North Korea destinations

North Korea destinations: where tours go

In North Korea you cannot simply pick a destination and go. Every trip follows a tour itinerary, so this page explains the places that tours visit, how they fit together and what each one is like.

Pyongyang
Pyongyang
North Korea's showpiece capital of vast squares, monuments and wide boulevards on the Taedong River.
Read the guidePhoto: calflier001, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
South Hwanghae and Kaesong
Kaesong and the DMZ
The border at Panmunjom and the old Koryo capital of Kaesong, a UNESCO listed town of tombs and temples.
Read the guidePhoto: Uri Tours, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kangwon Province
Wonsan
An east coast port with long beaches, the new Kalma resort and the Masikryong ski slopes nearby.
Read the guidePhoto: (stephan), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
North Phyongan Province
Mount Myohyang
Wooded mountains north of Pyongyang with a Buddhist temple, waterfalls and the vast hall of gifts to the leaders.
Read the guidePhoto: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rason Special Economic Zone
Rason
A special economic zone on the far northeast coast, bordering China and Russia, with a slightly looser feel.
Read the guidePhoto: Caitriana Nicholson from 北京 ~ Beijing, 中国 ~ China, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The capital

Almost every trip is built around Pyongyang, the showpiece capital, with its monuments, museums, metro and the hotels where tourists stay. Most tours spend at least three nights here.

The border

South of the capital, Kaesong and the DMZ combine the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom with the old Koryo royal capital and its UNESCO listed tombs and academies. It is the most popular day trip from Pyongyang.

Mountains

North of the capital, Mount Myohyang offers mountain walks, the Buddhist Pohyon Temple and the extraordinary International Friendship Exhibition.

The east coast

Wonsan is the country's main beach and ski area, home to the new Kalma resort and the Masikryong ski slopes. Access for most nationalities has been limited since it opened.

The far northeast

Rason is a special economic zone bordering China and Russia, with its own entry rules and a slightly looser feel. It reopened briefly to Western tourists in 2025.

Places tours rarely reach

Longer specialist tours have historically gone to Mount Paektu and Samjiyon on the Chinese border, Chongjin and Mount Chilbo in the northeast, Nampo and the West Sea Barrage, and Sinuiju across the river from Dandong in China. Access to all of these depends on the year. See our places to visit list for more sights, and use the free trip planner to think through your route.

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