Nampo, North Korea: travel guide
Yellow Sea port city and the long tidal barrage across the Taedong estuary
Nampo is North Korea's principal commercial port and a special administrative city on the Yellow Sea, about 50 km southwest of Pyongyang.
About Nampo
Nampo is the country's principal commercial port, standing on the Yellow Sea about 50 km south-west of Pyongyang. Its best-known sight is the West Sea Barrage, an 8 km dam across the Taedong River estuary completed in the 1980s.
Visits are usually a day trip from the capital, combining the barrage with the harbour and the open water beyond. It is more a working port than a resort, so the appeal lies in the engineering and in seeing a different side of coastal life.
Nampo suits travellers building an extended Pyongyang itinerary who want a change of scene. Late spring and early autumn bring the clearest, mildest days for the estuary views.
- Country
- North Korea
- Currency
- KPW
- Time zone
- Asia/Pyongyang
Last updated
Top places to visit in Nampo
West Sea Barrage
engineering landmark · 4.3 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
An 8-km tidal dam across the Taedong River estuary near Nampo, completed in 1986 — one of North Korea's most celebrated engineering achievements. Three sluice gates, a ship lock, and a road across the top. Protects farmland from tidal…
Chongsam Cooperative Farm
Cultural · 4.1 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
One of the model cooperative farms near Nampo visited on DPRK tours. Tourists are shown the farm's facilities, rice paddies, and communal buildings as an example of the DPRK's agricultural collectivisation system. Offers a rare and candid…
Where to eat
- West Sea Barrage Restaurant Korean, Seafood · about EUR 8 per person
Getting to Nampo
Nearest airport: Pyongyang (FNJ), about 59 km away in a straight line. The road or rail journey is longer.
Getting around
- Bus
- Car With Driver
- Walking