If you’re looking to get well off the beaten track during your North Korea tour to Pyongyang, your best bet is to Haeju city – the little-seen capital of South Hwanghae province. Located 100km south of Pyongyang and 60km north of the DMZ, Haeju has a population of around 236,000 and is rarely visited by tourists.

While most of the sites for tourists are in the surrounding region, The Haeju hotel is located right on the city square and gives a glimpse into life in the city. You’ll have the chance to visit the Kyenam stock farm- one of the largest state-run farms in the region, Sokdamgugok- the famous 9 scenic valleys and the Sohyon Confucian academy, the Suyangsan falls at the foot of Mt Suyang and the famous Puyong Pavilion.

On your way down to Haeju, you’ll first have a chance to explore a factory and visit the West Sea Barrage near Nampo city. Nampo is most famous for being the largest naval port on the west coast of the Korean Peninsula.

The itinerary order may change depending on road conditions and which route to/from the city is more practical at the time of your visit. It is possible to alter this itinerary to some extent – please let us know if you have any requests.

Tour extension cost – 1 person €478, 2+ people €390 per person

ITINERARY

Morning

• Drive to Nampo – a city located 2 hours south-west of Pyongyang on the west coast of the Korean Peninsula
• Visit the Chollima Steelworks in Kangso county- The steelworks are famous for their role in the reconstruction of Pyongyang after the Korean war, consistently exceeding production targets. (NB: As an essential economic site in the country it is not always possible to visit the steelworks and visits can at times be cancelled even on arrival, in this event we will do our best to arrange another factory such as the Taean Friendship Glass Factory, or the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Processing Factory)
• Visit the West Sea Barrage- This Barrage is considered a pinnacle of socialist construction and was constructed from 1981-1986. Designed to stop the salt water of the West Sea from contaminating the fresh water of the Taedong River and to allow more farmland to be irrigated from the raised river levels, the barrage consists of 8km of Dams, Sluices, and Lock chambers.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Hangu Hotel in Nampo
• Drive to Haeju – a three-hour drive further south of Nampo, closer to the DMZ border
• Sokdamgugok and the Sohyon Confucian Academy- the famous nine scenic valleys have been known since ancient times in the region. The Sohyon Academy was built in 1575 by the scholar Yi Yulgok.
• Visit the Puyong Pavilion- This famous pavilion was initially built in 1500 but was destroyed during the Korean War. It has since been rebuilt and sits in a lotus pond.
• Dinner, drinks and overnight at the Haeju Hotel

Day 2

Morning

• Breakfast in the hotel and depart
• Head to Mt Suyang and the Suyangsan Waterfalls- take a walk on the mountain and see the scenic Suyangsan falls.
• Visit the Kyenam Stock farm- one of the largest farms in the region; this is a state-run farm. As opposed to a co-operative farm, this means all employees are employed directly by the state and paid a salary. The farm raises goats, poultry, and pigs, as well as growing mushrooms and producing yogurt.
• Mt Kuwol- This Mountain region is a popular site for domestic tourists and is also preserved for its important bird life and forest species, as one of the few forests of its type in the country to survive the war intact.
• Woljong temple- This temple is one of the DPRK’s official National treasures, originally built in the Koguryo period it was later rebuilt during the Joseon Dynasty

Afternoon

• Picnic lunch the Mt Kuwol Area
• Head back to Pyongyang
• Dinner at local restaurant in Pyongyang
• Evening walk along the Taedong River
• Overnight at the Sosan Hotel.

Day 3

Morning

• Option 1 (included): Depart at 10:25am on the overnight train to Beijing and enjoy the peaceful countryside of both the DPRK and China. The train will first arrive at Dandong Railway Station at 4:30pm, and then Beijing Railway Station the following day at 8:30am. Please note: if you’re doing this extension from an Ultra Budget tour the overnight train from Dandong to Beijing is not included in the tour cost.
• Option 2: €370 extra per person – flight from Pyongyang Airport to Beijing Capital Airport. Please check flight schedule with us to confirm times.