Tours & Tour dates

Rason

See the least visited part of the least visited country in the world! Koryo Tours is proud to be the first company offering group and independent tours to the Rason Free Trade and Economic zone of North Korea, a remote and unusual place even by our standards! We have put a few photographs up on our RASON GALLERY but really it is one of those places you have to experience to understand as there is a lot more to it than just the aesthetic- this is real cowboy country.

In 2009 a grand total of zero (yes, that's less than one!) Western tourists visited this place, despite its popularity with holiday-makers from China's neighbouring Jilin province, so you can be one of the very few to ever experience this very different part of North Korea.

Highlights of the tour include;

Taehung Trading Company – the largest company in Rason, trading in seafood and mushroom wine, see industry at work and sample the local produce
Pipha Island – area of stunning scenery, chance to take a boat out into the sea to see seals
Rason City Market – the only chance tourists have to visit a genuine North Korean market, see what the locals buy and pick up some bargains!
Clean beaches and sea – weather permitting spend some time relaxing at an unspoiled seaside, beach barbeques and swimming in the East Sea of Korea/Sea of Japan
Rajin Port – see ships loading and unloading, what's being brought in and out, the only working port in North Korea that's open to tourists
It wouldn't be the DPRK without a revolutionary museum and a couple of revolutionary sites to inform you of the relevance of this area to the guerrilla struggle against Japanese occupation from 1905 - 1945

Much more besides…..there's a surprising amount of things to see and do in this area, the general vibe of the place is quite different to Pyongyang and the rest of the DPRK, it's a unique and fascinating glimpse at an unknown life, suitable for individuals, families, etc, your friends will never have heard of it so also good for 'obscure destination' bragging rights, but don't just take our word for it, come and see for yourselves!

RASON - CHONGJIN ROUTE - Update (16/02/2012): As of February 2012 We are pleased to bring a new exciting add-on option to our Rason tours - the chance to visit the industrial city of Chongjin by road, a journey down the East coast never before taken by tourists and innovated once again by Koryo Tours.

Chongjin has previously only been accessible to tourists travelling by charter flight from Pyongyang; this opportunity is offered only once or twice a year. From now on we can offer you the chance to go to Chongjin and its surrounding areas including the stunning mountains of the Chilbosan range between the months of March – October by driving down the coastal road in the north east of the DPRK.

click to enlarge picture

Highlights of this add-on:

The city of Chongjin itself – the second largest city in the DPRK and a place few outsiders have ever seen. Very different to Pyongyang, this city is dominated by its huge steelworks. A chance to see urban life in a very remote part of North Korea,
not to be missed – visit the local museum, library, kindergarten, and presidential statue, have evening drinks in a local bar – you can stay overnight in the Chongjin hotel as well
Kyongsong – 30kms from Pyongyang, several scenic and revolutionary sites are located around this town which is famed locally for porcelain and for natural hot springs, stay in a hotel which pipes this water up from deep underground
Chilbosan – one of the DPRK’s most stunning mountain ranges, full of evocative peaks for which the locals have a plethora of fascinating (and often quite rude!) stories, here you can tour the mountains, relax at a beach, and stay overnight in
the only homestay in the whole country open to tourists

The journey itself – from the unique Rason zone down to Chongjin and beyond the drive is one almost no foreigners have ever done, ideal for second-time visitors to North Korea as well as those seeking an obscure and fascinating tourism experience this is an ideal trip. Contact us if you would like to be one of the pioneers of this all-new route offered by Koryo Tours

Exclusive sites in Rason open only to Koryo Tours:

Due to our strong working relationship with our local partners and our tradition of being the first to break new ground in tourism to DPRK’s remotest areas Koryo Tours have been offered some exclusive sites to visit in this area and we are glad to be able to offer them as options on all Rason tours, in brief here they are;

Sinhung Cigarette factory – Producing smokes for internal use and for export, you can tour the facility and try the local product if you like too
Rason Foreign Language Institute - local children learn Chinese, English, and other languages here, join a lesson and see how they measure up to your Korean!
Sonbong Textile Factory – a Chinese run factory employing local labour, material s brought in and made into clothes for export and for local sale here, if you find something you like it will be for sale!
Monument to Ri Song Sin – designer of the ‘Turtle Boat; and military hero of ancient Korea. He went into retirement in this area

Brief Rason Info

Rajin and Sonbong are two small cities (collectively known as Rason) located in the extreme North East of the DPRK, bordering on China and Russia this area was made a Special Economic Zone in 1993 with the aim of attracting foreign investment. In general this has not occurred although the Macau-based Emperor group opened a multi-million dollar hotel and casino which was very popular with Chinese tour groups until the closure of the casino due to Chinese regulations in 2004. The main investments in the area are Chinese trading companies but there are also some western interests such as a pharmaceutical factory and a vehicle hire company.

Rason was the first area in North Korea to have a 'free market' where local organisations and farms offered their goods to customers, the first to have a mobile phone network, and is generally seen as an area where economic experimentation takes place, we can take tourists to visit the Rason Golden Triangle bank where the difference between the local economic rules and the national regulations can be explained.

