The Best Theme Parks in Asia: Roller Coasters, Waterslides, and Characters from Hello Kitty to Harry Potter

Whether you’re a thrillseeker or you just want to cool off in the tropical heat, check out our roundup of the best theme parks in Asia Pacific!

With the long winter school holidays on the horizon, we bet you’ve got some fun travel planned. We round up the best water slides, roller coasters and character theme parks across Asia Pacific. From Australia to South Korea and Japan to down to Bali, we’ve covered all the hotspots where you’re likely to be traveling with your fam!

Check out our gallery to see where you can find the fun!

Lead image by Nagashima Spa Land Japan

Travel to the land of Hello Kitty in Tokyo, Japan – and what surely must be the cutest theme park on Earth – to get your fill of Hello Kitty parades, entertainment, shows, character meet-and-greets, amusement park rides and much more. Located in Tokyo (about a 30-minute train ride from Shinjuku Station), Sanrio Puroland is entirely indoors, which means you can visit every day of the year without having to worry about rain, cold weather, or extreme heat. With its gentle boat rides and a lifetime’s supply of pink and glitter, Sanrio Puroland is a big hit with little ones – or anyone who loves Hello Kitty and her equally cute friends!

Buy your tickets ahead of time in Singapore through Changi recommends!

Sanrio Puroland, 1-31 Ochiai, Tama, Tokyo Japan, Tel: (+81) 42 339 1111, en.puroland.jp

One of Singapore’s largest water parks and just one bus stop away from Pasir Ris station (or a convenient 10 minutes from Changi, keep that in mind, out-of-towners!), Wild Wild Wet is home to a whopping 16 water rides for all ages, including SEVEN new attractions. There’s truly something for everyone: Professor’s Playground, Splash Play and the low-key Kidz Zone are both perfect for littlies with colourful, gentle slides and fun splash pads, while The Vortex offers Singapore’s first high-speed, 360° extreme loops ride (adrenaline junkies should also check out Kraken Racers and Royal Flush)! Throw in a classic Lazy River (Shiok River, for a bit of local flavour!) and wave pool and you’re sorted for a full day of fun, mamas!

Pssst! Don’t forget you can skip the queue and nab other special discounts by purchasing your tickets online ahead of time! In November you can score 50% off a third and fourth person’s Day Pass, while in December you can get 20% off a Day Pass! Terms apply; excludes gazetted public holidays.

Wild Wild Wet, Downtown East, 1 Pasir Ris Close, Singapore 519599, Tel: (+65) 6581 9128, www.wildwildwet.com

If you find yourselves Down Under, Adventure World has got you covered for fun with two dozen rides and slides, including the pulse-pounding Abyss (Perth’s only roller coaster!) and Kraken (the longest, tallest, and steepest funnel water slide on Earth!), along with more kid-friendly fare like Kahuna Falls and Kingdom Falls (geared specifically toward littles under 6). We also give Adventure World thumbs up for offering a discounted ticket for pregnant women. Just be mindful, mama: Adventure World is closed for Australian winter; the current season runs from now through April 2019.

Adventure World, 351 Progress Drive, Bibra Lake, Perth, WA 6163, Australia, Tel: (+61) 8 9417 9666, www.adventureworld.net.au

The largest theme park in South Korea, Everland has both indoor and outdoor rides, as well as a zoo within its grounds. Located about an hour from Seoul by car (or handy shuttle bus), Everland is a mecca for roller coaster enthusiasts: T Express is the steepest wooden roller coaster in the world! The park has five themed zones in total (including “European Adventure” and the cowboy-themed “American Adventure”), and offers some nice options for wee ones, including Kizcovery (for babies and up) and Kids Village for children aged 3 to 10. Be sure to purchase tickets in advance, mama!

