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Pyongyang, North Korea from Sydney $1130 / Brisbane $1136 Return on Air China (Aug-Sep) @ BeatThatFlight
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Associatedbeatthatflight on 26/02/2019 - 14:48 bookings.beatthatflight.com.au (1188 clicks)
Last edited 01/03/2019 - 12:53 by 1 other user
Last edited 01/03/2019 - 12:53 by 1 other user
Something a little different, but after seeing a friend headed there, we realised there were flights going from Sydney/Brisbane:
Flights from Sydney:
$1130 - 26 Aug to 04 Sep - https://bookings.beatthatflight.com.au/flights/syd2608fnj040...
$1130 - 24 Aug to 02 Sep - https://bookings.beatthatflight.com.au/flights/syd2408fnj020...
Flights from Brisbane:
$1136 - 24 Aug to 02 Sep - https://bookings.beatthatflight.com.au/flights/bne2408fnj020...
A bit more expensive from Melbourne and other ports though.
For more information about tourism in North Korea, relevant wiki: Tourism in North Korea
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Comments
Yes, you'd only be shopping or "seeing" where and what you were allowed to. You couldn't just wander around wherever you like.
- +1 vote
I was in Sth Korea recently.. our tour guide on a day tour suggested that you need 2 tour guides to be visiting Nrth Korea and you can't venture off yourself.
- +10 votes
So one doesn’t say: “So, tell me what the West is really like”.
With two, if one does, the other will report him, and he (along with his extended family) will lose a level of loyalty status, and be sent off to a farm somewhere (every family and individual in North Korea is graded for loyalty and obedience, and only the most loyal are allowed in Pyongyang).
- +1 vote
like the east german soldiers on the berlin wall. always in pairs in case one ran away the other one would shoot him…. so then they both ran away.
The people there already know what the West is like… The people running these tours will be high up in the party and may even have internet access.
Though everyone knows what it's like anyway given they watch South Korean TV and movies.
- +1 vote
Ohhhh China is more like a capitalist country nowadays .. I would suggest China Communist Party to change their name to China Socialist Party which makes more sense because they are not real Marxism-Leninism, they have their own thoughts in economics and society
Of course lacking of democracy is another story to tell@sexy: It's a single party state. They may not really act like Communists any more, but that's what they are. If they were to change they'd either have to become a dictatorship or democracy - neither is really plausible!
That's a cop out. You certainly could avoid things produced in cruel conditions (which isn't just China) - but it would involve effort and mean you'd have to go without some non-essentials. That makes you a hypocrite - especially as visiting North Korea has other potential benefits (all positive contact with "outsiders" can result in change).
@callum9999: It isn't a cop out. It is impossible to avoid products from China (or other nations). Hell, in Victoria, the poles and wires are part owned by a Chinese corporation owned by their Government.
especially as visiting North Korea has other potential benefits (all positive contact with "outsiders" can result in change).
That doesn't happen with NK tourism. You only meet carefully selected people (who are all "upper class") on a carefully selected path. The money you spend there all goes to the regime and not your average citizen.
Hypocrite or not, NK is not a place to support.
- +7 votes
Hopefully their planes are better quality than their rockets.
In all seriousness, a friend of mine visited there and had a ball. He had to be accompanied by a tour guide at all times though.
- +4 votes
Their planes are rubbish. They should never be used.
Air Koryo was the only one-star airline among 681 airlines rated and reviewed by Skytrax in 2014.[41] Air Koryo had held this rating for four years in a row.[42]
- +5 votes
I fly Air Koryo regularly and the Skytrax rating is misleading. Skytrax rate aspects such as inflight entertainment, frequent flyer programs, inflight meals and foreign language proficiency of the flight attendants against other major airlines in the world. Air Koryo is certainly unique in these aspects, but as far as the actual flight experience is concerned, it's business as usual. Air Koryo also use Tupolev Tu-204 on their most regular route between Pyongyang and Beijing. There was a recent Air Koryo review on Australia Frequent Flyer worth reading if you're interested in further details.
They were banned from EU airspace for a good while…
The European Commission found evidence of serious safety deficiencies on the part of Air Koryo
lack of transparency or communication on the part of Air Koryo
To be fair, they have had their Tu-204 unbanned from Europe airspace in 2010.
