Three seconds. That’s how long the Tower of Power takes to spit you down its 28-metre near-vertical face into a clear acrylic tunnel that runs under a tank full of sharks. Your stomach lifts, the daylight blurs, and then you’re shot out of the tube blinking water out of your eyes while the people next in line stare at you trying to figure out if you’re laughing or crying.
Welcome to Siam Park, Costa Adeje, southern Tenerife. Owned by the Loro Parque Group, voted the world’s best water park by TripAdvisor more years than I can count on one hand. Below is everything I’d want to know before booking.
In a Hurry? Three Tickets Worth Booking
- Standard entry (about $52): The basic ticket. Full-day access, no skip-the-line. Fine for a quiet weekday off-season. Check availability
- Loro Parque + Siam Park combo (about $92): Both parks, valid 14 days. The smart pick if you’re staying more than three nights. Check availability
- All-inclusive (about $194): Fast pass, lunch, drinks, towel, locker. Half the day-of stress. Check availability
- In a Hurry? Three Tickets Worth Booking
- What Siam Park Actually Is
- Tickets, Quickly
- Standard Entry: about
- Twin Ticket (Loro Parque + Siam Park): about
- All-Inclusive: about 4
- Premium / VIP / Cabana
- The Tower of Power
- Wave Palace and Mai Thai River
- Wave Palace
- Mai Thai River
- Recommended Tickets
- 1. Siam Park Entry Tickets: about
- 2. Loro Parque + Siam Park Combined: about
- 3. Siam Park All-Inclusive: about 4
- Height and Age Restrictions
- When to Go (and When Not To)
- The good months
- The hard months
- The cool months
- Closures
- Getting There
- Free shuttle bus
- Paid shuttles from further afield
- By car
- Taxi
- The Layout, In Order I’d Tackle It
- The slides ranked, in my opinion
- Food, Drinks and Lockers
- What to Bring (and What to Leave at the Hotel)
- Why Siam Park Is Worth the Hype (and When It Isn’t)
- Loro Parque, Just to Mention
- Where to Stay if You’re Going
- The Costa Adeje Bit
- A Few Quirks Worth Knowing
- The Quick Numbers
- More from this corner of Spain
What Siam Park Actually Is
Siam Park sits on a hillside above Costa Adeje in the south of Tenerife. About 18.5 hectares of slides, pools, fake jungles, Thai pavilions, dragons, elephants and white sand. The whole thing is themed on the old kingdom of Siam, hence the name.
The Loro Parque Group built it and opened it in 2008. They run Loro Parque up the road in Puerto de la Cruz, and the two parks share marketing, ticketing and a slightly absurd amount of awards. Siam Park has been TripAdvisor’s number one water park in the world about ten years in a row. Loro Parque has been the number one zoo a similar number of times. Whatever they’re doing, it works.
The park opens at 10am and closes between 5pm and 6pm depending on season. Last entry is 90 minutes before closing. Skip the urge to “wait until afternoon when it’s cooler.” You want every minute you can get.
Tickets, Quickly
There are roughly four ways to walk through the gate. I’ll take them in order of who they’re for.
Standard Entry: about $52
The base ticket. Full-day access. No fast pass. No towel. No lunch. Just the gate. Buy this if you’re going on a quiet shoulder-season Tuesday and you’re happy queueing 30-45 minutes for the headline rides. The flagship Siam Park entry ticket on GetYourGuide is the version most people end up with, and it has free cancellation up to 24 hours and reserve-now-pay-later if you’re nervous about the weather.
Twin Ticket (Loro Parque + Siam Park): about $92
This is the one I’d actually pick. The combined Loro and Siam ticket covers both parks and stays valid for 14 days from your first activation. So you do Siam on a sunny day, Loro Parque on a cooler one, and you’ve effectively saved about 30 percent over buying both tickets separately. If you’re not driving, the version of the same ticket with a Loro Parque transfer added takes the headache out of the 90-minute drive north.
All-Inclusive: about $194
The big one. Park entry, unlimited fast pass, towel, locker, lunch with drinks at one of the main restaurants. The Siam Park all-inclusive ticket is about three times the cost of standard entry, but in high season the maths shifts in its favour fast. A lunch combo at the Coco Beach Club is around 25 euros. A towel and locker are another 15. The fast pass alone, if you can find one when they’re not sold out, is 35-50 depending on the day. Add it up and the all-in is paying for itself before you’ve eaten.
