A British traveler uncovered a peculiar attraction in Vietnam: a theme park dedicated entirely to COVID-19. This bizarre discovery, made by 29-year-old Ella Ribak during her Southeast Asian travels in 2022, has recently gone viral. Located in Da Lat, Vietnam, the Tuyen Lam Lake National Tourist Complex houses this unconventional park among its four themed zones. Aptly named “COVID-19 Park,” the attraction features over 80 statues. It also has installations that chronicle the world’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
As Ribak explored the park, she encountered a surreal landscape populated by “googly-eyed” pathogen sculptures and various COVID-themed scenarios. “It was such a weird experience,” Ribak told South West News Service. She described the park’s atmosphere as dystopian and unexpectedly humorous.
From Apocalyptic To Amusing
The park’s entrance sets a somber tone with a large steel clock; its face adorned not with numbers but with symbols representing key pandemic milestones: hand-washing, social distancing, and vaccine development. However, the tone shifts as visitors go deeper into the park.
Ribak recounts turning a corner to find “a human-size pathogen with googly eyes locked in a jail,” a sight that transformed the experience from eerie to entertaining. Other whimsical displays include virus characters engaged in a boxing match, being impaled by oversized vaccine syringes, and even presiding over a courtroom in a parody of popular TV judge shows.
The park’s existence raises questions about the appropriate ways to commemorate a pandemic that has claimed millions of lives worldwide. Ribak observed a notable difference in how visitors reacted to the displays. While she and her fellow international travelers found themselves laughing at the absurdity, local Vietnamese visitors appeared to approach the exhibits with more solemnity.
The COVID-19 Theme Park In The Years To Come
Since Ribak shared her experience, the COVID-19 Park has become an internet sensation. Social media platforms are buzzing with discussions about the park, with many expressing a mix of disbelief, amusement, and curiosity. Some commenters have noted the potential historical value of such a site, suggesting it could become a time capsule for future generations to understand the pandemic era.
