If you?re looking to get as far off the beaten path as possible, Pyongyang is the destination for you. Very few people travel there. U.S. citizens require explicit permission from the North Korean government in the form of an entry visa and other to documents for a stay in the country. The punishment for entering North Korea without documentation is hard labor for a very long time (so don’t do it unless you’re willing to risk never seeing your family again). Even travelers with proper documentation are at risk of detention by North Korean police for many infractions including unauthorized interactions with locals and taking photographs without permission.

If you head to Pyongyang, you’ll find a city where the messages of the regime blare from public speakers and echo against Soviet-style concrete buildings. Massive monuments to great leaders of the republic are the highlights of the bland architecture. Everyone is being watched as they go about their daily business. Use of public transportation is highly regulated. Travelers are allowed to use the metro, which is a worthwhile experience as it is the deepest subway system in the world and is decorated with socialist murals that describe the ideals of the republic.

Just standing on North Korean soil is an adventure for many, but there are additional thrills to be had in Pyongyang. You can practice your air gun shooting skills at many of the ranges around the city. Typically, you’ll be shooting at a target, but for a little extra money, you can shoot at live chickens. If you hit a chicken, you get to keep it.

Unless you know someone who lives in Pyongyang, you’ll be required to have a guide escort you throughout the city. These guides are government approved and show off as may pro-regime monuments and historical sights as possible. You’ll certainly visit the Mansudae, a bronze statue of Kim Il-Sung who ruled North Korea from its birth in 1948 until 1994 when he died.

The Victorious Fatherland Liberation Museum tells the story of the Korean War through the eyes of the North Korea. You’ll find captured American weapons and tanks there. The highlight of the museum is a life-size model of a battlefield. The walls are painted to reflect the landscape and the room is filled with articles used during the Korean War. Once visitors are inside, the exhibit revolves to add even another layer of reality to the experience.

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