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North Korea Travel Opportunities
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Article Intro
For some people North Korea might be a peculiar country to consider it as a travel destination, but those who visited this country say that this had been one of the most unforgettable experiences ever.
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North Korea is a charming blend of rugged long history and the heritage of the 'Cold War'. The country is one of the last 'reserves of communism', but is rapidly changing its reputation and becomes a significant tourist center of the region. North Korea is known for ultra-pure and accurate capital, patriarchal rural areas with their charming landscapes, and the ancient Pektusan on the Chinese border. A variety of Korean sights is almost unknown to modern tourists. North Korea has many fine parks, and what is particularly impressive – a great number of ancient constructions. Taking into account that the country was almost completely destroyed during the Korean War in the 1950s, it deserves respect.
The country's capital, Pyongyang, is an excellent example of the government's intentions to design its appearance in the spirit of progress, discipline and precise planning. Here, we should not expect the usual appearance of a noisy Asian capital full of advertising, traffic and bicycles. The town is built on the banks of the Tedongan river. The most amazing thing on the river is fountains, which reach the height of 150 m, thus becoming the highest fountains in the world. One of the major monuments of the capital is the Tower of the Juche Idea, the 170-meter 'needle'. It is a real must to visit the Triumphal Arch, which marks the place where national independence was proclaimed. The Kim Il-Sung Stadium is one of the largest in the world and is often visited by tourists, who adore sports. In the capital, there is a large number of museums and monuments to Kim Il Sung and the Revolution, but it is preferable to examine the more traditional attractions.
One should definitely visit subway stations, decorated with great art and luxury. They are even richer than many museums and have bronze sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, crystal chandeliers and marble pillars.
Haeju is a major port city where one can rent a boat and take a tour of the numerous and extremely picturesque islands or explore the beautiful sandy beach to get acquainted with many living inhabitants of these waters. Syangsan Mountain is one of the main areas of recreation in the country where the old mountain fort is particularly attractive. Kumgangsan is the best tourist resort in North Korea.
Kuvolsan is the area on the west coast with the country’s most exciting mountain peaks. Several roads and hiking trails provide access to two major peaks, two picturesque valleys, the cascade of small waterfalls, hot springs, as well as to the ancient walls of the fortress and the whole complex of shrines and palaces.
The city of Kaesong is a modern city with wide streets and almost no special monuments or historic values. One pleasant exception is the 'old town', where traditional Korean buildings can be observed. Still, the city has a miraculously preserved sight – the bridge built in the 13th century.
Pektusan volcano on the Korean-Chinese border is the highest peak on the Korean peninsula. This magnificent place is surrounded by vast wilderness, and the peak itself is covered with snow all the year round. Pektusan is one of the deepest alpine lakes in the world, and though it provides the two hot springs with water, the waters of the lake itself are among the coldest in the world. Pektusan is a sacred place for every Korean, because it is considered to be the place where the 'Son of the God of Heaven' descended to the earth.
Visiting North Korea can be a challenge, so, it is very advisable to find an experienced travel agency or tour operator for North Korea.
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