Premium / VIP / Cabana
If you’re four or more people willing to spend, the premium experience gets you a private cabana with a mini-bar, jacuzzi, showers, bottle service and unlimited fast pass. There’s also a step up to a VIP version with a bigger villa. These sell out two to three weeks before peak weekends. Overkill for a couple, but a group of six who like to drink in a jacuzzi will divide the cost and have a very good day.
The Tower of Power
This is the slide everyone talks about. 28 metres straight down at near-vertical angle, then through an acrylic tunnel that cuts under a saltwater aquarium. The fish part is mostly rays and tropical species. There are sharks too, but they tend to hang out at the back of the tank. You will not see them at speed.
The minimum height is 149 cm, minimum age 14. You go on a mat, you cross your arms, you keep your legs straight, and you absolutely do not lift your head. Lift your head and the water will rip your goggles off and slap you. They make you watch a short safety briefing video, in three languages, and a staff member at the top double-checks your position.
Counter-intuitive thing: the Tower of Power queue is rarely the worst in the park. Plenty of people walk up the steps, look down, and walk back. The wait is also outside any fast-pass system. It’s first-come, first-down. Go around 11am or in the last hour, when the casual crowd has tapped out.
If you want to film yourself doing it, the photo system at the bottom takes a sequence as you exit the tunnel. Ten euros. Worth it because no one else is going to believe you otherwise.
Wave Palace and Mai Thai River
The other two headliners are softer.
Wave Palace
An artificial wave pool that pumps out genuine three-metre breakers. It’s the largest artificial wave in the world, or so the marketing says. What’s true is that the local Tenerife body-board crowd uses it for training in the off-season, and they will out-position you on every set. Don’t try to compete. Sit at the back of the pool, watch the rhythm, then ride one in once you’ve worked out the timing.
The pool runs in cycles: 30 minutes of waves, then 30 minutes of calm. There’s a clock in the bar above. If the clock says you’ve got 25 minutes before the next cycle, go do another slide and come back.
Mai Thai River
The longest lazy river in Europe. About 25 minutes if you take the slow route, longer if you let the rapids section pull you in. There’s also an aquarium tunnel here, lower-key than the Tower of Power one, where the river slows and you drift through a glass section with rays and tropical fish floating overhead. This is the bit kids remember.
I’d save Mai Thai for the last hour. After three trips up the Tower stairs your legs will be cooked, and the river is a beautifully lazy cool-down. The path is lined with tropical planting that’s been growing since 2008 and looks pleasingly overgrown now.
Recommended Tickets
The booking pool for Siam Park is messy, but only three options are worth your time. Here they are.
1. Siam Park Entry Tickets: about $52
The base option, and easily the most-booked Siam Park ticket on GetYourGuide. Reserve-now-pay-later, free cancellation up to 24 hours, and the most flexibility on dates. Our full review of the standard Siam Park ticket covers what’s included and which days to avoid.
2. Loro Parque + Siam Park Combined: about $92
The smartest pick for anyone who’s in Tenerife for more than three nights. Our combined ticket review breaks down the maths, but short version: you save about 30 percent versus buying separately, and the 14-day window means you can wait for good weather at each park.
3. Siam Park All-Inclusive: about $194
Splurge territory, but in July or August you’ll claw the cost back in queue time alone. The all-inclusive ticket review notes that lunch is at one of the main restaurants and drinks include alcohol, which a lot of people miss when comparing prices.
Height and Age Restrictions
Worth checking before you book if you’re bringing kids. The thresholds:
- Tower of Power: 149 cm minimum, 14 years minimum. Strict.
- Singha, Kinnaree, The Volcano, Saifa, Dragon, The Giant: 125 cm minimum.
- Naga Racer (the racing slide), some of the family rafts: 110 cm minimum.
- Lost City (kids’ play area), Wave Palace, Mai Thai River: any age, but younger children need an accompanying adult and a life vest. Free vests are available at the wave pool entrance.
If you’re travelling with anyone close to a threshold, measure at home before you book. The staff at the top of each slide measure with a stick, and they’re not flexible. I’ve seen tears.
When to Go (and When Not To)
Tenerife’s south coast is sunny most of the year. Costa Adeje gets about 320 sunny days. So unlike most water parks, Siam is open year-round. But “open” doesn’t mean “ideal.”
The good months
May, June, late September and early October are the sweet spot. Air temperature is 22-26°C, water is heated to about 24°C, and the worst of the school-holiday crowds aren’t there. Locals call this la temporada perfecta, and they’re right.
