Thuy Tien Lake in Hue is one of the most famous abandoned water parks in the world. Many backpackers coming to Vietnam turn it into a unique check-in spot. Tourists visiting Thuy Tien Lake Park in Hue are attracted by its mysterious beauty. This abandoned tourist area cost 70 billion VND to build and opened in 2004 but did not attract many visitors so it stopped operating a few years later. Today, Thuy Tien Lake is covered with colorful graffiti and overgrown trees. However, this park has become an attractive destination for Westerners and adventurous Vietnamese backpackers.
In addition to the dragon fountain, this abandoned park also has many other “creepy” corners such as moss-covered slides, murky water tanks, overgrown gardens, and rows of faded, dilapidated seats… Every corner makes visitors “creepy”, especially if they come here on windy days or in the evening.
If you only intend to stop by to take photos and check-in, tourists are advised not to go too deep into the garden or the slides because it is quite dark and dangerous, and the roads have been seriously degraded.
In addition, Insider also introduces other interesting abandoned water parks such as:
Lake Dolores Water Park
Lake Dolores is a private water park that was established in the early 1960s in Newberry Springs, California, USA. The owner built it for his family and named it after his wife. New slides and rides were added over the years and by the early 1970s, Lake Dolores was becoming more popular and attracting more visitors. However, by 1980, its popularity had waned and the park had to close.
Reopened in 1998, Lake Dolores was renamed Rock-A-Hoola with a new look, but it didn't last long. An employee was injured in an accident that left the park in a state of crippling disrepair. Rock-A-Hoola was last renovated in 2002-2004 and renamed Discovery Waterpark.
The park's pools are now covered in graffiti, inspiring many filmmakers. In 2012, the director of "Kilian Martin: Altered Route" chose this place as a setting, and in 2015, a clip introducing the Mini Cooper was also filmed here.
Ebenezer Floppen Slopper Water Park
The Ebenezer Floppen Slopper waterslides in Oakhrook Terrace, Illinois, opened in the early 1980s and closed in 1989. The park, which featured steep slides and dangerous terrain, was located in the Chicago suburbs. After its closure, the entire area was covered in dead leaves and overgrown trees that obscured the paths.
Disney's River Country Water Park
Walt Disney's first water park opened in 1976 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Along with Discovery Island, it was one of two Disney parks that closed permanently, becoming a wasteland for grass and rust, also because a young boy died at this infamous water park.
Once a place chosen by many families in Florida as a place to relax after a stressful work week, now the scenery in River Country has become dark, scary, and deserted, just like the scenes from American horror movies.
L'Aquatic Paradis Water Park
L'Aquatic Paradis in Sitges, Spain, opened in the early 1990s, but after two years of operation, a terrible accident killed a child. That incident, along with huge debts, forced the park to close. The abandoned park has since become a cultural complex, a gathering place for graffiti artists and skateboarders.
Atlantis Marine Water Park
When it opened in 1981, the park was seen as an alternative to Australia’s famous Gold Coast, famous for its beautiful beaches. It featured swimming pools, paddle boats, and dolphin shows, but closed in 1990 due to financial problems. Many of the statues in Atlantis Marine remain, but the Neptune statue was renovated in 2015 thanks to an online petition.
Macassar Beach Pavilion Water Park
Built in 1991 on the coast of South Africa's False Bay, Macassar Beach Pavilion is set within a vast conservation area that protects the area's sand dunes and endemic fynbos. Before being abandoned due to financial problems, the park was a popular holiday resort.
Water Wonderland Water Park
Opened in 1980, it was a popular summer destination for families in the Midland-Odessa, Texas, area. Due to financial problems and a lawsuit over a child injured on a ride, the park declared bankruptcy in the 1990s. The amusement park changed hands before being abandoned in 2003.
Safari Lagoon Water Park
Located on the rooftop of a shopping mall in Pandan, Selangor, Malaysia, Safari Lagoon was considered one of the largest amusement parks in Southeast Asia when it opened in 1998.
There were two main reasons for the park's closure in 2007. In addition to Safari Lagoon operating without a license for eight years, an employee died after being trapped in a high-pressure water pump chamber.
Fun Park Fyn Water Park
Fun Park Fyn opened in the 1980s in Aarup, Funen, Denmark. Like many other parks, it closed due to bankruptcy in 2006. The brightly painted play areas, but years of abandonment have left the abandoned park covered in dirt, making it look even more depressing. There were rumors that Fun Park Fyn would be converted into a Hans Christian Andersen theme park, as the famous author was born there, but that never happened.
Wet n' Wild Water Park
Wet n' Wild Park in Vineland Station, Ontario, Canada, built in the 1960s, includes many amusement games such as bumper boats, bumper cars, slides, skateboarding rinks, sandbars... Once an attractive entertainment place, attracting mainly family groups, Wet n' Wild closed in 2002 after more than 30 years of operation. After that, the constructions here became an ideal place for graffiti artists to unleash their creativity.
Aquaria Water Park
With its waterslides, pools and whirlpools, Aquaria Park was a popular destination in Cervia Pinarella, Ravenna, in the 1990s. It offered amenities that other water parks at the time lacked, such as beach volleyball and tennis courts. At night, the amusement park also opened a disco. Aquaria Park closed in 2004.
