14 of the best water slides in the world

These epic water slides around the world offer gut-wrenching, adrenaline-pumping, gravity-defying and kid-friendly thrills.

Water slides are an immemorial summer staple. Whether it’s days spent at your local water park or doing it DIY style in your backyard with a slip ‘n’ slide. We have put together a list of the biggest, highest, fastest, coolest and weirdest water slides around the world. From the Bahamas to Berlin to Bali, and our very own Aussie parks, plenty of H2O action can be had for families looking for some water-induced thrills.

1. AquaLoop

Where: Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast, Australia
Minimum rider height: 120cm

AquaLoop is made up of four massive, see-through, looping slides. Riders enter and stand on a trap door, left to wait anxiously in suspense, before being released down a heart-stopping 12-metre free fall that reaches insane speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour. Phew, I feel exhausted just thinking about it.

Too small? The park’s Junior Slide is a zone just for little adventurers.

2. The Stinger

Where: Jamberoo Action Park, NSW, Australia
Minimum rider height: 120cm

The stinger is part of Jamberoo Action Park’s super-soaking water ride precinct, Velocity Falls. The Stinger ride is based on a purple stinger jellyfish. The ride starts with zero gravity as you drop out of the ‘Stinger Bump’ or ‘Stinger Twist’ launching chambers. You’ll then rise and fall or twist back and forth down the epic waterslide.

Too small? Kids over 100 centimetres can race their friends on the 8-lane Octo Racer.

3. Angel’s Slides

Where: Andamanda Phuket, Thailand

Andamanda Phuket is a waterpark that embraces Thai culture and mythology. Race your pal on the dual Angel’s slides atop a temple. The two slides use patented “Master Blaster” technology to propel riders uphill with water jets. You will drop 6 metres then race through a series of dips, tunnels, twists and turns.

Thai heritage-themed, the park has five separate zones, two dining areas, entertainment spaces and retail outlets. It’s home to the tallest wave pool in Thailand and the longest lazy river in Asia.

Parents can relax in cabanas and VIP pavilions or take advantage of one of the swim-up bars. There is also a floating market with traditional boats, local arts and crafts, and a stage for cultural performances.

4. Conical Thrill

Where: Hanmer Springs, South Island, NZ
Minimum rider age: 5 years

Conical Thrill is NZ’s largest aquatic thrill ride. Grab a buddy and take an inflatable raft to the top of the Conical Thrill waterslide. Starting with a big drop in a dark green tunnel and then spinning up a high wall that the raft slides back down, its stomach-dropping fun.

Too small? Kids under nine will love the AquaPlay areas small slides and kids’ pool.

5. Leap of Faith

Where: Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas
Minimum rider height: 120cm

This almost-perpendicular slide cascades down a life-sized replica of a Mayan temple – the hallmark of the resort’s 56-hectare waterscape – but for most, the real ‘leap of faith’ occurs after the initial 18-metre drop… when you’re hurtled at speeds of up to 56 kilometres an hour through a transparent tunnel in a shark-filled lagoon! Sound scary? You betcha. Just try and keep your eyes open throughout this spine-chilling, stomach-churning ride of a lifetime.

Too small? The Splashers water play area is designed with the youngest of water babies in mind with no area being more than 90 centimetres deep. Also Mayan-themed, it features three tube slides, a side-by-side slide, cargo nets and rope bridges, cannons and fountains – so younger members of the family have no reason to feel left out.

6. Water Slide Tower

Where: Tropical Islands, Berlin
Minimum rider height: All ages

Tropical Islands is as quirky as they come: the water park sits under a giant dome within an old aircraft hangar. The rainforest-themed park could easily fit eight football fields and you can even take a hot air balloon ride inside! It is also host to Germany’s highest water slide tower. At 27 metres, the turbo slide is the tallest and is the same height as a four-storey building. There are four different slides sprouting from the mammoth stronghold, including the 76-metre-long turbo slide, reaching speeds of 70 kilometres per hour, or a leisurely family slide.

