dark tourism rwanda

Dark Tourism, Difficult Heritage, and Memorialisation: A Case of the Rwandan Genocide

First Online: 21 February 2018

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Mona Friedrich 6 ,
Philip R. Stone 7 &
Paul Rukesha 8

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The International Handbook on Tourism and Peace offers an optimistic foreword in which the global tourism industry is described as:

[a] worldwide social and cultural phenomenon that engages people of all nations as both hosts and guests, [generating] … connections, [which] spur dialogue and exchange, break down cultural barriers and promote values of tolerance, mutual understanding and respect. In a world constantly struggling for harmonious coexistence, these values espoused by tourism could be integral to building a more peaceful future. (Rifai, 2014)

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Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, Germany

Mona Friedrich

University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK

Philip R. Stone

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Friedrich, M., Stone, P.R., Rukesha, P. (2018). Dark Tourism, Difficult Heritage, and Memorialisation: A Case of the Rwandan Genocide. In: R. Stone, P., Hartmann, R., Seaton, T., Sharpley, R., White, L. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Dark Tourism Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-47566-4_11

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Dark Tourism in Rwanda

Dark Tourism in Rwanda is associated with 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. Black tourism also known as grief tourism, dark tourism, or morbid tourism is defined as tourism involving travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy. Rwanda put in place memorial sites as a result of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis where more than one million Tutsis were killed within 100 days. Memorial sites are places of remembrance and learning.

Dark Tourism in Rwanda is about remembrance and learning. The people of Rwanda embrace peace and reconciliation. They are committed to fight the ideology of genocide. The memorials found throughout the country are moving testimonies in memory of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the people who lost their lives. During your black tourism trip in Rwanda, you will be able to visit Kigali Genocide Memorial. Inaugurated on the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi is where 250,000 victims have been buried. This memorial also serves to educate about how the Genocide against the Tutsi took shape and examines genocide in the 20th century. Kigali Genocide Memorial is open daily from 8am to 5pm and last entrance is at 4pm. On Umuganda Saturdays (the last Saturday of every month) it isopen from 1pm to 5pm.There is no fee to enterand audio guides are available.

Dark Tourism in Rwanda trip will take you to Kigali Genocide Memorial where you will see the wall of names which is dedicated to those who died and is a work still in progress. Many of the victims’ names have yet to be gathered and documented and many of the victims who rest in the graves are unknown. The memorial gardens provide a place for quiet contemplation about the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi. They allow visitors to reflect on how we all have a personal responsibility to prevent discrimination and mass atrocity.The centre also provides support for survivors, in particular orphans and widows.

The moment on line cialis greyandgrey.com it is dropped in water, it produces delicious effervescent that need to be gulped down and relished. Many effective greyandgrey.com tadalafil for women treatment options are now available for those who want to get rid from incapability issue. Do not make extra delay because it is high time! Make your order right away! Precautions to be taken A person should not prefer this tablet if he is with viagra from canada next page any sort of allergic disorder. In fact, sitting still is not a big problem, the problem is the sedentary plus “tolerance”! The biggest fear of the prostate is to hold cialis 60mg urine. While the largest memorial is in Kigali, the genocide touched all corners of Rwanda, and as such there are many emotionally charged memorials located throughout the country. Some are as simple as a quiet garden space for contemplation, while others are larger and hold relics, remains, and exhibits on the genocide itself. In addition to the main memorial center in Kigali, other memorial centers include Ntarama Genocide Memorial, Nyanza Genocide Memorial, Nyamata Genocide Memorial, Murambi Genocide Memorial and Camp Kigali Belgian Monument.

Camp Kigali Belgian Monument; a small museum lies at the site of the massacre of ten Belgian UN Blue Beret. At the onset of Genocide under the command of General Dallaire, they were deployed to guard the house of Prime Minister Agatha Uwilingimana. When the genocide began, Presidential Guard soldiers invaded the home, disarmed the Belgians and transported them to Camp Kigali where they killed them. The ten stone pillars memorialise the ten soldiers killed.

Dark Tourism – Visit Rwanda’s Genocide Memorials

Most Rwanda safaris start and end in Kigali a home to one of the most visited Rwanda genocide site –Kigali genocide memorial and tourists make it a point to stopover in memory of the Rwanda brothers and sisters who perished in just a period of 100 days either at the beginning of their Rwanda tours or at the end. It’s a great experience when one gets to the Rwanda early and is looking at starting a scheduled adventure the next morning, besides it’s a no time activity for both morning and afternoon without exceeding 4.00pm the closing time. Hundreds visit different Rwanda genocide sites but few visit Murambi because the remains of the victims still look fresh and scare a lot. The 1994 human slaughter incident claimed lives of thousands into more than the eight Rwanda genocide memorials found in different locations of the country.

Despite the past Rwanda is the safest country in Africa with variety to explore and enjoy in the world of travel. Millions come from all over the globe to discover the countries attractions including mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys, forests, lakes, mountains, landscape etc. While in Rwanda tourists enjoy connecting to neighboring countries for other tour holidays. Tracking low land gorillas, the unique chimpanzees and also climbing the live volcanoes, Nyinamulagira and Nyiragongo are the most desired in Congo while gorilla tracking, wildlife viewing, viewing might falls, white water rafting , bungee jumping are the reasons as to why Uganda some explore Uganda as well. It’s not a wasting time to do same tour activity in two different countries because the experience can never be the same. If not contented try asking tourists who enjoy tracking mountain gorillas in Rwanda & Uganda or Rwanda and Congo or Uganda and Congo.

Travellers to Rwanda end or start and end with a visit to at least one of the genocide site as a way of respecting the culture of the country visited. it’s sad but the experience is worthy because looking at the traditionally preserved remains of victims shoe you the situation in which they were killed in for example the woman whose one arm is in the face and others off a true sign of defense and some have cracks on skulls a thing which portrays brutal murder with no mercy. Remains where collected in different rooms and as the survivors open for you different preserved remain sections for a glance. No camera or video is allowed inside any memorial and entrance is free.

Many hold grapes as they visit different sections of the memorials because the silence and remain displays break travellers and others end up seeing tear drops rolling out of their eyes due to mercy and sympathy of the victims. With the tight schedules and the many attractions you intend to visit while in Rwanda spare a minute for our brothers and sisters who perished for no reason. However who visits the one of the Rwanda genocide memorial learns to live in peace and also respect the life of fellow humans. Though no fee is required but a giving heart receives even more.

Nyungwe’s Canopy Walk

Kigali City – Business District

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30 Dark Tourism Destinations and How to Visit

By: Author Zachary Friedman

Posted on Last updated: March 1, 2024

Categories Travel Destinations

Home » Travel » Travel Destinations » 30 Dark Tourism Destinations and How to Visit

Many of us have a natural morbid curiosity. Death, disasters, atrocities, and destruction fascinate us. Every year, millions of people travel to some of the darkest and most tragic sites on earth to satisfy that curiosity as well as to gain a deeper understanding of the events that took place there. This is called dark tourism. In this guide, we’ll outline some of the most popular dark tourism destinations and explain how to visit them. We’ll also explain exactly what dark tourism is and talk a bit about the ethics, controversies, and motivations of dark tourism.

Personally, I’m a big fan of dark tourism. Over the years, I’ve visited many of the dark tourism sites on this list. In this guide, I’ll share my experience.

Table of Contents

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, Poland
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Site, Ukraine
Choeung Ek Killing Fields and S-21, Cambodia
September 11 Memorial and Museum, New York
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, Japan
Kigali Genocide Memorial, Rwanda
Pompeii, Italy
Slave Castles, Ghana
Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco
Suicide Forest (Aokigahar), Japan
Fukushima, Japan
Robben Island, South Africa
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
The Colosseum, Rome
Mount St. Helens, Washington
Anne Frank House and Museum, Amsterdam
Various Nuclear Test Sites
The Catacombs of Paris
Warsaw Ghetto, Poland
Perm-36 Gulag, Russia
Cremations on the Ganges River in Varanasi, India
WWII memorials and museums in Berlin, Germany
Communist Leader Mausoleums
Somme Battlefield, France
Verdun Battlefield, France
D-Day Beaches and Memorials in Normandy
Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Maryland
Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnam

What is Dark Tourism?