The hard months
July, August and the week between Christmas and New Year are intense. Local school holidays in mainland Spain push families to the Canaries, and Siam Park is the most-booked attraction on the island. Expect 90-minute queues for the big rides without a fast pass. If you must go in peak season, get the all-inclusive or premium ticket. Going on a base ticket in mid-August is a way to be miserable.
The cool months
December, January, February and early March can be cold. Air around 18-20°C, water heated but the wind off the Atlantic chills you between rides. The park is empty, which is wonderful, but you’ll be shivering in the queue for the Tower. UV-protective rash vests help. So does a $10 microfibre towel that you can keep wrapped around your shoulders.
Closures
Siam Park closes when sustained winds top 60 km/h, which happens occasionally during the calima dust events from the Sahara. Check the park’s social media the morning of your visit if it’s been windy. They issue full refunds for closure days, but only if you contact them through your booking platform within 48 hours.
Getting There
Siam Park sits on the TF-1 motorway exit 28, between Playa de las Américas and Costa Adeje proper.
Free shuttle bus
Siam Park runs a free double-decker shuttle from a circuit of stops in Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. The first bus departs around 9.30am and gets you there before opening. Pick-ups are every 30 minutes. There’s no pre-booking. Just turn up at the marked stop. The shuttle drops you at the entrance and runs the same loop back from 4pm.
Paid shuttles from further afield
If you’re staying in Puerto de la Cruz, the north, or El Médano on the east coast, there are paid coach transfers. Some of these are bundled with park entry. The combined Loro + Siam ticket with transfer is the cleanest option for north-coast visitors who want to do both parks without a hire car.
By car
Free parking on site. About 1,500 spaces. They fill from about 10.30am, so if you arrive 45 minutes after opening you might end up at the overflow lot, which is a 7-minute walk. Get there at 9.30am and you’ll park in the first row.
Taxi
From most resorts in Costa Adeje, Las Américas or Los Cristianos, a taxi is 8-15 euros each way. From Puerto de la Cruz it’s 80-90 euros and not worth it. From Mount Teide or any of the rural villages it’s even more, so combine your visit with a hire car day.
The Layout, In Order I’d Tackle It
The signage is bad. They’ve added more arrows over the years, but the paths still split off without clear directions and you can spend ten minutes looking for a slide that’s right in front of you. So:
- Drop your stuff at a locker first thing. The lockers near the wave pool fill up fastest. Aim for the ones behind the Naga Racer slide. Less walked, more space.
- Hit the big slides on the left side of the park first. Singha, Kinnaree, The Dragon, The Volcano. The queues build the slowest here in the morning.
- Tower of Power around 11am or in the last hour. The mid-day lull is real.
- Lunch around 1pm, ideally indoor. The Coco Beach Club has shade and table service, the food courts get bun-fights.
- Wave Palace mid-afternoon. Catch a cycle. If you miss it, it’s 30 minutes to the next one, which is a fine excuse to do a slide.
- Mai Thai River last hour. Float down twice if you can. Different sections feel different in the late-afternoon light.
The slides ranked, in my opinion
Tower of Power. Best for the story, not the longest ride. Three seconds in the slide, but you’ll talk about it for a year.
Singha. Probably the best ride in the park, full stop. A two-person raft, with water jets that propel you uphill at points. Six minutes long, three of which are pure adrenaline. Don’t miss it.
The Dragon. A four-person ride that drops you into a giant pendulum bowl. Less terrifying than it looks, but a great one to do with a group of friends.
Kinnaree. Similar to The Dragon but with a flat-spinning saucer at the bottom. The vertigo hits oddly afterwards.
Mai Thai River. Not a slide, but the heart of the park. Skip at your peril.
Naga Racer. The mat-racing slide, six lanes side by side. Fun, low-stakes, kids love it.
Skip: the smaller drop slides near the entrance. They’re for warming up. The queues during peak hours don’t justify them.
Food, Drinks and Lockers
Food at Siam Park is fine. Not great, not terrible, definitely overpriced.
The Coco Beach Club is the nicest place to sit, with table service and a Thai-leaning menu (pad Thai, satay, curries) at about 18-25 euros a main. The food courts (Beach Burger, Pizzeria) are 10-14 euros for burgers, pizza and chips. Service can be slow at peak.
You can’t bring outside food in. Glass is banned. Bottled water and snacks are confiscated at the gate. They’ll let you bring baby food and special-diet meals, just declare them.
Lockers are 5-7 euros depending on size and you can re-open them as many times as you want. They’re keyless, with a wristband and PIN code. The wristband is also waterproof. Don’t lose it. The replacement fee is 25 euros.
What to Bring (and What to Leave at the Hotel)
Less than you think.