7. AquaDuck

Where: Disney Magic, Disney Cruise Line
Minimum rider height: 120cm

Speedy slides and the sea? What a perfect combination. On board Disney Magic this three-storey body slide begins with a Donald Duck countdown before sending you on a swift and splashy ride in a tube that extends six metres over the side of the ship and finishes with an unforgettable splashdown.

Too small? Head to the family-friendly Twist’n’Spout waterslide at the AquaLab.

8. King Cobra

Where: Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, New Jersey
Minimum rider height: 120cm

Just the sight of this creepy crawly will give you the shivers… 78 metres of red, white and black scaly mega-snake. On this one-of-a-kind racer riders hurtle through twin tracks of coiled tail, shoot down a sudden seven-metre drop at a 50-degree angle before the finale… bulleting up into the cobra’s mouth! The illusion of being swallowed by the crazy-eyed snake will have little ones both giddy and terrified and most likely feeling like they have lived life on the edge enough for one day.

Too small? Splash into fun at the new Caribbean Cove water play area.

9. Toboggan

Where: Città del Mare Resort Village, Italy
Minimum rider height: All Ages

Eleven slides form Sicily’s most scenic water attraction, running down a steep cliff on the northwest coast of the island and depositing riders straight into the Mediterranean Sea! Quickly take in the spectacular views on the journey down because it won’t be long until you are splashing about in the ocean. Did someone say let’s go again?

10. Cartoonival

Where: Cartoon Network Amazone, Thailand
Minimum rider height: 90cm

The world’s largest themed water park is packed with over 150 water features, including nine water slides, two massive water buckets dumping thousands of litres of water on visitors below and so much more. Featuring characters from The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, Chowder and The Amazing World of Gumball, it is as whimsical as it is wet.

11. Jumeirah Sceirah

Where: Wild Wadi Waterpark, Dubai
Minimum rider height: 110cm

The Jumeirah Sceirah is one of the tallest and fastest vertical drop water slides outside of the United States and the slide tower itself is famous for its insane views over Dubai – you can even see the Burj Al Arab. Once at the top of 32-metre tower, two capsules await two little daredevils to ride in tandem. Guests must cross their arms and legs as the capsule closes and then the countdown begins. Three, two, one… before you know it, the floor beneath you disappears and riders sail down the 120-metre slide at an astonishing speed of 80 kilometres per hour. Within seconds, racers will be at the bottom of the slide and completely out of breath. To put it mildly, this ride is pure adrenaline. Afterwards, pair up for a water rollercoater ride down the Master Blasters.

Too small? Hop in a floatie and drift down Juha’s Journey.

12. Cyclone

Where: World Waterpark, Canada
Minimum rider height: 130cm

Canada’s largest indoor water park is home to over 20 water slides. But the biggest and best? The aptly named Cyclone. With a 360-degree loop-the-loop it drops speedsters into a 16-metre free fall before shooting them into an almost vertical twist and then dropping them – quite unceremoniously – into the pool for a paddle (to calm the nerves).

Too small? Younger guests can hang ten in the Blue Thunder wave pool.

13. The Icon Tower

Where: Meryal Waterpark, Qatar
Minimum rider height: 130cm

The new 160,000-square-metre Meryal Waterpark is opening soon. The waterpark will feature the tallest water slide in the world, the Icon Tower, at a lofty 85 metres high. The waterpark will have 36 water slides, 12 on the Icon Tower alone. The unique slides will push the bounds of engineering and innovation, which won’t be found anywhere else on earth.

14. Climax

Where: Waterbom Bali, Indonesia
Minimum rider height: 120cm

Trade a day on the beach for a day indulging in wet and wild adventures. Waterbom Bali has 22 water slides, but without a doubt, Climax steals the spotlight. This 19-metre vertical slide drops riders through a trapdoor and propels them along a dramatic dip up to 64 kilometres per hour.

Too small? Visit the Funtastic water zone with smaller slides, water cannons and jets.

This article originally appeared in Holidays with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.