Empty North Korea Hotel (Strange Experience)

We stayed at a large, retro seaside hotel before driving to the Diamond Mountains, stopping at a beachside tea house and passing rural landscapes along the way. We hiked through forests, across bridges and past waterfalls to reach spectacular mountain views, while learning about the area's history as a former South Korean tourist resort and family-reunion site. After visiting a lagoon, we returned to explore our nearly empty hotel, which had modern facilities, artwork, a bar, karaoke, and recreational areas.