Dark tourism is a relatively new term for a form of tourism that involves travel to a site where death, tragedy, disaster, violence, atrocity, or suffering took place. This could include sites of genocide, assassination, natural disaster, war, terrorism, man-made disaster, etc. Usually, dark tourism sites have some kind of historical significance. They could also be the site of a recent or ongoing tragic event. Dark tourism is also called black tourism, morbid tourism, and grief tourism.

A few of the most well-known and popular dark tourism sites in the world include the ruins of Pompeii, Auschwitz concentration camp, the site of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, the Paris Catacombs, Gettysburg, Ground Zero, and the 9/11 memorial in New York. In each of these sites, death, suffering, tragedy, or disaster took place.

Most people visit dark tourism sites for educational purposes. These sites usually have interesting histories. Some people visit because these sites pique a morbid curiosity. Others just want to witness large scale destruction and damage. Everyone has their own motivation.

There are different types of dark tourism as well. For example, dark tourism and heritage tourism are sometimes closely related. For example, someone may choose to visit Holocaust sites to learn about the events that their ancestors experienced. Descendants of slaves may choose to visit slavery heritage sites. Some consider this a form of dark tourism as well.

To consider someone a dark tourist, they must visit the site for dark tourism purposes. Some sites have a dark element but aren’t exclusively visited for dark tourism purposes. For example, if you visit Mount St. Helens to go for a hike, you’re not a dark tourist. If you visit to learn about the volcanic eruption and the damage it caused, you are a dark tourist.

Dark Tourism Destinations

1. auschwitz-birkenau memorial and museum, poland.

Located outside of Krakow, Poland, Auschwitz was the largest and most deadly of the Nazi concentration camps. Between 1.1 and 1.6 million men, women, and children were murdered here during the Holocaust. Auschwitz is one of the largest mass murder sites in the world.

Today, the site symbolizes genocide and the evil acts that humans inflict upon one another. It also acts as a valuable education tool to help prevent atrocities such as the Holocaust from happening again.

Auschwitz is actually a series of 40 concentration camps rather than one large camp. Auschwitz I is the older and smaller camp where political prisoners were held. Here, you’ll see a terrifying exhibition of some of the inmates’ possessions including piles of suitcases, shoes, and human hair.

Auschwitz-Birkenau, which is located a couple of miles down the road, is a much larger concentration camp and extermination camp. Here, you’ll find the ruins of the infamous gas chambers, barracks with wooden shelves where prisoners slept, and the train track which was used to haul thousands of people into the camp.

Auschwitz has become a mass tourist site seeing over 2 million visitors per year and over 60 million visitors since the site opened in 1947. This is probably the world’s biggest and most well known dark tourism site. The Auschwitz Memorial is free to enter but you should book in advance. Only a limited number of tickets are available per day because the site is so popular.

2. Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Site, Ukraine

On April 26, 1986, the world’s worst nuclear meltdown took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Pripyat, Ukraine. This disaster caused the death of around 4,000 individuals from radiation-related illness as well as the displacement of over 300,000.

The area is still not safe for people to inhabit, even though some have moved back into their villages anyway. In fact, scientists believe it could take 20,000 years before the exclusion zone is completely safe. The radiation has dissipated enough for tourists to make short visits on guided tours.

Several tour companies offer day trips and multi-day trips to Chernobyl from the nearby city of Kyiv. During the tour, you’ll see the radiation-contaminated Red Forrest and eerie abandoned buildings including the famous Pripyat Amusement Park and a Kindergarten. You’ll also learn about the impact the disaster had on the region.

Keep in mind that there is still a risk of radiation poisoning when visiting the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Radiation levels are still hazardous in much of the zone. Your guide will explain the safety precautions you must take and guide you through the areas that are safe enough to visit.

Chernobyl is one of the world’s most famous and popular dark tourism sites. The recent HBO miniseries, Chernobyl, greatly increased the popularity of the area. Following the release of the show, tourism increased by 30%.

Note: Currently, it’s not possible to visit this site. Hopefully, it will be possible to visit again in the near future.

3. Choeung Ek Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), Cambodia

The Khmer Rouge regime came into power after the Cambodian civil war ended in 1975. The new government was called the Communist Party of Kampuchea. Their leader was prime minister Pol Pot.

Immediately following the end of the war, the Cambodian genocide began. From 1975 to 1979, between 1.7 and 2.5 million people were killed at 300 sites throughout the country. These sites are known as killing fields.

The most famous of these killing fields is Choeung Ek, which is located about 11 miles outside of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. It is estimated that around 17,000 men, women, and children were killed at this site. Many were killed violently with knives, scythes, bats, and bayonets. This is the main memorial for the Cambodian genocide.

At this site, you’ll see a memorial Buddhist stupa made of glass. Inside the stupa, there are 5,000 human skulls. Many of the displayed skulls are catastrophically damaged, showing the brutal manner in which the victims were killed. The site also includes a mass grave that contains the remains of almost 9,000 people that were exhumed from the surrounding area. Human bones still litter the entire site. Occasionally fragments wash up after heavy rain.

Another famous Cambodian Genocide site is the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or S-21. This museum is located in Phnom Penh. Originally, this site was built as a secondary school but was converted into a prison by the Khmer Rouge. Around 20,000 people were imprisoned here during Pol Pot’s reign. Many were tortured and killed. Here, you’ll see prison cells, photos of victims, as well as an exhibit that documents the events of the Cambodian genocide.

4. National September 11 Memorial and Museum, New York

This New York City memorial and museum was built to commemorate and honor the 2,977 people who died in the September 11, 2001 terror attacks as well as the six people who died in the 1993 World Trade Center bombings. The memorial sits on the site where the twin towers once stood.

The main memorial, called Reflecting Absence, consists of two 1-acre pools that occupy the exact footprints where the Twin Towers stood. Each pool features a large waterfall. Bronze parapets with the name of each victim etched in surround the pools. The September 11 Museum, located underground, contains thousands of images, artifacts, recordings, and videos. The exhibit tells the complete story of the events of 9/11.

This site is fairly controversial. Partly for the high price of entry ($24) but mostly for the fact that the remains of over 1000 victims were placed in a tomb in the bedrock under the museum. Many people find this disrespectful. Even so, the 9/11 Memorial is one of the world’s most popular dark tourism sites. Over 6 million people visit this memorial per year.

5. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum

This memorial and museum commemorate and honor the city of Hiroshima and the 140,000 people who died when the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city on August 6, 1945. It also memorializes the world’s first nuclear attack. The aim is to educate people about the danger of nuclear weapons as well as to promote peace.

The atom bomb, codenamed “Little Boy,” detonated 600 meters above the busiest part of downtown Hiroshima. The explosion essentially leveled the area except for a few ruins. This event marked the beginning of the end of WWII. Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945. The park was built on the site of the bombing. Today, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park contains a number of monuments as well as a museum and a lecture hall.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is the main feature of the park. The museum educates visitors about the events leading up to the bombing as well as the catastrophic effect the bomb had on the city. You’ll see photos and artifacts from the bombing. A major section of the museum is dedicated to the stories of the victims and survivors.

The A-Bomb Dome is the second most important site in the park. This is the ruins of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. Today, it’s just a shell of a building. This building is significant because it is one of the only buildings that survived the blast. Most structures in Hiroshima were built from wood and burned up in fires that the bomb started. This building was also just 150 meters from the hypocenter of the blast. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A few more significant points of interest in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park include Children’s Peace Monument, Peace Flame, Peace Bells, Peace Pagoda, Gates of Peace, and Atomic Bomb Memorial Mount. You could easily spend half a day wandering around the park viewing the various monuments and memorials.

3 days after the bombing of Hiroshima on August 9, 1945, The United States bombed the city of Nagasaki in a second nuclear attack. Today, you’ll find a number of memorials and museums including the Atomic Bomb Museum, Peace Park, Oka Masaharu Memorial Peace Museum, and more.

