While millions of North Koreans face hardship, Kim Jong Un appears to have a rather different idea of how to spend his summer – aboard a sprawling luxury yacht complete with swimming pools and water slides.
The enormous vessel, believed to belong to the North Korean leader, has been spotted off the country’s coast repeatedly this year, offering a rare glimpse into the dictator’s life away from the public eye.
But Kim is far from the only notorious ruler to enjoy an extraordinary escape. From Stalin’s secluded Black Sea villas to Idi Amin’s safari hideaway in the Ugandan wilderness, dictators past and present have found some remarkable places to unwind.
Some retreated to palatial residences hidden from prying eyes, others headed for glamorous seaside resorts or indulged in private hunting trips. For these rulers, time off could mean exclusive retreats, spectacular surroundings and luxuries far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
Here, we take a look at how some of history’s most notorious leaders spent their holidays – and the extraordinary places they escaped to.
Kim Jong Un, North Korea
LUXURY YACHTS AND FLOATING WATERPARKS
Yachts pictured show a huge swimming pool as well as waterslides
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
This summer, four large ships were spotted in the coastal city of Wonsan in North Korea – a playground for the country's well-to-do, as well as Kim Jong Un.
It is believed the yachts are used by his family during the holidays, The Telegraph reported.
Satellite images show an 80m luxury vessel with a 50m swimming pool and several water slides attached.
The BBC estimated the largest vessel would be valued around £75million.
That is staggering in comparison to Kim's 29-metre Princess yacht, which is worth around £5.2million.
Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslavia
SLOVENIAN SUMMER LAKESIDE RESIDENCE
A former palace belonging to Josip Broz Tito, on Lake Bled, Slovenia
Yugoslavian president Tito and his wife
For Josip Broz Tito, Lake Bled in Slovenia – now an increasingly popular summer getaway among outdoorsy types – was the destination of choice.
The leader of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia ruled for almost four decades, after breaking away from Stalin.
His summer months were spent at his luxurious residence, Vila Bled, now a luxury hotel.
Here, he hosted state visits such as the leader of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev, King Hussein of Jordan, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and even President of North Korea Kim Il Sung.
The property is surrounded by national parks, where he would take his guests hunting.
Joseph Stalin, Soviet Union
BLACK SEA TRIPS
Soviet leader Joseph Stalin with his children at one of his dachas (second homes)
Stalin's dacha in Sochi was used as his summer residence and at the end of his life
Nowadays, the site operates as a museum
Eerie images of former Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin's summer home show the extraordinary lengths he went to to hide away from the public while on holiday.
Built in 1947, one 'dacha' was home to the communist dictator and his family during the warm summer months. It's hidden deep in a forest off of Lake Ritsa in Abkhazia, an autonomous region of Georgia.
The Soviet Union leader had five holiday homes he would regularly visit, but he reportedly would not tell officials which one he was going to stay at. All five would always be prepared for his visit.
While his favourite was a villa in Gagra, Abkhazia, which overlooked the Black Sea, he often frequented the other four as well, including one near Sochi.
A living testament to Stalin and his renowned paranoia, the Lake Ritsa dacha is surrounded by thick trees and is painted green to make it pretty much invisible from the air.
Nicolae Ceausescu, Romania
PRIVATE LODGES GALORE
Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena at Snagov in 1978
Snagov Palace was used during the communist regime as a presidential residence
Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena ruled Romania between 1965 and 1989.
Guilty of a litany of human rights abuses and murders, they were deposed and killed by their people as the Soviet Union, which protected them, slowly collapsed.
As for how they spent their holidays? In style – and privacy.
A private lodge on the Black Sea coast in Neptun was one such destination, an upmarket seaside resort where the pair would spend a month of the year.
For regular black goat hunting trips, he chose Villa Paltinu in the Carpathian Mountains.
Meanwhile, Snagov Palace was a lakeside villa converted into a luxury retreat for the dictator, and he would spend seven months of the year staying at this residence. It was the place he and his wife fled to in 1989 – shortly before the pair were executed.
Vladimir Putin, Russia
MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAYS
Vladimir Putin's Altai Courtyard retreat in the mountains
Here, the Russian leader is pictured on a retreat in 2013
Everything about Russian leader Vladimir Putin is shrouded in secrecy – even his holidays.
But some reports have indicated he has enjoyed secret mountain retreats in Siberia.
Last year, it emerged that Mr Putin jetted off to his Altai Courtyard retreat in the mountains.
The complex includes 'blood baths' from stag blood, which supposedly improve health.
Saddam Hussein, Iraq
FRENCH RIVIERA VILLA
Saddam Hussein and his family had lavish properties in the south of France
The Grasse villa fell into disarray, with graffiti springing up
The French Riviera is adored by the rich and famous – and, apparently, dictators.
Saddam Hussein had two options in this part of the world – he had a holiday home above Grasse, near Cannes, called the Mas de St Croix.
The stone villa has long been abandoned, falling into disrepair.
Meanwhile, a property on billionaire's row in Cannes, owned by Saddam's half brother Barzan al-Tikriti, was frequently visited by his men – but it is not confirmed that the dictator visited himself.
Benito Mussolini, Italy
LOYAL TO HIS NATION
Mussolini was photographed skiing topless on Monte Terminillo in 1937
Unsurprisingly, Mussolini spent the majority of his holidays in Italy, combining propaganda with relaxation.
Riccione on the Adriatic Coast was favoured in the summer, with Villa Mussolini a seaside retreat.
He visited Mount Terminillo for winter sports – the destination where his famous skiing shirtless photograph was taken.
Grand Hotel Feltrinelli on Lake Garda and Hotel Campo Imperatore in the Apennines were other holiday destinations.
Idi Amin, Uganda
SAFARI STAY
You can now visit the ruins of Pakuba Lodge, Idi Amin's favorite safari spot
Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
Former Ugandan president and dictator Idi Amin loved going on safari – he had his own private retreat and safari palace.
Pakuba Lodge in Murchison Falls National Park still stands today – in part.
'Visiting the ruins of Pakuba Lodge, Idi Amin’s favorite hideaway in Murchison Falls National Park, is a rare treat,' says Bizarre Globe Hopper.
'There are just a few remnants left in Uganda from Idi Amin’s atrocious regime. Once the pride of Murchison Falls National Park, the grandiose Pakuba Lodge caught the eye of Idi Amin, who turned it into a State Lodge, his private retreat.
'The legend has it that Idi Amin spent much more time in Pakuba than in his official presidential residence in Kampala. Pakuba Lodge welcomed Idi Amin’s inner circle as well as international guests of honour and is praised in several memoirs.'