Oh but wait. This is awkward…
"On 25 May 2017, an Air Koryo Tupolev Tu-204-300…the aircraft began to increasingly vibrate, forcing the plane to return to Pyongyang. Passengers reported parts falling off a wing."
You want to fly them. Great. I'll stick with someone else =p (or catch the train internally)
+4 votesSeems expensive compared to this Beijing to Pyongyang for USD9 of a few years ago:
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/151526#commentMaybe it covers the 'fat seats' option.
And I can't find it now, but I'm sure there was an option to take 'pets' onboard.- +1 vote
This deal is pointless unless you can line it up with tour dates or do a private tour.
It would make much more sense.
I got the train in (only from Dandong as I was already in the Dongbei) and flew out to Beijing with Air Koryo - which is an experience.
- -1 vote
no need. just grab the badge off the chest of anyone there and you'll get free accomodation and hit headline next day
Just make sure you don’t take the proaganda slogan or there would be your one way ticket and free labor camp life experience
- +26 votes
but after seeing a friend headed there,
I honestly read beheaded.
well even then.. someone has to go and collect the head i guess… apparently their postal service is horrible.
I read same thing - why would you go there if your friend lost their head there
- -1 vote
It's not on DFATs do not travel list. As such, it is not a problem with most policies
- +4 votes
How is this a deal? South Korea is $400 return. Im not paying triple that for a few k's up the road!
- +4 votes
It might work if you can run like the bolt across the river/border all whilst dodging the bullets like in the matrix…
- -3 votes
This is a stupid statement. Saudi Arabia is only a few k's up the road from Iraq and Yemen. Spain is only a few k's up from Morocco. Tunisia is only a few k's away from Italy. China is only a few k's up from Mongolia….. get the picture? Just because they are geographically close, that doesn't mean anything. They are two completely separate countries with two completely separate experiences.
- +1 vote
ill pay you the difference if you can catch a bus from seoul to pyongpang
I liked homersyd's idea of making a dash but $800 will that get me a North korean lawyer?
$400 return to South Korea? Are there any from Sydney? That would be an amazing deal
- +1 vote
If you are Australian citizen, I wouldn't risk it. Isn't Australia still officially at war with North Korea?
- +1 vote
This isn't true. If visiting for tourism on a normal passport, all nationalities currently require a visa.
To visit as a tourist, you must visit on a tour arranged by an authorised tour operator. We arrange all visas for our travelers and the majority of them are issued (as separate paper cards) in Beijing. Travelers then meet us in Beijing and we're off to Pyongyang. But in the case of this deal, because this is a connected Air China flight straight through to Pyongyang from Australia, and Australia doesn't have a DPRK Embassy, the visa would need to be issued in Beijing and sent to Australia to fulfill check-in requirements.
I wonder if this is cheaper than Turkmenistan and their regime going on there
- +3 votes
I found North Korea more interesting than Turkmenistan. Although Turkmenistan you can travel independent (like I did) on a 5 day transit visa between Iran and Uzbekistan. The darvaza gas crater is amazing to see though.
good stuff, yeah I am in two minds going to Turkmenistan cos apart from the gas crater it just looks boring. Did Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan last year so not expecting much different. Djibouti early next year for me, I'm just trying to figure out where to fly to next from there…
- +1 vote
Yeah Turkmenistan was my least favourite of the Central Asian Stans (I did not go to Kazakhstan). Kyrgyzstan is amazing, hope you liked it. Tajikistan is also very very beautiful and interesting.
@sambutler9876: yeah Kazakhstan is more upmarket and fairly cosmopolitan compared to Kyrgyzstan. very easy to get around and I settled in nicely. did find a lot of people rude there though.
that being said, I love Kyrgyzstan in comparison. nice people and stunning scenery. stayed out at lake issy-kul just out of Bokonbayevo.
I've been to finland and Iceland years ago, but Kyrgyzstan is my favourite place in the world by a huge margin
- +1 vote
@adrianhughes1998: Camping on Issy Lol in a yurt was.my highlight too. Beautiful place.
