Young Pioneer Tours is always working with our Korean partners to open up new parts of the DPRK to tourism, and the city of Manpo in Chagang Province is now open to tourists as of April 2019. What the Manpo? Manpo is a large city of over 100,000 people, standing on the banks of the […]

North Korean snacks might not be famous the world over, but they are interesting and a highlight to any trip here. Without question, one of the elements of travel that I love most is sampling the local cuisine of any new country I’m lucky enough to visit. From local market street food to traditional foods, […]

After a couple of inconclusive summits with Trump, North Korean leader Marshal Kim Jong Un is now pivoting and meeting with Vladimir Putin in what is being dubbed the Kim-Putin Summit. While the current leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has quickly established much more of a willingness to leave the country than […]

Cute islands in the middle of rivers like Hwanggumpyong Island might have romantic overtones, but more often than not they can prove to be right royal pains in the ass! There have been more than a few conflicts over useless rocks over the years. On the Tumen and Yalu rivers there are a total of […]

Despite North Korea and China being neighbors and buddies in all things red and socialist, the China – North Korea border is not only one of the most militarized and tense on earth, but is also one of the most interesting. To say Young Pioneer Tours are a bit obsessed with the border between the […]

We recently did a blog explaining the nuances of football in North Korea, and another on the man who is possibly their best player. In June we’re planning a trip to watch the most successful North Korean club side, April 25th, take on Hang Yuen – the current champions of Taiwan. Football in North Korea, […]

When I first started taking people to the Taedong Diplomatic Club over 10 years ago, many a travel guide (and travel agency) stated it was impossible to go there as a tourist. In fact this was not the case, and a visit to the Diplo is very much part of a trip to North Korea […]

Formally known as the Emperor Hotel & Casino and owned by the Emperor Group in Hong Kong, it has since been acquired by a new unknown owner in 2012. The Imperial Hotel & Casino is located in Rason – the Special Economic Zone of North Korea and was one of the first fully owned foreign […]

Pyongyang’s nightlife might not exactly be the Last Days of Rome, but things have drastically improved – certainly in the eleven or so years that I’ve been visiting. Nowadays there are many more bars, coffee shops, and even pizza joints popping up in Pyongyang. But the one true staple of North Korean nightlife preceded even […]

Without doubt one of our most underrated tours – and for Americans at least, the closest view of North Korea you will currently get – is our North Korean Borderlands Tour. The tour starts either in Dandong or Tumen, with us taking the long journey along the border between North Korea and China (and briefly […]