How to travel to North Korea

There are few communist countries in the world and one of them is North Korea.The question is, can I try there?It is not a country open to mass tourism but still, it can be visited.

Are you interested in opening this window to the past?Or is it a parallel world?The truth is that without a doubt it can be an unforgettable experience.Let's look at how it can be done to travel to North Korea, what procedure you have to continue and what can be done there.

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North Korea

The Democratic Popular Republic of Korea is in East Asia and is the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.It has a border with China and Russia and of course with South Korea, a demilitarized area through.

The Korean Peninsula was in the hands of the Japanese from 1910 to the end of World War II (hence the Koreans do not like many Japanese), but after the conflict it was divided into two areas.

De un lado estaban las fuerzas de la Unión Soviética y del otro las de Estados Unidos. Todas las negociaciones para reunificar el país fracasaron y así, en 1948, nacieron dos gobiernos, la Primera República de Corea (en el sur), y la República Democrática Popular de Corea, en el norte.

North Korea is a socialist state, with a cult of the personality of the leader of other times.He is the third male member of the Kim family that governs.It is a country that lives in the socialist past: state companies, collective farms and an army that takes a lot of money.

With respect to culture, although there is a clear Chinese influence, the truth is that the Korean culture in its entireerase.However, in the years following the liberation the South Koreans began to have great contact with the world while those of North Korea began to lock themselves.

Thus, if South Korea is a modern nation, North Korea has returned to a traditional culture, with many folk forms that have gained new force.

Viajar a North Korea

We agree that it is not the most typical of the world to travel as a tourist to North Korea.And some people directly cannot do so, for example, Americans, South Koreans or those of Malaysia.The rest we can go, but following a series of steps.

First, you can't go to North Korea on your own.Only through a tourist operator that has to make reservations in your name and even process the visa, sign an agreement, give you a copy of that agreement for your passport.

Before there were tougher restrictions but for a while to be part they are laxas and they ask you only to specify the name of the company for which you work and profession.But attention, if by chance you work in a means of communication or some political organization pro human rights, it is possible that they do not give you the visa.

The north Korea visa is always passed through Chinay, you can receive it being there.That will be explained by the agency.The good thing, something good had to be, is that the procedure does not do it at the embassy.

You may seal your passport in customs as you may not.And the visa does not go in the passport but apart.And you must deliver it when leaving the country.Do you want to stay as a memory?It is convenient to photocopy it, worse always asking the tourism guide whether or not you can do it.It should not put the leg.

Regarding the options in terms of tours it is great to know that you can see more than the capital city, Pyongyang.You can go to Rason, a special economic zone, you can ski in moreik, climb the highest mountain that is the paektu mountain or attend a cultural event.

Yes, photos can be taken.It is said that they do not leave you, but it is not true or at least not at all.Being discreet, asking your guide and without making a photography show is possible.And obviously, everything depends on where you are and what or who you want to take a picture.

A los turistas no se les permite cargar libros o CD’s ni nada de eso, no vaya a ser cosa que influyas sobre la santa cultura norcoreana. Y lo mismo funciona al revés, nada de llevarte «souvenires». Recapitulando un poco, ¿qué sitios puedo visitar en North Korea?

Pyongyang is the entrance door.You are going to walk through squares and squares with many statues.The Tour is well political in this city because you are not going to leave the country without a good image of the leader.Then, you will see the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the monument to the Founding Party, the Kim II-Sung Square, the Arc del Triunfo, and the mausoleum of Kim II-Sung and Kim Jong-il or the monument of the Mansu hill.

Beyond the bus you can also travel by subway, something possible for foreigners only since 2015, or bike stroll or shopping.That is more fun and without a doubt, unforgettable.Then, another destination is Rason, the special economic zone.Very special, the only place where the communist dictatorship allows certain capitalist sparkle.It is a city that is super close to the borders with Russia and China.

Masik is the destination to ski.Here is the Masikryong Ski Resort, a good level of elevation, equipment and accommodation media.And many karaokes and restaurants.You can climb at 1200 meters and enjoy 100 kilometers of tracks.

Chongjin is the third largest city in North Korea and is its industrial heart.It is remote and receives few visitors ero maybe that's why you like it more.It has a central square that is its most attractive point, with its statues of the leaders, obvious.And here we arrive.There is really not much more.Between that it is an extremely small country and has a million restrictions ...

Well, finally we can name the Tour Operators: Koryo Tours (something expensive, usually receives older travelers and not so many young people), Uri Tours (they were the ones who organized Dennis Rodan's trip), Lupine Travel and Juche Travel Services (Both English), Rocky Road Travel (based in Beijing), Farrail Tours and KTG.These are always on the web, but a very popular one is also Young Pioneer Tour.

This last agency offers basic tours from 500 euros (accommodation, Beijing-pyongyang- Beijing, meals, transfers with guides, tickets. It does not include extra expenses, drinks and tips, but they take care of processing the visa and passages.Obvio,All these agencies work with the North Korean government, so basically it is tours organized by him.

In North Korea you will never be alone.You may not travel in groups, yes, but once on North Korean soil they will always make you company, from your arrival to your departure, from when you get up in the morning until night.Nor can you leave the hotel alone, or turn away from the guide or group, or shout, run, or touch the statues or images of the venerable leaders, or take photos by cutting their heads ...

There are no great comforts or luxuries, life is very simple, on the verge of precarious in some cases.There are no publicities on public roads, there is no internet, control is permanent.You may not find toilet paper or soap, that the more you go out of the capital you go to sites without electricity or hot water.Thus, everyone who was says that the feeling of strangeness and unreality are tremendous.

The truth is that such a tour is a tour of pleasure or vacation, but it is certainly something that never, you will never forget.