Earth has become a small world. Planes fly faster and for longer distances. More roads and rails link places previously distant. A whisper of unknown adventure becomes an irresistible lure. Vietnam is home to many wonders, beautiful landscapes, and inspirational people. Hồ Thuỷ Tiên is the local name for a hidden gem in Central Vietnam. The city of Hue is home to an abandoned water park. Pitched as fun for the whole family, the doors were officially shut soon after its opening in 2004. Signs of life are now scarce if one discounts the foliage left unchecked. Spine-chilling eerie vibes are a solitary constant companion.

Please note: Some links below are affiliate links. I earn a small amount through certain purchases you make, this does not increase the cost for you and helps support this site.

 

The Shaky Road to Ho Thuy Tien

Along the “Banana Pancake Trail”, a nickname for the tourist trail derived from hostels commonly serving the pancakes for breakfast, word has risen of the abandoned water park. Armed with digital maps and aboard a hostel-rented motorbike, it was time to get going. I would like to state now: my experience on motorized two-wheeled vehicles is next to none.

I’ve operated them a total of three times perhaps? (I crashed in Vang Vieng, Laos) Let’s just say Vietnamese city streets aren’t a paddling pool in which to wet your feet in, so to speak. The narrow practice alley ended all too soon, and it seemed to lead to pure chaos. Rules of these anarchistic streets? Right-of-way is on a first come, first served basis. One way streets, the direction of traffic and even the safe haven of a sidewalk aren’t concrete rules in this concrete jungle.

Apart from the dust kicked up by rubber tires, which was eventually washed out of my eyes by raindrops the size of grapes, the next 12 kilometers of driving were actually a breeze! After hugging the highway shoulder, the entrance to the abandoned water park, Hồ Thuỷ Tiên, became visible. Excitement swirled in the pit of my stomach at first sight of the forsaken entrance, cast aside and shunned, as if begging to tell its forgotten story.

 

Entering Central Vietnam’s Abandoned Water Park

An opportunistic local now stands guard, closing a gate on rollers as I neared. This man was adamant it is a paid attraction. He formed a single human blockade between the narrow opening between the gate and his ‘office’. Less than a single dollar wasn’t worth the ever-present enemy of a language barrier preventing the adventure off into the unknown!

 

 

 

With a building cost of $3 million USD, what do you think you would get for that price tag? An imposing dragon, perched almost protectively at one end of the lake. A dragon isn’t a common mascot for a water park, but it added to that feeling of something being out of step, a feeling that never really left as I continued to explore.

It lingered like a pair of eerie eyes peering at you from afar. Graffiti coats the dragon’s scales and every surface inside and out. Crocodiles were once housed in aquariums inside the belly of the beast (since moved to a more humane location). Broken glass littered the floor, crunching with every step. Eerie echoes fill dark corners once filled with laughter and amusement.

 

 

Neglect ran rampant as I made my way to the other sights scattered around the park. All linked by weed-ridden stones of a footpath turned derelict motor-path. Skeletons of huts are all but swallowed up by nature left unchecked. Within walking distance of these cottages, through thick shrubs, paint peeled from water slides left to rot. Flaking off into water so murky green it almost looks solid. I didn’t dare venture too close to the stagnate “water”, it seemed like the perfect habitat for one lingering croc (or the lake itself for that matter!).

 

 

On the far side of the lake, running parallel is another windy path of missing pavers. Past three grazing cows found an auditorium equipped with hundreds of seats, but the only audience was weeds, vines, and empty echoes. Within view sat alone building with the usual scars of neglect, but inside was the strangest addition to a family water park I’ve ever seen: a space simulator! The size of a mini-van! I don’t know why, but it made me fall in love with the place more. It just didn’t fit, keeping up with the whole vibe of this strange and eerie park.

 

 

Besides a few distant hums of a motor and the odd silhouette, I felt like a VIP visitor in a post-apocalyptic world.

 

 

Hue and Ho Thuy Tien – Information:

A home-stay is basically a Vietnamese hostel, usually family owned and operated. Staying at a home-stay ensured that I met many more helpful local people, and experts in the local area.
I stayed at Hue Happy Home Stay – they were great!

As with most hostels and home-stays, the information they provided about Hồ Thuỷ Tiên was invaluable. There was a tour offered by the hostel, but the experience of getting there is half the fun in my eyes. A return taxi costs around 300,000 VND ($13 USD), whereas a rented scooter was just 120,000 VND ($5 USD)for the full day with a full tank of petrol costing around 70,000 VND ($3 USD).

A fantastic way to travel between Hue and the stunning Hoi An, is via the back of a motorcycle. Easy Rider tours operate to and from both cities, and a great way to soak in the beautiful scenery the Hai Van Pass has to offer!

Visiting Vietnam’s less traveled sites, such as abandoned theme parks, comes with its risks. The paths are rundown and can be unstable/uneven. Always take your time while driving and walking around unmaintained places.

Asia’s unknown sights are out there, they just take a little more digging around to find. For another site with the same eerie feel to it, check out the plane graveyard in Bangkok, Thailand.

The opportunistic local charged an “Entry Fee” of about 10,000 VND (around $0.40 USD) per bike. If walking is more your style, “parking stalls” are available here, for a small fee of course.

For inexperienced riders, the best advice I was given was to take it slow and use your horn a lot. Horns are a common means of communication on Vietnamese roads. Use it, it allows everyone to know where you are and intend to drive. It is Invaluable, especially without experience on these chaotic roads. Locals can also read the flow these streets that seem foreign to some, but if you startle, chances are so will they. It’s not in anyone’s best interest.

This is a great resource for a  more in-depth guide on everything you need to know about riding a motorbike in Vietnam.

 

Ho Thuy Tien, Abandoned Water Park Map:

 

What to bring for Hue’s Abandoned Water Park:

Vietnamese weather is fickle, so be prepared! Other than the usual water and sunscreen, a few other items will make your journey easier and safer. Helmets in a lot of Asia can be low quality, mostly due to wear and tear, or insufficient maintenance. Always test your helmet, and try to avoid my mistake of a visor-less helmet. Dust and water in your eyes only makes the journey a little tougher. A waterproof phone case, on a necklace lanyard was also fantastic for directions. It provides protection from the weather, from accidentally dropping it, and it also protects against the ever constant threat of opportunistic snatchers.

 

Highlights of the abandoned water park, Ho Thuy Tien:

• The dragon’s mouth gives the best view of the park! Be wary of those teeth!
• That eerie feeling of walking on broken glass through the graffiti-covered innards of a dragon!
• The only space simulator I’ve ever seen in a water park!

 

 

I would love to hear your experiences about the abandoned water park Ho Thuy Tien, or similar! Any questions – leave a comment below!