6. Rwanda Genocide Sites (Kigali Genocide Memorial and Murambi Genocide Memorial)

In 1990, a rebel group of Tutsi refugees called the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) invaded Rwanda from Uganda. This started the Rwandan Civil War. President Juvénal Habyarimana signed peace accords in 1993. The following day, the president was assassinated. Genocidal killings of Tutsi people began soon after and the civil war resumed.

The Rwandan genocide lasted from April 7 to July 15, 1994. During that time 500,000-1,000,000 people were killed. This includes about 70% of Rwanda’s Tutsi population. The genocide ended when the RPF captured Kigali and gained control of the country. The government and genocidaires were forced into Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Today, there are a number of genocide memorials located throughout the country. The largest and most visited is the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. The remains of an astonishing 250,000 people are interred at this site. The attached museum includes three exhibits. The first documents the events of genocide from start to finish. The second exhibit is a memorial to the children who died. It includes photos and details about their lives, things they liked, and the way they died. The third exhibit covers genocide around the world.

The Murambi Genocide Memorial (Murambi Technical School), located in southern Rwanda is one of the darkest dark tourism destinations on the planet. Here, around 50,000 Tutsi men, women, and children were murdered by Hutu Interahamwe militiamen in April of 1994.

The Tutsis were told that they could safely shelter at the school and that the French military would protect them. This turned out to be a trap. After being starved for several days to weaken them, they were attacked and killed. Only 34 people survived the attack and escaped. At Murambi, the remains of 800 people are displayed partially decomposed and preserved by lime.

7. Pompeii, Italy

A street in Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background

This ancient Roman city was wiped out when nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Historians estimate that about 2,000 people died in the disaster. The thick layer of ash and pumice that covered the city preserved this little slice of ancient Rome.

At the ruins, you can see beautifully preserved artwork, pottery, casts of people who died, houses, an amphitheater, and more. Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations with over 2.5 million visitors per year.

Some people question whether or not Pompeii is actually a dark tourism site due to the age of the site. After all, the eruption occurred nearly 2000 years ago. In my opinion, Pompeii is absolutely a dark tourism site due to the large scale death and destruction that happened here. The age of the site is irrelevant.

8. Slave Castles, Ghana (Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle)

During the colonial period of West Africa, the British, Dutch, and Portuguese built around 40 castles or forts along the Gold Coast. The Europeans originally used these castles as trading posts for timber or gold.

During that time, African slaves were in high demand in the Americas. The European traders quickly found that the slave trade was more profitable.

They modified their forts to hold as many slaves as possible. Usually in an underground dungeon. African slavers would capture slaves inland then sell them to the Europeans who lived in the castles on the coast. The slaves stayed in the castles until they were shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas.

Living conditions for the slaves were horrible. Slavers shackled and packed the slaves into the castle’s dungeons. There was very little light or ventilation. There was no water or sanitation so the floors were covered in waste. Many became ill. The slaves lived in these conditions for up to three months before being shipped across the Atlantic.

Today, dark tourists visit these castles to learn about the horrors of the slave trade. Two of the most significant castles to visit include Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle. Both are located in Ghana. Guided tours are available.

Elmina Castle was the first European trading post and is the oldest European building in Sub Saharan Africa. The Portuguese built the castle in 1482. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you can see the famous ‘Door of No Return’ where slaves exited the castle before boarding ships to Brazil and other Portuguese colonies. You’ll also see the dungeon where the slaves were held as well as the living quarters for the European slavers, who lived on the upper floors of the castle.

Cape Coast Castle was built by Swedish traders in 1653. Over the years, the castle changed hands multiple times until it came into British possession. Here, you can see the dungeons where slaves were held and cannons that were used to defend the fort. In 2009, President Obama visited Cape Coast Castle during his visit to Ghana.

9. Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic

This small Roman Catholic chapel is located in a cemetery in a suburb of the city of Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic. Here, you’ll find the remains of 40,000-70,000 people. Initially, the remains were moved from the cemetery into the basement of the chapel to solve an overcrowding problem that was caused by the plague in the 14th century.

In 1870, a local artist named František Rint rearranged the piles of bones into artwork. The most impressive piece is a massive chandelier in the center of the chapel that is made entirely from human bones. Supposedly it contains at least one of every bone in the human body.

Another interesting piece is a large coat of arms made from bones. In the corners of the chapel, you’ll find large stacks of bones. There are cabinets filled with damaged skulls of those who were killed violently in war. The artist also signed his name in bones.

You can visit Selded Ossuary as a day trip from Prague. It’s easy to visit independently by train. Organized tours are available as well. The chapel is pretty small. It only takes 20 minutes or so to see the whole thing. The place gets pretty crowded as it receives over 200,000 visitors per year.

10. Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, San Francisco

Also known as The Rock, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was a maximum-security prison from 1934-1963. It is located on an island in the San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles offshore. During the 29 years that the prison operated, some of the hardest criminals of the day served time here including the infamous Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Henri Young, and ‘the Birdman of Alcatraz’, Robert Stroud.

For punishment, prisoners were sent to solitary confinement, known as ‘the hole’ at Alcatraz. These inmates got one shower and one hour of exercise per week. Almost equally punishing for some, the prison sits close enough to the mainland that prisoners could see people going about their lives on the outside.

Today, Alcatraz is San Francisco’s most popular tourist attraction with up to 1.5 million visitors per year. The National Park Service manages the island. After arriving at the island by boat, you can take a tour of the prison. You’ll see the prison cells, learn about the dark history of the island, and hear stories of former inmates. Much of the prison remains the way it was while the prison was in operation.

11. Suicide Forest (Aokigahar), Japan

This forest, located to the Northwest of Mount Fuji, is famous for being one of the most popular suicide site in Japan. In 2003, a record was made when 105 bodies were found in the forest. In 2010, over 200 people attempted suicide here with 54 of those being successful.

The most common methods of suicide used are hanging and drug overdose. Because the suicide rate is so high here, Japanese officials installed a sign at the entry to the park which urges suicidal people to seek help.

Part of the reason for the popularity of this forest as a suicide site is that the area has long been associated with death in Japanese culture. The forest is said to be haunted by the yūrei, which are spirits that can’t leave our world.

Here, visitors can roam about the many trails that wind throughout the 30 square kilometer forest. This is an excellent place to enjoy the solitude of the dense forest. Tours are available as well.

Some visitors come here to see if they can spot a body. As you can imagine, this is a very controversial form of dark tourism. For example, YouTuber Logan Paul was criticized for filming a video of a man who had recently committed suicide here in 2018.

12. Fukushima, Japan

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake off the east coast of Japan triggered a tsunami that flooded the reactors at Fukushima nuclear power plant and caused an electrical grid failure. The reactors lost their cooling which led to three nuclear meltdowns at the plant. 154,000 people had to be evacuated. Many were never able to return to their homes.

Today, there is a 20 km exclusion zone surrounding the nuclear plant to protect people from radiation exposure. In 2018 tours to visit the exclusion area began. In 2020, The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum opened. On the tour, you’ll see abandoned structures and witness the effects that the disaster had on the region.

13. Robben Island, South Africa

Robben Island, located in Table Bay, north of Cape Town, was used as a prison from the colonial times of the late 1600s until 1996. The prison gained notoriety during the apartheid era of South Africa. It held political prisoners between 1961 and 1991.

The most famous prisoner was political revolutionary, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. He served 18 of his 27-year imprisonment on Robben Island before his release in 1990. in 1994, South Africa elected Mandela as the first president. A total of three former inmates went on to become South African presidents including Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma.

Conditions in the prison were incredibly harsh. Prisoners were held isolated from one another in small cells. The prison was segregated by race. Food rations were small and communication with the outside world was limited. Prisoners were also forced to do hard labor in a lime quarry located on the island.

Today, Robben Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a South African National Heritage Site. The only way to visit Robben Island is on a guided tour. The tour leaves from Cape Town and lasts for about 3.5 hours. The guides are all former prisoners. They take you around the prison and share their first-hand stories about their time there. You’ll see the lime quarry where the prisoners were forced to work as well as Nelson Mandela’s prison cell.

14. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service surprise attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The goal of the attack was to prevent the United States Navy fleet from interfering with the Japanese military plans to expand throughout Southeast Asia. If Japan crippled the United States fleet was crippled, they could invade and conquer US and British held territories such as the Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, as well as other small islands of the Pacific.

The Japanese launched a massive attack with 353 aircraft which took off from six aircraft carriers. They sank 4 of the 8 battleships stationed at Pearl Harbor. They seriously damaged the other four. 188 aircraft were also destroyed in the attack 159 were damaged. The attack killed 2,403 Americans and injured 1,178. The attack also damaged or destroyed a considerable amount of the base’s infrastructure including a power station, piers, various buildings, and more.

The most significant loss was the battleship USS Arizona. It suffered a direct hit to an ammunition magazine which exploded and caused the ship to sink almost instantly. 1,000 sailors sank with the ship.

The attack on Pearl Harbor dragged the United States into World War II. The day after the attack, Japan declared war on the United States. The next day, the United States declared war on Japan. Three days later, Germany and Italy both declared war on the United States.

Today, there are a number of museums and memorials at Pearl Harbor that commemorate the attack. The main site is the USS Arizona memorial. This memorial straddles the sunken ship and is accessible only by boat. Inside, you’ll see a number of exhibits including one of the ship’s anchors, a shrine with the names of all of those who died as well as some plaques with information about the attack. There is also an opening in the floor where you can view the deck of the ship underwater. Onshore, there is also a museum that outlines the events leading up to the attack and the attack itself.

Nearby, you can also view the USS Missouri Memorial, USS Utah Memorial, USS Oklahoma Memorial, Pacific Aviation Museum, and USS Bowfin Museum.

15. The Colosseum, Rome

Built in Ancient Rome between 72-80 AD, the Colosseum is one of the oldest and most recognizable dark tourism sites. At the time, it was the largest amphitheater ever built with a capacity of 50,000-80,000 spectators. The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, hosted a number of dark and violent events including gladiatorial events, executions, animal hunts, and battle re-enactments.

The most famous of these events were the gladiatorial contests. People and animals brutally battled to the death for the entertainment of thousands of spectators. Most gladiators were slaves, criminals, or prisoners of war but some volunteered to seek fame and fortune.

Exotic wild animals including lions, hippos, rhinos, elephants, bears, tigers, crocodiles, etc. were brought in from Africa and the Middle East. These animals were used for hunts or battles. In some cases, people were fed to lions.

Over the course of the 400 years that these gladiatorial events took place, historians estimate that around 400,000 people died in the Colosseum. Some people consider these events the earliest form of dark tourism.

Today, the Colosseum is one of the top tourist destinations in Rome and the world. Around 7 million people visit this site per year. There are a number of guided tours available. You’ll see the underground level where the gladiators prepared to fight, the arena floor where the gladiatorial fights took place, areas where the animals were kept, and artwork.

16. Mount St. Helens, Washington

The 1980 volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens killed 57 people and caused a great deal of destruction to the mountain and surrounding area including the largest landslide in recorded history. The eruption was so violent that the mountain’s elevation decreased by 1300 feet. The top completely blew off.

Many tourists come to visit the area each year. Today, you can see tree stumps and dead trees that still stand around the blast site. There is a visitor center with an exhibition about the eruption. In the visitor center, they also have a small movie theater that shows a short documentary about the event. The surrounding state park offers plenty of hiking, camping, climbing, and other recreational activities.

17. Montserrat

This volcanic island in the Caribbean is sometimes called a modern-day Pompeii. The Soufriere Hills Volcano became active in the mid-1990s and slowly covered the former capital of Plymouth in ash. The town was evacuated in 1997 just before a major eruption covered much of it.

The volcano is still very active today, periodically spewing ash, smoke, and gasses across 1/3 of the island. Occasionally pyroclastic flows cover more of the island’s land. Travelers can hike to a lookout point to view smoke spewing from the volcano and maybe get a glimpse of Plymouth. It is also possible to view the volcano and town by boat. It is unsafe to visit the town of Plymouth at this time.

16. Anne Frank House and Museum, Amsterdam

In this famous canal house Anne Frank, her family, and four others hid from Nazi persecution for 761 days. They quietly lived in a hidden part of the house called the Secret Annex. Anne Frank is famous for keeping a diary of her daily thoughts and experiences during her days in hiding during World War II.

Sadly, Anne Frank and the others hiding in the Secret Annex were betrayed by an unknown informant and discovered by the Nazis on August 4, 1944. The Nazis split them up and moved them to various concentration camps. Anne Frank died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in February of 1945 when she was just 15 years old. Anne’s father Otto, who survived the Holocaust, discovered his daughter’s diary after the war and published it in 1947.

The canal house where the two families hid is a now museum that attracts up to 1.2 million visitors per year. Here, you can walk through the Secret Annex where Anne Frank and her family hid. The original diary is on display in the attached museum. The museum also includes a permanent exhibit about the life of Anne Frank and her experience during the war.

19. Nuclear Test Sites

Since nuclear testing began in 1945, 8 countries have detonated around 2056 nuclear bombs at dozens of test sites around the world. A few nuclear test sites that you can visit include:

Semipalatinsk Test Site (The Polygon)- Semipalatinsk was the Soviet Union’s primary nuclear test site from 1949-1991. It is located on the steppe of northeastern Kazakhstan. More nuclear weapons detonated here than anywhere else on the planet. Beginning in 2014 parts of the area have opened up for tourism. There isn’t all that much to see here outside of some massive craters and some concrete towers and bunkers that housed instruments to measure the blasts.
Nevada Test Site- This site was the United States’ main nuclear testing site from the time it was established in 1951 until nuclear testing ended in 1992. The site is located about 65 miles to the northeast of Las Vegas. Here, you can see a number of large craters in the desert where nuclear weapons were detonated for testing purposes. Monthly public tours are offered but are often fully booked months in advance. This is a difficult place to visit.
Bikini Atoll, Martial Islands- This was one of the United States’ main nuclear test sites. Between 1946 and 1958, 23 atomic bomb tests were performed here. The blasts turned out to be more destructive than anticipated and resulted in significant contamination to the surrounding area. Probably the biggest attraction for tourists here is Scuba diving the 10 ships that were sunk during nuclear tests. This is a risky area to visit due to the significant levels of radiation that still exist.

20. Catacombs of Paris, France

This network of underground ossuaries underneath the city of Pairs holds the remains of around 6 million people. The tunnels were originally mine tunnels. The Paris Catacombs were built to solve the problem of the city’s overflowing cemeteries. The dead were crowding the living. Starting in 1786, the city began transporting human remains from the city’s cemeteries into the underground tunnels by covered wagon during the night. The catacombs open to tourism in 1867.

Today, the Catacombs are one of the more popular tourist destinations in Paris. You can book a guided tour and wander through the labyrinth of bone filled tunnels and view the millions of bones stacked neatly throughout. Around 300,000 people visit this site per year. It is only accessible by tour.

21. Warsaw Ghetto, Poland

Ghettos were segregated neighborhoods where Jewish people were forced to live while under Nazi occupation during WWII. The largest of these was the Warsaw Ghetto. The area actually consists of two smaller ghettos with a footbridge between them. At its peak, approximately 460,000 people lived in Warsaw Ghetto.

During the Uprising the ghetto was almost completely destroyed. Today, you can visit the area and view a small number of streets and buildings that survived. The monument called ‘The Footbridge of Memory’ stands at the site of the original footbridge.

22. Perm-36 Gulag, Russia

Following the Bolshevik Revolution, the Soviet Union built a large system of forced labor camps to imprison ‘enemies of the state.’ These included government officials, military members, and regular citizens. Anyone who was anti-communist or anti-Stalin was imprisoned. These camps were known as gulags. Millions of people were held in these camps and forced to perform backbreaking work in extremely brutal conditions.

