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Skydiving, paragliding, abseiling – Chinese adventure tourists doing extreme sports in ever greater numbers
- Thrill-seeking Chinese travellers head to countries such as New Zealand and the United States, and off the beaten track, for a taste of adventure
- Places such as Alaska, the Balkans, Africa and Nepal have seen a surge in Chinese visitors looking to get out of their comfort zones and find authenticity
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The Chinese adventure seeker summoned up his courage before he jumped out of the plane, soaring high above the remote landscape.
“I started to free-fall … the wind felt like ice skates being beaten on my face,” he recalls. “My ears were snap frozen. After about a minute, the parachute opens and the temperature rises, and finally you get to enjoy the heavenly scenery. You then start to glide through the air with the parachute, very smoothly.”
Skydiving earlier this year was a source of wonder for Wang Xiao, a Generation-Z adventurer from Shanghai, and one of many thousands of young Chinese travellers who want more than relaxation, culture or education from their travels. Describing his tandem skydive in New Zealand on Mafengwo, a social media site devoted to travel, Wang says each jump coach was equipped with an altimeter on his wrist.
“When the plane reached 9,000 feet (2,740 metres), the hatch slammed open and wind gusted in. At this point, my heartbeat was a little faster.
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