Step with an open mind into one of the most closed and unknown countries in the world. North Korea is not only wonderfully interesting, but also surprisingly accessible. In 2013, the curious traveller who wants to experience one of the last Communist dynasties should book a ticket to Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) aka North Korea. Exclusive travel is an understatement here because less than 5000 western tourists visit this little known Asian country annually. If you are the kind of traveller who likes to come home with original stories and photos that nobody else could have taken then put this destination high on your hotlist. We answer five questions on how to do it.

1.How do you get to North Korea?

Probably the most surprising thing about visiting North Korea is that anyone can do it (even American Traveler’s). Traveling there is neither complicated nor dangerous and it’s even relatively affordable. Just book a trip with the English, Beijing-based tour operator Koryo Tours, which has been taking curious tourists to North Korea for more than fifteen years. In 2012  Koryo Tours took around 2,500-plus tourists to DPRK of which a third were Americans. Koryo Tours arranges your visa, books your flight or train from Beijing to Pyongyang and also makes sure that you discover this country in a fascinating way. It starts with a 1,5 hour flight from Beijing to Pyongyang in a Tupolev aircraft of Air Koryo, the national airline. A vintage chic first class, beautiful stewardesses wearing white gloves and red lipstick, a meal that rivals many American carriers and the Pyongyang Times, a North Korean newspaper translated into English. If your flight is at night (which is highly unlikely) the views are spectacular: the Yalu River that separates China from North Korea, on the Chinese side, brightly lit and bustling and on the North Korean side, complete darkness. Onboard there are mainly visitors and tourists but also some North Koreans who are easily identifiable by the de rigueur badge of the Great Leader they wear. The same Kim Il Sung observes the Tupolev as it lands at Pyongyang’s international airport. The group of international tourists know in advance what to expect, thanks to a briefing in Beijing the previous day. Laptops, cameras, lenses, video cameras are all allowed. In 2009 we still had to hand-in our cell phone at the airport, but nowadays you can take your phone inside the country and buy a local sim card too from which you can make and receive international phone calls. There are internet connections in most big hotels since 2008, plus the western guides have internet on their smart phones.
Our British guide Hannah Barraclough from Koryo Tours shares her adventures via InstaGram, live from North Korea.

WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/HANNAYKORYO

2.Are you free during a trip to North Korea?

Yes and no. Exploring alone is a no-no. Either you book an individual trip to North Korea and have two local guides and a driver in a stylish vintage Mercedes assigned to you, or you go in an international group. In the case of the latter, two local guides, a Western guide and a driver also accompany you. Requests can be made but because the program is so tightly organized you are kind of restricted as a tourist. In other words, you get to see the North Korea that the government wants you to see. This in itself is already fascinating. Of course there are limitations. It is strictly forbidden to take photographs of military installations (but isn’t this the case in any country?), such as the border with South Korea. Bowing to statues of the Great Leader is requisite. But however well orchestrated the trip tries to be (which is equally true of many Western packages where the tourist only sees and experiences the things the tour operator shows them) you still get a glimpse of the real North Korea. In the capital, Pyongyang, with its empty streets (only the happy few drive cars) stunningly dolled up girls in blue and white uniforms, work the middle of intersections. Between the official visits to museums, monuments and mausoleums, you get a remarkable insight into the daily life of the North Korean. On August 15, Liberation Day, everyone sits in the park. There is picnicking, dancing, singing, playing… Families sit on the grass beneath the trees and most ladies wear sumptuous dresses. It’s a good moment to sit down with the locals and have a great and relaxing time.

3.What’s on the program?

A week in North Korea is a mixture of visits, tastes and experiences. From going bowling in a very rigid, Communist looking bowling alley (balls made in USA), and a ride on the Pyongyang subway, to visiting a school library and a local music school where accordion, piano and guitar are taught with collective zeal. The male members of the group have already been told to pack a tie for the visit to the mausoleum of Kim Il Sung. Also included in the excursion package is a visit to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) between North and South Korea. On the way there, you pass several border controls on a motorway where almost no cars drive. As a tourist you can stand close to the actual and fragile line between the two foes. A photo of the blue sentry box and resident guard with South Korea just five meters away, serves as a souvenir. Less official is the beautiful North Korean landscape, to be enjoyed from your window on the many bus trips: green paddy fields, abundant space and the occasional farm or village. One of these visits takes us to the North Korean coast, heavily guarded by the military. You immediately notice Japan looming across the water on the other side. Despite this detail, a relaxing gourmet lunch follows at a small restaurant on the beach with freshly grilled fish, duck and seafood.

4.Is visiting North Korea something for everyone?

