Nov 12th, 2010 at 3:00PM:
It isn't easy to visit North Korea. The country makes it intentionally difficult for outsiders to get in. For those of us in the United States, the distances to be traveled increase the barrier even more. Well, I just got the list of tour options from Koryo Tours, and it looks like North Korea is more open than ever!
There are several ways you can get to Pyongyang and other cities in 2011 ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Arirang posts
Five North Korea trips for 2011, and a "no taxation" celebration
Nov 12th, 2010 at 3:00PM:
It isn't easy to visit North Korea. The country makes it intentionally difficult for outsiders to get in. For those of us in the United States, the distances to be traveled increase the barrier even more. Well, I just got the list of tour options from Koryo Tours, and it looks like North Korea is more open than ever!
There are several ways you can get to Pyongyang and other cities in 2011 ...Arirang extended in North Korea
Sep 29th, 2010 at 1:30PM:
Arirang, also known as the "mass games," has been extended until October 25, 2010. The North Korean festival features thousands of dancers performing in unison and is packed with local symbolism. The event consists of 100,000 performers in all. Koryo Tours, which brings westerners into North Korea, has put together a short trip from October 23 – 26, 2010 to catch the last of the event.
...Five facts about the North Korean Arirang festival
Aug 12th, 2010 at 8:00AM: North Korea's Arirang festival is in motion, and people from all over the world are traveling to the isolated communist country to watch what truly is an impressive undertaking. But, what do we really know about it? So much about North Korea is shrouded in mystery, making it hard to really learn much about what goes on there.
Instead of relying on the accounts of tourists, the western media or ...Everybody loves Arirang according to North Korean news agency
Aug 11th, 2010 at 1:00PM: It's Arirang time! The North Korean group gymnastics festival is under way, and the crowds are predictably adoring. According to the Korea Central News Agency, the twenty-fifth batch of campers of the Songdowon International Children's Camp "appreciated the grand gymnastic and artistic performance." But, that shouldn't come as a surprise because it was in KCNA.
Shockingly, the KCNA continued: ...Shanghai: New route from China to North Korea
Jul 23rd, 2010 at 3:00PM:
It isn't exactly a wide-open commercial route, but at least the door is slightly ajar. Korean Air charter flights will start flying from Shanghai to Pyongyang on August 6, 2010, when the first group of tourists will take advantage of this (rather slight) liberalization of North Korean travel rules.
The goal, of course, is to "help to further promote cooperation and exchanges between China and ...North Korea to Americans: come on over!
Jan 30th, 2010 at 11:00AM: The good news has been confirmed: North Korea is opening its doors to Americans all year long. The Korea International Travel Company revealed the new policy to Asia Pacific Travel Ltd, which is a departure from the standard that had existed since 2005. For the past five years, Americans have only been able to travel to North Korea during the Arirang festival in August and September. Still being ...Five rules for traveling to North Korea
Jan 25th, 2010 at 2:00PM: I'm told that travel to North Korea is quite safe, as long as you follow the rules (and don't do anything stupid). You have to realize that, politics aside, you're entering a country that just does things differently. Of course, the consequences that come with straying can be severe. The trip will be scripted, but you know that going in. Follow the bouncing ball, and you'll be just fine.
...North Korea to announce availability to Americans
Jan 13th, 2010 at 5:00PM: North Korean officials are thinking about opening the country to American visitors all year long. Though we'd still have to use the existing tour operators and have our options constrained once in the country, we'd at least be able to visit the most isolated country on Earth at virtually any time. Since 2005, Americans have only been able to visit during Arirang -- and for only up to five days at ...Five major changes to North Korean tourism in 2009
Dec 14th, 2009 at 2:00PM:
Fewer than 1,500 Americans have been to North Korea on vacation, according to Koryo Tours, making it one of the truly remote destinations in a world that's becoming increasingly interconnected. So, if you're looking for an unusual stamp in your passport or bragging rights when the conversation turns to "most unusual destination," a trip above the DMZ remains one of the top alternatives.