- +6 votes
seeing a friend headed there
Did you ever see your friend return?
- +1 vote
How tempting. Flying China which is very safe and visiting north Korea which is also very safe. Win win
Beat that Flight, hmmmm "Absolutely Anywhere" that doesn't have a madman at the helm and a wonky Nuclear Program who occasionally shoots missiles over neighbouring countries.
- +2 votes
Something a little different, but after seeing a friend HEADEDFar out, i need therapy, i read that as my friend got beheaded
- +2 votes
I went to NK on a 5 day tour in 2010, just after the Cheonan incident, and it was definitely "interesting".
We had to wait in Dandong for our entry visas, which were not issued until the day before the tour was to start.
If you are an APS employee, or require a high level Security clearance, it would be advisable to check first if/how travelling to NK will affect your clearance.- You will also need a multi entry Visa for China.
Something a little different, but after seeing a friend headed there
How long ago was this and has the friend come back?
-1 voteIf anyone is actually interested in this deal, I have a friend who moved to Asia years ago and ended up becoming a tour guide that does trips to the DPRK/. A very interesting place to visit…
- +1 vote
Go there for a week, come back to Australia and for the rest of the year feels like a holiday working 6 days a week, 12 hour shifts.
Great deal, please tell Chairman Kim that I'm coming with Dennis Rodman and Donald Trump.
- +2 votes
Shouldn’t travel here: https://smartraveller.gov.au/Countries/asia/north/Pages/nort...
Even if you think that’s fun, you’d be supporting an idiot that oppresses his own people.
- +5 votes
Iran is also on the same category but one of the safest places on the planet
This category is generally used for countries where the Australian government is limited in its ability to offer consular assistance - not for any real danger.
You really should be more educated about DFAT advice notices, before making such ridiculous comments.
- +2 votes
Iran is also on the same category but one of the safest places on the planet
Oh please.
There is a real danger of arbitrary detention in both Iran and NK, because of sanctions placed by Australia on these countries.- -2 votes
Please point Ronan example of an Australian (excluding dual nationals) that have been detained in either country? Don't spread bullshit.
- -1 vote
@sambutler9876: Why excluding dual nationals?
Because Iran refuses to recongise that people can have citizenship of another nation, except where it can help relieve sanctions?Meanwhile, here's a nice list relating to North Korea for you:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_nationals_deta...@DogGunn: Dual nationals are considered locals and treated differently to foreigners.
I am not denying in many cases it can be a significant danger for dual nationals to return to these countries.
John Short is the only Australian who has been detained. This was not arbitrary. He was a missiomary - which is a serious crime in North Korea.
So please give me an example.
- -1 vote
Dual nationals are considered locals and treated differently to foreigners.
I am not denying in many cases it can be a significant danger for dual nationals to return to these countries.Sounds like a lovely and safe place to go. Feel free to support a country that treats its own citizens like dirt.
John Short is the only Australian who has been detained. This was not arbitrary. He was a missiomary - which is a serious crime in North Korea.
So serious, those poor North Koreans. There are of course Americans that have been detained for doing almost nothing in NK. There have not been substantial numbers of Australians travelling to NK. It will be bound to happen to someone at some point if numbers keep growing.
In the end, the essence of your argument is that it is okay for Australians to support dictatorships and theocracies when DFAT says don't go unless you have to. Not a strong argument.
- -2 votes
@DogGunn: While I don't have figures. There are far more Australian a travelling to North Korea than any other country. significantly more than Americans when they were allowed
(Americans are now banned from visiting by their own government and no tour companyany will take them either).@sambutler9876: That's right, because the threat of arbitrary detention was so great, that the tour companies finally decided to enforce the ban the Americans had.
If Australians are visiting greater numbers than any other country, guess that means we're the next best target. After all, we are great allies of America.
- +1 vote
@DogGunn: how is detention arbitrary? the very wikipedia article you linked provided a reason for each detention, so far one Australian has been detained for "Unauthorized religious activity", for a period of 15 days
4000-6000 western tourists visit North Korea each year
OzBargain
ChoiceCheapies
CheapCheapLah
I hope your clothes and gadgets are all 'oppressive free' considering majority are made in third world dictatorships or you know China.