The Cursed History of the Floating Hotel: Cyclones, Mines, and a Murder

The story of the world's first 'floating hotel' is full of unexpected events. The hotel, a huge seven-story building with 200 rooms, a helipad, and tennis courts, opened in 1988 on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Initially, it was a success, but it soon faced problems. A cyclone destroyed the helipad and the underwater rooms. In addition, mines from World War II were discovered under the building.

The hotel was sold to a Japanese company and moved to Ho Chi Minh City, where it was renamed the Saigon Floating Hotel. Later, Hyundai bought it and moved it to North Korea in 1999, where it operated as Hotel Haegumgang.

In 2008, a North Korean soldier killed a South Korean tourist, leading to the suspension of visits. In 2023, North Korean authorities demolished the hotel.

Thus ended the story of a building that traveled 14,000 km, crossed three countries and two seas, and saw a Cold War recycled.