North Korea Travel Guide

North Korea OVERVIEW

Its roots fed by the Soviet Union and political doctrine shaped by Kim Il Sung, North Korea hasn't been enjoying good press since the eruption of a civil war on the peninsula in 1950. Its strict isolationism and massive conventional armed forces continuously add to the crippling fears of the international community concerning North Korea's missile development and nuclear weapons program. This enigmatic country, where obedience to the state runs in 'the collective family' and 'off the beaten path' defines 95 percent of the territory, simply goes beyond familiar definitions.

But dive beyond the headlines and North Korea reveals its more favorable face. Actually, there's no country to which the label of a wolf in a sheep's skin applies more adequately. For once you climb the Kumgangsan and embrace the dramatic scenery of the Diamond Mountains, sprinkled with lagoons, waterfalls, hermitages and Buddhist temples, the only impression you get is that of harmony and tranquility. Myohyangsan enchants with a whole slew of fragrances, gently rolling hills and superb hiking opportunities, while Mount Paektu, an extinct volcano shrouded in mythology and sacred to all Koreans, rewards your trek with a gorgeous crater lake , which is believed to be home to the Lake Tianchi Monster, and, by the way, a close vicinity to the birthplace of Kim Jong-il. And then there's Pyongyang, the monumental capital whose attractiveness is quite a matter of curiosity rather than universally-perceived brilliance, yet a must when you've already managed to get in.

Of course, things don't come easy and no one has the slightest intention of letting you snoop around without supervision. At all times you will be accompanied by a government-verified guide (either on a group or individual tours) who will be more than happy to give you subjective historical accounts and laudatory speeches in the honor of Korean Workers' Party, the closest thing to a traditional Stalinist ruling formation in the world today. With no exceptions, all visitors need a visa, which is only issued after your tour has been booked, pair for, and approved by the authorities.

As for other essentials, behave yourself, shut your mouth up, and don't do anything to deteriorate the opinion the people have had indoctrinated about foreigners. If you're ready to abide by the rules and accept the limitations, you'll make a sinister discovery that Orwell's 1984 is no far-fetched projection of a systemophobic mind, but also have an intriguing, if not slightly consoling, glimpse into how ordinary life always finds a path to normality, even if the paving is abnormal.