2019 North Korea May Holiday Tour
2019 North Korea May Day Tour - The application deadline for this tour is March 20 2019.
Our North Korea May Day Tour combines 5 regions in 6 nights spent in the DPRK: Pyongyang, Kaesong, where we stay overnight, Sariwon, Mount Myohyang and the port city of Nampo. Please check our Youtube video below recorded in 2017 and you will see why we love this day so much:
Day 1 - April 27 (Saturday)
- Head to the airport and depart from Beijing at 13.05 flight JS 152 Terminal 2, Beijing Capital Airport
- Arrive in Pyongyang at 16.05 (Pyongyang time)
PM
- Arch of Triumph - impressive monument larger than the Arch of Triumph in Paris
- Brief walk around the area - we will see the enormous mural showing an image of President Kim Il Sung's speech upon returning to Korea after the liberation of the country in 1945. The Kim Il Sung Stadium is located close by too, though we will see more of this on Sunday
- Drive by Chollima Statue - built to reflect the DPRK's official policy to reconstruct the country after the Korean War at the speed of the Chollima Horse
- Hotel check-in: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
- Welcome Dinner: KITC Restaurant, Pyongyang
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 2 - April 28 (Sunday)
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
- Kumsusan
Palace of the Sun - we start the main day of our North
Korea May Day tour with an early departure to where the
leaders
Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il remain in state. Please note that this is
one of the most important places in the DPRK. You are kindly asked to
dress in formal attire (please contact us for more information
regarding this).
- IMPORTANT The Kumsusan Palace of
the Sun only
opens on Thursday and Sunday mornings to the public and
is usually closed from May until July. Our partners in
Pyongyang have told us that they expect it to be opened on 30 April
2019 but we find it necessary to let all travellers know about the
possiblity of it being closed at the end of April.
- Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery - located near the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in the outskirts of Pyongyang, views of the whole city are offered
PM
- Lunch: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang - we go back to our hotel to have lunch and quickly change back into comfortable clothes
- Korean War Museum - the newly restored museum shows the DPRK version of the Korean War. The sheer size of the museum and amount of detail put into it is truly amazing.
- USS Pueblo - US Spy ship captured by the DPRK in 1968, it sits in North Korea as trophy shown to locals and foreigners alike.
- Drive south to Kaesong(Panmunjom, the DMZ) - we head south towards the border between North and South Korea. The trip is 3 hours long and we will have a break by the highway where you can take pictures. If you go up the building you can take pictures of the empty Re-unification Highway. There are several military check-points when going and coming back from Kaesong. Our guides will tell us when we cannot take pictures.
- Hotel check-in: Minsok Traditional Courtyard Hotel - this is a traditional Korean hotel where sleep and eat on the floor (we sleep on a matress on the floor). There are some rooms with beds so if this is something you require please tell us when booking your tour with us.
- There is a cozy small bar by the dining room where we usually gather for drinks and to chat after dinner. Our Korean guides join in too, which is great to get to know them and their personal views better.
- Dinner: Minsok Hotel, Kaesong
- As you exit the restaurant after dinner you can see the bronze
lit-up statues of the Leaders at a distance overlooking the whole city
of Kaesong, indeed an impacting view given the darkness that dominates
the general scenery. Also worth mentioning is the stark contrast of
dark skies full of stars (given a clear night of course) and the purple
/ orange skies that can be seen further south, presumably from Seoul
which is only around 70 km away.
- Dinner: Local restaurant, Pyongyang
Overnight: Minsok Hotel, Kaesong
Day 3 - April 29 (Monday)
AM
- Breakfast: Minsok Hotel, Kaesong
- Tomb of King Kongmin (UNESCO World Heritage site) - twin tombs of King Kongmin and his Mongolian wife. The tombs have undergone very little restoration and are unique in that they are twin tombs.
- 38th Parallel (DMZ) - chance to enter the famous blue negotiation rooms where talks between North & South Korea have taken place. These are not always opened. If the rooms are not opened we will get a chance to see them from very close. A KPA Officer will join us on our coach and we will be guided around Panmunjom. The officer with us tends to ask us questions regarding our views about Korea and it is fascinating to be able to interact with them
- Koryo
Museum
(UNESCO World Heritage Site) in the old part of the city - unlike most
of Korea,
Kaesong was not destroyed during the Korean War. This museum was the
first university in the Korean Peninsula. It is also quite common to
see newly weds celebrating their weddings here.
- Stamp
shop -
chance to purchase a wide variety of DPRK stamps, post cards, artwork,
etc. This is just outside of the Koryo Museum and we usually make a
quick break here.
PM
- Lunch
at Tongil Restaurant (Kaesong) -
dishes are served in small covered golden plated bowls. The number of
small dishes served symbolised in ancient times
the status of the person eating, 12 dishes being the highest number.
- Drive to Sariwon, capital of North Hwanghae Province
- Walk around the Folk Street - We drive back to Sariwon city and explore what the city has to offer. Opportunity to walk around one of the busiest streets in Sariwon and stop by a local "Sul Jib" (meaning wine house or bar) to try some of the local delicacy; makoli, a traditional Korean drink (with low levels of alcohol). Sariwon is renowned for having the best makoli in the DPRK.
- Check local models of ancient pavilions and have an explanation of ancient Korea - apart from seeing models of Korean ancient pavilions and maps of the ancient Korean peninsula, one of the main highlights here is that there are usually Koreans playing games such as shooting targets (corks used as bullets). Not many travellers visit this city and we are always welcome to have a chance at the game!
