The amazing water parks in Algarve

When you are planning a family holiday in the Algarve, one of the things that should be right at the top of your list is a visit to at least one of the region’s water parks. Whether you’re coming just with your family or along with a group of friends, the water parks must be a part of your holiday because they are an experience that’s not only different but also a whole lot of fun.

There are several options to choose from and we promise you won’t regret it. We’ve put together a list of the water parks along with some details about each of them. The hardest part will be choosing which one to go to but, if you can’t make up your mind, you can always pick more than one!

Aquashow

A little over half an hour’s drive from the Hotel Golden Club Cabanas, Aquashow offers a variety of attractions and leisure areas scattered around the park, including spacious changing rooms and a range of eateries. We’ll highlight just a few of the many fun activities on offer. The most recent new addition is the Mammothblast and it’s the biggest slide in the park. It can take up to five people in the same rubber ring! The Watercoaster is the one for roller coaster fans. Soaring to a height of 23.5 metres, its 740 metres of track take you in and out of the water, making it one of the biggest water roller coasters in the world. As for the17-metre-tall Twin Space Shuttle, this double slide is 178 metres long and has two giant capsules that feature special effects inside. If an adrenaline rush is what you’re after, look no farther than the Air Race, which simulates a ride on a stunt plane. It is the first of its kind in Europe and only the second anywhere in the world. But as well as these, there are many more attractions, including: The Wave Pool, Aqualandia, River Slide, Aquakids, the Tropical Pool, Free Fall, the Jacuzzi and more. There are also three types of animal shows, one with parrots, one with birds of prey and one with reptiles.

Aquashow is located very close to Quarteira and also features an indoor area that is great for the cooler winter months when the outdoor park is closed. Admission is free for children under the age of six.

Aqualand

Aqualand’s attractions are divided up into areas and we’ll start with Adrenaline Fun, which has Hydra, a set of three long slides, and Crazy Leap, which is a straight-down plunge into 3-metre-deep water. Then you have the Super Surf and the Rapids that you descend at high speed through a series of different levels on rubber rings and is hugely entertaining as a group. Moving on, there’s the Kamikaze, a set of side-by-side, 92-metre-long slides, which are great for racing with your friends and, to round it off, see who can surf all the way to end of the pool on the Banzai! The next area is called Family Fun. Here, you’ll find the Flying Carpet with two fully renovated slides for double the fun, Surf Beach where you can enjoy ocean-like waves in a swimming pool, and the big semi-Olympic swimming pool where there’s plenty of room for hours of family fun. The littlest members of the family will be thrilled by Kidzworld where the Rainbow Park is packed with pint-sized slides in a shallow splash pool. Meanwhile, the slightly older kids will enjoy Children’s Paradise, where there is a construction with all sorts of slides coming out of it, as well as fountains and various animal figures that will fire up their imagination.

Aqualand is located in Alcantarilha, less than an hour’s drive from our Golden Club Cabanas and admission is free for the under-5s. The park is open from the 15th of June to the 9th of September.

Slide&Splash

Covering a total area of 10 hectares, Slide & Splash features grassy lawns with sun loungers where you can relax in the sunshine, animal shows, massages, a fish spa, a shop and a variety of eateries, in addition to all of the slides and other fun. This park opened 36 years ago and its motto is “Fun for kids of all ages”.

At Slide&Splash, seeing is believing, so we’ll simply tell you the names of the attractions and leave the rest to your imagination. The first attractions to open back in 1986 were the Corkscrew, the Big Slides Tower, the Jacuzzi, the Banzai and the River Ride. The following year saw the addition of the Swimming Pool, Children’s Swimming Pool and the Jumps, with the Kamikaze opening in 1988. The 1990s brought the Foam Slides and Children’s Foam Slides, while the Kamikaze underwent renovation and the Black Hole and Crazy River also made their appearance. A major renovation project got underway in 2000 and some additional new attractions were opened to the public, including: Blue Hole, Laguna, Tornado, The Big Wave and Disco River with music and light effects and the introduction of animal shows at the “Wild Splash Show”.

Fun-filled days are in store for you at Slide&Splash from April to October. The park is located in Lagoa, about an hour’s drive from Golden Club Cabanas. Admission is free for kids under 90 cm in height (slightly less than 3 feet).

Zoomarine

If you want to combine refreshing water fun with animals then Zoomarine is the place for you. This park offers a varied programme featuring presentations, zoological attractions, fairground rides and amusements, Zoomarine Beach and Dolphin Emotions, as well as eateries and various services.

The stars of the presentations are the dolphins, seals, sea lions, tropical birds and birds of prey. The zoological attractions include the Butterfly Garden which is a butterfly house and botanic garden rolled into one; the Oceanus aquarium, offering a marine journey where visitors can learn about and feel 20 different ecosystems; the vast Americas walk-through habitat featuring exotic species; the Magic Rainbow where you can see colourful tropical birds in flight; the Porto d’Abrigo (Safe Haven) rescue and rehabilitation centre for marine species; a 4D cinema; and a habitat for tortoises, alligators and tropical turtles.

Moving on to the fairground rides and amusements, these include the Farol (lighthouse) with a thrilling 6-metre drop; the Buffalo miniature roller coaster; the Atlântida merry-go-round; the Zoomarine Express family train; the Ferry and Pirate Ship swings; and the Giant Wheel. For watery fun, there’s nothing better than the Jurassic River, with prehistoric dinosaurs along its 500-metre-long course; the thrilling Harakiri water slide; and Aquasplash where you can wage a watery “war” with water cannons and plenty of laughs into the bargain. And then you have the famous Zoomarine Beach, with its wave pool, water slides, swimming pools and water play area, as well as the Cocos River, Fantasy Island and Treasure Island! Lastly, if you’d like to try a dolphin encounter, Dolphin Emotions, offering a range of packages and experiences, is the place for you and your family.

Located in Guia, near Albufeira, Zoomarine is under an hour’s drive from the Hotel Golden Club Cabanas and is open from March/April to October.

If you need more information about water parks and other fun things to do during your stay, please ask the reception staff.