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China's Thrill-Seekers Brave Fake Disasters for Survival Skills
18 Aug
Summary
- China sees a rise in dark tourism offering simulated natural disaster experiences.
- Hangzhou's Lvxing Base provides immersive simulations with winds up to 165 km/h.
- Visitors pay to learn survival skills and disaster response techniques realistically.
A burgeoning trend in China involves 'dark tourism,' where individuals pay for immersive, simulated natural disaster experiences. These events aim to teach practical survival skills rather than just visiting sites of tragedy. One prominent facility, Lvxing Base in Hangzhou, offers visitors the chance to brave artificial typhoons with winds up to 165 kilometers per hour and intense flood scenarios.
Participants don protective gear and are guided by instructors through realistic rescue protocols and disaster response techniques. Since its opening in late 2024, Lvxing Base has hosted over 160,000 visits. While popular, the trend sparks debate about commercializing real-life tragedies and trivializing suffering.
Individual passes for these intense simulations cost 899 yuan (approximately $135), while family packages for specialized drills, including water rescue and wilderness survival for children aged six to fourteen, are priced close to 5,000 yuan. Safety is maintained with monitoring personnel ready to assist anyone in distress during the simulated events.