- Walk up to Mt. Kyongnam Pavilion - the whole city of Sariwon and beyond can be seen from here. The walk itself is not that long, around 5 to 10 minutes, but the views give you a chance of not only seeing people getting along with their daily lives around the city but also the landscape stretching miles away into the horizon. You can see our Youtube video below to see what Sairwon looks like:
- Stop at the Reunification Monument - chance to have some pictures taken at these giant monuments
- Drive back to Pyongyang
- Kwangbok Supermarket - this is the only place where foreigners can exchange foreign currency for Korean won and purchase goods with Korean won. This place is usually packed with locals and we are allowed to wander around by ourselves. The bottom floor consists of a supermarket which mainly consists of local goods. The first floor is where clothes is sold as well as other goods such as watches, home equipment. The top floor is where we can buy snacks and meals and it is where hundreds of people tend to gather with their families for some food!
- Dinner: Hotpot Restaurant
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 4 - April 30 (Tuesday)
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
- Drive to Mount Myohyang in the northern interior region of North Korea
- International Friendship Exhibition Centre - presenting thousands of presents given to President Kim Il Sung, his son Chairman Kim Jong Il and his wife national heroine Comrade Kim Jong Suk. There is now a section too for the current Leader Kim Jong Un. These buildings are actually built into the mountains!
- Pohyon Buddhist Temple - initially built in 1042, it used to be the capital of Buddhism in this region of Korea
PM
- Lunch: Hyangsan Hotel, Mt. Myohyang - this is one of the most luxurious hotels in DPRK
- Drive back to Pyongyang
- Children's Palace - see a truly impressive mixture of singing, instrument playing and dancing performances
- Dinner: Local restaurant, Pyongyang
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 5 - May 1 (Wednesday) - May 1st National Holiday (International Workers' Day)
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel
- Walk from Pyongyang Grand Theatre to Kim Il Sung Square; the heart of Pyongyang
- Fountain Park - popular place for locals to take pictures. We will walk by the giant mosaic images of the leaders.
- Mansudae Grand Monuments - giant bronze statues of the Leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
- Taeson Park - sporting and dancing events are held here. You will be able to wonder around by yourself in the park and join in the fun with the Koreans! Interacting with Koreans is a highlight of our North Korea May Day tour and something that we encourage as much as possible in all of our trips. Having small groups enhances the chances of this greatly. Please check our short Youtube video:
PM
- Lunch: Picnic lunch, Moran Park
- Moran Park - chance to celebrate with locals on this National Holiday. You will be able to join in the singing and dancing. Thousands, and this is no exaggeration, of people gather here today. The spirits are high and the atmosphere is incredible. Although a capital city, Pyongyang does not receive many Westerners, meaning that you will be treated as a special guest by locals who usually have limited chance to interact with foreigners given that there are not many in the country.
- Ride on Pyongyang Metro - visit several stops as part of this extended ride on one of the busiest days in Pyongyang!
- Juche Tower - stunning views of Pyongyang are offered from the top of this 150 metre tall tower (170 including the flame!)
- Workers' Party Monuments - if Mass Dances are held you will be able to attend, though this will only be confirmed on May 1st. Thousands of Koreans gather and dance (women wearing traditional Korean outfits and men suits) in a synchronised way. You will of course be more than welcome to join in!
- Local funfair - even if you do not want to go on the rides, this is a great time to see locals have fun on a National Holiday and they will be with no doubt very curious at the sight of foreigners. Rides are 1 to 3 Euros per person but you do not need to try any of them if you would rather simply walk and look around the park, which itself is an experience!
- Drink at local bar - pre-dinner drinks at the Taedongang Number 3 Brewery Bar before our May Day Tour Farewell Dinner
- Dinner: Pyongyang No.1 Duck BBQ Restaurant, Pyongyang
Day 6 - May 2 (Thursday)
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel
- Drive to the port city Nampo on the west coast of North Korea - this is a major port city in DPRK. Drive on the Youth Hero Highway which was built by students at the end of the 1990s, a period known in DPRK as the "Arduous March." Some of the senior guides were students during that time and actually built the road! It is always fascinating to hear what our Korean guides say about their daily lives in the DPRK and their personal experiences, which is why encourage travellers to engage with them in these types of conversations as much as possible. We believe that this is more attainable with small sized groups.
- Chongsan Cooperative Farm - learn about how Koreans work and live in this model cooperative farm. We can have a look around the farm. If one of the kindergarten's is opened we will ask to have a look too.
- West Sea Barrage - 8 km long barrage that separates the Taedong River from the West Sea of Korea. This is a source of national pride in DPRK. The site was also visited by former US President Jimmy Carter in 1994 with President Kim Il Sung.
- West Sea Barrage - 8 km long barrage that separates the Taedong River from the West Sea of Korea. This is a source of national pride in DPRK. The site was also visited by former US President Jimmy Carter in 1994 with President Kim Il Sung.
PM
- Lunch: Nampo
- Kangso Mineral Water Factory - chance for us to visit a local factory and see how it operates
- Drive back to Pyongyang
- Mansudae Art Studio - this is where all forms of DPRK art is produced (including bronze statues). The pins with the images of the Leaders that all Korea adults wear are also made here. You will be able to meet Korean artists.
- Walk around Pyongyang's new street; Ryomyong Street, before dinner
- Dinner: local restaurant at Ryomyong Street, Pyongyang
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 7 - May 3 (Friday)
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel
- 10.25 am Train to Beijing - Please notify us if you would rather fly out of Pyongyang.
PM
- Stopover at Sinuiju train station bordering China where DPRK customs takes place (customs officers will come on the train to proceed with formalities). We then cross the bridge over the Yalu River back into China.
Overnight: train
Day 8 - May 4 (Saturday)
AM
- Arrival at the Beijing train station. The expected arrival time is 8.40 am
End of North Korea May Day Tour
Please go to our North Korea Tourism page to see more information on other tours that we offer other than our North Korea May Day Tour.
