Always wanted to go behind the iron curtain and visit North Korea? Never thought you\u2019d be able to? Well now you can\u2026 thanks to CONIFA\u2019s official tour partners, Young Pioneer Tours \u2013 and here are 6 reasons why you should go!<\/p>\n
1. Check out a football match in the 150,000-seater Rungrado May Day Stadium<\/p>\n
North Korea takes its football very seriously \u2013 it\u2019s the most popular sport in the country. In Pyongyang you can visit a football college, play a match against locals (see No2!) and watch either domestic, continental club or international matches in both men\u2019s and women\u2019s football. In June 2020, CONIFA\u2019s official tour partners Young Pioneer Tours will be running a specialist Football Tour to watch North Korea take on Turkmenistan in a World Cup qualifier within the immense 150,000-seater Rungrado May Day Stadium \u2013 the perfect way to soak up the locals\u2019 pride for their North Korean team.<\/p>\n
And what\u2019s more, if you sign up for this tour, just mention the code CONIFA-YPT when you do so and you\u2019ll receive a special \u20ac50 discount!<\/p>\n
2. Head to Pyongyang Football School, then play 5-a-side with the locals<\/p>\n
One of the nicest things about Young Pioneer Tours\u2019 trips to North Korea is that you get to hang out with the locals in Pyongyang. Not only will you go to Pyongyang Football School, which specialises in the sport, and chat to the students, but you\u2019ll also see them playing football (class schedules allowing). In addition to that, you\u2019ll get to pull on your football boots (don\u2019t forget to pack them) and head out to play a 5-a-side match with locals in a park. It\u2019s a great way to get to know the people who live in this mysterious city.<\/p>\n
3. Run the Pyongyang Marathon<\/p>\n
Yes, you read that right! Young Pioneer Tours can help you run the Pyongyang Marathon, a dream for any runner. You\u2019ll finish the 26-mile course in the Kim II Sung Stadium, cheered home by the locals, and get a certificate once you\u2019ve completed the run. And if you don\u2019t fancy covering quite such a lot of ground, you can also apply to run in the half marathon, mini marathon or the 5km race \u2013 or just watch from the stands, if running really isn\u2019t your thing.<\/p>\n
4. Sample the local beer in Pyongyang\u2019s micro breweries<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve not associated North Korea with beer, then prepare to be surprised. Pyongyang is a real hub of microbrewery magic and Young Pioneer Tours will show you around the city\u2019s watering holes. There are plenty of iconic bars where you can sample the different beers available, and wash down all that spicy bibimbap.<\/p>\n
5. Be wowed by the Mass Games<\/p>\n
Wow, this is a real spectacle \u2013 one definitely not to be missed. Over 100,000 people take part in the North Korean Mass Games, which feature synchronised dancing and gymnastics in the giant May Day Stadium. This colourful and stunning performance tells a stylised story of North Korea, with giant \u2018mosaic\u2019 style pictures being held up by the performers, and flowers and suns representing different parts of the country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
The Mass Games are in the Guinness Book of Records for a reason \u2013 as the world\u2019s largest gymnastic display \u2013 and will be a highlight of any tour to the country<\/p>\n
6. Brush up on your Korean language skills<\/p>\n
If you want to immerse yourself in North Korean life, this is the tour for you. You\u2019ll spend a month in Pyongyang, studying Korean at a university school in the morning, before heading out in the afternoon on sightseeing trips. As you\u2019re in the country for such a long time, you\u2019ll also get under the skin of North Korean life, with the opportunity to visit locals\u2019 homes, go to the cinema, and head to the beach for a swim. Oh, and you\u2019ll be able to speak decent Korean by the end of your tour, too!<\/p>\n
This is sponsored content, created in partnership with Young Pioneer Tours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Always wanted to go behind the iron curtain and visit North Korea? Never thought you\u2019d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-global"],"yoast_head":"\n