Amid talk of war and missile testing, it’s often overlooked that North Korea boasts some of the most picturesque landscapes in all of Asia. In a new video courtesy of National Geographic, Britain’s fastest snowboarder Jamie Barrow serves as a guide around the capital city of Pyongyang before heading up to to the idyllic pistes of Masikryong.

The ski resort, which opened in 2013 at a cost of some $35,000,000, boasts over 10 slopes with a 4,000 feet summit. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the place is deserted when Barrow arrives — the atmosphere almost eerie as the host takes off down the sprawling hills. (Perhaps everybody else was busying themselves in one of the many luxury on site restaurants or swimming pools.)

Featuring Jamie Barrow