Perm-36 is the only remaining Soviet gulag. It is located about 60 miles from the Russian city of Perm in the Western Ural Mountains. The camp operated from 1946-1987. Perm-36 is unique because it was not closed after Stalin’s death in 1953. This is one of the only gulags that was not demolished after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

When Perm-36 opened, it was used as a forced labor camp for regular criminals. In later years, the camp housed political prisoners. The prisoners were forced to do logging work. Some political prisoners lived in 24 hour closed cells. Perm 36 was considered the harshest political camp in the Soviet Union.

Today’s site operates as a museum and memorial called The Museum of the History of Political Repression Perm-36. It opened to the public in 1995. Here, you’ll see the wooden barracks that the prisoners built, various prison buildings, and an exhibit about the gulag system and the prisoners. You’ll also learn about the economic benefit that the gulag system created for the Soviet Union.

23. Cremations on the Ganges River in Varanasi, India

Varanasi is a holy city located on the Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh, India. The city has become a popular dark tourism destination for its famous Hindu cremation ceremonies that take place on the banks of the river. In the Hindu religion, people believe that cremation on the banks of the Ganges river breaks the cycle of reincarnation so they can achieve salvation. Along the river, dozens of cremations take place out in the open every day.

The bodies are placed atop piles of wood and set on fire until they turn to ash. The ashes are then scattered in the Ganges River, which is considered a holy site in the Hindu religion. Poor families who cannot afford a cremation sometimes release the entire body of their loved one in the river to decompose naturally. Some terminally ill people travel to Varanasi so they can die and be cremated in the holy city.

Tourists are welcome to view and experience these cremation ceremonies. When you arrive at the famous ghats on the bank of the river in Varanasi, you’ll clearly see the cremation sites. Just look for the smoke. You’ll see open areas with large fires and piles of wood sitting around. The cremations take place here.

For a few dollars, you can hire a guide to walk you through the cremation site and explain how the process works. There are multiple cremations taking place simultaneously at all hours of the day. You can walk right up and see the cremation and feel the heat from the fire and smell the smoke.

As you can imagine, this is a fairly controversial form of dark tourism. After all, you are essentially attending a cremation for touristic purposes as the family grieves of the loss of their loved one. Some view this as voyeuristic. It’s up to you to decide whether or not this form of dark tourism is ethical.

24. Berlin, Germany

Berlin is one of the darkest cities on earth. It was the capital of Nazi Germany, one of the world’s most evil regimes. Next, it became the most significant city in the cold war. It was also the capital of the socialist single-party regime of the former GDR. As a result, Berlin is packed with dozens of dark tourism sites. A few of the most popular ones include:

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (the Holocaust Memorial)- This memorial is to the Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust. It contains 2,711 concrete slabs ranging in height from .2-4.7 meters. The slabs are arranged in a grid pattern over a 19,000 square meter site. Below the memorial is an information center that contains the names of 3 million Holocaust victims as well as photographs and letters. This memorial is quite controversial. Partly because it is so vague. There is no mention of Nazi Germany or the Holocaust on the memorial itself or in the official name of the memorial. People also use the site as a recreational area, sitting or standing on the pillars. Many consider this to be disrespectful. Due to its size and design, the memorial is difficult to defend from vandals.
Berlin Wall- Between 1961 and 1989, this concrete barrier divided West Berlin from surrounding East Germany. The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) constructed the wall to prevent East Germans from defecting to the west. The four-meter tall wall extended 155km (96 miles) and cut through 55 streets. Today, you can see several small sections of the wall still standing in the city. The largest is is a 1.4 km section that is part of the Berlin Wall Memorial. Here, you can see the graffiti on the west side and learn about the historical significance of the wall.
Checkpoint Charlie Museum- Checkpoint Charlie is the most well-known crossing between East and West Berlin. The original guardhouse was preserved and today is part of the Checkpoint Charlie museum. Here, you can see exhibits about the Berlin Wall, the Cold War, and some famous escape attempts.
Jewish Museum- Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, the Jewish Museum is one of Germany’s best and most popular museums as well as one of Berlin’s most striking landmarks. Here, you’ll find thousands of artifacts, photos, religious objects, and archives that document the struggle of the German Jewish people from the Middle Ages to the present time. The museum also houses a massive library and hosts various events throughout the year.
Topography of Terror Museum- This museum is located on the site of the Gestapo secret police and SS headquarters. Allied bombings destroyed the original building in 1945. After many years of delay, the museum opened in 2010. The main exhibit focuses on policing under Nazi rule. You’ll see photos, documents, short films, and artifacts that show the crimes that the SS and Gestapo committed throughout Europe. The grounds of the museum also contain some historic artifacts including a large section of the Berlin Wall. You’ll also see an excavated trench that exposes the cellar wall, where political prisoners were kept, tortured, and ofttimes executed.
DDR Museum- This newer museum outlines life in East Berlin under communist rule with a hands-on approach. Here, you’ll see a recreation of an interrogation room, prison cell, and an apartment. You can try on clothing and watch television from the era. The exhibit covers food, music, daily life, education, architecture, and more. You’ll also learn about the mass surveillance conducted during the time. This is a private museum and is one of Berlin’s most popular.

25. Communist Leader Mausoleums

For whatever reason, communists love to embalm their leaders after they die and put the bodies on public display. A few famous mausoleums you can visit include:

Lenin Mausoleum- This mausoleum is located in the Red Square in the center of Moscow. Inside, you can view the embalmed corpse of the Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. The body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924. The mausoleum is open to the public and free to enter. Stalin’s body was put on display here from 1953-1961 but was removed and buried near the mausoleum.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum- This mausoleum is located in Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, Vietnam. Inside, you can view the embalmed body of Vietnamese revolutionary and president Ho Chi Minh, who died in 1969. The body is kept in a dimly lit glass case which is heavily guarded by military honor guards. The mausoleum is open to the public.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong- This large mausoleum, also known as Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, is located in the center of Tienanmen Square in central Beijing. Here, you can view the embalmed remains of Mao Zedong, who served as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from 1945-1976. Interestingly, Chairman Mao wanted to be cremated. The mausoleum is open to the public.
Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (Kim Il Sung Mausoleum)- This absolutely massive palace is located in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. The building was intended to be the official residence of Kim Il Sung but was converted into a mausoleum when he died in 1994. Inside, you can view the embalmed remains of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung as well as his son and former leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Il. Both bodies lie inside of glass sarcophaguses. The mausoleum is open to the public. Foreigners can only enter the palace when they are on an official government tour.

26. Somme Battlefield, France

The Battle of the Somme was a WWI battle fought between the French Third Republic and British Empire against the German Empire. The battle took place between July 1 and November 18, 1916. Over three million men fought in the Battle of the Somme. One million were killed, injured, or went missing, making this the most bloody battle of WWI and possibly the most deadly battle in world history.

Several factors contributed to the massive amount of death in the battle. First, the battlefield was small. The Germans were also well prepared and trained for trench warfare. An incredible amount of heavy artillery was also used in this battle.

The Battle of the Somme ended when British Commander in Chief Sir Douglas Haig decided to stop the offensive near the Somme River. When the battle ended, the British and French armies had gained just six miles of land. Modern historians are not in agreement as to whether or not the battle was a success.

Today, there are a number of monuments, museums, cemeteries, and battle sites that you can visit in Somme. The Remembered Trail leads visitors through some of the most significant locations. It’s is a great place to start in the region. Guided tours of the area are also available.

27. Verdun Battlefield, France

The battle of Verdun lasted from February 21-December 18, 1916, making it the longest battles in World War One at 302 days. This battle was also one of the most costly with up to 1 million casualties between the French and German armies.

Today, you can view the battlefield complete with shell craters that are still visible over 100 years later. You’ll also find several memorials including an ossuary. The battlefield itself contains the remains of 100,000 soldiers. You can also visit the Verdun Memorial Museum which features artifacts from the battle as well as information about the time.

28. D-Day Beaches and Memorials in Normandy

On June 6, 1944, the Allied Forces invaded Nazi occupied France on the beaches of Normandy. This operation, known as Operation Overlord, was the largest amphibious invasion in world history. This event marked the beginning of the liberation of France and Western Europe and eventually led to the Allied victory over the Third Reich on the Western Front. The D-Day invasion of Normandy resulted in 4,000-9,000 German casualties and around 10,000 Allied casualties including 4,414 deaths.

