6 Family Fun Theme Parks in Asia Worth Checking Out
Disneyworld might be every kid’s dream, but if you only have a couple of days for a family holiday and can’t exactly spend most of it on a plane to Orlando, Florida, then this article is perfect for you!
Did you know that we actually have some of the world’s most captivating theme parks in our little corner of the world? Forget conventional rides that barely spark intrigue. We’re talking technological marvels, fantastical atmospheres, and cultural wonders that celebrate imagination in their very own way.
Join us on a journey of some of the most extraordinary theme parks in Asia, where they defy gravity, reality, and even the norm.
Escape Theme Parks, Malaysia
Escape is actually so much more than a theme park. Unlike the usual amusement parks where you’re basically spending most of your time queuing to get onto a ride, Escape aims to bring out the kid in you with activities that reference some of the good old childhood fun we parents might have had as kids.
You know, things like water bombing into a pool to make a great splash, climbing coconut trees, dunking your friends, monkey bars, or pretending your skateboard is a car. Silly things take on new meaning and challenge at Escape, which turns all these into real and fun activities for the whole family.
Most of these challenges can be found at both their Penang and Petaling Jaya locations, with the biggest difference being that the Penang theme park is outdoors and features water park slides while the PJ theme park is located indoors in Paradigm Mall.
What makes each park especially special, though: In PJ, you can learn to be an acrobat by tackling the Aerobat, while in Penang, you can actually set up camp there and spend the night under the stars.
Pop Land, China
Definitely taking its place as one of the most intriguing theme parks on this list, Pop Land doesn’t actually have any thrill rides. Which reminds us that a theme park is essentially, well, a themed park — a park designed, decorated, and filled with interesting things in a certain theme that people love.
Well, look no further than Beijing if you love all things cute from Pop Mart. The Chinese toy maker Pop Mart decided that it was high time the cute blind-bag characters they’re known for came to life and made an appearance across the realms of social media — posing with humans, of course.
At this theme park, instead of thrill roller coasters, you’ll find a plethora of well-designed landscapes, from an enchanting European castle to a wild and yet cutesy jungle treehouse. And the stars of the show, Pop Mart characters such as Molly, Dimoo, The Monsters including Labubu, Skullpanda, Pucky, and more.
It’s actually a tiny park (said to be 100X smaller than Disneyland Shanghai!), and reviews say you can complete it in anywhere between 20 minutes to two hours. There are a few fun things for kids to do, such as passport stamping throughout the park and an interactive storytelling experience.
The highlight that draws visitors back each time are the exclusive Pop Mart toys that can only be purchased from the theme park gift shop. So if you’re looking for exclusive collectibles to adorn your work desk back home, this is the place to grab them all.
And, because the toy makers know that kids will still need to expend their energy somehow, there’s an adventure playground with trampolines, swings and mazes to keep them busy while the adults stuff their shopping bags!
Ocean Park, Hong Kong
Ocean Park is an old staple that has become synonymous with travelling to Hong Kong with kids, but far from resting on its laurels, it’s actually been revamping and repositioning itself as an all-in-one holiday resort destination.
Now, not only is it so much more than a one-day-visit sort of amusement park, it’s undergoing a transformation that sees the development of many more retail, dining, entertainment, adventure, and wellness zones to keep the whole family happy and content.
From now till 19 May 2024, a special Ocean Park X Le Petit Prince collaboration to celebrate the famous little prince’s 80th anniversary will feature sparkling kaleidoscopic light installations and exclusive tribute merchandise.
Of course, there are still hair-standing thrill rides galore, and some extra quirky activities such as a rock concert, laser gun battleground, and a literal walk down memory lane with a complete throwback to 50s and 60s Hong Kong. There’s also a lot more focus on conservation education, which they try to inculcate in little ones through interactive meet-the-animal sessions.
The kids will also love their sister park, Water World, touted as “Asia’s all-weather, year-round waterfront water park” with its 27 indoor and outdoor wet, wet rides and slides.
Besides the usual lazy river, and indoor and outdoor wave pool options, Water World also offers a surf simulator, and 9 water slides that promise thrills and spills for the adventurous ones among us.
These include a straight free-fall drop (120cm and above), a pitch-black water slide with unexpected twists and turns, and a multi-slide experience where you dive headfirst on a rubber mat through tubes leading to a massive drop!
And of course, when the day is done, simply collapse into the soft beds at the Ocean Park Marriott and Fullerton Hotels, which offer the themed rooms of kiddy dreams, be it unicorns, dinosaurs, pirates, pandas or mermaids.
Tip! Be sure to check the websites for opening days, as both theme parks are not open on all days of the week.
