it. Guard came out we gave him a wave and ending up strolling around the streets of Pyongyang and buying ice cream.

I'd highly recommend the trip in 5-10 years the regime with fall IMO.

HeyyMeow

Lupine Travel offer trips which start in St. Petersburg all the way to Pyongyang. I would love to go when I had the spare savings. Alas I will be happy travelling Europe for now.

R0C

mimihops wrote: »

I haven't made the trip but have been researching it and the train route from Russia to Pyongyang is still closed to foreigners. Irish citizens can enter NK via train but only from China. There was talks of the Russia train route opening up sometime in 2014 but it hasn't happened, this is what Koryo tours advised me in June. Lupine travel have an epic looking trip leaving from London and going to Pyongyang via the trans Mongolian.

Great video clip I saw recently of Pyongyang - http://vimeo.com/102051605 - worth having a look.

I hadn't realised that train route was closed to foreigners. Interesting.

Just finished watching the Vice vids mentioned above, crazy/fascinating stuff!

R0C

Vuzuggu wrote: »

Went to NK there last month. Was surreal experience. Nothing like I expected at all. On the train from Dandong to Pyongyang, we had a group visa which was with another person on a different carraige. Guard starred shouting at us before laughing and joking around. Then later we went to the restaurant cart and ending up drinking with them.

Tour guide spoke fluent English and knew exactly what was going on in the world. She had watched western movies and heard music etc. On the last night we went to Karaoke, bowling and bar with her. We also went to one of the theme parks I'm Pgonyang which was good fun. Got to talk to a good few locals without any guides near by. Amazing the number of football jerseys (Utd, Spurs, Bayern Munixh etx) there were. Obviously these were the lucky ones who live in the Capital.

The hotel is on an Island which has a gate you cannot cross. We decided to try go across it. Guard came out we gave him a wave and ending up strolling around the streets of Pyongyang and buying ice cream.

I'd highly recommend the trip in 5-10 years the regime with fall IMO.

Wow, fascinating insight, thanks for the up-to-date info.

It sounds like things have become a lot more lax compared to a few years ago (based on various documentaries I've watched where others have not been given any freedom whatsoever).

Did you have a camera with you?

Were you allowed to bring your phone into the country?

Perhaps they're more lax with Irish than potential Americans/enemies?

galwayjohn89

Had camera and phone with me. Customs and immigration was done on the train. Bag wasn't looked at, could have had anything in it. There were American group on a golfing trip, they said customs for them was fine as well but they had to fly into Pyongyang.

R0C

Wow, sounds like things have improved greatly in the space of a few years then. [compared to this doc, as listed above]

What makes you say the regime will fall, did the locals seem aware of the country's circumstances?

Tabnabs

Vuzuggu wrote: »

Had camera and phone with me. Customs and immigration was done on the train. Bag wasn't looked at, could have had anything in it. There were American group on a golfing trip, they said customs for them was fine as well but they had to fly into Pyongyang.

Any photos of your trip, it sounds fascinating?

galwayjohn89

R0C wrote: »

What makes you say the regime will fall, did the locals seem aware of the country's circumstances?

There's a very big middle class I'm Pyongyang at the moment and its growing quite quickly which is one thing that seems to be needed. Also everyone I talked to knew that North Korea was not the greatest country ever. They don't seem to respect Kim Jung Un at all. They see him as a puppet.

galwayjohn89

Tabnabs wrote: »

Any photos of your trip, it sounds fascinating?

Once I'm home I'll try upload them, should be home in 2 weeks.

R0C

Very interesting insight.

I would also love to see your pics.

GerB40

Fieldog wrote: »

If you have an hour to spare, this will take you to North Korea free of charge :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Jesus I knew that propaganda ruled in North Korea but to see it in action is something else..

kerry4sam

Vuzuggu wrote: »

Went to NK there last month. Was surreal experience. Nothing like I expected at all. On the train from Dandong to Pyongyang, we had a group visa which was with another person on a different carraige. Guard starred shouting at us before laughing and joking around. Then later we went to the restaurant cart and ending up drinking with them.

Tour guide spoke fluent English and knew exactly what was going on in the world. She had watched western movies and heard music etc. On the last night we went to Karaoke, bowling and bar with her. We also went to one of the theme parks I'm Pgonyang which was good fun. Got to talk to a good few locals without any guides near by. Amazing the number of football jerseys (Utd, Spurs, Bayern Munixh etx) there were. Obviously these were the lucky ones who live in the Capital.

The hotel is on an Island which has a gate you cannot cross. We decided to try go across it. Guard came out we gave him a wave and ending up strolling around the streets of Pyongyang and buying ice cream.

I'd highly recommend the trip in 5-10 years the regime with fall IMO.

Vuzuggu wrote: »

Once I'm home I'll try upload them, should be home in 2 weeks.

It would be real nice if you would write up a report for us in our Travel Reviews & Reports forum here when you return, incl some photos if you could also.

Thanking You,
kerry4sam