Today, there are dozens of memorials, museums, and war cemeteries along the beaches of Normandy as well as further inland. A few of the most significant D-Day sites to visit include:

Beach landing sites- The 50 miles stretch of Normandy beach was divided into 5 sections where the invasion took place. The beach landing sites include Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Today, you can visit each of the 5 beaches. Probably the most popular beach to visit is Omaha. Here, you’ll see German bunkers and the sculpture Les Braves which commemorates the American soldiers who died on D-Day.
Utah Beach Museum- This museum outlines the entire D-Day invasion from the planning phase until the end of the battle. Here, you’ll see vehicles, artifacts, and photographs from the massive invasion. The museum overlooks Utah Beach.
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial- This cemetery, overlooking Omaha Beach, contains 9,388 graves of American soldiers who died in WWII. Mostly on D-Day.
Overlord Museum- This museum, located near Omaha Beach and the American cemetery, documents the time period between the Allied landing and the liberation of Paris. Here, you’ll see thousands of artifacts from the invasion including tanks and cannons as well as photos and reconstructed battle scenes.
Pegasus Bridge- 6000 British paratroopers landed here with supplies and weapons just past midnight on June 6, 1944. Their job was to secure the bridge so German reinforcements couldn’t cross. The current bridge is a reconstruction of the original, which was destroyed.
Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy- This museum, which is located in Bayeux, outlines the military operation in detail. Here, you’ll see military equipment, artifacts, photos, and a fantastic short film about the D-Day landings.
Caen Memorial Center- This museum outlines the battle of Normandy from the end of WWI all the way to the beginning of the Cold War. This gives you a great overview of the historical events leading up to the war and their effects on Europe and the world. Here, you’ll see letters and personal belongings from soldiers, airplanes, and a short documentary film with footage of the D-Day invasion.
Airborne Museum- This museum, located in Sainte-Mère-Église, focuses on the paratroopers who landed in Normandy the night before the attack. Here, you’ll see photos, artifacts, tanks, and airplanes including a WACO glider and C-47 that you can enter.

29. Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Maryland

On September 17, 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia battled Union General George B. McClellan and his Army of the Potomac in the Battle of Anteteitum near Sharpsburg, Maryland. This was the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War with 22,717 dead, injured, or missing. This massive loss of life took place over the course of just 12 hours.

The battle ended when Lee decided to withdraw back to Virginia. McClellan decided not to follow him. The Union claimed victory. After the battle, President Lincoln announced his Emancipation Proclamation which freed 3.5 million slaves.

Antietam is considered to be one of the most well-preserved American Civil War Battlefields. Probably because it was one of the first battlefields preserved in 1890. Today, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the battlefield or hire a tour guide. You’ll see landmarks of the battle such as the Cornfield, Dunker Church, and Burnside’s Bridge.

30. Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnam

The Cu Chi Tunnels are a massive network of underground tunnels located outside of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. They were used by Viet Cong soldiers for a number of purposes including hiding spots, supply routes, living quarters, hospitals, and food and weapons caches. They were famously used as a base of operation for the North Vietnamese during the Tết Offensive in 1968.

Life in the Cu Chi Tunnels was difficult. Air quality was poor. The tunnels were cramped and claustrophobic. Food and water were limited. Rodents, ants, snakes, scorpions, and spiders infested the tunnels. Diseases including Malaria and intestinal parasites were common. During heavy bombing campaigns, soldiers had to stay in the tunnels for days at a time.

Today, the Cu Chi Tunnels are a war memorial operated by the Vietnamese government. They are also a popular tourist dark tourist attraction. You can visit the tunnels on a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Here, you can crawl through a safe section of the tunnels, watch a short film about the war, and view some different booby traps and trap doors as well as an entrance into the tunnels. There is also a firing range where you can shoot Vietnam War era weapons including an M60 machine gun.

My Experience: Why I Enjoy Dark Tourism

My main motivation to visit dark tourism sites is education. For whatever reason, I wasn’t interested in history when I was in school. I just found it boring. Now, I love history. By visiting dark tourist sites, I have gained a deeper understanding of some of the most significant events in world history. It’s so much more real and engaging when you are standing where an event took place and exploring the landscape and looking at actual artifacts.

It’s also amazing to see how human civilization evolves over the years. For example, 2000 years ago, gladiator games were an acceptable form of entertainment. Most people would not be okay with that today. It is also interesting to see how technology, weapons, clothing, politics, and more have changed throughout the years. The world was a completely different place just 20 years ago. Times change quickly.

I also have a pretty strong morbid curiosity. Dark things simply interest me. I find it fascinating to imagine the horrors that humans have endured and overcome.

Final Thoughts About Dark Tourism

Dark tourism often gets a bad rap in the media. People get the idea that it is disrespectful, voyeuristic, sick, or even unethical. Some country’s tourism departments also try to hide their dark tourism sites because they fear a bad reputation. They may not want people to associate the country with its dark past.

The truth is that most dark tourism is simply educational. People like to visit these sites to learn about their history. They also satisfy our natural morbid fascination. There is nothing wrong with visiting dark tourist places, as long as you do so respectfully.

One important thing to remember is that dark tourism is not a new form of tourism. People have been visiting dark sites for as long as tourism has existed. For example, tourists began visiting Pompeii in the 1800s. The gladiatorial games could be considered one of the earliest forms of dark tourism. Those began when the Colosseum opened in 80 AD. People are naturally interested in these types of destinations and will continue to be.

Dark tourism is also a very broad term. Many of the world’s most visited tourism sites can be considered dark tourism sites. There is also a lot of overlap with mass tourism. Most people don’t travel exclusively to visit dark sites. Instead, they pair dark tourism with regular tourist attractions. For example, if someone is in Hawaii, they may spend a day visiting Pearl Harbor and the various memorials then go to the beach the next day. If someone visits Kyiv, they’ll probably take a day trip to Chornobyl because it’s one of the biggest tourist attractions in the region. It’s common to pair dark tourist sites with other types of sites.

Hopefully, this guide helps you in planning your visit to some of the world’s best dark tourism sites.

If you’re on the fence about dark tourism, check out my guide to the ethics and criticisms of dark tourism.

Are you a dark tourist? Share your favorite dark tourism destination in the comments below!

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Politics latest: Starmer interrupted as he outlines 'first steps' of Labour government

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has outlined the "first steps" his government would take should he become prime minister. Meanwhile, the current PM, Rishi Sunak, has received the backing of one of his predecessors - and been taking questions on Loose Women.

Thursday 16 May 2024 23:11, UK

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Today's headlines

PM asked why he 'hates pensioners'
Sunak 'can still win election', insists predecessor
Starmer defends scrapping leadership ambitions
Explained: Labour's six new pledges for government
Beth Rigby: Starmer is running on a ticket of change - but he knows what he is promising may take years to deliver
Live reporting by Faith Ridler and (earlier) Ben Bloch and Faye Brown

The best of Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge

Monday: Govt dare not sweep absolute scandal under carpet
Tuesday: Peace breaks out between Labour and unions - for now
Wednesday: 'Austerity's children': Destitution 'at levels unseen for years'
Thursday: 'Friendly little thing': Starmer interrupted by fly

Sir Keir Starmer's slick campaign launch this morning did feature one notable interruption - a fly.

Buzzing around the Labour leader as he delivered his speech, it distracted him just as he was in full flow.

"Friendly little thing," he said, as he swatted it away.

It's certainly not the first time a fly has made its presence felt in British politics - and how could we at Sky News forget this one very famous viral moment…

That's it for tonight's coverage of Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge - stay with us through the evening for more updates and analysis from Westminster.

Thanks for joining us for another busy day in Westminster.

We'll be back from 6am, but until then, here are the headlines:

Join us on Friday for another day of live updates.

If you missed it earlier, Sir Keir Starmer today set out how Labour will make "real difference to people's lives" should it win the next election.

