North Korea
North Korea is travel at its most controlled: visits run only through approved tour operators, with state guides at your side throughout. In return you see Pyongyang's monumental avenues and deep metro, the Demilitarised Zone from the northern side at Panmunjom, and mountain scenery few outsiders reach. Read the FCDO advice before anything else.
Overview
No other country is visited quite like North Korea. Tourism, when open to Western visitors, happens only on pre-arranged tours, usually entering from China, with two Korean guides who stay with the group from arrival to departure. Itineraries centre on Pyongyang's showpieces: Kim Il Sung Square, the Juche Tower, the Mansudae statues and the metro. Most tours add a day trip south to Kaesong and Panmunjom on the Demilitarised Zone, and longer trips visit Mount Myohyang, the east-coast city of Wonsan or Mount Paektu on the Chinese border.
The experience is fascinating and disorientating in equal measure. Every day is scheduled, photography is restricted at times, and you cannot wander off alone, talk freely with locals or easily spend local currency. Tours are relatively expensive because accommodation, meals, transport and guides come bundled in one package price, and hotels such as Pyongyang's Yanggakdo are comfortable but dated. It suits curious, patient travellers who want to see the country's self-image first-hand. Many are struck by the emptiness: wide roads with little traffic, fields worked largely by hand and the sheer choreography of public life.
Map of North Korea
Top 5 highlights
- 1Architecture
Kim Il Sung Square and the Mansudae monuments
The parade square faces the Juche Tower across the Taedong River, while nearby the giant bronze statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on Mansudae Hill are where every tour group lays flowers and bows.
- 2History
Panmunjom and the DMZ
On the North Korean side of the Joint Security Area, blue conference huts straddle the Military Demarcation Line, and the hall where the 1953 armistice was signed stands nearby; a sobering counterpoint to tours from the South.
- 3History
Kaesong
Capital of the Koryo dynasty (918–1392) for most of its history and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Koryo Museum in a former Confucian academy, royal tombs and a hotel of traditional tiled courtyard houses.
- 4Nature
Mount Myohyang
Wooded mountains north of Pyongyang hold the International Friendship Exhibition, a vast hall of gifts presented to the leaders, and the Buddhist Pohyon Temple, founded in the 11th century, with walking trails to waterfalls.
- 5Nature
Mount Paektu
The sacred volcano on the Chinese border is Korea's highest peak at 2,744 m, with the crater lake Chon at its heart. Tours fly to Samjiyon, then drive and walk up to the rim, stopping at revolutionary sites below.
Biggest cities
Pyongyang
The showcase capital is the core of every tour: monuments on a colossal scale, a deep Soviet-style metro with chandeliered stations, and wide boulevards lined with new high-rise districts.
Hamhung
North Korea's second city, an industrial centre on the east coast rebuilt with East German help after the Korean War; it rarely features on tour itineraries.
Chongjin
A steel and port city in the far north-east, long closed to outsiders and seen only on rare itineraries combining the Rason economic zone and Mount Chilbo.
Ranked by urban-area population where available. Figures are rounded estimates, and sources define city limits differently, so rankings of similar-sized cities can vary.
When to go to North Korea
Best time: May–Jun, Sep–Oct.
Average climate in Pyongyang
Festivals & events
- AprPyongyang Marathon
The Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, held each April, has at times opened to foreign amateurs, who run full, half or 10 km courses through the capital, starting and finishing in Kim Il Sung Stadium.
- AprKim Il Sung's birthday
The founder's birthday on 15 April is the year's biggest holiday, with mass dancing in Pyongyang's squares, flower shows and lines of people laying floral tributes at the Mansudae statues.
How much does North Korea cost?
Estimates per person per day, excluding flights. Prices vary by season and city.
Food to try
Pyongyang naengmyeon
Chewy buckwheat noodles in a chilled, tangy beef broth with pear, egg and meat, eaten year-round and most famously at Okryu restaurant beside the Taedong River.
Pyongyang onban
A comforting bowl of rice in hot chicken broth, topped with shredded chicken, mushrooms and a mung bean pancake; a traditional Pyongyang speciality.
Taedonggang beer
A malty lager brewed in Pyongyang on equipment shipped from the old Ushers brewery in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and served in hotel bars.
Getting around
Independent travel is not possible. Groups move by coach or minibus with their guides and driver, on routes fixed in advance. Tours have typically arrived on Air Koryo flights from Beijing or Shenyang, or by train via the Chinese border city of Dandong. Some longer tours fly by charter to Samjiyon for Mount Paektu, and groups in Pyongyang usually ride a few stops on the metro.
Practical information
- Plugs & voltage
- CF220V — bring a UK-to-C/F adapter
- Emergency numbers
Not confirmed by the FCDO — services may be unreliable. Ask your accommodation for local numbers.
- Dialling code
- +850
- Time zone
- UTC+9 (standard time)
- Tap water
- Not safe — drink bottled or treated water
- Driving
- On the right
- Tipping
- Tipping your guides and driver at the end of a tour is expected; your tour operator will suggest an amount, usually paid in euros or yuan.
