How to visit North Korea from Cambodia

Today it was announced that North Korea would reopen to all tourists after five years of being closed, Cambodians included, which begs the question: how do you visit North Korea from Cambodia?

Well, Cambodia Lifestyle is here once again to answer these pressing questions, with, of course, an overland option.

What has been announced?

After nearly five years of strict border closures, North Korea is set to reopen for international tourism, with the first group tours scheduled to begin on February 16, 2025. Young Pioneer Tours (my company), the leading operator in DPRK travel, announced that the initial tours will focus on the Rason Special Economic Zone, located at the tri-border area of North Korea, China, and Russia.

A research trip is planned for February 10 to ensure smooth operations, followed by a four-day group tour priced at just €645. This reopening aligns with celebrations for Kim Jong Il’s birthday, offering visitors a rare glimpse into the country’s culture and economic initiatives.

While many expected Sinuiju to open first, Rason’s strategic position makes it an ideal starting point. YPT’s announcement signals a cautious yet significant step toward normalcy for North Korea and renewed opportunities for cultural exchange.

Can Cambodians visit North Korea?

All visitors to North Korea require a visa to visit, even Chinese and Russians, but the visa process is actually extremely simple and merely involves filling out a form, sending some documents, and then your travel agent dealing with the rest.

And North Korea is extremely welcoming of Cambodians coming to the country, as they formerly had great relations together. This was to such a degree that King Sihanouk declared Kim Il-Sung his best friend in the world. The King also previously lived in Pyongyang, while Phnom Penh boasts a Kim Il-Sung Street.

How to get from Cambodia to North Korea by Air

Any tour to North Korea for non-Russians at the moment needs to go via China, with the easiest way to do this obviously being to fly there. Currently, there are flights from as little as $50 from Phnom Penh to Shenzhen. From Shenzhen, you can then either connect to Beijing by flight. Currently, you would also need to get to Yanji, at least until Pyongyang tours resume.

Currently, only Air China offers a direct flight to Beijing, although numerous airlines have packages via other cities within Mainland China.

How to get from Cambodia to North Korea Overland

OK, the one we know you’ve all been waiting for! How to get from Cambodia to North Korea overland. Well, to do this, there are technically a few options, such as going to Vietnam and taking the Reunification Express, or going overland to Laos and then into China. We, though, have decided to do Cambodia to North Korea via Thailand.

This has us taking the train to Battambang, transferring to Poipet, and then crossing before taking the train all the way to Bangkok. From here, we take a night in Bangkok before taking another international train to Vientiane in Laos. Again, we chill for a night before jumping on the high-speed train to Kunming. From here, it’s a sleeper train to Beijing. From Beijing, you can either take the train to Dandong, or Yanji before heading into the DPRK!

And that is how you get from Cambodia to North Korea. You can check out the link for Young Pioneer Tours’ upcoming tour packages to Rason.

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