Things to Do in Pyongyang in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
November Weather in Pyongyang
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
49°F (9°C)
High Temp
32°F (0°C)
Low Temp
1.5 inches (38 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Pack for -5°C (23°F) after November 25. Forecasts may tease above 0°C (32°F). Sudden drops bite. Gloves mandatory. Thermals save trips.
⚠ Blackouts kill traffic lights. Drivers roll into intersections, treat them as four-way stops. Look both ways. Twice. Then cross.
Is November Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Crystal-clear air after October's harvest dust settles - Juche Tower views reach 30 km (18.6 miles) on good days, something you won't get in spring
- + Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia flower show runs the full month inside the Grand People's Study House, a surreal greenhouse display of 30,000+ cult-farmed blooms locals queue for hours to photograph
- + November 16 military parade rehearsal traffic means empty hotels near Kim Il-sung Square - the Yanggakdo's 45th-floor revolving restaurant has empty tables at 7 PM
- + Pyongyang Metro runs heated trains from November 1, so those marble-platform stations (the world's deepest at 110 m/360 ft) feel like Soviet saunas compared to Seoul's frigid subway
Considerations
- − Power rationing starts November 15 - expect 2-3 random blackouts daily that kill hotel elevators and streetlights, though the Juche Tower stays lit
- − November 25-30 is 'wheat planting mobilization' when schools close and teenage students disappear to collective farms - Moranbong Park feels eerily empty of the usual uniformed crowds
- − Night temperatures drop below freezing but most hotels haven't switched heating on yet - you'll sleep in your coat the first week unless you're at Koryo Hotel (the only one with consistent heat)
Best Activities in November
Top things to do during your visit
Pyongyang Metro Deep-Dive Tours
November's heated trains make this the month to ride all 16 stations without sweating through your shirt. The mosaic at Puhung Station - 20 m (65 ft) of socialist-realist marble showing steel workers - shows better in winter's low sun angling through the skylights. Trains run every 3-4 minutes instead of summer's 7-minute gaps.
Booking Tip: Licensed tours typically include 6-8 stations. Book 2-3 weeks ahead through operators who can secure metro access - not all can. Mention you want the 'full circuit' to avoid the standard three-station tourist loop.
Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery Pine Forest Walks
The 2 km (1.2 mile) uphill path through 40-year-old Korean pines turns copper-gold in late November, and the bronze statues of anti-Japanese guerrillas get frost patterns that make for surreal photos. You're above the city smog layer here - on clear days you can see the Ryugyong Hotel's pyramid shape 8 km (5 miles) away.
Booking Tip: Go at 9 AM when the cemetery opens - guards are less strict about photography before tour groups arrive. Wear shoes with grip; November frost makes the stone steps treacherous by 10 AM.
Taedonggang River November Grayling Fishing
The river's 3-month fishing ban lifts November 1, and grayling run thick through the Taedong's middle section. Locals use bamboo poles from Tongil Market. Tourists get collapsible gear at the Yanggakdo dock. The fish taste of pine nuts - locals swear it's from the November nut drop along the riverbanks.
Booking Tip: Need a local guide to translate the permit process at Tongil Market's fisheries office. Morning sessions 7-10 AM produce better catches before the barges start running.
Mansudae Art Studio Bronze Casting Demos
November is when the outdoor casting yard switches to smaller pieces - you can watch artisans pour 1,200°C (2,192°F) bronze into Juche Tower miniatures rather than the massive leader statues. The smell of molten metal mixes with cold air in a way that feels like industrial incense.
Booking Tip: Demos happen Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 PM, but you need to request studio access when booking your overall tour - they won't add it last-minute.
Pyongyang Indoor Ice Rink November Sessions
The city's only ice rink opens November 20 regardless of outdoor temps - it's kept at -5°C (23°F) while outside hits 0°C (32°F), creating that surreal transition locals love. School groups dominate 4-6 PM, so book evening slots when the rink plays 1980s synth-pop and teenage couples skate hand-in-hand.
Booking Tip: Sessions are 90 minutes including skate rental. Bring thin socks - the rental skates are Soviet-era leather that rubs bare ankles raw.
Where to Stay in Pyongyang in November
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for November travellers.
November Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Mid to late November
Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Flower Exhibition
30,000 orchids and begonias grown specifically to bloom November 15-30 inside the Grand People's Study House. The scent hits you at the entrance - artificial humidity makes the air thick as greenhouse glass. Locals bring cameras to photograph themselves beside the 3-meter (9.8 ft) Kimilsungia displays. Tourists get escorted through in 20-minute loops.
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View Pyongyang Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
The Ryugyong Hotel's 105th floor observation deck opens unofficially November weekends - ask your guide after 4 PM when the construction crews knock off
November 19 is University Student Day - campuses host open concerts with surprisingly good rock bands covering Western songs from the 1970s
Tongil Market's underground level sells November pine mushrooms (songyi) that taste like forest floor and garlic - vendors will cook them on electric griddles during power cuts using car batteries
The Pyongyang Circus switches to winter schedule November 1 - afternoon shows mean you catch the same performers practicing at 9 AM without the crowds
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming restaurants serve hot food during blackouts - carry snacks because kitchens switch to cold noodles when power dies mid-meal
Wearing bright colors to November 16 parade rehearsals - military security singles out obvious tourists for extra questioning near Kim Il-sung Square
Book afternoon metro tours. November's heating timetable empties trains between 10 AM and 2 PM while locals dodge cold platforms indoors. You ride almost alone. Snap photos without elbows in your ribs. The carriages feel warmer than the wind above. Time it right.
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