Some tourists may wonder whether travelling to a country like North Korea is ethically correct. No doubt, everyone decides for himself or herself but the same equally applies to other countries that are not 100% politically correct or corruption free. Tourism is a source of income for the North Koreans. Another important aspect of tourism is the interaction between the foreigner and the North Korean. At least the visitor gets to see the inhabitant as he really is and vice versa. Travelling to the DPRK raises a corner of the veil for both sides. Perhaps this interaction will pave the way for more freedom and peace for everybody. All you need as a tourist (apart from a chic tie) is an open mind and the belief that something human lies behind a country like North Korea, despite negative reporting in the West. Discovering one of the most secretive countries in the world does have its own strange aspects and rules. As a true and seasoned traveller you now have everything in perspective.

5.Are the Mass Games really so spectacular?

Yes, yes and yes! There are only a few words to describe an event of this size and impact. This is DPRK’s main attraction and quite simply the most amazing thing you will ever see! Mass Games can basically be described as a synchronized socialist-realist spectacular, featuring over 100,000 participants in a 90 minute display of gymnastics & dance, accompanied by music, all wrapped in a highly politicized package. Literally no other place on Earth has anything comparable and it has to be seen with your own two eyes to truly appreciate the scale on display. The Arirang or Mass Games run weekly each year from July/August and continue until mid September. 80.000 dancers and gymnasts train throughout the year to perform for their compatriots and especially for their leader. The backdrop is made by over 20,000 cardholders who sit in the audience and make patterns appear through the synchronized turning of colored cards. As a tourist, attending and taking photos of these events is absolutely no problem. Prices for an evening range from 130 dollar for third class seats to 450 dollar for VIP seats. Want to see yourself?
Check out the “I want more” video from the music band Faithless, filming made possible by Koryo Tours.

THE VERDICT We totally loved traveling to North Korea with Koryo Tours. It was one of the most surprising trips we ever did in last years. From the interesting group of travellers we met during the trip to singing karaoke and socializing with the locals while having a drink and rolling a cigarette together. The highlight? The Mass Games, a mind-blowing event (we went two times) that can only be witnessed here in the DPRK. If we would go back to North Korea? Yes, in a flash.

HOW TO GO The British travel company Koryo Tours organizes excellent! trips into the DPRK out of Beijing. Trips can be made in a group or individually, according to your own budget and wishes. For travellers with less time, you can book a Mass Game Break that lets you witness the Mass Games and discover Pyongyang in a couple of days. Departure is always out of Beijing and depending on the type of trip you have booked this is either by flight or by train. Flying is with Air Koryo, which has 3 flights a week to Beijing. The flight only takes 1,5 hours in a comfortable airplane in economy and business class configuration.

WWW.KORYOGROUP.COM

WHERE DO YOU STAY Lodging in the DPRK is very straightforward. In Pyongyang we stayed in the super cool 47-storey Yanggakdo Hotel. It is a western 3 star (Chinese 4 star) equivalent and equipped with a revolving restaurant on the top floor, bars, shops, swimming pool, bowling, casino, and other entertainment facilities such as Karaoke. The hotel has reliable electricity, heating, air conditioning, hot water with even foreign TV channels including BBC World and Japanese and Chinese TV, and internet access is available. In a small café beside the hotel, bottled beer is served at 0,40 euro a throw.

VISA & MONEY A visa for North Korea is easily obtained with the help of Koryo Tours. They will apply the visum for you, so there is no need to organize it yourself. The official exchange currency in DPRK is now Euros (USD were taken out of circulation in 2003). We recommend you bring Euros however Chinese Yuan, USD, and Japanese Yen can be used in most cases. It is best to bring small bills/coins as change can be a problem. Travellers’ cheques are impossible to cash in the DPRK. The official currency, the DPRK Won is now valued at roughly 170 won to 1 Euro. It may be possible to get hold of real DPRK money in the hotel but this is for a souvenir only and cannot be used to purchase goods. The best currency to use when buying goods remains the Euro but keep in mind that all goods sold to visitors are rather expensive.Tipping is appreciated in North Korea. For example 5 euro per day for the guide is a good amount. In restaurants or bars, it is at your own discretion if you want to tip the waitresses or not.

CLIMATE We highly recommend to go during the summer months, when the Mass Games take place. Summer however is fairly hot and humid during the day and cooler at night.

