Young Pioneer Tours
Blog
Welcome to the Young Pioneer Tours Blog, the place where we we keep you informed about everything YPT, from current tours, to future tours and a whole lot of eclectic stuff in between.
YPT first started blogging in 2008 and are considered the best North Korean Travel blog that there is.
But, as Young Pioneer Tours have expanded our locations, so have we expanded our blog. Now we have one of the best travel blogs in the world!
And while most of our content is about the numerous destinations we go, including travel guides and what to pack, we also delve into more serious subjects such as the safety of certain destinations, as well as how LGTBQ+ friendly the places we visit are.
While the vast majority of our content is produced in-house, we are always on the look-out for guest bloggers and writers. Want to write for us? Then simply get in touch.
You can also check out our sister publication YPT Life.
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Returning to Yanbian: An American-Chinese Adoption Story
3 February 2017 / by Alistair Riddell
Young Pioneer Tours Chinese-speaking guide John describes his recent trip to Yanbian, on the China-North Korea border, with an American family who adopted from China. It was Nora’s first trip back to the place she was born and first time to meet her Ch …
The Top 9 Soviet Jokes – Newly Declassified!
29 January 2017 / by YPT Team
This year the CIA released a huge number of Soviet jokes. It isn’t made clear why they kept files of Soviet-era jokes in the first place — maybe to help train spies? Whatever the reason, they aren’t actually all that bad and certainly show how the goo …
In Pictures: Rason, North Korea
26 January 2017 / by Gareth Johnson
Rason Special Economic Zone is located in the far Northeast of North Korea, bordering China and Russia. It’s modelled after the old special economic zones of China to promote trade, business, and foreign investment (read more about Rason here). Because …
The Top 5 Running Spots in Beijing
26 January 2017 / by Pier Doyon
There’s no better way to start the day, especially in a foreign city, than a quick jog to see a quieter and more relaxed side of a big city. Whether you live in Beijing, or are just passing through, this list will inspire you to see another (and health …
Rason Special Economic Zone: The “Other” North Korea – DPRK Guide 2025
21 January 2017 / by Gareth Johnson
Why is Rason the most fascinating area in North Korea? Because it’s the only area in North Korea where they promote something people wouldn’t usually expect from a socialist government: capitalism. It’s a place where foreign tourists aren’t generally t …
Not Your Average Beer Festival – Taedonggang Beer Festival Returns to Pyongyang in 2017
20 January 2017 / by Gareth Johnson
North Korea isn’t your average tour destination. It’s certainly not the type of place you’d expect to get sloshed with locals while sampling locally-brewed (and, in our opinion, very tasty) craft beers. Yet, in 2016, Pyongyang announced they’d be holdi …
“A Seagull Caught Alive” – Anecdotes of Kim Jong Il
19 January 2017 / by Gareth Johnson
One of the perks to working in North Korean tourism is easy access to the many publications of the DPRK, rarely read by foreigners or made available online. We’d like to begin to regularly share our favourites with you; so for you …
What’s it Like to Visit North Korea?
16 January 2017 / by Gareth Johnson
Linda Hjelle, 24, has travelled with Young Pioneer Tours to North Korea on two occasions. Linda, originally from Norway, is currently studying for a masters degree in Chinese Society and Politics at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. Here, s …
City 40: The Place You Weren’t Supposed to Know Exists
13 January 2017 / by Alistair Riddell
You might be forgiven for thinking that you’d just stumbled on a quiet town in suburban America. Tree-lined streets peppered with skateboarding kids, cool crystal lakes and large open parks make this town just as attractive and middle class as anywhere …