Lihpaoland, Taiwan
Lihpao Land in Taichung, Taiwan, is actually more of a Lihpao Resort family destination than it is just a theme park.
In fact, as Taiwan’s biggest resort park, it combines an outdoor and water theme park, luxury hotel accommodation, and also throws in an additional outlet mall, escape rooms, racing circuit, and to top it all off, Sky Dream, Taiwan’s biggest Ferris Wheel. Where would you even begin??
Lihpao Land offers a couple of really standout features that you can’t really find elsewhere and certainly not in one location:
The Lihpao International Racing Park features a 1.5km-long go-karting track and race cars imported from Italy that are fun enough for beginners and intense enough for serious racers.
Discovery World, the amusement park section of Lihpao Land, features 33 rides ranging from mild to extreme. In particular, it’s known for Gravity Max, the broken rail-tilt roller coaster that’s not so much a thrill ride as it is a heart-in-your-mouth ride.
Be prepared to have all your blood rush to your face as you hang precariously in the air at a 90-degree angle before plummeting and loop-de-looping. Please also consider purchasing the GoPro package so you own a copy of your terrifying screams on video to share with the people you love!
Fans of LINE Friends will also love the special LINE Friends Town in Discovery World with its own merchandise store and LINE Friends-themed hotel rooms and Ferris wheel carriages.
Finally, Mala Bay, the resort’s renowned water park, is home to Big Tsunami, its huge outdoor wave pool boasting up to 3-metre waves — apparently Asia’s biggest artificial waves. Of course, since it’s outdoors, it’s best experienced in warmer temperatures, so visiting between June to September would be best.
Lotte World Adventure Busan, South Korea
Well, if there was ever a reason to get on a “train to Busan,” this would be it. For over thirty years, Lotte World has been an absolutely unmissable attraction in the heart of Seoul, but a brand new chapter began with Lotte World Adventure Busan just under two years ago.
Not only is it much larger than its predecessor, it also features exclusive thrill rides, such as the Giant Digger (three 360-degree loops!), Giant Swing and Giant Splash (Korea’s first water-coaster) — yes, everything is bigger, better, faster at Lotte World Adventure Busan!
In fact, the roller coasters aren’t just for people. At Lotte World Adventure Busan you’ll also find South Korea’s first rollercoaster-restaurant, Rara Cost, where your meals will come swooping down, dramatically twisting and turning on roller coaster tracks, right to your table. We don’t know how the food tastes, but surely it’s worth a visit just to witness this technological marvel!
What we found quite kooky is that you can actually rent school uniforms and dress up as a Korean student for the day while you wander through the theme park. If this doesn’t bring “All of Us Are Dead” vibes, we don’t know what does.
Lotte World Adventure Busan is actually the centrepiece of Busan’s Osiria Tourism Complex, a multi-trillion won development which also features a premium outlet mall, skyline luge, golf course, luxury hot springs, and more. Watch this space, because more attractions are currently in development, including Aqua World.
China Dinosaurland, China
China has proven to be a treasure trove of dinosaur fossils, contributing significantly to our current understanding of prehistoric life, which is why it’s only apt that it has its very own China Dinosaurs Land in Changzhou.
While you won’t exactly get to whizz past live brachiosauruses in a gyroscope a la Jurassic World, it might be the next best place to experience everything dinosaurs, in this lifetime at least.
Besides dinosaur animatronics and dino-inspired thrill rides from exhilarating drops to 4D roller coasters, there’s also a China Dinosaurs Museum where you can check out the fossils and life-sized dinosaur models.
A hot favourite at the park is the Dino Tour dark ride created by the same award-winning design studio that has also produced attractions for Movie World in Germany, and here at home too, with the Madagascar ride at Universal Studios Singapore, and the Typhoon Theatre experience back when the Maritime Experiential Museum was still open in Sentosa.
The immersive Dino Tour combines a pre-show walkthrough, animatronic dinosaurs, a 4D show with light and water effects, and a climactic special effects rampaging dinosaur chase.
Tip: Kids have to be at least 1.4m for most of the rides, so it’s not exactly a place to bring the little ones. Summer is a great time to visit with water park rides, hot springs and nightly fireworks, but winter is the best to escape the impossibly long ride queues.
Clearly, Asia plays host to much magic, excitement and intrigue as well with its theme park offerings, from the cutesy to the prehistoric. Any of these will make a great family getaway destination where your kids can just let their imagination run wild.
Don’t forget to get your travel insurance for the whole family (kids enjoy free travel insurance with our DirectAsia family plans!) before departing Singapore for your theme park adventures!
