North Korea Landmarks

North Korea climate

The climate in North Korea is temperate and continental. There are four seasons, most of the rainfall (around 60%) falls in the summer between June and September. Typhoons can occur in early autumn.

In the long winter there is clear and very cold weather. Snowstorms can occur with winds from Siberia. In the capital Pyongyang, the maximum January temperatures are -3 °C and the lowest temperatures are -13 ° C. The mountainous north is characterized by rough weather. In the short summer it is hot and rainy due to the southwest monsoon, the humidity is high. The August temperatures in Pyongyang are between 20 and 29 ° C. Typhoons occur on average once a year in North Korea.

Spring, from April to June, is a pleasant time of year, with generally mild temperatures, the cherry blossom spreads north.

Best time to go to North Korea

The best months to visit North Korea are May, June, September and October. The worst of winter is over in May and June and the days are getting warmer. In September and October the sky is clear and autumn colors the landscape in brilliant colors.

Avoid midsummer – late June to late August. During this time the monsoon season begins, which brings hot and humid weather. Many locals spend this time in the mountains, on the beaches or on islands. Accommodation is often full during this time and prices can double. There is also a chance of one or two typhoons.

North Korea Sightseeing Places

Money

Currency: 1 won corresponds to 100 chon

Currency abbreviation: KPW (ISO code), ₩ – ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG

Banknotes are in circulation of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 5,000 won. Coins are used in amounts of 10, 50 and 100 won.

Exchange rate:
October 2009
1 US dollar = 140 won
1 euro = 206 won
1 Swiss franc = 136 won

Sightseeing

North Korea has an interesting culture and lots of attractions to offer.

Don’t miss Pjöngyan, one of the country’s oldest cities. In its history, the city was already the metropolis of Cochon and was once almost completely destroyed by the Mongols. The government of North Korea has had Pyongyyan completely restructured since 1955 to give the city a new look. Monumental standards are used for this building project.
The different architectural styles are rather a bizarre mix. It is not uncommon to see classicist government buildings next to pagodas.

North Korea Landmarks

Attractions, the city has a lot to offer, such as B. the great study hall of the people from the twentieth century or the tower of liberation. The tower is 183 meters high and is said to commemorate the liberation from the colonial rule of the Japanese (1983). The triumphal arch in Pyongyan is also worth seeing. The triumphal arch is a memorial to the proclamation of the People’s Republic of North Korea in the twentieth century.

A visit to the opera in the country’s capital is an absolute must. The acoustics are really unique there and will not only delight music lovers.

Tourists interested in archeology should not miss a visit to the Koguryo tombs. So far, more than 10,000 graves have been discovered in Pyongyang and Nambo. It is estimated that this is probably the final resting place of royal families and high-ranking nobles. 63 of the tombs are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The parliament in Pyongyang is a special building. It was built in the twentieth century.

Nature lovers are also not neglected in North Korea. There is a long list of different national parks where you can get to know the local flora and fauna. However, the parks are not freely accessible. If you want to explore these, you have to register through a South Korean travel agency.

The most beautiful landscape in the country is around the Diamond Mountains, also called Kumgangsan by the locals. The name of the mountains does not come from the fact that diamonds were found here, but from the mountain peaks that glitter like diamonds in the sun’s rays. In the area around the mountains there is a unique holiday paradise to be experienced, which was created by the Hyundai Group. Here is a facility with various luxury hotels and sports facilities on an area of ​​more than 50 square kilometers. Various sports can be practiced here, from tennis to golf. The government of North Korea has so far generated several hundred million dollars through the construction of the holiday complex. The facility is also important for the infrastructure, since numerous North Koreans are employed there.