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What is the result when an Asian country tries to manage the tourism industry by charging a fair amount of entry tax to the adventurous traveller? Plus when it wants to keep far away from the madding backpacking crowds? Take 20.000 visitors a year and mix it with a 100% Buddhist population in a landlocked country with dreamy landscapes that will tantalize every serious travelista. Ok, you have to have a certain budget to get in. But who wouldn’t pay a bit more for a destination where the happiest people in the world live, where chilli peppers are eaten as a vegetable rather than a spice and where the beer, called Red Panda, is devilish tasty? And oh, we forgot to mention the Zhongs where monks live who perform now and the then the most hypnotic chants and dances and the fact that the locals are dressed as if they are huge fans of Dries Van Noten who decided that men also can wear skirts and sexy socks. If this isn’t enough we can give away that one of the best hotels Classe Touriste ever every stayed in is located here. High in the valley of Punaka you can stay in one of the five, fabulous Aman Resorts of Bhutan. In Punaka it’s an old summer palace that is hosting eight guests who will experience Bhutan at it’s best. An experience trough guided visits and tours in comfy jeeps, refined cuisine and mesmerising vista’s over de Punaka valley. And if you wonder after a while why the people of Bhutan are voted as the most happiest in the world, then just smell the air and find out that there grows more marihuana along the side of the road than in Jamaica and that a man AND a woman can have several spouses. Who wouldn’t pay a bit more for that!

WWW.AMANRESORTS.COM

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Until very recently a no-go destination for many travellers, Burma aka Myanmar has now become an absolute favourite. With endearing nicknames such as the ‘golden land’ or ‘land of the smile’, everybody wants to go now. Who wouldn’t want to visit a country where until very recently time literally and figuratively stood still, cut off from the rest of the world? According to Misuu Borit, the owner of the Inle Princess Resort on the shores of the dreamy Inle Lake, her country might not be ready for the influx of tourists anticipated in coming years. “ It’s a double-edged sword. Before 2009, the occupancy rate of the Inle Princess Resort was barely 30%. Nowadays, 70% of the time I have to inform clients and travel agents that the hotel is fully booked.” Which is logical, because the Inle Princess Resort is one of the most beautiful in Burma. Mick Jagger stayed here shortly before our visit and Cliff Richard was sleeping next to us in his suite overlooking Inle Lake.

Balance in style

Talking about rock stars, Jethro Tull might be quite jealous or get very inspired by the one legged rowers of Inle Lake, Burma’s second largest lake, in the Nyaung Shwe region. These one legged rowers, who are actually fishermen and wear distinctive wraparound trousers, balance stylishly on the edge of a simple wooden boat while they lift huge triangular shaped fishing nets from the lake. When not using a one-cylinder motor, they use a somewhat strange technique to paddle with one leg, leaving both hands free to pull in the nets. The sparkling, unruffled surface of Inle Lake is dotted with fields of lotus flowers, rice and ingenious floating vegetable gardens where tomatoes and other crops grow. Renting a boat for the day to calmly navigate between the water villages and temples on bamboo stilts is an absolute must. Sometimes it feels like an Asian Venice, but minus the hoards of tourists, unless you want to visit a lotus weaving shop or a monastery with world-famous leaping cats. Then you realize you’re not the only tourist on Inle Lake.   

Inspirational Bagan

Something less small-scale is happening in Bagan, a sea of green dotted here and there with earth-red or golden stupas and temples. Despite it’s popularity, Bagan should be on every itinerary. More than 4,000 archaeological monuments surround this former capital city, built between the 11^th and 13^th centuries, and where Buddhism was first introduced from the south of Burma and India. In 1988, in an attempt to stimulate tourism, more than 5,000 inhabitants where forcibly evicted from the Bagan Archaeological Zone. Today, each visitor has to pay the government a fee to enter this demarcated area. Once inside, you find only temples, stalls and the occasional hotel. Try to discover Bagan with a bicycle, horse-drawn cart, by foot or by hot air balloon, the latter being an absolute must. Balloons over Bagan is extremely professional and the experience is impressive. Bagan also has a milder, less humid climate so it’s a great place to spend a few days, relaxing beside the pool of one of the many beautiful hotels after a day of temple visits. Then you get less temple-tired, because there are plenty to see, from the 13^th century Tayok Pye to the 11^th century Manuha temple and the famous Shwesandaw Pagoda where most tourists go to watch sunset. To be avoided if you are not a fan of mass gatherings. If you’re lucky enough to have a good guide like our Mister Myint Zaw, then he’ll take you to an equally beautiful temple where you can watch sunset over magical Bagan, entirely alone.

