Back in Vietnam and looking for something different to do, we hired a motorbike and set off in search of Ho Thuy Tien abandoned waterpark in Hue.
The park was opened in 2004 and cost millions of dollars to build but was never completed and closed two years later. Many locals believe the park to be cursed and now it has been left to the elements – waterslides overgrown in the forest, a giant dragon that once housed an aquarium and an amphitheater which has fallen apart.
We heard that it was patrolled by guards and was hit or miss whether they’d let you in, but a small monetary bribe might suffice.
Sneaking In
It only took around 20 minutes from the centre of Hue and we headed to the entrance round the back rather than the main one. Success! No guard. So we sped into the park and over the dirt tracks, pulling up outside the amphitheatre first.
Guard on Patrol
The park is huge and centres around a lake, so it’s best to take the motorbike in to get around. After the amphitheatre we set off to the other side of the lake but out of nowhere the guard appeared on his bike and blocked our path. Game over. He was very nice about it but said that he couldn’t let us in. We offered money and he wouldn’t take it, but after a few minutes of persuasion he agreed as long as we were quick and didn’t climb on anything.
When we got round to the main area there were lots of bikes and a few more people, even a lady selling drinks and making money giving out parking tickets (only 5000 VND, best to pay so she doesn’t hide your bike!)
The Mouth of the Dragon
The dragon stands eerily in the middle of the lake, decaying and covered in graffiti. You can go inside what was once the aquarium, all the tanks are gone and broken glass covers the floor – apparently there were some crocodiles left to fend for themselves when the park closed but these have long since been moved on. You can walk up to the top and get a view of the whole park from the dragon’s mouth – pretty incredible!
Slide Away
Don’t just leave it at the dragon, further back into the forest are the abandoned waterslides and children’s area. Completely overgrown by nature and pools filled with murky green water. There were a couple of locals there fishing, three-eyed fish for dinner anyone?
A great place to explore if you can, it’s not as secret as it once was but we’d say it’s definitely worth a shot trying to get past the guard!
Check out Seth’s video from the day:
Have you visited the abandoned waterpark in Hue?
Let us know any updates and how you got in!
