Things to Do in Pyongyang in May

May's comfortable temperatures make Pyongyang's monumental core pleasant to cover on foot, and this matters because the distances are staggering. The Mansudae Grand Monument sits on Mansu Hill with its 20-metre (66 ft) bronze statues gleaming in spring sunlight. From there the walk down to the Juche Tower on the Taedong's east bank covers roughly 3 km (1.9 miles) through the widest urban vistas you have likely ever encountered. The granite of Kim Il Sung Square radiates warmth underfoot by midday in May without the shimmer-heat of summer. The Arch of Triumph, modelled on its Parisian counterpart but 10 metres (33 ft) taller, catches afternoon light well for photographs. In winter this circuit is a freezing slog. In July the humidity turns it miserable. May is the month it works as intended.

Pyongyang's metro runs over 100 metres (330 ft) underground, and the escalator ride alone takes nearly four minutes, the fluorescent-lit tunnel narrowing around you as the air cools and the sounds of the surface fade to nothing. The stations are cavernous, lined in polished marble, and lit by enormous chandeliers that throw uneven light across mosaic murals in the socialist realist style. The trains are vintage East German rolling stock, refurbished but still carrying the rattle and sway of their origin decade. In May, these underground stations offer a cool retreat when midday warmth peaks and a reliable shelter if an afternoon shower catches you between sites. Most itineraries allow visits to two stations. Push for a third if your guides are amenable. The contrast between the ornate subterranean world and the austere city above is one of Pyongyang's most striking experiences.

The drive south from Pyongyang to Kaesong covers roughly 170 km (106 miles) on the Reunification Highway. This wide, nearly empty road cuts through terraced rice paddies just starting to flood for May planting. Hills covered in low scrub pine roll past your window. Kaesong is the only city in the DPRK where you can walk streets that still carry the medieval scale of the Koryo dynasty. Low tile-roofed buildings and narrow lanes feel nothing like Pyongyang's monumental geometry. The Demilitarized Zone at Panmunjom puts you in the blue Joint Security Area buildings straddling the military demarcation line. The tension is palpable. The air smells of dust and cut grass. The silence is so complete you can hear the South Korean flag snapping in the wind on the other side. May's clearer skies make the views across the DMZ sharp and photogenic. Summer haze ruins this later in the year.

The Taedong River splits Pyongyang down its centre. In May the banks are lined with willows trailing new green leaves toward the current. Evening boat trips operate on calm water. The low sun catches the Juche Tower flame. Pastel facades of apartment blocks along Changjon Street glow in the light. The air off the river carries a mineral coolness that cuts through the daytime warmth. As the boat turns you get the Ryugyong Hotel, that unfinished 330-metre (1,083 ft) concrete pyramid, rising against the sky. Its silhouette looks like nothing else built in the twentieth century. During the day, the riverside promenades near the main bridges are where Pyongyang residents picnic, fish, and sit in the grass. This is one of the few settings where daily life in the city feels unscripted. You can observe it up close.

Moranbong, Pyongyang's hilltop park overlooking the Taedong River, is where the city sheds its monumental formality. In May the paths wind through fully leafed maples and chestnuts. The undergrowth is thick enough to muffle city noise below. The light filtering through the canopy has that soft green quality that only lasts a few weeks each spring. On weekends and holidays, Korean families spread mats under the trees. They share cold noodles and kimchi from metal containers. They sing together with accordion and guitar, the music drifting through the woods in fragments. If your visit falls on or near May Day, the park fills with celebratory picnics. The atmosphere is as relaxed as Pyongyang gets. The Ulmil Pavilion at the summit gives a wide view of the city skyline. This is also the spot to feel the cross-river breeze. It keeps May's humidity comfortable rather than oppressive.