Sea nomads

The least known place in Burma is without doubt the Mergui Islands, an archipelago of more than 800 small islands most of which are uninhabited. Imagine Phuket or any other tropical beach destination in Asia but with hardly any tourists. The only visitors who find their way here are divers, who live aboard and dive from boats. The most remarkable thing about these islands, apart from the untouched white sandy beaches and the blue Andaman Sea, are the Moken. This small ethnic group are sea nomads who live on traditional wooden boats and constantly roam the seas. They currently number around 2,000, but their population is rapidly declining. Having lived for many generations on the sea, the Moken have developed the capacity to effortlessly dive to depths of 20 metres without any air canisters, often wearing homemade diving goggles and nothing else. There is just one hotel on the Mergui Islands, but the Chinese are looming and with them, plans to build huge luxury resorts within a few years from now. So, if you want to experience the Mergui and the Moken in all their authenticity, you’d better hurry. The only way to do this is to stay at the Andaman Beach Resort: a jewel of a place, located along a pristine white sandy beach. Kayak in mangroves, dive alongside unique reefs… There is a great manager, friendly staff and the food isn’t too bad. The only snag is that the hotel is in dire need of renovation. The chalets sometimes have unwelcome creepy-crawly visitors and the level of comfort is basic. If that thought doesn’t keep you awake and if you want to discover one of the most unknown archipelagos in Asia before it’s too late, you’ll be blown away.

THE VERDICT Burma turned out to be one of our best trips we took in 2012. It is very exceptional to travel to a country that has not really gotten affected by mass tourism. Yet. We loved Bagan and Inle Lake, our two favourite places on this voyage. The Mergui Island were unique too, but you have to agree with very basic accommodation and the occasional rat in the room. Our favourite place to stay in Burma: Inle Princess Resort.
Be aware that for the moment Burma is extremely popular and booming. If you are planning an individual trip, book well in advance or you will end up without a bed to sleep in.

HOW TO GO We travelled with ‘t Zuiderhuis in Belgium. In Burma our operator was a boutique local agency Travels Image (travelsimage at gmail.com), with offices in Yangon. If you travel with them, you can be sure that a minimum amount of your money goes to the government. So it’s money well spend. Our trip lasted almost 20 days and was fully supervised and guided by our truly excellent private guide, mister Myint Zaw.There are daily flights to Yangon from major hubs such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and even via the Middle East with luxurious airlines such as Qatar Airways.

WWW.ZUIDERHUIS.BE
WWW.QATARAIRWAYS.COM

WHERE TO STAY/EAT/FLY We stayed at the colonial The Strand and the functional but luxurious Traders Hotel in Yangon, Inle Princess Resort on Inle Lake and the Mandalay Hill Resort in Mandalay. Hilltop Villa Hotel in Kalaw and we can definitely recommend The hotel at Tharabar Gate right in the middle of Old Bagan.
Two restaurants to note down are the Inthar Heritage House in Inle Lake, and Le Planteur Restaurant in Yangon.

WWW.INLEPRINCESSRESORT.NET
WWW.SHANGRI-LA.COM/YANGON/TRADERS
WWW.THARABARGATE.COM

WWW.INTHARHERITAGEHOUSE.COM
WWW.LEPLANTEUR.NET
WWW.EASTERNSAFARIS.COM/BALLOONSOVERBAGAN

VISA & MONEY A visa is required to visit Burma and must be requested in advance from the embassy. Paying with credit card is not yet possible in Myanmar and there are no ATMs. It’s best to bring US dollars and exchange them on the spot. Avoid changing money on the black market or in the street. Upon arrival in Yangon, your guide can take you to a special, official exchange bureau where you can change dollars for the local currency. It’s better to change larger denominations (100 and 200 dollar notes) here. Keep smaller notes for when you’re on the road. Besides local currency, many shops also accept dollars. In the larger hotels in Yangon, such as the Traders Hotel, you can pay with credit card.  1 dollar is worth around 880 Kyat.

CLIMATE The best time to visit Burma is roughly between the end of October and the end of March. Then the rainy season begins. Expect a warm, tropical climate that rarely drops below 25°C. Only in the higher regions and the former British stations such as Kalaw is it fresher and less humid.

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WWW.SHANGRI-LA.COM

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Classe Touriste goes globelicious. Ever dreamed of travelling around the world? Almost no limits, no frontiers. Just one ticket. It’s easy as 1,2,3. Book a round the world ticket with oneworld and fly, just like me, to anywhere you want. Our RTW trip will take us to Finish Lapland, Helsinki, Miami, Cayman Islands, Mexico City, Riviera Maya, Vancouver, Whistler, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Taipei, Manila en some lost island in the Philippines. This venture will take seventy days, no visa and thanks to our westbound travel direction little jetlag. You can read our worldly escapades here on the website of the national newspaper De Morgen. Round the world travel is old world charm in new world style when boarding British Airways Club World class and Cathay’s new business class. Price tag: only 1999 euro in economy and 5099 in business, even now with a 10% discount because oneworld is celebration it’s 10th anniversary. Don’t doubt, just pick your destinations and take to the sky. Happy travels!

WWW.ONEWORLD.COM

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