Hidden away in the Hai Bà Trưng District in Hanoi, Vietnam, is a decaying and forgotten waterpark. Unlike the backpacker ritual of visiting Ho Thuy Thiên in Huế, Central Vietnam – the park in Hanoi has remained unknown, and at the time of writing, doesn’t appear on Google searches.
There is precious little information about the derelict Tuoi Tre Park, apart from a fading entrance sign with the year 2013 written on it. However, the decay and rust suggests this site has been dormant for longer.
The park is a short forty minute walk from Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, the main hub where tourists are dumped and forced to eat overpriced Phở.
On our journey to the park we found ourselves amongst locals who seemed surprised to see us, suggesting it’s not an area accustomed to random visitors!
We were initially drawn to visiting Ho Thuy Thiên, the much-known Huế backpacker haunt, where a waterpark has been left to rot since 2004, but Tuoi Tre Park offered a slightly fresher experience.
Small in size, you’ll be able to walk around the park within twenty minutes. Either side of the park are buildings where events seem to take place – a hall for weddings and similar events. One of the buildings looks like it may have previously been a hotel. Perhaps the park was an add-on to one of these sights.
The main waterslide.
Although not huge in size, it’s still a fascinating sight to see a theme park, a place made for fun and frenzy, to be left hauntingly deserted, quietly aging in the Hanoi sun. Worth a visit for those wanting something slightly less conventional to see in Hanoi!
Below are some more pictures:
Me struggling to find any ride staff.
My cousin Kelly checking some dodgy steps.
Abandoned Ferris Wheel at Tuoi Tre
2 Responses
Hey did you have any problems with the security while there? I was just there and the pace was crawling with workers and if I tried the main entrance they shooed me away.
Yes, it was not welcoming at all – the main entrance, if I remember correctly, was a hotel entrance, and the security there was strong.