North Korea extends Arirang again!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

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 last trip offered, this short run through the most isolated country on the planet will last three days and includes flights to and from Beijing, all meals and hotel stays, transportation, entry fees, guide services and just about everything else (though you are encouraged to bring gifts for your hosts). You’ll also have two opportunities to see the Arirang spectacle, along with the usual North Korean sights: Juche Tower, Pyongyang Metro, Kim Il Sung Square and others.

The trip comes at a price of €850 (around $1,100), though discounts area available for students, children and groups of three or more booking together. Of course, the dates aren’t flexible – this is North Korea, after all. The trip runs from October 15 to 17, and the booking deadline is October 3. Americans are welcome on this trip.

So, if you saw the last deal from Koryo Tours and weren’t sure, you have another shot at visiting this unusual destination.

Not sure what Arirang is? Check out the video after the jump.

Spend a weekend in Pyongyang

by Tom Johansmeyer on

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.

The “mini-break,” as Koryo Tours is calling it, starts and ends in Beijing (so you’ll need a double-entry visa for China) and includes all fees, accommodations, transportation, guide services and flights for the Beijing-to-Beijing roundtrip – you’ll have to arrange your own travel to and from Beijing. Along the way, there are two chances to go to Arirang, not to mention Juche Tower, the Korean War Museum’s interesting take on history, Kim Il Sung Square and the Pyongyang Metro. U.S. citizens are permitted to join in on the experience.

So, if you’re looking to cross into the unknown, make your reservation by September 14. At €850, it’s an absolute steal. If you have any misgivings, Koryo Tours says, “A fascinating, safe and unique experience is guaranteed.”

Amazing North Korea trip deal: Arirang for $1,000!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

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.

For this low price, you can spend three days in North Korea in August (departing from and returning to Beijing). The price of the package includes flights, accommodations, guides, entry fees and the other basics of getting into and out of Pyongyang. You’ll also get two chances to see Arirang – the Mass Games – and a tour of the country’s capital, including the Juche Tower, Kim Il Sung Square and the Pyongyang Metro. Meals are also covered.

The trip runs from August 27 – 29, 2009, with the last date to book August 17, 2009. Students, children and groups of at least three are also eligible for discounts. And, Americans are allowed to take the trip.

There has been nothing like this deal, and the odds of it being offered again are rare. This could be the best chance you have to go to North Korea.

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Infiltrating North Korea Part 13: Kids will be kids

by Neil Woodburn on

After enduring five days of stoic faced North Koreans held hostage in their Mao suits, it was comforting to discover that children are the same everywhere regardless of political indoctrination.

We’d certainly seen plenty of children during our tour of North Korea and nearly all of them were extraordinarily well behaved-much like their parents. But on our final day in Pyongyang as we were heading to the airport, we stopped for a few minutes at Kim Il Sung Square. It was the morning of October 10, and the city was gearing up for the Korean Workers’ Party Foundation Day–a national holiday celebrating the creation of the communist party.

It was rumored that a massive military parade was scheduled for later in the afternoon–long after the tourists had left. But in the morning, the square was reserved for thousands of unsupervised kids flying kites and playing games.
It was extraordinarily refreshing to see them running around and having fun. North Korea had seemed so sad and humorless during our stay and it left me feeling so very depressed. But here, right in front of our eyes, was a mass of childhood innocence not yet tarnished by the state. Sure, you’ll notice that many of the children are wearing communist red scarves and even Kim Il Sung pins on their shirts, but the weight of such a horrific dictatorship has not yet settled on their shoulders, thus freeing them from the shackles of socialist adulthood and allowing them to be just like any other happy-go-lucky child living on planet earth.

Yesterday: A North Korean History Lesson about the U.S.S. Pueblo
Tomorrow: Pyongyang Sock Hop