Everland, 199 Everland-Rod, Pogok-Eup, Cheoin-Gu, Yongin-SL, Gyeonggi-Do, Korea, www.everland.com

Our sister site in Hong Kong knows Disney like we know Sentosa, here’s what they say: Hong Kong Disneyland is conveniently located right along the MTR on picturesque Lantau Island, and can also be reached by ferry boat from Tsim Sha Tsui (cool!). The park has six lands to visit: Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Manor and Toy Story Land. Our sisters at Sassy Mama Hong Kong recommend setting aside at least two days to cover the highlights; be sure to nab yourself a FastPass and download the Hong Kong Disneyland App to make the most of your visit, mama! 

Read more: Ultimate Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland, (+852) 3550 3388, www.hongkongdisneyland.com

What child doesn’t love LEGO? It would only follow that this wonderland of life-size LEGO castles and character-themed rides and attractions would be a hit with the junior set. While the park is geared toward 2 to 12-year-olds, most rides have a minimum height requirement of at least 90cm, and in comparison to some of the other parks on this list we think kids on the older end of the spectrum might be less than impressed (unless they are true LEGO diehards). So, ages 4 to 10 are probably the sweet spot, mama; just remember to bring hats and sunscreen, as there are surprisingly few shaded areas. And wile LEGOLAND is conveniently just about an hour away by car (without traffic, anyway!), we’ve found our kiddos love the LEGOLAND Hotel even more than the park itself (LEGOS in the lobby, LEGOS in the rooms, cool bunk beds…what’s not to love?). Save yourself some stress and make a mini-getaway of it if you can.

LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort, 7 Jalan Legoland, Bandar Medini, 79250 Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia, (+60) 7597 8888, www.legoland.com.my

There’s something for everyone at this resort just outside the city of Nagoya: thrillseekers will love the roller coasters (12 in total!) and waterpark; smaller kids will enjoy the adjacent Anpanman Children’s Museum; and mamas will appreciate the 16 onsen spas (making this the biggest onsen park in Japan) and outlet mall that are all within the complex. Nagashima Spa Land is relatively accessible by speed train from major cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. We find the website a bit confusing, but any travel or tour agency will be able to sort you out, mama!

Nagashima Spa Land, Nagashima Resort PR Committee 368 Urayasu, Nagoyashima-cho, Kuwana, Mie 511-1135, https://nagashima-resortkohosuishin.jp/en

Why visit this theme park when we’ve got our own Universal Studios right here in Singapore? Two words, mama: Harry Potter. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Osaka is the only place you can find this magical wonderland outside the United States. Kiddos (and let’s be honest, book-loving mamas) can explore Hogwarts castle, drink a butterbeer in Hogsmeade, fly through the air on a Hippogriff, and even pick up their own magic wand at Ollivander’s. Of course, outside all of this you’ve also got a variety of movie-themed roller coasters and shows, but non-Potterphiles can probably give it a miss. Bonus points for super easy train access from the fab city of Osaka.

Universal Sutdios Japan, 2 Chome-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 554-0031, Japan, www.usj.co.jp/e

Image by Mike Wyatt via Flickr

Calling itself “Asia’s first water jungle”, Van Nava waterpark in Thailand’s lovely seaside city of Hua Hin features 20 different water attractions, including the world’s largest waterslide, the AbyssTM. Van Nava is probably best for slightly older kids who meet the 122cm height requirement, although there is also a separate Van Nava Wonderland Kids Zone with splash pads and 10 different attractions for little ones. And accommodation is sorted: fams should head for the adjacent Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin, which includes “KidSuites” decked out with bunk beds and play areas (kids 12 and under also stay and eat free!).

Van Nava Water Jungle, 129/99 Nong Kae (821.96 mi)
Hua Hin 77110, Thailand, www.vananavahuahin.com

If Bali is old news to your kiddos and you want to reward them with some good old fashioned fun, you could do worse than Waterbom, which rates as Asia’s #1 waterpark on TripAdvisor and features Asia’s steepest waterslide, the Climax. You’ll also find a beautifully landscaped Lazy River (over 50% of the sprawling park is green space!), and an expansive splash pad (“Funtastic”) geared toward children aged 6 and up.

Waterbom Bali, Jalan Kartika Plaza Tuban, Kuta – Bali 80361, Indonesia, www.waterbom-bali.com