The next place I visited outside Pyongyang was Myohyang, located north of the capital and surrounded by mountains. The large hotel above wasn’t where I stayed, but it was one of the most prominent hotels I saw outside Pyongyang. My own hotel was much smaller. Like the other hotels I stayed at during my trip, portraits of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il were prominently displayed inside.
These photos are from the town of Myohyang at the base of the surrounding mountains. The main street was lined with houses and restaurants, and much of the architecture had a more traditional Korean appearance than the larger buildings I had seen in Pyongyang.
Pohyon Temple
Mt. Myohyang is home to Pohyon Temple, one of North Korea’s most important Buddhist sites. Founded in the 11th century, the temple has nearly a thousand years of history. It has been damaged and rebuilt several times over the centuries, including reconstruction following the Korean War. The temple complex contains traditional buildings, historic artwork, statues, and other reminders of Korea’s Buddhist heritage.
The temple’s colorful artwork was one of the things that stood out to me. Traditional figures and dragons decorated parts of the complex, adding another layer to a site that has survived centuries of Korean history.
Pohyon Temple also gave me an opportunity to see part of North Korea’s Buddhist heritage firsthand. Above is one of the monks I met during my visit, along with a view inside one of the temple buildings.
International Friendship Exhibition
Also located at Mt. Myohyang is the International Friendship Exhibition, a large museum complex displaying gifts presented to North Korea’s leaders by foreign governments, organizations, and individuals. Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il have separate exhibition buildings containing collections from around the world.
The buildings themselves are impressive, with enormous wooden doors, marble interiors, and elaborate architecture. During my visit I also learned firsthand that photography restrictions were taken seriously in certain areas. One of the guards thought I had photographed something I wasn’t supposed to, so my guide checked my camera and quickly cleared up the misunderstanding.
After visiting the exhibition halls, I was able to take my camera onto a balcony several stories above the ground. From there I had an impressive view across the surrounding mountains. I was especially lucky with the weather that day, as the clouds finally broke and gave me some sunlight for the photos.
Hiking Mt. Myohyang
One of the highlights of Myohyang was hiking into the mountains along a trail that passes dozens of waterfalls. Along the way I came across Korean writing carved directly into the rock. Since I couldn’t read Korean and there weren’t English translations, I had no idea what most of it said. In a way I actually enjoyed that because it added some mystery to the hike.
As I climbed higher, the trail became steeper and more interesting. Some sections were wet and slippery from the waterfalls and streams crossing the route. I wasn’t alone on the mountain either. There were North Koreans hiking the trails as well, including the group above taking a break beside one of the larger cascades.
It seemed like every waterfall I approached had me saying wow. One of my favorites had three separate falls converging into a single river. Another had a suspension bridge crossing directly above the rushing water, making the trail itself almost as interesting as the scenery.
Mt. Myohyang isn’t especially high in altitude, which made it surprising that after several hours of climbing I was still finding large waterfalls near the upper parts of the trail. Above is one of the highest falls I encountered, along with a rainbow that appeared over a small bridge near the top. This hike ended up being one of my favorite outdoor experiences in North Korea.
Another thing I enjoyed about Myohyang was meeting people along the trails. I had more interaction with locals here than I did in Pyongyang, and several people were happy to pose for photographs. Some even approached us and wanted to take group photos together. Those spontaneous interactions were a memorable way to finish my visit to Myohyang.