He set out six pledges, his "first steps to change Britain", from cracking down on anti-social behavior to launching Great British Energy.

Our political reporter Jennifer Scott lays them out below:

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local elections complete, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker here .

Jeremy Hunt will promise further tax cuts if the Tories win the next general election and will accuse the Labour Party of not being honest about how it will fund its spending pledges.

The chancellor will give a speech in London on Friday in which he will accuse his shadow, Rachel Reeves, of resorting to "playground politics" with her criticism of the high levels of taxation on UK households.

Mr Hunt will also reiterate his ambition to eradicate the national insurance tax - which the Tories have already slashed twice in a bid to move the polls - where they currently lag 20 points behind Labour.

Labour has attacked the policy as an unfunded £46bn pledge and likened it to the policies that saw Liz Truss resign from office after just 44 days as prime minister.

The chancellor was previously forced to make clear that his desire to abolish the "unfair" national insurance tax would not happen "any time soon".

The chancellor described national insurance as a "tax on work" and said it he believed it was "unfair that we tax work twice" when other forms of income are only taxed once.

By Beth Rigby, political editor

The stump speech, rolled up sleeves and a "first steps" six-point plan: Sir Keir Starmer is clear he isn't the heir to Blair, but he certainly evoked the spirit of Tony Blair who, back in 1997, issued a five-point pledge card with the strap line: "Keep this card and see that we keep our promises."

Sir Keir, in a rally which started the firing gun on Labour's general election campaign, effectively did the same. Having laid out five missions for government over a year ago, today he put flesh on the bones with his own six-point pledge card as a "downpayment" on what an incoming Labour government would do.

In a speech that cited change again and again, the Labour leader made clear promises he believes he can keep: deliver economic stability; cut NHS waiting times; launch a new border command; set up Great British Energy; crack down on anti-social behaviour; recruit 6,500 new teachers.

As promises go, they were light on time frames and numbers and clearly watered down from the "five missions" of a Labour government Sir Keir outlined early last year.

You can read Beth's analysis in full below:

In January 2023, Rishi Sunak made five promises.

Since then, he and his ministers have rarely missed an opportunity to list them. In case you haven't heard, he promised to:

Halve inflation
Grow the economy
Reduce debt
Cut NHS waiting lists and times
Stop the boats

See below how he is doing on these goals:

China's Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin have met in Beijing – promoting their alliance and their new ‘world order’ away from the West.

On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined by Sky’s Asia correspondent Nicole Johnston in Beijing and Sky’s Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett to discuss the highlights of the summit so far.

Plus, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer made a key speech to lay out six pledges ahead of his election campaign. Sky’s deputy political editor Sam Coates joins Niall to unpick the key moments.

Earlier, we reported as a Tory MP was ordered to repay taxpayers' money he used to fund his own party political work.

Paul Maynard, the pensions minister, was investigated by the watchdog overseeing MPs' expenses after a report by The Sunday Times.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) has ruled that he repay £1,367 in total.

Responding to this, Labour's Anneliese Dodds said: "On the day that Keir Starmer set out plans to change the country, we see yet more scandal from Rishi Sunak's exhausted and rudderless Conservative Party.

"Rishi Sunak promised professionalism, integrity and accountability at all levels. Since he took office we've seen bullying scandals, lobbying scandals and a prominent donor using vile racist and misogynistic language.

"Rishi Sunak should remove Paul Maynard as a minister, but the country also urgently needs change.

"We need a general election."

Lord Blunkett, the former cabinet minister and Labour peer, has said his party's six new pledges are "a way of getting attention" - but there is more to come.

He told Sky News: "We're in a terrible mess, aren't we, so over-ambition would be ridiculed.

"Let's be clear these offers - they're called doorstep offers - is just what it is. It's a way of getting attention.

"It's like a small checklist - it is by no means a policy offer because there is so much more Labour is actually going to be putting forward in the general election.

"There are no golden or silver bullets in the present climate.

"And if the Labour Party came in, promising to the electorate that they could wave a magic wand and tomorrow all the things that have gone wrong have gone right, then nobody would believe us."

Rishi Sunak said he will "of course" stay on as an MP if he loses the next general election.

The prime minister said his North Yorkshire constituency is "wonderful" and he will remain in parliament whatever the outcome when the country goes to the polls.

There has been speculation that Mr Sunak, who previously worked at a hedge fund in California, could be eyeing a job in Silicon Valley as the Tories struggle to make up ground against Labour.

But asked on ITV's Loose Women whether he would stay on the backbenches if his party loses, the MP for Richmond (Yorks) said: "Of course I'm staying. I love being an MP. I love my constituents, I love my home in North Yorkshire."

You can read more from Sky News here:

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The negative press, coupled with YouTube horror stories, has cemented the Dark Web’s reputation for illicit behavior. Today, the Dark Web is believed to be a platform where cybercriminals sell drugs, weapons, malicious software and piles of consumer and sensitive corporate data. But is the Dark Web just filled with darkness?

Maria Carrisa Sanchez , writing for TechRepublic Premium, presents this explanation of the Dark Web, including its evolution, features, benefits and drawbacks.

Featured text from the download:

DARK WEB USES

Various media organizations such as The New York Times, Bloomberg News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have adopted an open-source submission system called “SecureDrop.” This system is maintained by the Freedom of the Press Foundation and can be installed to securely accept information from sources that wish to be anonymous. Alternatives to SecureDrop are Hush Line, GlobaLeaks, Tellonym and WhistBoard.

Cybersecurity enhancement

Professionals concerned with maintaining the company’s cybersecurity can gather significant information from the Dark Web. This includes information related to possible cybersecurity threats by hacking teams, hacking tools that are being utilized and what cybersecurity shields should be in place. By being updated on what cybercriminals are doing or discussing on the Dark Web, cybersecurity professionals may equip their companies with appropriate systems to protect their data from cyber threats.

Enhance your knowledge of the Dark Web with our in-depth 12-page PDF guide. This is available for download at just $9. Alternatively, enjoy complimentary access with a Premium annual subscription. Click here to find out more.

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IMAGES

Dark Tourism in Rwanda
Le immagini più estreme e angoscianti del “Dark Tourism”
Investigating the challenges of promoting dark tourism in Rwanda
Dark Tourism in Rwanda
The Rise of Dark Tourism [2022 Study]
From Chernobyl to Rwanda: horrific 'dark tourism' hotspots

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Is Kigali Rwanda PUBLIC Transport System The BEST in AFRICA
50 Dark Destinations: Crime and Contemporary Tourism
Welcome To Rwanda 🇷🇼 #africa #rwanda #blackchurch #afrique
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COMMENTS