FAQ

I've heard it's a visa-free zone, does that mean I can just show up and be allowed in?

Sadly no, for foreign tourists you must go through and approval process that can take up to 10 days, the application is similar in many ways to the regular DPRK visa process (for details see http://www.koryogroup.com/travel_bookingATour.php) and although there is no actual visa issued you do need to have an invitation letter, we secure this for you

How do I get there?

there is no airport in Rason so you fly to Yanji, in China's Jilin province, then from there the journey by road takes around 3 hours to the Wonjong bridge, the crossing between China and the Rason zone

Can't I get there from Pyongyang?

I'm afraid not, although it is part of the DPRK this area is administered differently and it isn't possible for tourists to travel there from inside North Korea, you must go through China to get to Rason

Can I get to Russia from there?

Yes, there is a train from Rason to the Russian border point of Khasan (from where you can get to Vladivostok and points beyond), we can get tickets on the train (in fact Koryo Tours are the only tourism company that has ever made this crossing) but Russian visas are required and cannot be issued in Rason due to the lack of a Russian consulate in that area, also the Russian Embassy in China will generally only issue visas to people who are legally resident in China, so a Russian visa would need to be obtained elsewhere, we can assist you with the Russian invitation process though if you would like. It is possible for Americans to take the train out to Russia - in facy it's the only train they can take in the DPRK (Every Tuesday and Friday)

Who visits this place?

The majority of visitors to Rason are from China, individuals and tour groups, the main reasons for Chinese people visiting is to go to the beach in summer (China has no coastline in this area), and to taste the local seafood. In the past there were also fairly high numbers of Russian tourists but in recent years this has dropped off. The area has been open to westerners for some time but until now no tour company has offered regular packages there, Koryo Tours first visited this area in 1996 and are the only western travel company to have actually run group and individual tours there as well as the only company to have had its staff actually go there on several occasions, so we don't send you in blind! We know all about the area and any and all questions can be sent to us for a reliable and accurate response.

What choice of hotels is there?

Basically there are three main hotels that we use, you can choose which one (the standards are all basically the same) you wish to stay in and it is even fine to stay one night in one hotel, then move to another for another night etc, just let us know when you book;

Namsan Hotel: Located in the centre of Rajin city, right on the city square, has a bar and billiard room, karaoke also, friendly staff and clean rooms, was originally built to house Japanese officers during the colonial period
Rajin Hotel: Larger building overlooking the sea with a high lobby and reasonable rooms, ping poing and karaoke as well as a bar.

Chu Jin Hotel: located on the beach and serving excellent seafood this is a good place for a night during warm seasons, a bar, billiards and a hotel beach available here

It is also possible to stay at the 5 star Emperor Hotel. Although this hotel has a casino, it is usually completely bereft of guests, the hotel is also significantly more expensive than the others and its standard has certainly slipped since its heyday so we don't particularly recommend it. Even if you don't stay at this hotel it is still possible to visit to see what a 5 star hotel is actually doing at the end of a dirt road in an obscure part of North Korea!

Tour Prices (Prices on request)

STANDARD RASON TOUR

Tour fee includes the following:

transportation from Yanji to Rason and back
all meals on the tour except in China
hotel accommodation in Yanji and in Rason
Korean tour guide and a driver in Rason
all transportation in the DPRK
all entry fees for attractions such as museums etc in the DPRK

Not included in the tour fee:

Transportation to Yanji, Koryo Tours can assist with buying you tickets from Beijing or elsewhere in China to Yanji
single room supplement if requested (EUR 20 per night)
Chinese customs fee (10 RMB) + mini-bus across border fee (5RMB)
spending money for drinks and souvenirs
tip for the guides (approx EUR 20-25 total)
meals in China, no program is arranged in Yanji other than a night in a hotel but we can recommendrestaurants and entertainment venues there
meals will have a complimentary beer but you will have to pay for extra drinks above those provided (these are inexpensive though)
optional boat ride to see seals around Pipha island area in Rason

Not included in the tour fee (Add-on Packge):

DPRK visa fee (EUR 50)
Invitation Letter for RASON (EUR 30)
single room supplement if requested (EUR 40 per night)
spending money for drinks and souvenirs
tip for the guides (approx EUR 20-25 total)
meals will have a complimentary beer but you will have to pay for extra drinks above those provided (these are inexpensive though)

Discounts available as per our policy at http://www.koryogroup.com/travel_discounts.php

Suggested itineraries;

3 night tour (1 in Yanji, 2 in Rason)

(this is a suggested itinerary only and can start on a different day)

Mon

AM: N/A

PM: Arrive in Yanji (Koryo Tours can help arrange plane tickets if required), check into North Korean-run Ryugyong Hotel in the city centre, free time in the evening
OVERNIGHT: Ryugyong Hotel, Yanji

Tues

AM: Drive from Yanji to Wonjong Bridge border with DPRK Rason area, cross into Rason and meet local tour guide

PM: Drive to Rajin city, local kindergarten, Rajin city port, Kimjongilia Hothouse
OVERNIGHT: Namsan Hotel, Rason

