Vikings and Volcano: Storytelling with Water Rides at VinWonders Phú Quốc

With a rising middle class, an expanding economy, and a tropical environment lending many tourism potentials, players in the leisure industry in Vietnam are seizing opportunities to bring top quality entertainment to this growing market. One such offering is VinWonders Phú Quốc, the country’s biggest theme park, which recently opened a River Raft Ride and a Super Flume—the only water rides in the park—to the delight of guests visiting in constant 30°C.

Establishing a World-Class Entertainment Destination

Spread across 50 hectares of lush land, VinWonders Phú Quốc takes guests out of the everyday and into six zones with 12 themes. Opened in 2020, it aims to capture both domestic and international audiences, as

• 50% of the country’s population is under 35 years of age.
• The middle class is becoming more inclined to explore abroad and return to Vietnam with higher expectations.
• Foreign travellers spend on average 10 times more than domestic travellers.

With these factors in mind, VinWonders wanted to build a theme park to impress, with one of the headline attractions being the striking, state-of-the-art Sea Shell Aquarium—among the world’s biggest—housed underneath a stadium-sized turtle. Located right next to it are the two water rides that would complete the park’s attraction mix to rival that of other world-class venues. Both these rides are creatively themed to bring the visitors’ imagination to faraway lands.

How a River Raft Ride Tells the Story of the Vikings

Inside “Land of the Vikings” is a 400-meter water ride that takes guests past rockwork, through wild rapids, to be immersed in Nordic warrior themes. An adventure aptly called “Viking River Rapids Ride,” guests in circular 8-person rafts travel down the “Angry River” and through a village, with Viking characters and Viking boats sitting in the lakes beside the river. The river isn’t always “angry” though. There are rushing sections up to 4 m/s, and there are slower moments at 1 m/s for the guests to catch their breath and discover “the numerous hidden secrets of the ancient Viking tribes.” During this almost 5-minute ride, guests will survive exhilarating bumps and spins, two barrel blasts, one geyser, as well as amused spectators on the viewing bridge, who will surely be laughing with (or at?) the riders as the boats get refreshingly wet along the journey.

Speaking of the boats, these are designed with safety and guest comfort in mind. Each rider has their own J-shaped grab bar instead of having to hunch over to hold on to a common one in the middle. Also, there are eight entry and exit points for quick loads and unloads. The large diameter of the floatation collar allows for maximum stability during the ride while still giving all the bumps and splashes that makes the River Raft Ride fun.

Conquering the Amazon Volcano with a Super Flume Splash

Meanwhile in the “South American Forest” at VinWonders Phú Quốc is a volcano towering over 30 meters, where courageous guests of all ages can adventure through with the Super Flume ride. Each of the 13 vehicles on this ride is nicely themed with a lava motif, taking guests 500 meters past volcano rockwork, misters, smoke effects, and through a dark cave with lighted crystals. During the 6+ minute ride, guests will experience uphill climbs, slow, medium, and fast river sections, a camelback drop, and a turntable that takes them to the finale—a 16.5-meter, 35-degree drop that will have them screaming down at 17 m/s, into the welcoming splash of water.

Of course, cameras are at the ready for the plunge. First, a ride camera strategically placed just off the top of the drop captures the riders’ bewildered looks as they experience the stomach tickling sensation heading down. Second, spectators on the viewing bridge will be pointing their phones at the iconic volcano to time the shot with the drop to get that perfect picture of the big splash—and beaming faces of the riders.

Thrills That Cater to Just About Everyone

In making VinWonders Phú Quốc a major destination for domestic and international tourists in southern Vietnam, the park chose two exciting water rides as part of its attractions mix, both wonderfully themed to bring guests to distant worlds. With splashes that provide a cool reprieve from the tropical climate and thrills that are perfect across a wide age range, the River Raft Ride and Super Flume will be providing irresistible fun for years and years to come.

Contact WhiteWater to explore how you can tell imaginative stories with water rides.

Visit WhiteWater’s Vietnamese website here.