The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is one of the world's most isolated and controlled destinations. All tourism is tightly regulated through guided tours, offering a unique glimpse into this enigmatic nation with its grand monuments, orchestrated events, and carefully curated experiences.
Family activities
Engaging experiences for travellers of every age.
Pyongyang Circus
Professional circus with world-class acrobatics, aerial performers, comedy acts, and trained animal performances. The performers demonstrate extraordinary skill developed from childhood training. One of North Korea's most genuinely enjoyable tourist experiences for all ages.
Duration: 2 hours
Rungra Pleasure Ground Amusement Park
A Soviet-era amusement park on Rungra Island with rides including roller coasters, carousels, bumper cars, and water slides. Outdated but operational, with the genuine pleasure of watching North Korean families at leisure. A humanizing experience away from monuments.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Mangyongdae Children's Palace Performance
Watch incredibly talented children perform music, dance, martial arts, and acrobatics at this after-school training center. A classroom tour precedes the 45-minute performance. The skill level is extraordinary — children practice hours daily. Thought-provoking as well as impressive.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Pyongyang Zoo
Pyongyang's zoo houses tigers, bears, elephants, and other animals. Most famously, it reportedly has a chimpanzee that smokes cigarettes — a North Korean zoo curiosity. The zoo offers a relatively relaxed half-day for families needing a break from monument visits.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Pyongyang Metro Experience
Descend 100+ meters underground via extraordinarily long escalators to the ornate Pyongyang Metro stations. The chandeliers, socialist murals, and marble halls of stations like Puhung fascinate children as much as adults. A two-station ride provides the essential experience.
Duration: 1 hour
Dolphinarium
Watch dolphin shows at Pyongyang's dolphinarium. Trained dolphins perform acrobatics, racing, and interactive displays. A crowd-pleasing experience for younger family members who may find the monument-heavy itinerary challenging.
Duration: 1 hour
Pyongyang Film Studio Costume Photos
Tour the film sets of North Korea's movie production complex — including recreations of historical Korean villages, city streets, and palaces — and dress in period costumes for memorable photographs. Children love the dressing-up element while the scale of the sets is genuinely impressive.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Family-friendly hotels
Accommodation designed with families in mind.
Yanggakdo International Hotel
The island location creates a contained and safe environment for families, with the widest range of hotel activities including a swimming pool, bowling alley, billiards, table tennis, and casino (adults only). Multiple restaurant options accommodate picky eaters. The island setting means children cannot wander unsupervised.
Family features: Swimming pool, bowling alley, table tennis, billiards, multiple restaurants, island safety
Koryo Hotel
Twin towers with swimming pool, gym, karaoke, billiards, and the revolving restaurant. Central location reduces travel time to Pyongyang monuments. The hotel's variety of facilities keeps families occupied during downtime. Staff are experienced with international family groups.
Family features: Swimming pool, karaoke rooms, billiards, revolving restaurant, central location
Ryanggang Hotel
A smaller, quieter hotel popular with Chinese tour groups offering reliable facilities including restaurant, bar, and clean comfortable rooms. The more intimate scale suits families preferring a calmer environment than the mega-hotels. Known for consistent hot water and heating — important for children.
Family features: Clean family rooms, reliable hot water, quieter atmosphere, good restaurant
Dining with kids
Eating out as a family.
Inform tour operator of children's dietary preferences before travel — Korean cuisine involves fermented and strongly flavored foods that may not suit all children
Hotel buffets at Yanggakdo offer the most variety for families with picky eaters; variety includes mild options like plain rice, soup, and familiar proteins
Samtaesong Hamburger fast food provides familiar hamburger and fried chicken format that children recognize, at Kim Il-sung Square area
Carry familiar snacks from home — chocolate, crackers, dried fruit — for long bus journeys and evenings when hotel restaurant choices are limited
Mealtimes are fixed by the tour schedule; children who need frequent snacks should bring their own supply
Soft drinks including Korean versions of cola are available at hotel restaurants and shops
Family travel tips
Practical advice for stress-free family trips.
Brief older children (10+) thoroughly before travel about the unique rules of North Korea — no independent movement, behavior at monuments, and the political context
Children under 10 typically struggle with long structured days of monument visits and speeches from guides — most operators recommend a minimum age of 12
Book private family tours rather than budget group tours for more schedule flexibility and better accommodation control
Summer visits (July-August) offer Mass Games possibility, beach time at Wonsan, and the amusement park at its best — the most family-friendly season