Summer is quickly approaching, and with it comes water park season. Heading to a water park is one of the best ways to stay cool in the summer. Arguably, the most fun part of any water park though is the water slides. There are some incredible water slides at water parks around the world.
Let’s check out some of the most insane and exciting water slides out there. Would you be brave enough to conquer some of these outrageous slides?
1. Sliding with Sharks
Chances are you have seen the towering Mayan temple that sits at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas and the slide that runs down under a tank full of real sea creatures. This water slide is called Leap of Faith and it is a body slide that sends riders down a nearly vertical 60-foot-tall drop. But the real thrill is traveling through a clear acrylic tunnel beneath a lagoon that includes sharks. If you’re looking for a little bit more time with the marine life, Atlantis also has Serpent Slide, a tube slide that ends with a leisurely ride through a submerged acrylic tunnel.
Did you know, Atlantis isn’t the only waterpark that sends riders to the sharks. Tower of Power at Siam Park in the Canary Islands also sends riders down a steep body slide and through a tunnel surrounded by sharks. At nearly 92 feet high, Tower of Power sends riders down at speeds reaching more than 45 miles per hour.
2. Reaching New Heights
Kilimanjaro at Brazil’s Aldiea das Aguas Park is currently the tallest water slide in the world after the closing of Verrückt, a water slide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas that stood at 169 feet tall. Kilimanjaro was built in 1990 and was named after the tallest mountain in Africa. The slide stands 164 feet tall. Riders are sent plummeting down this body slide reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour. Riders are plunged through a deep valley and into a crystal-clear pool at the end of the slide.
While not quite as tall, Scenic Lighthouse at Xel-ha in Mexico will give riders breathtaking views of the surrounding Caribbean Sea and Mayan jungle. The top of Scenic Lighthouse sits at 133 feet high and offers riders a chance to have their picture taken with the incredible views before heading down to the entrance of 4 water slides. The slides are about 100 feet tall and are tightly wrapped around the body of the lighthouse. Regardless of which slide they choose; the rider will be sent spiraling down into a natural pool at the bottom.
3. Looping Water Slides
The Aqualoop was designed by the manufacturer, Whitewater. Many parks around the world now carry one of these looping waterslides. Some parks opt for a single Aqualoop, but others such as Lotte Gimhae Waterpark in Korea have multiple adjacent Aqualoop slides, giving them a racing feature in addition to the fact that they send riders head-over-feet.
If riding a looping water slide does not seem thrilling enough for you, perhaps you would like to try a slide that loops over the open ocean. Norwegian Cruise Line has ships that feature a looping waterslide on the deck. Not only that, but the loop hangs over the ocean and is clear so that all riders can see below them is the sea.
4. SlideWheel
SlideWheel may be one of the most insane waterslides in the world. This contraption, built and designed by Whitewater, is located in Chimelong Water Park in China. It is currently the first, and only, SlideWheel in operation. This behemoth slide sends 4-person rafts every 30 seconds through a waterslide that is continuously turning on a wheel that resembles a Ferris wheel. The rafts are propelled through the slide by both gravity and the momentum of the turning. It is truly one of the most bizarre water slides.
5. Water Coasters
There are many water coasters out there. Some are fueled by gravity alone, and others are launched with jets of water. Cheetah Chase at Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari is the first launched water coaster. It is specifically a RocketBLAST water coaster built and designed by Proslide Technology Inc. This dual racing water coaster features two “Flying Saucer” elements on each side. The best part of this water coaster is that riders will not have to battle long staircases to reach the loading area, making the slide more mobility friendly. Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari is one of the water coaster capitals, as it features two other water coasters called Mammoth and Wildebeest which are the world’s two longest water coasters.
Which of these wild slides would you be brave enough to conquer? Let us know your thoughts by adding a comment below or on our Facebook page.
