The lights! The glitz! The glamour! Come on down North Korea’s luxury ski resort, courtesy of your favorite supreme leader, Kim Jong-un! Jokes aside, North Korea is famed for its ski resort and the unbridled luxury it provides for tourists and locals.

The Masikyrog, or Masik Pass, Ski Resort is located in the Kangwon Province, just 12 miles outside of Wonsan City. According to reviews (yes, there are reviews for this place), it is a 4-hour drive away from North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang.

The Masikyrog (horse-resting pass) project was initiated by North Korea in order to get the people to enjoy their culture lives and physique. The resort is also part of a drive by Kim Jong-Un to boost tourism in the country. By the time the project is complete, the government estimates that over 5 thousand people will visit the resort every day. They also estimate that the resort will bring in $18.7 million in revenue. The first stage of the resort construction will develop 2,430 square kilometers (600,466 acres). The first stage will cost the country approximately $35.3 million. For a size comparison, the largest ski resort in Colorado, Vail, only has 5,289 acres. It is unsure whether the resort will be as big as the government claims but there is only one way to find out: to wait. While the resort is currently under construction, however, there is still plenty to do.

As of the time of this article, there are currently 9 runs for tourists and locals to ski. Their longest run so far is 3 miles: just short of Breckenridge’s Four O’Clock run which is 3.5 miles. The resort offers only beginner and intermediate runs as of right now. The resort also boasts night skiing. There is also a ski school and a kindergarten for parents to drop their kids off to if they want to experience the true beauty of North Korea by themselves. Just remember parents, Kim Jong-Un is watching! Along with the skiing, the resort also features a luxury hotel. The hotel includes swimming pool, sauna, massage room, beauty parlor, billiards room, restaurants, and an ice skating rink. The hotel was made into two pyramidal towers, the tallest one being a whole 9 stories tall! The hotel features 120 rooms and was constructed alongside with the resort in only 10 months by soldiers of the Korean People’s Army.

You are even allowed to have the internet in the hotel. However, the internet does not come in the form of WiFi, you actually have to plug a cable into a computer (so basically the 1990s). Also, the North Korean internet is much different than American internet. Almost everything is censored except for state censored websites.

Unlike the government claims, the resort is still very small. The 9 runs that it currently has must use snow cannons in order to keep the runs open. Since there are no serious skiing mountains in North Korea, the government must improvise, like many of the projects they do. The base elevation of the resort is only 2,520 feet above sea level while the top is a meager 4,460 feet. The resort features ski and drag lifts. According to reviews, one can buy a full day ski pass, ski rental, and clothing rental for $43! In Colorado, the cheapest ski pass, the pass alone, can be found in A-Basin for $46.

The reviews for the ski resort are surprisingly positive. The ski resort has 4.5 stars on tripadvisor.com. Reviewers claim that the resort boasts some of the best accommodations in the whole country and most of the staff speaks fluent English. However, the luxury comes at a cost. The visitors claim that the lifts are super, super slow. One review claimed that it could take up to an hour to get to the top at times. To make it better, the North Korean National Anthem and other government approved songs play the whole time you are on the lift. The visitors were happy about how empty the ski resort is as well. One person claimed that they only saw 4 other people while they were on the slopes. So much for Kim Jong-un’s 5000 people per day. People enjoyed the food and loved the cheap cost of drinks at the resort. Ski rentals are cheap and include top name brands including Burton snowboards and Nordica skis and poles. One man was surprised to not see a single picture of the North Korean leaders anywhere in the resort. The man was also relieved that the resort is one of the only places you can go to in North Korea and not be followed around by a guide everywhere you go. Apparently, there is also powder and actual snow at the resort as well. Overall, the reviewers claimed that the resort has a special feeling to it.

While this place is a hotspot for cheap prices for tourists, locals are said to be admitted into the resort for cheaper. That is, however, assuming that they can make it to the resort. Most locals are not allowed to own cars unless they are high class or government employees. Most public transportation is also limited to tourists as well.

Despite high tensions with South Korea, the North hopes that they will be able to host some of the events for the 2018 Olympic Games being held in South Korea.

If you feel like you want to get out of the Colorado mountains and ski something exotic and different, perhaps you should try skiing in North Korea. If interested, try checking out Koryo Tours or Uri Tours, some of the official North Korean tour groups (the only way you can visit the country). The links are also below.

http://uritours.com/tours/north-korea-travel-ski-trip

http://koryogroup.com/extras/masik-pass-ski-resort