Discover your limits on a natural adventure

A park that brings people closer to nature through adventurous experiences is gaining popularity among those of an active persuasion.

Located in Moganshan, Zhejiang province, the Discovery Adventures Park is a joint effort between factual TV giant, Discovery, Inc, and Shanghai-based APAX Recreation and taps into growing demand for outdoor sports, eco-tourism and science education.

The park is designed to reflect Discovery's spirit of "curiosity, adventure and exploration" beyond the small screen, inviting visitors to challenge their limits and immerse themselves in the experience; to feel the ethos of the Discovery brand, explains Terence Chu, president of the park.

The park uses its natural environment to provide a wide selection of challenging activities and bucolic pastimes such as rock climbing, obstacle courses, adventure trekking, racing events, hot air balloon rides and a zip-line tour. There are even wilderness survival programs that offer city slickers the opportunity to learn essential skills and engage with nature.

Since it opened, the park has welcomed more than 30,000 people through the turnstiles, 90 percent of whom visit as part of corporate outings or school trips, says Chu.

So far, he says, the park has fostered long-term relationships with around 300 businesses which use the venue to conduct corporate team building events.

"We feel that eco-tourism theme parks harbor a great opportunity," Chu muses, "but there are not many people engaging in it yet"

He adds that many scenic spots don't provide much in the way of in-depth experiences, usually providing just board and lodging.

Chu reminisces that, in the past, during his trips to Moganshan, there was little to do except for a bit of sightseeing. When he heard about enhanced government support for eco-cultural tourism and the sports industry, the idea for the park began to take shape.

"Most of theme parks focus on recreation, but our concept is to effectively integrate more tourism and ecological resources with theme park," Chu notes, adding that the country has great natural resources that would make for unforgettable experiences with the establishment of more facilities that have professional teams running them.

Discovery Adventures Park offers a professional training system, outdoors facilities that comply strictly with international safety standards and a team of coaches who are available to hold guest's hand and ensure that everyone has a memorable experience.

Looking forward, Chu says that a second Discovery park will be coming down the pike soon, this time in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan province.

There are also plans to open parks in Xiamen, Fujian province, Sanya, Hainan province, Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Taiwan.

yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn