MINSK WORLD

Nestled on the Shenzhen coastline is one of the most bizarre theme parks in the world. Steve Thomas took a peek

Small, grinning, rosy-cheeked soldier dolls in a souvenir shop were the welcoming committee for my visit to Minsk World, a one-of-a-kind amusement park in Shenzhen with a Soviet military theme. On a trip to this coastal city in China’s southern Guangdong province, this place sounded too strange to miss. And I was right. It’s weird, but in the best possible way.

The Minsk itself is a decommissioned, second-generation, Kiev-class Soviet aircraft carrier. The vessel was built in 1972, and six years later it joined the Soviet Pacific Fleet, where it took pride of place and was considered the fifth greatest aircraft carrier at sea. But as the Cold War warmed up, the fleet dwindled and then the Minsk was involved in an accident. The damage could only be repaired at a facility in Ukraine, which had gone its own way with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Thus, the carrier was retired.

With the Minsk’s now redundant status rendering it near worthless, it was sold in 1993 as scrap to a South Korean businessman. Five years later it was resold to a Chinese company, moved to its current home and then transformed into the centrepiece of Minsk World. At the time of its purchase, local government officials said, “We needed an attraction here in Shenzhen. If we need it, we either build it or buy it”.

Resting in 80,000sq km of landscaped parkland in a harbour on the shores of Golden Beach, the Minsk welcomes around 2,000 visitors daily and on weekends that number increases to about 5,000.

On passing through the main gate, visitors are greeted by mock armed guards before entering Minsk Square. The expansive, land-based section of the park is home to numerous pieces of old military weaponry. There are old Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) tanks, helicopters, fighter jets and artillery.

This is a great place for kids, and especially big kids. You’re free to scramble around the relics, clambering inside, peering down the gun barrels, and generally acting out all those childhood fantasies.

It’s amazing to discover how basic some of these things are. Just as fascinating are the mock naval battles and parades that are held regularly. There’s even a coin-operated machine-gun firing range, which I had to have a go at. It left me grinning for days.

But, without a doubt, the star attraction here is the once mighty and fearsome Minsk. Cross an old military walkway and there she sits – the great monster of an aircraft carrier, humbling in its scale and once-potent firepower. Seeing such a craft close up is both mind-boggling and intriguing. It weighs in at close to 30,000 metric tons and at about 275m by 47m, it’s longer than two football pitches laid end to end. Much of the ship’s interior has been reconstructed and there are four decks open to the public.

Once aboard you’ll find plenty of local Chinese staff, all decked out as Soviet sailors, smiling sweetly, sailor’s hats clinging to the backs of their heads. Every hour or so the entire crew comes together to parade around to the strains of the Russian national anthem, either on the main deck or in one of the aircraft hangars.

The sheer size of the vessel can make it disorienting to explore at times. There are countless narrow and dimly lit passageways winding their way through the ship. You’ll discover the crew’s sleeping quarters, fitness rooms and, of course, the captain’s table – huge and wooden with leather chairs, as it should be! The carrier really isn’t that old, but the furnishings and décor could have come from a 1930s war movie.

For me, the weapons room is the highlight of the Minsk. At one time, there seem to have been enough arms here to flatten a small country. Even deprived of their explosive power, these torpedoes and missiles are awe-inspiring in their sheer size alone. Seeing them really drives home the fact that the Minsk in its heyday was a force to be reckoned with.

Rising from the flight deck, a narrow staircase winds up to the blurred windows and portholes of the command deck. There are hundreds of needles, dials, and levers up here, although it’s hard to imagine that this great monster of a vessel was commanded from such a small area.

My visit to the Minsk was nearing its end. There was the option of a motorboat tour around the vessel, but the lure of a glass or two of fine Russian vodka in the mess hall was even more appealing. I’m sure that many a shot was downed here in the glory days of the Soviet era. Privet, comrades!

Strange Attractions

WINDOW OF THE WORLD, SHENZHEN, CHINA
Here you’ll find miniature versions of just about every major tourist sight in the world. One minute you could be strolling around the Pyramids, the next the Eiffel Tower. When you’re done walking, go skiing on their indoor alpine piste.

Nanshan District, Shen Nan Ave, tel: +86 (0)755 2660 8000. Open daily from 9am-10.30pm.

SUOI TIEN PARK, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM
An entire theme park dedicated to the story of the Buddha, this place really is one of a kind and may rank among the oddest theme parks on the planet. There are none of the usual amusement park characters here – only Buddhist dragons and unicorns. But there are some great water rides. You can even travel pirate-style on a ship through the 12 Hells.

120 Hanoi Hwy, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: +84 (0)8 3896 4703, www.suoitien.com. Open daily from 7am-5.30pm.

JELITA OSTRICH FARM, SEREMBAN, MALAYSIA
Not exactly a theme park, but it’s one of the few places around where you can qualify as an “ostrich jockey”. The farm is just a couple of hours south of Kuala Lumpur, and you can discover all things “big-bird” here before learning to ride one. You may even catch a race.

Seremban-Jelebu Rd, Jalan Pantai, Seremban, tel: +60 (0)6 767 0707. Open daily from 9am-5pm.

HOW TO FIND IT

Minsk World is located at Dapeng Bay, in the Shatoujiao area of Shenzhen. Although it can be reached by bus, the journey can be confusing and time-consuming. By taxi, it’s about 30 minutes from the airport. You can find taxis outside the park for the return trip. Minsk World is open daily from 9am-7.30pm. Admission is CNY130 (S$26/A$21) for adults and CNY65 (S$13/A$10) for children and senior citizens. Yan Tian District, Shatoujiao, tel: +86 (0)755 2535 5333 (Chinese only)