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Thailand: SIAM PARK CITY
Siam Park City has become a popular destination for Vietnamese families in recent years, with affordable ticket prices and many fun activities for the whole family such as swimming pools, roller coasters, Thai massage, etc.
Siam Park City is famous for the world's largest man-made lake, the Sea of Bangkok, spanning 1,200 square meters and listed in the Guinness Book of Records, giving you the feeling of swimming in the sea in the heart of Bangkok. There are also shallow areas with gentle waves and slopes, suitable for young children. Older children can enjoy the exciting Super Spiral waterslide. If you're feeling tired, you can get a foot massage by the lake for around 300 baht per hour.
Siam Park City is divided into five zones: Water Park, Family World, X-zone (a thrilling ride zone), Fantasy World (a gentler area), and Small World (a dedicated area for young children). The park attracts up to 2 million visitors annually from around the world.
The X-zone area will give you a heart-stopping thrill with its exhilarating rides for both adults and children (must be over 1.3m tall). The most popular attractions include the world's largest roller coaster, the Vortex, with a top speed of 80km/h; the Boomerang roller coaster with three rotations; and the Mega Dance Ferris wheel. Particularly noteworthy is the Giant Drop, a freefall ride reaching a height of 75m, the tallest in Southeast Asia. Don't be surprised if you hear screams of excitement as you pass through this area!
If you're traveling with children, head to Small World, with its charmingly decorated, slower-moving mini-vehicles like the Mini Carousel, Mini Motorcycle, Mini Boat, and Mini Astrofighter. The castle in Small World is especially ideal for escaping the heat on sunny days. Family World is equally appealing, featuring dinosaurs from Dinotopia and Jurassic Adventure, African animals from Africa Adventure, and the haunted house Big Double Shock.
Around the park, there are many restaurants and food carts selling food, drinks, and ice cream at reasonable prices. The Siam Park City entrance ticket includes a lunch buffet with Thai, Indian, and European dishes.
+Address: Siam Park City203 Suan Sayam Road, Khannayao District, Bangkok.
+Entrance fee: Adults - 30 USD/day. Children (under 1.3m) - 25 USD/day. See details at www.siamparkcity.com/en/ticket_price_day.php.
+Getting there: From central Bangkok, the quickest way to get to Siam Park City is by taxi, which takes about 45 minutes and costs 200 baht. Remember to ask the driver to turn on the meter to calculate the fare based on distance.
Malaysia: LEGOLAND
Located in Nusajaya, Johor Bahru, and opened in September 2012, Legoland Malaysia is the first Lego theme park in Asia. It features over 40 rides, shows, and activities for the whole family. With boundless imagination, the designers have breathed life into simple Lego bricks, transforming them into captivating structures.
Previously, you had to travel to the US, UK, Germany, or Denmark to discover this unique type of park. But now, you can simply fly to Malaysia.
At Legoland, you'll have the chance to assemble your own Lego car and participate in exciting races, visit Asian landmarks created from over 30 million Lego bricks, and explore the world of Pharaohs and dinosaurs in the Land of Adventure. The intricate details of structures like the Great Wall of China, Angkor Wat, and the Taj Mahal, all made entirely of Lego bricks, will leave you in awe. And good news for fans of the popular Star Wars series: Legoland Malaysia has over 2,000 different models based on this theme.
If you want to cool off this summer, you can visit Legoland Water Park, located next to Legoland Theme Park, with over 20 water slides and 70 Lego models. Don't forget to try the Build-A-Raft game, where you can assemble your own raft from soft Lego bricks and float down the lazy river. Or try the exciting water gun battle in Aqua Zone Wave Racer. Before leaving the park, the whole family can enjoy a panoramic view of the Lego land from above in the Observation Tower.
The best thing about visiting Legoland Malaysia is that you don't have to worry about accommodation. The Legoland Hotel is located within the theme park, with attractively decorated rooms themed around Kingdom, Pirate, and Adventure… which will delight the kids after a tiring day of fun.
+ Address: Legoland, 7, Jalan Legoland, Medini, 79250 Nusajaya, Johohr.
+ Entrance fee: Adults (12+) - RM 196. Children - RM 156. Only valid for tickets booked online at least 7 days in advance at: www.legoland.com.my/book-visit/day-tickets.
+ Getting there: From Kuala Lumpur, at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Berjaya Times Square, take a bus to Johor Bahru (approximately 4-5 hours). For bus information, visit: www.legoland.com.my/planning-your-visit/how-to-get-here/bus-service.
Hong Kong: Ocean Park
Thrill-seekers can't miss Ocean Park in Hong Kong. The park is famous for its 56-meter-tall Abyss Tower freefall ride, the Hair Raiser roller coaster with its 4.0G acceleration (the fastest in Hong Kong), and 20 other slides. But the most popular highlight is the scenic cable car ride that runs through the park, connecting the Summit and Waterfront areas.
This 870,000-square-meter resort also includes a marine park, aquarium, zoo, and amusement park. You and your family will have the opportunity to interact with marine creatures such as jellyfish, dolphins, and seals, learn about the ocean ecosystem, and how to contribute to protecting the natural environment. In particular, you and your children will have the chance to meet animal "stars": the panda pair An An and Jia Jia, and the golden monkey pair Le Le and Hu Hu, along with rare animals such as red pandas, giant salamanders, and Chinese crocodiles.
Educational shows are another highlight at Ocean Park. The Ocean Theatre offers three shows daily featuring playful marine creatures like whales and seals. The Bird Theatre features birds of prey such as falcons, eagles, and vultures. The Arctic Wolf Den exhibit provides an insightful look into the living habits of these rare animals. Show tickets are usually included in the entrance fee.
