Dark Tourism Flights
What is dark tourism?
Dark tourism refers to travelling to a location associated with death, disaster or tragedy. These are real places that were once affected by war, genocide or environmental/nuclear disaster.
Although many of these places are considered taboo, they will still get frequent visitors, with people being drawn to them due to an urge to better understand the past, a morbid fascination, or to feel connected to ancestors impacted by the tragic events.
Why do people visit dark tourism sites?
For many who visit dark tourism sites, there is a morbid curiosity. To see a location once struck by such tragedy can cause interest.
Sometimes, it can be hard to imagine the scale of the devastation that certain events had, but witnessing what remains can help people to understand just how awful the events were by showing a shadow of what the victims went through.
These are the kinds of places often featured in history books and are, therefore, frequently visited by historians.
Many of the locations are preserved in the state they were when the disaster occurred to remind and warn people of the darker side of humanity.
Responsible dark tourism
You must be respectful when visiting a dark tourist location. Many people would have tragically had their lives cut short in these places, and by showing respect, you are helping to honour their memory. Here are some tips to remember when you visit a dark tourism site.
When to take photographs
When visiting the sites, you're naturally going to want to take photos, and while most of the time this is completely fine and expected, there are occasions when it's best not to.
Firstly and most obviously, if there's an area with a no-photography rule, then it's essential that you honour it. Sometimes, sites won't allow photos if there's identifiable information of a victim or their family or if the flash of your camera could cause damage to the site. Whatever the reason, if you see a sign or are told not to take photos, then please follow that rule.
Secondly, it's best not to take selfies, smiling family photos or images that could be deemed 'provocative'. Remember, these are places where people were killed. While there may be no rule against it, posing for a selfie can be considered poor taste.
Respect other visitors
You should be respectful of other visitors and not pass any judgement. The people visiting the site may have directly suffered or have had family that were victims of the tragedy. Don't pass judgment on other's reactions, as different people and cultures show emotions in various ways.
Don't touch/take items
When visiting, make sure you don't touch items prohibited from being handled or blocked by a rope and don't take items from the site home with you. Leave the place exactly how you left it so that others who visit after you get the same experience.
Dark tourism sites
There are just some of the dark tourism sites available to visit. Scroll further down the page for more information on each location.
- 9/11 Memorial
- Auschwitz
- Chernobyl
- Fukushima
- Hiroshima
- Pompeii
9/11 Memorial
180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007, United States
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum in Downtown New York City commemorates the September 11 2001 terrorist attack by al-Qaeda, where two hijacked planes crashed into The Twin Towers, as well as the February 26 1993 bombing of The World Trade Centre, where a van bomb detonated below the north tower.
2,977 people were killed during the September 11 attack, and many more were injured, with people still suffering today from the physical and emotional scars of the event. During the February 26 bombing, 6 people lost their lives, while 1,042 were injured.
The memorial is located at the World Trade Centre site, the former location of the Twin Towers, which were destroyed during the 2001 attacks. The site features two large water-reflecting pools, which are located in the footprints of where each tower stood. The names of the 2,977 victims who died in the attack are remembered in the parapets surrounding the waterfalls.
The site is a popular destination, with an average of 9,000 visitors per day who come to remember the victims of the attacks. It's free to visit and is open from 8 am to 8 pm.
There are three major airports which are located in New York City. These are John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark International Airport (EWR). Some of the airlines that commonly fly to these airports include American Airlines, Frontier and Delta Air Lines.
Auschwitz
Więźniów Oświęcimia 55 Street, Oświęcim
Auschwitz was the largest Nazi concentration camp during the second world war. It acted as an killing centre. People with 'return not desired' or 'do not transfer' were killed during their imprisonment, by the gas chamber, firing squad, hanging or starvation.
Auschwitz operated for less than 5 years, and during that time, it is estimated that 1.1 million people were killed. Of these people, most were Jewish. Other groups that were sent to Auschwitz included the Polish, Roma, Soviets, Jehovah's Witnesses, political prisoners and homosexuals.
The Holocaust was a devastating event for humanity, and the place where it is most remembered is Auschwitz. The brutality of the genocide can be seen on display in Auschwitz through the little shoes from Auschwitz, where thousands of tiny shoes of the children that were murdered there are piled up.
Today, Auschwitz is a memorial site and museum which attracts visitors from around the world. It gets nearly 2 million visitors a year, who come to show their respects to the many who were killed and to remember the devastation of fascist regimes.
Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK) is the closest airport to Auschwitz. Some of the airlines that commonly fly to KRK include Ryanair, Wizz Air and LOT Polish Airlines.
Chernobyl
Pripyat, Ukraine
Chernobyl was once a nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union. Before the disaster, it was one of the largest power plants in the world. Many workers of Chernobyl lived in the nearby city of Pripyat.
The Chernobyl disaster took place in April 1986, when the number 4 reactor exploded. This catastrophic event resulted from the reactor's poor design and a lack of sufficient staff training. Because of this, massive amounts of radiation were released into the atmosphere.
The fires and immediate impact of the radiation led to the deaths of 31 people. However, this doesn't account for the number of people who died later on due to exposure.
It's estimated that around 600,000 people were subjected to this extreme radiation, including firefighters, nurses, workers, nearby residents and people across Europe as the radiation spread. For these people even though they didn't die immediately, many would have gotten radiation sickness later on or developed cancer.
The effect of the Chernobyl devastation extended beyond just those immediately exposed to the radiation. The severe levels of radiation absorbed by the human body led to a rise in congenital disabilities and long-term health problems for the next generation.
It's estimated that around 4,000 people died younger than they should have because of the life-long impacts of Chernobyl.
While unlike the previous locations, Chernobyl is not a museum, it can still be visited with tours available to safe zones where the lingering radiation isn't too high.
Boryspil International Airport (KBP) is the closest airport to Chernobyl and from there it is best to hire a guide when visiting the site. Some of the airlines that fly to KBP include Ukraine International Airlines, Lufthansa, and KLM.
Fukushima
Honshu, Japan
Following Chernobyl, the worst-ever nuclear disaster occurred at the Fukushima power plant in Japan.
In March 2011, a powerful earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale prompted a Tsunami which killed 15,000 people. The flood walls at the Fukushima Power Plant were breached, triggering the nuclear disaster and the release of radiation into the atmosphere and ocean.
This caused at least 164,000 local residents to be displaced as they had to evacuate from the 12-mile exclusion zone to escape the dangerous radiation levels.
While there were no deaths that occurred directly after the nuclear disaster, 4 years later, a worker in charge of measuring radiation at the power plant died of lung cancer, the suspected cause being overexposure to radiation.
Although the area remains uninhabited, people can now visit the exclusion zone on guided tours, where individuals can see the lives that people left behind during the evacuation and the nature that is slowly claiming back the land.
Fukushima Airport (FKS) is a small airport which still operates domestic flights despite being damaged by the disaster. Alternatively, most tours to Fukushima operate from Tokyo, of which the best airport to fly to would be Haneda Airport (HND) or Narita Airport (NRT). ANA and Ibex Airlines both fly to FKS. While China Southern, Air China, and Japan Airlines are all great airlines that can get you to Tokyo.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima, Japan.
Hiroshima was the city where the world's first atomic bomb, Little Boy, was used on civilians. It was dropped by the American aircraft Enola Gay in August 1945 during the Second World War. The next nuclear bomb was dropped in Nagasaki just 3 days later.
Little Boy had devastating effects. When it first hit the ground, many people died in the initial shockwave; during this time, the infamous mushroom cloud was produced. This grey, towering cloud was full of nuclear radiation that swept into the atmosphere.
The result of the atomic bomb was a massacre in which people were instantly incinerated or killed from the blast and radiation. The estimated total deaths of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are between 129,000 and 226,000. Even to this day, survivors of the bomb are still suffering from radiation exposure, with cancer and congenital disabilities.
At the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, you see shadows etched in stone. The force of the explosion was so great that it disintegrated some people, leaving them to literally be nothing but shadows. It's a chilling sight of what is left of them.
People visiting the city of Hiroshima can see the spot where the atomic bomb exploded, which has been preserved. There is also the Children's Peace Monument, which is a symbol of all the child victims who were affected by the atomic bomb. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is a public park with monuments to honour victims.
Hiroshima has its own airport, Hiroshima Airport (HIJ), which is located 50km outside of Hiroshima. Airlines such as Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Air China fly to HIJ.
Pompeii
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is one of Italy's most-visited locations.
In 79 AD, the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the nearby town of Pompeii, burying it in lava and volcanic ash.
The site is now partly excavated, revealing the preserved Roman history and culture beneath.
Pompeii is labelled a dark tourist location because of the estimated number of deaths caused by the volcano. It's believed that more than 16,000 people died due to the 79 AD eruption.
The Garden of the Fugitives in the ancient city contains the remains of 13 victims of Pompeii, preserved in cast.
2.5 million tourists visit the site annually for its history and to remember the tragedy from long ago.
Naples International Airport (NAP) is the closest airport to Pompeii. Ryanair, Jet2 and Volotea all fly to NAP.
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Dark Tourism Flights FAQs
What is dark tourism?
Dark tourism refers to tourists visiting a location that's associated with a real tragedy. This could be a location that was impacted by genocide, war, high-levels of nuclear radiation or environmental destruction.
What is dark tourism examples?
Dark tourist locations are ones associated with death and tragedy. Some of the most visited dark tourist destinations include:
- 9/11 memorial
- Auschwitz
- Chernobyl
- Fukushima
- Hiroshima
- Pompeii
Why is dark tourism important?
Dark tourism is important because it helps people to remember the tragedies of the past. By remembering, people are honouring the victims of these terrible events. Many dark tourist locations will feature memorials naming all those who lost their lives.
Dark tourism also acts as a warning. By being confronted by past horrors through visiting these locations, people are reminded of the consequences of terrorism, fascism, and war.
Why do people like dark tourism?
People like dark tourism for several reasons. It can help individuals feel better connected to the past, especially if the tragedy impacted loved ones or members of their community.
For historians, visiting these locations is very important and can build a new understanding.
There's also often a morbid curiosity about places associated with death and destruction. This can be partly evolutionary as humans naturally want to learn and understand potential threats, and there is no greater threat than the mass loss of human life.
Is it safe to visit dark tourism sites?
This depends. While most dark tourism locations are entirely safe, there are still times when you should be cautious. For example, with Chernobyl and Fukushima, there are certain areas where the radiation is still too high to be deemed safe. If you go with a tour group and thoroughly research these locations, you'll be fine, as the guides will ensure you're only taken to safe areas.
What isn't dark tourism?
Dark tourism sometimes gets a bad reputation, but this is often because people misconstrue what dark tourism is and isn't. Here's a list of what doesn't count as dark tourism:
- War tourism (visiting current conflict zones)
- Slum tourism (visiting impoverished areas)
- Ghost/paranormal tourism
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