- Swimwear under your clothes. Saves 10 minutes of changing-room queueing in the morning.
- Water shoes. The paths get hot at midday. Flip-flops will be left behind at the top of slides.
- UV rash vest if you burn. The sun is harder than you think this far south.
- Waterproof phone pouch. Useful for paying with phone NFC at the food courts and the bar.
- Cash for the slide-photo machines. They take cards, but the queue is faster with cash.
Leave watches, jewellery, sunglasses, and any sharp metal at the hotel safe. Sunglasses are not allowed on the big slides and they will fall off anyway.
Why Siam Park Is Worth the Hype (and When It Isn’t)
I think Siam Park is the best water park in Europe by a clear margin. The slides are world-class, the Wave Palace is genuinely better than any other artificial wave I’ve tried, and the theming gives you something to look at while you’re queuing that doesn’t feel like an industrial estate. The Tower of Power is one of those tick-list rides that earns its reputation.
It isn’t the right call if you’re travelling with kids under 110 cm. The Lost City play area is fine, but you’ll have done it in 90 minutes and the rest of the day is the bigger kids’ rides plus the lazy river. Take them to Loro Parque instead.
It’s also a tough sell if you only have a couple of days in Tenerife and the weather forecast is uncertain. A wet day at Siam Park is fine because, well, you’re already wet. A windy day is the killer. Check the forecast at booking and use the free cancellation if it’s looking dicey.
Loro Parque, Just to Mention
The two parks are run by the same group and share the same obsessive attention to detail. Loro Parque sits 90 minutes north in Puerto de la Cruz and is animal-focused: orcas, dolphins, parrots (350+ species), penguins, sharks, gorillas, tigers. If Siam Park is “thrill rides plus theming,” Loro is “world-class zoo plus theming.” The combo ticket is the smartest pick for any stay longer than three nights, and the Loro Parque ticket with south Tenerife transfers means you don’t need a hire car for the day.
Where to Stay if You’re Going
If Siam Park is the headline of your trip, base in Costa Adeje. The Wyndham Residences and the Bahía del Duque are both about 10-15 minutes’ walk. Iberostar Selection Anthelia is a 5-minute drive. Playa de las Américas works too, slightly further but cheaper.
Avoid basing in Puerto de la Cruz unless your priority is Loro Parque, in which case do that first and pop south for Siam later in the week.
The Costa Adeje Bit
Costa Adeje gets dismissed as resort sprawl by people who haven’t actually been. The truth is more nuanced. The seafront promenade between Playa Fañabé and Playa del Duque is properly nice, the food at the harbour at La Caleta is some of the best on the island, and the access to whale-watching is unmatched. If you’re spending three days here you’ll want a half-day boat trip and a coastal hike to Playa de la Tejita.
For a sunset, walk west along the promenade past the Bahía del Duque and you’ll find a small rocky beach where local couples come at golden hour. It’s about 25 minutes from the park gate.
A Few Quirks Worth Knowing
- Siam Park has a “Siam Beach”: a man-made white sand beach next to the wave pool. The sand is real, imported from Asia. Bring sun cream because the heat radiates off it.
- Sea lions: the park has a small sea lion show with educational content, included in your ticket. It’s mostly for kids but worth ten minutes.
- The Songkran tunnel slide: a less famous tunnel slide tucked behind the Singha. Often empty. Worth doing.
- Shower before slides: staff will ask you to. Sun cream residue gunks the slides. Just rinse off.
- Annual passes: if you’re in Tenerife for a month or more, the annual is about 220 euros and pays back after four visits. The locals you’ll see fast-passing everything mostly have these.
The Quick Numbers
Opening hours: 10am-5pm in winter, 10am-6pm in summer. Closed Christmas Day.
Last entry: 90 minutes before closing.
Tower of Power minimum: 149 cm, 14 years.
Most slides minimum: 125 cm.
Family slides minimum: 110 cm.
Free shuttle: Costa Adeje, Las Américas, Los Cristianos. Departures from 9.30am.
Parking: Free, fills around 10.30am.
Locker: 5-7 euros, unlimited use.
Average peak-season queue at the Singha: 60-90 minutes without fast pass.
More from this corner of Spain
If you’re building a south Tenerife trip around Siam Park, the obvious add-ons are a day on Mount Teide for the volcano summit and stargazing, and Loro Parque up north with the combined ticket. For an extra day with kids, our Valencia Oceanogràfic guide covers the same family-day-out brief on the mainland. Around the Balearics, a Western Ibiza boat cruise is the better-weather alternative if you push the trip into July.