Mt Chilbo Homestay Program

North Korea


This World Tourism Organization–pioneered project is some way from what you might imagine of a ‘homestay’ – a purpose-built village of large traditional and modern-style houses where one family lives in part of the house, and guests in the other. There’s a restaurant, a shop and a nearby beach with another squid-barbecue restaurant on it.

While it does feel rather contrived, it’s still one of the best opportunities in the country to meet and talk with North Koreans, though the main problem is communicating, unless you speak some Korean or Chinese.