How I Got Into North Korea As A Malaysian Tourist

Many of my friends and family thought that North Korea wasn't opened to tourists and they were extremely shocked when they found out where I went.

Their first questions to me were: "Can go one meh?"

Well, the answer is definitely yes, because I just came back safe and sound.

Here are some tips that I think is short enough to answer how I got into North Korea:

1. You can't go on your own, so find an authorised travel agent that offers tour packages to North Korea (Just like any other country, only that there's a limited number, so dig more) – I chose Juche Travel Services.

2. Your travel agent will help you apply for a tourist visa. However, as Malaysians don't require any visa, so just fill in a permit form for approval from the North Korean government. After a few months, you will get your approval.

3. Choose your starting point (currently only Beijing, Shenyang & Vladivostok offer scheduled flights).

4. Fly to the city you chose and then transit to Pyongyang by flight and meet your KITC tour guides there.

5. TA-DA! Pay respect to the leaders!

Before leaving for Pyongyang, there are some rules on things you can and cannot bring into the country, especially books that are critical of the DPRK and also religious publications of any sort.

Also, there are some things you have to bring along, for example, formal clothes and tie, torchlights, cameras, medicine, etc.

All of these rules and tips will be reminded by the travel agent right before you leave.

Make sure you follow the guidelines and double check the list again and again in order to avoid any unnecessary trouble and mishaps.

Oh, and good news for tech geeks like me, tourists are able to bring in smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Sadly, though, you won't be able to get any WiFi or Internet there.

Their national carrier, Air Koryo, uses a Russian aircraft called the Tupolev TU-204-100. The aircraft may be Russian, but it looks very clean and was comfortable.

In fact, its interior looked more or less like the Boeings and Airbuses I've taken.

The TU-204-100 jet came into service around 2008, and Air Koryo also have the TU-204-300 jet in their fleet.

Although, it may not have the international star ratings, I'm sure it's still much better than Air Asia. It's also important to note that the TU-204 jets at Air Koryo are fitted with the necessary equipment to comply with mandatory international standards.

However, you can also take the train that will take some 20 hours to reach Pyongyang from Beijing, crossing through the Chinese border city of Dandong.

The flight from Beijing to Pyongyang was quite comfortable. On the plane, we could get ourselves some copies of magazines to keep us company.

Also, they will be playing their safety video through the built-in LCD screen in the cabin.

During the flight, they will play some North Korean movies or cartoons but I never really paid attention because I was too happy enjoying every single detail of the plane.

To be honest, I was quite amazed by the aircraft as I didn't expect it to look so new and clean. I was expecting something that was old and rusty as if straight out from the Soviet-era. But I guess I was wrong and everything seemed okay.

We were served this burger and a choice of North Korean beer or soft drink.

The burger, however, wasn't good at all. It was cold and hard. The chicken patty in it felt like rubber and it certainly wasn't appetising at all.

Still, while I somehow finished the burger, when they gave me the same meal on my flight back, I just couldn't look at it again.

Since I was allergic to alcohol, I tried their soft drink. Not the best one, but it was much better than the burger. If you happen to go to North Korea, please do try their beer because everyone I know who went there said their beer was delicious and super.

When we reached, we were then transported from the plane to the terminal by a low floor bus. The new terminal back then was still under construction it seems, so we were led into the temporary terminal beside it that was rather small.

After passing through immigration and getting our baggage from the conveyor belt, we had to pass through security.

Security at Pyongyang airport is very strict, especially when getting into the country.

They opened our bags and checked our electronic devices carefully.

They looked and examined each and everyone carefully. Since it was my first time there, I was a little bit nervous. But after a while, the guards smiled to me and allowed me to proceed and I was greeted by my KITC guide.

Everything was simple and there were no worries. Time for the tour!

On our 10th day in the DPRK, we had the chance to visit the sacred mountain of Mount Paektu. As a volcano freak, I have always been so eager to go there for a long time.

In order to get to the volcano, which shares its borders with China, we had to travel to Samjiyŏn County. There's a rather small but cute looking airport located at Samjiyŏn.

It's old and doesn't look like your conventional commercial jet.

Contrary to many photos of other Il-18 I had seen on the Internet, I found out that Air Koryo's Il-18 has actually been kept quite nicely and well maintained.

It's one of the world’s most durable and popular aircraft from the Soviet-era.

A pretty reliable aircraft indeed. According to some sources, this jet was added to the fleet back in the 1960s. Job well done, Air Koryo!

After take off, you could feel that the plane constantly climbing and climbing as if it was going really high. But when I looked out the window, oddly it wasn't that high.

However, once the plane got steady, everyone from the Aviation Tour was rushing in and out for photo opportunities.

It was the first time in my life I had experience so many people in an aircraft moving about and snapping away photos as if it was a museum relic.

I reached Samjiyŏn County and boarded the tour van to Mount Paektu, otherwise known as Changbai Mountain. It was a bumpy ride.

After half an hour of a butt cracking ride, we had to take this old-fashioned cable car up the mountain. From the looks of the old cable car, I can just assume that it's a pretty durable device.

While the checking in process was similar to our airports, the security wasn't very tight when leaving the country, which was a contrast compared to when I entered N. Korea.