China sees rise in dark tourism through disaster simulations

A new trend of ‘dark tourism’ is emerging in China, where travelers seek out simulated extreme weather events to experience the sensations of natural disasters in a controlled environment.

In Hangzhou, the Lvxing Base has become a viral destination. The 200,000 square metre facility, which opened in 2024, uses advanced simulations to recreate scenarios such as typhoons, mudslides, and flash floods. Participants engage in exercises designed to teach survival skills, such as maintaining proper body positioning during a surge of water.

Social media trends in China, using phrases like ‘paying to suffer’ or ‘paying to buy fear,’ reflect a growing interest in these experiences. While some visitors seek the adrenaline of the simulations, others, like Leon Lv from Chongqing, use the facility as a way to learn how to stay calm and protect themselves during real-world emergencies.