If you ...North Korea extends Arirang again!
Sep 17th, 2009 at 10:00AM: Well, it looks like this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will be offered again this year. That's what happens, though, when you're dealing with Pyongyang – you never know what to expect. The latest news is that the Arirang Mass Games festival has been extended from the end of September to October 17, 2009, giving Koryo Tours time to schedule one more outing for western visitors.
Like the ...Spend a weekend in Pyongyang
Aug 27th, 2009 at 2:00PM: If you didn't get a shot at the last short trip that Koryo Tours organized into North Korea, you have another chance coming. This rare breed of travel company – which brings westerners into the most isolated country on earth – is planning an excursion for September 24 – 26, which will include the sights of Pyongyang and the opportunity to witness the Arirang Mass Games spectacle. ...North Korea vacation: can I take pictures?
Jul 13th, 2009 at 8:00AM:
With the latest deal from Koryo Tours on travel to Pyongyang for the amazing Arirang event, one commenter had a great question: "I'd love to go and take lots of pictures, but I wonder if they would allow that??"
Well, Kelso, you would definitely be allowed to take pictures.
Though there are "many restrictions on photography that have to be obeyed in the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of ...Amazing North Korea trip deal: Arirang for $1,000!
Jul 9th, 2009 at 12:00PM: Koryo Tours is offering the least expensive North Korea travel deal I've ever seen. Granted, there aren't many tours to this corner of the world, so there can't be too many discounts. But, even in this limited field, a $1,000 jaunt to the most isolated country in the world is an incredible find.
tweetmeme_url = ...Brits welcome in North Korea for Arirang
Jun 17th, 2009 at 3:00PM:
The ban on UK visitors in the DPRK has been removed for the summer, according to an e-mail announcement from Koryo Tours. This was the last of the restrictions that the world was waiting for North Korean authorities to lift. Citizens from the UK will be able to travel to the reclusive Communist country this year for Arirang. A similar bar on travel from the United States was removed back in ...Arirang gets green light in DPRK!
Apr 10th, 2009 at 12:00PM: It is confirmed: the Arirang Mass Games will be held in Pyongyang, North Korea this summer. The event will run from August 10, 2009 through the end of September, highlighting the precision for which the DPRK performers have become famous. According to Koryo Tours, Americans are welcome to attend the festival this year. If you are considering a visit to the Hermit Kingdom late this summer, do be ...More details on American access to North Korea in 2009
Feb 11th, 2009 at 8:30AM: It may not be time to celebrate, but you can certainly be optimistic (with a dose of caution). Koryo Tours has received an update from its partners in North Korea about the upcoming Arirang (i.e., "Mass Games" event). The Mass Games are expected to be held in August and September – and could run into October (based on past experience). Koryo Tours is currently scheduling tours for westerners ...Forbidden travel: you're not the first
Jan 3rd, 2009 at 12:00PM: The world's hot spots have become hotter, according to MSNBC's Christopher Elliott. He lists Cuba, Iran and North Korea among the countries that are attracting American tourist interest and offers some smart advice for anyone interested in taking the plunge. These and other countries on the U.S. State Department's list of travel warnings dangerous destinations are fun, though, specifically because ...North Korea Mass Games may happen in 2009
Dec 18th, 2008 at 12:00PM: Rumors earlier this year suggested that the North Korean Mass Games ("Arirang") were being pushed back to 2012. The magic in that number is that it's the 100th anniversary of the birth of the deceased but still-serving president, Kim Il Sung. Koryo Tours' recent newsletter, though, suggests that Arirang my run in 2009 after all. Likely months are August and October-though the specialists in taking ...Infiltrating North Korea Part 7: The Mass Games
Dec 12th, 2007 at 10:00AM: Infiltrating North Korea is a two-week series exploring the world's most reclusive nation and its bizarre, anachronistic way of life. To start reading at the beginning of the series, be sure to click here. My trip to North Korea was only the second time since the Korean War that Americans were allowed into the country. The reason for this rare exception was the Mass Games. The Mass Games is a ...