- Etiquette
- Follow your guides' lead at the leaders' monuments, photograph statues whole rather than cropped, never fold or discard printed images of the leaders, and keep political opinions to yourself.
- Main airports
- Pyongyang Sunan International Airport (FNJ), Pyongyang
Visas & entry for North Korea
Shown for a British passport.
Visa required — apply before you go
You must have a visa to enter North Korea.
From the UK government's FCDO entry requirements for British passport holders — read the full page for passport validity, permits and exceptions.
Health & vaccinations
- Recommended for most travellers
- Hepatitis ATetanusTyphoid
- Sometimes advised — depends on your trip, activities and health
- Hepatitis BJapanese encephalitisMeaslesRabiesTuberculosis
- Yellow fever certificate
- A yellow fever certificate is only required if you arrive from (or transit through) a country with yellow fever risk — not if you fly direct from the UK.
- Malaria
- Very low risk of malaria
- There is a very low risk of malaria in some southern areas of North Korea: awareness of risk and bite avoidance recommended.
Source: TravelHealthPro (National Travel Health Network and Centre), checked 21 October 2026. This is a summary, not medical advice.
Public holidays in North Korea
The next 12 months. Banks, offices and some sights may close, and transport and hotels get busy around these dates.
| Mon 16 Nov 2026 | Mother's Day |
| Sun 27 Dec 2026 | Socialist Constitution Day |
| Fri 1 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Sun 7 Feb 2027 | Korean New Year |
| Mon 8 Feb 2027 | Founding Day of the Korean People's Army |
| Tue 16 Feb 2027 | Day of the Shining Star |
| Wed 17 Feb 2027 | Day of the Shining Star |
| Sun 21 Feb 2027 | Daeboreum |
| Mon 8 Mar 2027 | International Women's Day |
| Mon 5 Apr 2027 | Cheongmyeong Festival |
| Thu 15 Apr 2027 | Day of the Sun |
| Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Day of the Sun |
| Sun 25 Apr 2027 | Founding Day of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army |
| Sat 1 May 2027 | International Workers' Day |
| Sun 6 Jun 2027 | Foundation Day of the Korean Children's Union |
| Tue 27 Jul 2027 | Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War |
| Sun 15 Aug 2027 | Liberation Day |
| Wed 25 Aug 2027 | Day of Songun |
| Sat 28 Aug 2027 | Youth Day |
| Thu 9 Sep 2027 | Founding Day of the DPRK |
| Wed 15 Sep 2027 | Chuseok |
| Sun 10 Oct 2027 | Foundation Day of the Workers' Party of Korea |
National holidays only. Dates based on lunar calendars can move by a day or two depending on official announcements.
Useful phrases in Korean
| English | Korean | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하십니까 | AHN-nyong-ha-SHIM-nee-kka |
| Thank you | 감사합니다 | KAHM-sah-hahm-nee-dah |
| Please | 부탁합니다 | poo-TAHK-hahm-nee-dah |
| Excuse me | 실례합니다 | shil-leh-HAHM-nee-dah |
| How much is this? | 이거 얼마입니까? | EE-guh UHL-mah-eem-nee-kka |
Know before you go
- Check the FCDO travel advice first: North Korea has opened and closed to Western tourists at short notice, and only specialist tour operators can arrange visits.
- Bring all the cash you need in euros, Chinese yuan or US dollars, in small notes; foreign bank cards don't work and visitors rarely use the local won.
- Leave religious, South Korean and political material at home, expect phones, laptops and books to be inspected on arrival, and never remove posters or signs as souvenirs.
North Korea travel FAQs
When is the best time to visit North Korea?
The best time to visit North Korea is generally May–Jun, Sep–Oct. Peak months are May, June, September and October. Average highs in Pyongyang range from -1°C to 29°C across the year.
How much does a trip to North Korea cost per day?
Roughly £170 a day on a tight budget, £240 mid-range and £360+ for comfortable travel, per person including accommodation, food and local transport. Flights are extra.
What currency is used in North Korea?
North Korean won (KPW).
What plug type does North Korea use?
Type C and F sockets at 220V. UK visitors need a travel adapter — UK Type G plugs will not fit.
Which side of the road do they drive on in North Korea?
Traffic drives on the right in North Korea, unlike the UK.
Is tap water safe to drink in North Korea?
Not safe — drink bottled or treated water.
Do I need a visa for North Korea?
For British passport holders, the FCDO says: You must have a visa to enter North Korea. Entry rules change, so check the official FCDO entry requirements for North Korea before you travel: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/north-korea/entry-requirements
What vaccinations do I need for North Korea?
TravelHealthPro recommends Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid for most travellers, with Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, Measles, Rabies and Tuberculosis sometimes advised depending on your trip. Make sure routine UK vaccinations are up to date and see a travel health professional 6–8 weeks before you go.
