Best Time to Visit Pyongyang

Spring and early summer: the easy months

April to June are the sweet spot. April is crisp, with cool mornings and mild afternoons. By May it's warm enough to walk along the Taedong River in a shirt, and the rain is still modest. June is warmer again and rated Excellent too, though it gets wetter and you'll see more grey afternoons.

Visits here are almost always on a guided tour, so you'll walk a set route. That makes dry, mild days matter more. Think Kim Il Sung Square, the Juche Tower and the Arch of Triumph, all of them open-air stops with long stretches between them.

Mid-April is the busiest and most colourful time. The Day of the Sun, on 15 April, marks the birth of Kim Il Sung. The Pyongyang Marathon, usually run in April, also draws foreign visitors. Tour spots tend to fill then, so it's the closest thing to a high season.

July and August: hot, wet and sticky

These are the two wettest months by far, with rain on more than half the days. July is the wettest, with 286 mm. August is close behind. Humidity is high, the air feels heavy, and the sun shows up less. Heavy downpours can also disrupt trips outside the city.

Do you hate damp heat? Skip these months. If you can't, plan on indoor stops like the Grand People's Study House and the metro, which has deep, decorated stations. Tours run less often in summer, so you may find quieter sites.

Autumn: clear and calm

September is still a bit humid, but the rain eases. October is the better pick. Days are mild, the air feels drier, and the leaves turn on the hills around the city. It's a good month for photos and long walks, such as on Moranbong Hill.

On 10 October, the Party Foundation Day, you may see extra events and some displays. Tour groups can be larger around then. November is Fair, with cold mornings that dip to freezing and shorter days.

Winter: cold and quiet

December to February is Poor for comfort. Highs sit near or below freezing, and January is the coldest. The sky stays fairly dry, so snow is light, but the wind bites. Crowds are thin and tours are few. If you want a quiet trip and don't mind the cold, there's a case for it. Most people are better off waiting for April, May or October.