• Understand
• Get around
• Do
• Buy
• Eat
• Drink
• Sleep
• Stay safe
• Get out

Kumgangsan (금강산 Geumgangsan), literally the Diamond Mountains, is in North Korea.

The path to Koryong Falls

[edit] Understand

Kumgangsan is the second-tallest mountain in North Korea, its highest peak Pirobong is 1638 meters. The area is famed for its scenic beauty, and 1998 became the first part of North Korea that can be visited on organized tours from the South. The millionth visitor arrived in July 2005.

[edit] Get in

[edit] From South Korea

Independent travel to Kumgangsan is not allowed, so you will have to join a tour group. Non-Korean visitors are rare but welcome, although the great majority of tours are not set up for visitors with no Korean ability. Reservations should be made 7 days in advance. Tour operators include:

• Hyundai Asan [1], tel. +82-2-3669-3000, is the company behind the tours and has some information in English.
• Mt. Kumgang [2], tel. +82-2-739-1090, organizes tours from South Korea to Kumgangsan.
• GOnSEE [3] is the official agent for foreign tourist to Kumgangsan tour. This company provides 4 types of tour packages, and can provide English-speaking guides for groups of more than 4 people.

There are two main ways to visit: either by bus from Goseong, in which case it's even possible to daytrip, or by cruise ship from Sokcho, in which case the tour takes a minimum of three days. Prices start at around W400,000 but vary greatly depending on day of departure, the hotel you stay in, etc. A typical 3-day tour from Seoul (Friday 9 am until Sunday about 6:30pm) would cost around $610-660.

Laptops, PDAs, cell phones, cameras with 160mm or longer lenses, binoculars with 10x zoom or higher are not allowed. Video cameras may be confiscated at the border - unless the zoom is less than 24x. Anything taken will be stored, and returned to you upon exit from North Korea.

Foreigners do not seem to need a re-entry permit if leaving from South Korea to the North. Before going through customs you will receive a temporary passport (a small booklet with passport information written on it, a debit card to be used in tourist zones, a filled embarkment card. These will be in a plastic sheath, to be worn around the neck at all times while in the North.

South Korean exit procedures are performed at the Goseong Observatory. There is a special line for Foreigners, (aptly, although somewhat bluntly, labelled "Foreigner"). You will receive a South Korean exit stamp. On the other side, you will be assigned a bus, that you will stay with for the duration of the tour. Remember your bus number, or you will most likely face hassle from North Korean border guards.

[edit] Get around

Independent travel is not allowed. You will be bused around with your tour group at all times.

[edit] See

The Diamond Mountains are considered the most dramatic scenery in all of North Korea. It includes waterfalls, lagoons, mineral springs and Buddhist temples and hermitages. Park officials provide maps that help you choose between the many attractive sites. The area is divided into Inner, Outer and Sea Kumgangsan.

[edit] Inner Kumgangsan

• Pyohon Temple, established in the year 670. One of the most important Zen monasteries in Korea. Once the temple contained several treasures and valuable cultural assets, however these were either lost or taken to Japan during the times of Japanese colonial rule.

[edit] Outer Kumgangsan

• Kuryong Falls. 4 meters wide and with a drop of 74 meters, the falls are an impressive experience. There is a platform, the Kuryong Pavilion, offering a good view. The pond below is called Kuryong Lake. According to the myth, once upon a time nine dragons were there to defend the Kumgang Mountain. From the lake you can walk down a bit, cross Ryondam Bridge and then climb for 700 meters to Kuryong Rock. Here you will have a spectacular view of a deep valley and several lakes.
• Manmulsang Area. Fantastically shaped cliffs and rocks, about a 10-kilometer drive from the Kumgangsan Hotel. Among the peculiarly shaped rocks are Samson (three-fairy) rock, consisting of three rocks standing side by side behind Mansang pavilion at the entrance to Manmulsang. There's also the Kwimyon (demonfaced) rock, made up by a small rock standing on a bigger one, and the Chonson (fairies-from-heaven) rock which serves as an observatory. Ten people can stand here and look out at the peaks. According to the myth fairies came here to play. Northwest of the rock, is the Fairies Lake, where the fairies washed themselves before returning to heaven.

[edit] Sea Kumgangsan

• Samil Lagoon. According to legend, a king once visited the lake for a day but was so amazed by its beauty that he stayed there for three days, hence the name Samil (three days). You can rent a boat and make a trip on the lake. By the lake is Tanpung Restaurant, where you can rest and have a meal afterwards.h

[edit] Do

[edit] Buy

There are many stores and shops selling a wide range of goods from international duty free items to North Korean products which allow the visitors to bring home a little bit of North Korea back South. Jewelry and liquor and cosmetics are sold at high quality standards. Also, there is a shop selling health care supplements and functional cosmetics which do quite well. They carry a variety of vitamins as well as other outstanding health foods designed to enhance your well-being. Souvenirs are also available and they are quite popular as well. Finally, it seems there are an array of small item stores which allow you to spend your money wisely.

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

[edit] Sleep

Kumgangsan Hotel, Onjong-ri, Kosong. A 1st-class hotel, opened in 1958. There are 240 rooms and a few bungalows. Facilities are a shop, dance room, bar and a bathhouse that derives hot water from a spring.

[edit] Stay safe

On July 11 2008, a South Korean woman was shot dead by North Korean guards — after she walked into a restricted military area at 4:30 in the morning. Because there's no clear boundary between a restricted zone and a tourist zone, follow your tour leader's instructions.

[edit] Get out