Address: Ocean Park, Aberdeen, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 3923 2323
+Entrance fee: Adults (12+): $438. Children (3-11): $219.
+Getting there: Ocean Park is open every day except major holidays. To get to the park, take bus number 629 near Admiralty MTR station (exit B), or bus number 171 from Lai Chi Kok South Horizons to Aberdeen Tunnel Toll Plaza. See more at: www.oceanpark.com.hk
+Event: Ocean Park was honored with the Applause Award, commended for "the park's management, coordination, and innovative achievements that inspire the entertainment industry, with its vision, uniqueness, and effective business development strategy."
Japan: DISNEYLAND TOKYO
Everyone's childhood is intertwined with Disney cartoons, with characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Snow White, Peter Pan... It's no exaggeration to say that every trip to Disneyland is paradise for every child, and a journey back to childhood for adults.
Located east of Tokyo in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo Disneyland is modeled after Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida (USA), with seven themed areas: World Bazaar, Tomorrowland, Toontown, Fantasyland, Critter Country, Westernland, and Adventureland. Besides the familiar parades featuring cartoon characters, the park also boasts an impressive light show lasting over two hours in the evening.
But what makes this park special is DisneySea, the world's fourth most visited theme park, inspired by mythical ocean stories.
Located right at the park entrance is the Mediterranean Harbor, designed to resemble the port city of Venice (Italy) with its romantic canals, the magnificent MiraCosta Hotel, and elegant gondolas. In the center of the park is the Secret Island, inspired by the science fiction novels of Jules Verne, where you can embark on a journey to the center of the earth using the most advanced scientific means. There are also other interesting areas such as Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Port Discovery, and more.
The best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea is in May and June, when the weather is pleasant and it's not too crowded. Avoid weekends if you don't want to queue for hours for each ride. Allocate at least 10,000 yen per day for the park, including food, drinks, and souvenirs.
Address: 279-0031 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, 1-1
+Entrance tickets: The all-day ticket price is 7,400 yen for adults (18+), 6,400 yen for teenagers (12-17), and 4,800 yen for children (4-11). See details at www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/ticket.
+Getting there: The easiest way to get to Tokyo Disneyland is by train, about 20 minutes from Tokyo Central Station to Maihama Station, which is located right at the park entrance. See more details at: www.tokyodisneyresort.jp
South Korea: Everland
Located just an hour's bus ride from Seoul, Everland is South Korea's first family-friendly amusement park. Described as a miniature world, the park features five themed areas: Global Fair, Magic Land, Zootopia, European Adventure, and American Adventure. As the largest amusement park in South Korea, families can easily spend a day or even two days exploring it.
For speed-loving boys, you can take them on the 1,779-meter-long T-Express roller coaster, the sixth longest wooden roller coaster in the world, with a 77-degree incline and speeds up to 104 km/h. Girls who love nature can explore the French-style four-season flower garden, featuring over 140 varieties of tulips (June), lilies (June-August), daisies (September-October), and countless other flowers in bloom. The zoo is also a highlight at Everland, showcasing wild animals from around the world such as horses, tigers, lions, elephants, penguins, and adorable pets like goats, sheep, and dogs.
Everland is open seven days a week, with spectacular shows every day. Weekends feature lively parades and sometimes even famous bands.
Address: 199, Everland-ro, Pogsok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do.
+Entrance fee: 54,000 won/day for adults and 43,000 won/day for children.
+Getting there: From Seoul, at Gangnam Station (Seoul Subway Line 2), exit through gate 10 and take bus 5002 to Everland. The journey takes 50 minutes. See more at: www.everland.com/web/multi/english/everland/main.html
Singapore: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
For S$35, the Sentosa Express train will take you from downtown Singapore to WaterFront station, located right at the entrance to Universal Studios. This first movie-themed park in Southeast Asia is divided into 7 zones with 24 attractions inspired by Hollywood blockbusters, including 18 attractions specifically designed for the Singapore park. You and your family can witness spectacular scenes from Mummy, Transformers, Jurassic Park, Shrek, and Madagascar without having to travel to the United States.
The most bustling area at Universal Studios Singapore is undoubtedly Hollywood Boulevard, leading to the central pool. At the beginning of the boulevard, there's always a person dressed up as a movie character for visitors to take photos with. Don't forget to enjoy some of the best pizza in New York at Louis NY Pizza Parlor or other delicious food at KT'Grill. And if you love pristine, ancient landscapes, visit The Lost World with its Jurassic dinosaurs, insects, fossils, and incredibly refreshing water splashing rides.
Most rides at Universal Studios involve long queues. If you're short on time, you might prioritize the Transformers roller coaster, Revenge of the Mummy, the Jurassic Park water slide, and the Far Far Away fairy tale world.
The evening shows here are also not to be missed, including the Wings of Time water show right on the sea, the world's largest Crane Dance puppet show, and the fireworks display by the lake at the end of Hollywood Boulevard. These shows are very popular and usually only last 5-20 minutes, so you should ask the staff for show times and arrive early to get a good spot.
Address: 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
See more at: www.rwsentosa.com/Homepage/Attractions/UniversalStudiosSingapore
+Entrance fee: Adults (13-59): S$74. Children (4-12): S$54
+ Getting there: From downtown Singapore, take the Sentosa Express train to WaterFront station. This station is located right at the entrance to Universal Studios.
Article by: Trinh Le
