2020 North Korea May Day XXL Tour

2020 North Korea May Day XXL Tour - The application deadline for this tour is March 20 2020.

Our North Korea May Day XXL East Coaster Tour is an extremely comprehensive tour where you will not only go to combining 6 different regions in Korea staying 7 nights in the DPRK but you will also be able to cross North Korea from coast to coast going through small counties and towns. Areas visited are Pyongyang, the coastal city of Wonsan, the industrial and second largest city of DPRK, Hamhung, Kaesong and Sariwon. This trip offers you a unique chance to explore completely different areas of North Korea and to celebrate May Day with locals.

In our humble opinion, May Day is one of the most fun times to be in North Korea. Please check our Youtube video below and you will see why this is such a great time to be in North Korea:

If interested in shorter DPRK tours please check our other May Day tour departures.

Day 1 - April 25 (Saturday)

Depart from Beijing at 13.05 flight JS 152 Terminal 2, Beijing Capital Airport
Arrive in Pyongyang at 16.35 (Pyongyang time)

Arch of Triumph- it marks the return of President Kim Il Sung upon returning to Korea after the liberation of Korea from Japan. This gigantic monument is taller than that of Paris
Walk around the area, see the enormous mural of President Kim Il Sung upon his return to Korea after the liberation of the country and walk by Kim Il Sung Stadium
Hotel check-in: Yanggakdo Hotel
Welcome Dinner: Local Restaurant, Pyongyang

Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang

Day 2 - April 26 (Sunday)

Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Drive to the coastal city of Wonsan (East Coast) - unique chance to be driven through second tier cities and counties as you literally cruise across the DPRK, from one side of the country to the other. The ride is around 4.5 hours long and a fascinating experience. We will have a 30 minute break on the way at a local guest house with relaxing views.
Sinpyong Guesthouse - 30 minute break by a lake. Chance to try some snake liquor!

Lunch: Local restaurant, Wonsan
Walk around Wonsan City (Central Square and along the pier) - you can see locals going on with their daily lives here. The square tends to be very lively with children roller skating, families walking together and then by the port there are always people fishing.

Jangdok Islet & lighthouse - just opposite the "mainland", it offers full views of the port area and the frontline of Wonsan
Walk around Oriental Park
Check-in: Songdowon Hotel
Wonsan Old Train Station - actual scale train station of the train station President Kim Il Sung arrived at after the Liberation of Korea
Dinner: Local restaurant

Overnight: Songdowon Hotel, Wonsan

Day 3 - April 27 (Monday)

Breakfast: Songdowon Hotel, Wonsan
Drive to Hamhung City - discover the second largest city in the DPRK. This industrial city only started receiving Western tourists in 2010 and is therefore considered even more "off the beaten track" of a destination.
Mt. Donghung - with an impressive view of Hamhung City and the whole surrounding area, a giant bronze statue of President Kim Il Sung is here and it is a popular place for newly-weds to go and pay tribute.

Lunch: City Restaurant, Hamhung. Hamhung is well known for its potato starch noodles.
Hamhung Grand Theatre - enormous theatre located in the city centre right across from the main square. Please bear in mind that in spite of being the second biggest city in North Korea with an estimated population of 800,000, Hamhung has only been opened up to tourism very recently and the site of foreigners here is extremely rare for locals (more so than in other areas in the DPRK) which will explain the surprise on many people's faces when seeing you. The image on the right shows a Children's rally in Hamhung.

Home of Ri Song-gye - Founder of the Choson Dynasty, he overthrew the Koryo dynasty. His home is located in Hungnam disctrict which is home to many factories.
Hungnam Fertiliser Factory - unique chance to visit one of the country's biggest factories

Check-in Majon Cottage - a series of cottages located by the beach. Enjoy a relaxing stroll by the seaside before dinner. There are usually locals here happy to have us join in.

Dinner: Majon Cottage, clam BBQ option

Overnight: Majon Cottage (at the seafront)

Day 4 - April 28 (Tuesday)

Breakfast: Majon Cottage

Cooperative farm near Hamhung in North Korea (DPRK)

Dongbong Cooperative Farm - see how farmers and their families live here. We will see farmers' homes, the fields and visit the kindergarten that their children attend (also located within the premises of the cooperative farm). This is an interesting aspect of DPRK tours as it allows travellers see different aspects of the country
Drive back to Wonsan
Wonsan Agricultural University - walk around the university campus

Lunch: City Restaurant in Wonsan
Drive back to Pyongyang via the Ullim Waterfalls which were discovered by soldiers in 2001 (weather permitting)
Break at Masikryong Ski Resort - see the luxurious North Korean Ski Complex

Dinner: Local Restaurant, Pyongyang

Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang

Day 5 - April 29 (Wednesday)

Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Drive south to Kaesong (Panmunjom, the DMZ) - head south towards the border between North and South Korea. The trip is 3 hours long and there will be 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.
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.

Tomb of King Kongmin. North Korean school children visiting the place a few days before May Day

38th Parallel (DMZ) - chance to enter the famous blue negotiation rooms where talks between North & South Korea have taken place if 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.

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

Dinner: Hotpot Restaurant

Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang

Day 6 - April 30 (Thursday)

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 2020 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

Lunch: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang - we go back to our hotel to have lunch and quickly change back into comfortable clothes

Grand People's Study House - giant library/study centre where workers and students go with impressive views of Kim Il Sung Square
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.

Korean War Museum in Pyongyang capital of North Korea (KTG picture)

Children's Palace - see where talented children go for extracurricular activities
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: Local restaurant, Pyongyang

Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang

Day 7 - May 1 (Friday) - May 1st National Holiday (International Workers' Day)

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:

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.

May Day celebrations on Moran Hill, Pyongyang, North Korea

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!

Dancing with North Koreans in Moran Park on May Day

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 8 - April May 2 (Saturday)

Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel

10.25 am Train to Beijing - please let us know if you would like to fly back to Beijing

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 9 - May 3 (Sunday)