Every year we end up back at the same water park, and every year we ride more or less the same things. The kids love the water and they love the sand, so the trip practically plans itself.
The first time we came was in 2017, when our younger daughter was only a few months old. She spent that whole visit asleep in someone's arms while the rest of us took turns on the shore.
The park's steep drop rides hold no appeal for me — they look terrifying, and I've always been content to stand at the bottom and watch the kids. hillway tried one of them once, and the fear outweighed any fun he might have had. Even the smaller slides, the ones that aren't especially tall or steep, have a way of shooting water up your nose the moment you hit the pool. Not pleasant.
So while the big funnel gets all the screams, I'll take the small one: gentle, safe, and worth riding over and over. Our youngest went around on it so many times she lost count, grinning the whole way.
Up on the second floor there's an infinity pool that looks straight out to sea. You can swim a few laps and then hang on the edge with the wind in your face and nothing but open water ahead of you. Both girls have been taking breaststroke lessons, and their swimming has come along nicely. hillway has been teaching himself, and he can now manage a decent stretch on his own.
We happened to pick an overcast day, which meant no baking sun and no stuffy heat — very comfortable overall. The sea was rough and the water ran cool, so stepping out wet into the wind got chilly fast; dry towels came in handy. The showers on the ground floor beat the ones upstairs on both heat and water pressure, and there are hairdryers, so you can wash your hair and dry it before leaving. Lockers are 20 yuan for a small one, and parking costs 15.
The park has added a wave pool since our last visit, and it was the liveliest spot of the day, complete with a dance performance that kept the crowd going. The grounds are big enough to wander, and there's a stamp-collecting game for kids — fill the card and trade it in for a small gift, like a little dolphin charm.
Getting out of the house on a weekend matters more than it sounds. Staying in, two days disappear without much to show for them, and the following workweek feels flat and repetitive. A few hours outdoors, even a tiring few hours, shift something. Different surroundings, different mood — and a bit more ease to carry into the week.
