Easter is upon us and thousands of families are looking forward to the holiday break. While chilling with a good book may sound like an ideal holiday to you, kids will be looking for non-stop entertainment. Make the most of your family vacation by taking advantage of the warm weather we’re still enjoying and spend a day at one of these great water parks in South Africa.
KWAZULU-NATAL
Wild Waves Water Park
Take a drive to Port Edward and visit Wild Waves Water Park at the Wild Coast Sun Resort and Casino. This new family-friendly water park features some of the fastest water slides in the world, swimming pools to suit all ages, and an aqua-play area for the little ones. Try the thrill rides like the Aqualoop, Mat Racer, and Superbowl, or enjoy a leisurely float along the Lazy River. There are plenty of food outlets and a medical room for emergencies. Please note that children under 1.2m and less that 43kg will not be allowed on certain rides.
Open: 7 days a week, 9am – 5pm.
Cost: Children 3 and under – free; Children below 1.2m – R50; Adults and children above 1.2m – R100; Pensioners 60 years and above with positive ID – R50; Impaired persons (wheelchair bound) – R50; In-house guests – R10.
Wave House
Wave House at Gateway’s Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga is home to the legendary D-Rex – the world’s biggest man-made wave that combines elements of surfing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, and skating. The Flow Riders are perfect for beginner surfers and professional instructors are always on-hand. Wave House also boasts the Tube Ride with four water slides, Africa’s highest water slide, and a 4 000 m² Skatepark designed by 10-time World Skating Champion, Tony Hawk. Several bars and a restaurant with a wrap-around deck overlook the action.
Open: Monday – Thursday, 9am – 8pm. Friday and Saturday, 9am – 10pm. Sunday, 9am – 7pm.
uShaka Marine World
uShaka Marine World in Durban boasts a water park and aquarium where you can enjoy adventurous water slides, tube rides, and swimming pools along with exciting marine tanks, a “dangerous creatures” exhibit, and dolphin and seal shows. A number of sit-in and takeaway restaurants cater for all tastes, including the exciting Cargo Hold Restaurant where you can enjoy your meal next to a window overlooking a shark tank. Click here for rates and times.
GAUTENG
Wild Waters
Wild Waters in Boksburg, Johannesburg, has exhilarating rides for all ages, such as the 500m super tube, raging rapids tube ride, the speed hump slide, and the kamikaze ride. There is also a wave pool, putt-putt, picnic and braai areas, and a giant sandpit where you can play volleyball or build sandcastles.
Open: Daily, 10am- 5pm
Cost: Children (2 – 7) R60, Adults (8+) R120, Pensioners (with a pensioner card) R70.
NORTH WEST
Valley of the Waves
The tropical Valley of the Waves at Sun City is one of the most advanced water parks in the world. There’s no better place to enjoy beach and water activities in the heart of South Africa’s interior, less than 2 and a half hours from Johannesburg. Take a splash in the Roaring Lagoon, a large mechanically-generated wave pool fringed by a sandy, palm-lined beach. Explore the adventure paths through the dense forests with hidden caves, bridges, and waterfalls. Adrenaline rides include The Temple of Courage, Tarantula, Scorpion, Viper, and Mamba. Other features include the Lazy River, Royal Bath, Observatory Bar, arcade, casino, and Bridge of Time that erupts on the hour. Food courts, vendors, and a cocktail bar will keep you suitably refreshed.
Open: 9am – 6pm in summer, 10am – 5pm in winter.
Cost: Adults (13+) R120, Children (4 – 12) R70, Children (3 and under) free, Senior Citizens (60+) R60, Staff visitors (presentation of valid staff visitors card) R40, Free to all resort residents.
WESTERN CAPE
Waterworld Strand
Waterworld Strand lies next to the beach in Strand, in Cape Town’s Helderberg region. Enjoy a variety of super tubes, speed slides, and kiddie’s slides along with solar-heated swimming pools, kiddies’ paddle pool, trampolines, jungle gyms, and a foefie slide. Life guards are on duty, so bring along that book and relax at the grass picnic area while your kids play. Pack a picnic or grab some treats from the Waterside Café. Click here for rates and times.
Wild Waters Fun Park
Wild Waters Fun Park (also known as Waterworld Plett) in Plettenberg Bay is an entertaining family attraction on the Garden Route. You are guaranteed tons of fun with water slides, swimming and paddling pools, a 65m Supertube, mini golf course, trampolines, playground, and Flying Fox foefie slide. Head to the River Café restaurant for a delicious meal, grab a snack or take away from the kiosk, or fire up a braai at the picnic spots.
Open: 7 days a week, 9am – 6pm (in season and holidays) and 9am – 5pm (out of season). Click here for pricing.
What fun ideas do you have for a family holiday?
Image 1 courtesy of Wild Waters Fun Park (Waterworld Plett)
Image 2 by Jeff Sandquist
Image 4 by Sun International South Africa
Check out the top South African water parks to take your kids to this summer…
