It has been such a whirlwind, I realised that not only have I not blogged about our trip to Desaru in June, I haven't even uploaded and saved those precious memories. So, since the holiday season is here (almost), let me share with you what we did last summer.
We decided to take a short trip cross the border to Desaru and our first stop was the
Adventure Waterpark which opened in July 2018. Being a new attraction, we were treated to clean facilities, slides, seats and every other thing.
Located along the east coast of Malaysia, it is approximately a 1.5hour drive from Singapore. We were stuck in a jam, but luckily, it wasn't too bad. Once we crossed the border, it took us about an hour to reach. The husband is quite a gangster driver you see. It is an extremely easy drive up, with hardly any traffic, so we arrived at our destination at approximately 10am where it opened its doors. Parking was easy as there was a huge carpark (paid), right next to the park.
There are a total of 5 zones and we thought we could cover them all, but we couldn't! The kids simply didn't want to leave and we even had to skip lunch! I guess play was more important than their tummies. However, there are a total of 5 food and beverage outlets within the park and they sell a variety of food ranging from burgers to staples like nasi lemak. Prices range from RM22 to RM18.
There are lockers, big and small which you may rent and I highly recommend that you do, unless you are willing to lug all your essentials around. The larger ones were at RM40 while the smaller lockers cost RM20. Rental is for an entire day and you can have multiple access. They are activated electronically, hence you do not have to worry about carrying a physical key. The toilets are nice and clean too, needless to say. Do bring along your towels though.
Here's sharing some of our favourite attractions:
1. PENAWAR RIVER
The Penawar River is a long, looping lazy river that floats amid the greenery of a riverside with a fishing village scene. A lazy pool is something which most waterparks would have but we went round twice because the water was so clean, and there was really hardly anyone. We simply enjoyed the tranquility and took things slow.
2. KRAKEN'S REVENGE
Minimum Height: 110cm
The park had several slides but this caught our eyes. Kraken's Revenge is a roller coaster that takes its passengers 30m above the ground! Riders can reach speeds up to 70km/h as they plummet to a splashing finish. Both Big and Small K were eager to try! I mustered my courage for this exhilarating ride. If you must know, I'm not quite an adrenaline junkie. But for my kids, I'll try. But alas! Small K didn't meet the minimum height requirement! I could have sworn that he is 110cm at that point in time. We tried to negotiate with the life guard as Small K was only probably only 2cm away! He tried to tip-toe while the first guard was on duty; and when they had a change of shift, we tried again, and this time, Small K had his slippers on but he was caught red-handed on both occasions. They were that strict.
My heart broke when i had to tell him he had to sit out and watch his sister and father had fun! It took him so much to muster his courage, only to be rejected twice. Oh well, security first i guess?
Big K enjoyed the ride so much, she went up not once, not twice, but thrice!
Meanwhile, I had to try to pacify my other little darling.
3. KIDS AHOY
Fortunately, all was good when I discovered an area dedicated to the younger ones! Kids Ahoy has three age-appropriate play areas filled with several slides designed for the younger kids. I was extremely impressed with how many slides they had at this area. With even a main one for the older kids or tweens! So thoughtful! The kids had to much fun sliding
This semi-sheltered area was meant for the tiny tots to frolic but both Small and Big K had a whale of a time there as well! I wasn't grumbling as I could seek shelter from the unforgiving sun! There is actually a cafe next to this area should you wish to watch your kids from. Even though it wasn't crowded, I spotted several life guards on duty. Professionalism at its peak. *claps
There were several intense slides like the Tempest (Minimum Height 122cm) which comes with a 60m diameter funnel, Riptide (Minimum Height 122cm) and the Wild Whirl (122cm). All of which my kids did not meet the minimum height requirement. While my kids, namely Big K, were disappointed, I was secretly happy. They were all parent accompanied you see! And the mere look of the ginormous tower sent shivers down my spine. So I was mighty glad that the Kids Ahoy zone had a mini ride which will still allow the little ones to circle around and end with a splash in the pool. I lost count as to the numbers of times the kids went for this attraction. Probably a few years more and they may wish to travel down and enter the Riptide for an unparalleled feeling of weightlessness. I think I might need to find some way to gain more courage from now till then!
4. TIDAL WAVE BEACH
This must have been the biggest draw of our visit! The kids enjoyed themselves tremendously in one of the biggest wave pools in the world, holding more than four million gallons of water over nearly three acres! I had been to a few wave pools, but this one is strong! I was swept away and rolled ashore at one point. I even scraped my knee. Small K was also forced into a somersault due to the sheer impact of the waves. Hence, it is extremely advisable for an adult to accompany the child should they be less than 122cm. After a while, we got the hang of things and were enjoyed bobbing around. If you'd prefer, you may also relax by the 170m sandy beach.
5. SURF WALL
(Minimum height 107cm)
If you have never surfed, this might be a good teaser. The minimum height was 107cm so phew! The boy barely made it! This is a high-energy surf simulator where beginners can catch and ride the artificial wave. If you are lucky, the guard may bring you for a ride! That dude is such a pro!
5. THE SWINGING SHIP
(Minimum Height 110cm)
We really wanted to try this out as it looked mild enough for Small K. Sadly, he didn't meet the minimum height requirement again and Big K decided not to ditch her brother this time. Next time perhaps!
TICKET PRICES & OTHER DETAILS
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| This was captured as at October 2019 but I'm pretty sure it was much higher when we went due to the peak season. |
For a fun-filled day, the ticket prices seem reasonable. Book online for a cheaper rate or be like us, we used KLOOK to get our tickets before hand and received a complimentary coffee or soft serve ice cream for every ticket purchased, along with a 10% retail discount when you book on the Klook app (while stocks last). Oh! And kids under 3 enter for FREE!
There are several properties nearby, with
Hard Rock Hotel being just adjacent to the park. We stayed at the
Sands & Sandals Resort which was a stone's throw away. A 5min drive to be precise. It is decently nice property which I'll blog about another time. Meanwhile, I'm already missing all the fun at Desaru and hopefully will be able to visit it again in the near future!
ADVENTURE WATERPARK @ DESARU COAST
Address: Persiaran Pantai, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor Malaysia
Opening hours: 10AM to 6PM
Telephone: +60 3-2203-9696