Rwanda
Rwanda. A small landlocked country in Central Africa - and the place where one of the most most brutal large-scale genocides of modern times took place in 1994 - for background info on this see the separate entry Rwandan genocide. Obviously enough, this is the prime reason why Rwanda has to be high up on the list of dark tourism ...
Murambi, Rwanda
Murambi genocide memorial. - darkometer rating: 10 - Possibly the darkest, starkest, grimmest, most shocking site it is possible to visit as a dark tourist on planet Earth. It is unique amongst all the various genocide memorial sites in Rwanda in that at Murambi whole bodies are on display, half-decomposed, half- mummified by lime, which turned ...
Dark Tourism, Difficult Heritage, and Memorialisation: A Case of the
The purpose of this chapter, therefore, is to examine memorialisation and cultural processes and practices within the broader context of dark tourism and difficult heritage in Rwanda. In so doing, it offers an exploratory empirical insight into cultural memory at dark tourism sites of the Rwandan genocide.
Nyamata, Rwanda
Combinations with non-dark destinations: nothing much in the vicinity - for elsewhere refer to the entries under Kigali and Rwanda in general. Note: images 3b/c and 7b/c are new additions, supplied by a fellow dark traveller who visited Nyamata in August 2023 but who chose to remain unnamed. Dark Tourism - the online travel guide to dark ...
Dark tourism: The "heritagization" of sites of suffering, with an
The phenomenon of "seeing" mass death, called "dark tourism" or the "tourism of desolation", has become both an aim and a destination for visitors. ... with an emphasis on the memorials of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi of Rwanda. Nowadays, there exists an international movement towards the extensive recognition as ...
Dark tourism and Rwandan media industries: Promoting nation and the
The goal is to interrogate the dissonance between the more commonly researched practices of Rwanda genocide tourism industry (the curated and controlled narratives formulated within the national memorial and its satellite sites) and that of the banal, every day, and even disavowed sites (such as unmarked burial and crematorium sites) of ...
Dark Tourism Difficult Heritage and Memorialisation A Case of the
Keywords: Rwanda, dissonant heritage, memorialisation, dark tourism, peace and conflict management Introduction Rifai (2014: 11) opens the International Handbook on Tourism and Peace with an optimistic foreword, describing the tourism industry as a "worldwide social and cultural phenomenon 1 that engages people of all nations as both hosts ...
Investigating the Challenges of Promoting Dark Tourism in Rwanda
The author interrogates to what extent dark tourism would be a product to be fostered in Rwanda. Based on formal interviews done over 43 specialists who take part of RDB [Rwanda Development Board], Ntunda holds that several incompatibilities which include lack of skilled staff and problems in the accessibilities to the site prevent today dark ...
Investigating the Challenges of Promoting Dark Tourism in Rwanda
Dark touris m offers an interesting academic field of future investigations as Ntunda says, Korstanje, M.E. (Reviewer). (2019) Investigating the Challen ges of Promoting. Dark Tourism in Rwanda ...
Review Investigating the Challenges of Promoting Dark Tourism in Rwanda
In Rwanda, numerous memorials have arisen to remember the 1994 genocide and its victims. This paper considers the effect of the national genocide memorials on Western tourist visitors, in the context of research on 'dark tourism' and Western attitudes toward death and the dead.
Dark Tourism in Rwanda
Dark Tourism in Rwanda is associated with 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. Black tourism also known as grief tourism, dark tourism, or morbid tourism is defined as tourism involving travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy. Rwanda put in place memorial sites as a result of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis where more than one ...
Investigating the Challenges of Promoting Dark Tourism in Rwanda
This study tries to assess the challenges of promoting dark tourism in Rwanda. The study was guided by three objectives: To find dark tourism products in Rwanda; to investigate the challenges of promoting dark tourism in Rwanda and to establish measures that could be adopted to promote it. To achieve the set objectives, the study used a sample of 43 respondents randomly selected from staff of ...
PDF Narrating atrocity: Genocide memorials, dark tourism, and the politics
the cases of Rwanda, Cambodia, and Bosnia, Western involvement in public memory projects often ... The concept of dark tourism describes the extent to which such visitors are motivated by a
Dark Tourism, Difficult Heritage, and Memorialisation: A Case of the
Dark Tourism, Difficult Heritage, and Memorialisation: A Case of the Rwandan Genocide. February 2018. DOI: 10.1057/978-1-137-47566-4_11. In book: The Palgrave Handbook of Dark Tourism Studies (pp ...
PDF Investigating the Challenges of Promoting Dark Tourism in Rwanda
Ntunda, J. (2014). Investigating the challenges of promoting Dark Tourism in Rwanda. Hamburg: Anchor Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-395489233-4. When I was a student, I was told that tourism is one of the most significant and largest industries of the World. rough tourism, local economies are revitalized according to the fluxes of foreign ...
Dark Tourism
Dark Tourism - Visit Rwanda's Genocide Memorials. Most Rwanda safaris start and end in Kigali a home to one of the most visited Rwanda genocide site -Kigali genocide memorial and tourists make it a point to stopover in memory of the Rwanda brothers and sisters who perished in just a period of 100 days either at the beginning of their ...
Investigating the Challenges of Promoting Dark Tourism in Rwanda
ABSTRACT J. Ntunda interrogates to what extent dark tourism would be a product to be fostered in Rwanda. Based on formal interviews done over 43 specialists who take part of RDB [Rwanda Development Board], Ntunda holds that several incompatibilities which include lack of skilled staff and problems in the accessibilities to the site prevent today dark tourism would be a valid option. However ...
Gisozi Genocide Memorial Centre, Kigali, Rwanda
- darkometer rating: 10 - The main memorial centre for the Rwandan genocide.Located logistically conveniently in the Gisozi district of Rwanda's capital city Kigali.It's the No. 1 genocide-related site for foreign visitors to the country and a top priority for any dark tourist in Kigali.
Genocide tourism in Rwanda: contesting the concept of the 'dark tourist
Semantic Scholar extracted view of "Genocide tourism in Rwanda: contesting the concept of the 'dark tourist'" by R. Sharpley et al.
Investigating the challenges of promoting dark tourism in Rwanda
This study tries to assess the challenges of promoting dark tourism in Rwanda. The study was guided by three objectives: To find dark tourism products in Rwanda; to investigate the challenges of promoting dark tourism in Rwanda and to establish measures that could be adopted to promote it. To achieve the set objectives, the study used a sample of 43 respondents randomly selected from staff of ...
30 Dark Tourism Destinations and How to Visit
The Murambi Genocide Memorial (Murambi Technical School), located in southern Rwanda is one of the darkest dark tourism destinations on the planet. Here, around 50,000 Tutsi men, women, and children were murdered by Hutu Interahamwe militiamen in April of 1994.
Genocide tourism in Rwanda
The Kigali Genocide Memorial (KGM) opened in April 2004 on the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. Constructed as a joint venture between Kigali City Council and the UK-based Aegis Trust on the site where the remains of more than 250,000 people who died in the genocide are buried, it is primarily intended as a 'permanent memorial to ...
Narrating atrocity: Genocide memorials, dark tourism, and the politics
Western consumption of memorials often reinforces aspects of dark tourism that dehumanise victims and discourage adequate context for the uninformed visitor. Funding and consultation provided by Western states and organisations - while offering distinct benefits - tends to encourage a homogenised atrocity narrative, which reflects the ...
Politics latest: Court ruling 'blows PM's claims about Rwanda plan out
The Welsh government's tourism minister, Hannah Blythyn, said the metaverse had been created "to reach new audiences". 16:30:01 Analysis: Latest legal challenge bodes ill for PM's Rwanda plan
The United States and Japan Launch "U.S.-Japan Tourism Year"
November 29, 2023. TOKYO, Japan - On November 29, 2023, the United States and Japan officially launched the "U.S.-Japan Tourism Year" with a signing ceremony at the residence of U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel. Ambassador Emanuel and Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Tetsuo Saito signed a Memorandum ...
What Is the Dark Web?
Enhance your knowledge of the Dark Web with our in-depth 12-page PDF guide. This is available for download at just $9. Alternatively, enjoy complimentary access with a Premium annual subscription.

Dark Tourism, Difficult Heritage, and Memorialisation: A Case of the Rwandan Genocide

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30 Dark Tourism Destinations and How to Visit

What is Dark Tourism?

Dark Tourism Destinations

2. Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Site, Ukraine

3. Choeung Ek Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), Cambodia

4. National September 11 Memorial and Museum, New York

5. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum

6. Rwanda Genocide Sites (Kigali Genocide Memorial and Murambi Genocide Memorial)

7. Pompeii, Italy

8. Slave Castles, Ghana (Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle)

9. Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic

10. Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, San Francisco

11. Suicide Forest (Aokigahar), Japan

12. Fukushima, Japan

13. Robben Island, South Africa

14. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

15. The Colosseum, Rome

16. Mount St. Helens, Washington

17. Montserrat

16. Anne Frank House and Museum, Amsterdam

19. Nuclear Test Sites

20. Catacombs of Paris, France

21. Warsaw Ghetto, Poland

22. Perm-36 Gulag, Russia

23. Cremations on the Ganges River in Varanasi, India

24. Berlin, Germany

25. Communist Leader Mausoleums

26. Somme Battlefield, France

27. Verdun Battlefield, France

28. D-Day Beaches and Memorials in Normandy

29. Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Maryland

30. Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnam

My Experience: Why I Enjoy Dark Tourism

Final Thoughts About Dark Tourism

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