Wed

AM: Pipha Island Area, Emperor Hotel, Rason Taehung Trading Corporation

PM: Rajin city market, Golden Triangle bank, Rason Revolutionary History Museum, walking tour of Rajin city centre, Rajin Art Gallery
OVERNIGHT: Chu Jin Hotel, Rason

Thurs

AM: Sonbong City, walking tour of port area and revolutionary sites significant to the Kim family and liberation from Japan

PM: Cross border back into China, return to Yanji late afternoon, end of tour

4 night tour (1 in Yanji, 3 in Rason)

(this is a suggested itinerary only and can start on a different day)

Mon

AM: N/A

PM: Arrive in Yanji (Koryo Tours can help arrange plane tickets if required), check into North Korean-run Ryugyong Hotel in the city centre, free time in the evening
OVERNIGHT: Ryugyong Hotel, Yanji

Tues

AM: Drive from Yanji to border with DPRK Rason area, stopping at viewing points (across river into DPRK) in Tumen city and Hunchun city in China, lunch in Hunchun city

PM: Cross Wonjong Bridge into Rason, Drive to Rajin city, local kindergarten, Kimjongilia Hothouse
OVERNIGHT: Namsan Hotel, Rason

Wed

AM: Pipha Island Area, Emperor Hotel, Rason Taehung Trading Corporation

PM: Rajin city market, Golden Triangle bank, Rason Revolutionary History Museum, walking tour of Rajin city centre
OVERNIGHT: Namsan Hotel, Rason

Thurs

AM: Rajin city port, Foreigners clinic (practices western and Korean medicine, also offers massages for around 5 Euros), local revolutionary site located in small village, fisherman's house and farmers' house, Rajin Art Gallery

PM: Afternoon relaxing at the beach, swimming, beach barbeque, etc
OVERNIGHT: Chu Jin Hotel, Rason

Fri

AM: Sonbong City, walking tour of port area and revolutionary sites significant to the Kim family and liberation from Japan

PM: Cross border back into China, return to Yanji late afternoon, end of tour

Suggested itineraries for Chongjing - Chilbosan add-on

2 night add-on tour

Day 1

AM: Depart from Rason early in the morning, cross the internal border out of the special economic zone and drive down the coastal road, stopping at scenic spots for photos, a very special and brand-new journey! Arrive in Chongjin in time for lunch
PM: Tour of Chongjin – local museum, North Hamgyong Province Library, Kindergarten, friendship tower to USSR soldiers (great views from here!), visit local bar for dinner and drinks
OVERNIGHT: Chongjin Hotel, Chongjin

Day 2

AM: Drive from Chongjin to Kyongsong, another nearby city, stopping at scenic and revolutionary sites along the way including a beach with a fishing village next door, picnic lunch at the beach
PM: Explore more scenic spots along the rugged north east coast, see some stunning views and great photo opportunities as well as doing some light walking between sites, eventually returning to Kyongsong to make use of the area’s famous hot springs in this little-visited area
OVERNIGHT: Hot Springs Hotel, Kyongsong

Day 3

AM: Return to Chongjin to begin the journey back to Rason, wave goodbye to the guides you have used in this area and begin the drive north along the coastal road, stopping again for views and photos, cross into Rason in time for lunch at a local restaurant
PM: Continue tour in Rason

3 night add-on tour

Day 1

PM: Tour of Chongjin – local museum, North Hamgyong Province Library, Kindergarten, friendship tower to USSR soldiers (great views from here!), visit local bar for dinner and drinks
OVERNIGHT: Chongjin Hotel, Chongjin

Day 2

AM: Drive from Chongjin to Kyongsong, another nearby city, stopping at scenic and revolutionary sites along the way including a beach with a fishing village next door, picnic lunch at the beach
PM: Continue on to Mt. Chilbo, stunning and vast mountain range considered to be the most beautiful in all of Korea. An introduction to some of the fairy tales and legends surrounding the evocative peaks and valleys of this area from knowledgeable local guides is invaluable and the many unexpectedly funny and occasionally rude stories make it even more worthwhile! Visit the only homestay village in the whole of the DPRK for dinner and a look around to see how the fishermen and farmers of this area live
OVERNIGHT: Homestay Village, Mt. Chilbo

Day 3

AM: Continue the exploration of Mount Chilbo, see ancient Buddhist temples and have some hikes around some of the more stunning parts of the mountain range, clear air, amazing views, and a unique setting make this an unforgettable morning. Picnic at a local beach with the chance to swim or take a boat trip on the sea at lunchtime
PM: return to Chongjin stopping along the way in Kyongsong to make use of the famous natural hot spring water, this area has a great may local sanatoria and like the locals you can ease away what ails you at a local bathhouse, or just take in the views and the atmosphere. Scenic spots abound in this area as well as revolutionary sites associated with the history of the DPRK and the visits made here by the ruling family over the decades. Eventually return to Chongjin in time for dinner

OVERNIGHT: Chongjin Hotel, Chongjin

Day 4

AM: Head back to Rason, wave goodbye to the guides you have used in this area and begin the drive north along the coastal road, stopping again for views and photos, cross into Rason in time for lunch at a local restaurant
PM: Continue tour in Rason