Thailand

Visiting the Grand Canyon Water Park Near Chiang Mai with Kids

We are big fans of waterparks.  We’ve been to waterparks in Portugal, Germany, Colorado, and many more.  Water + sun + slides?  I’m in!  I love wearing my kids out at a good waterpark. However, there are water parks and then there is the Grand Canyon Water Park near Chiang Mai, Thailand.  This palace deserves a category of its own!  Imagine the show “Wipeout” came to life in a giant reservoir and added on many amenities, including a cafe, showers, locker rooms, ziplines, etc.  

We first visited the Grand Canyon Water Park in 2019 when our kids were relatively young–our oldest was only 10 years old.  Because of that, our two youngest could not come with us (it is not really fun for tiny kids, although they have added a small pool area since our first visit).

Our two youngest kids have been watching our video of this place for years since then and begging us to go back!  When we planned to return to Asia this year, we included Chiang Mai in our itinerary, specifically for this water park.  We love many things in Chiang Mai, from meeting elephants to exploring the old city and night markets, but this water park was our calling card this time!  Was it worth it?  100%.  It was more fun than I could have imagined.

The Grand Canyon Water Park is a great and popular spot for families and good to visit all year due to Thailand’s climate.  It has different facilities depending on the ages of your kids and the activities they’d like to do.  So you won’t have to worry about the park not having entertainment for everyone in your crew!

What is the Grand Canyon Water Park?

Believe it or not, the Grand Canyon Water Park in Chiang Mai used to be an inactive quarry, however, due to monsoon rains, it became a natural swimming spot.  It later became a popular spot, and this led to the waterpark opening officially in 2012.  

The red cliffs provide a picturesque backdrop to the water and slides, and we appreciate that it is an enclosed space, although very large.

The Grand Canyon Water Park features numerous facilities, including slides, an inflatable course, a zip line, a wakeboard, a kids’ zone and even two jumping pillows.  One of the jumping pillows you can launch your kids off of (I loved doing this!).  The other jumping pillow has an employee that will launch adults off!  Only my oldest son could do this due to the risk of injury (it does hurt something when you hit the water!).  My boys especially loved the inflatable climbing wall, the diving/jumping platforms and the endless fun on the inflatable course.  They literally ran themselves ragged and were so sad to leave.  They would have loved to come multiple days!

We all love the cafe for lunch, which is expensive for Thailand but still affordable.  The food is really good, and there are desserts and drinks galore!  Parents can hang here for a break (or even bring your laptop and work!) while the kids burn some serious energy.

Getting to the Grand Canyon Water Park in Chiang Mai

The location of the Grand Canyon Water Park is actually great!  If you’re staying in Chiang Mai you can easily get there in 30 minutes. 

• Grab a Taxi:  For families, this is probably one of the easiest ways to get to the park.  You can get a taxi from anywhere in Chiang Mai.  Expect the ride to be $10USD or less.  We use Grab or ask our hotel (this time we stayed in a hostel, which will get you better pricing than a fancy hotel!).  For all the best apps for your Asia trip, including Grab, see my post here.
  
• Rent a car:  We have never rented a car in Thailand because ride share is so readily available!  They also drive on the left side of the road, and I would be nervous to obey all the traffic laws as the police can be pretty serious.  However, I’m sure you can rent a car, but I would recommend against it.
  
• Get there with a tour or transfer:  Thankfully, whether you purchase your ticket from their website or from a tour, they do have a pickup option!  The ticket with transportation costs 1,250฿ ($38.58USD) for adults and 1,050฿ ($32.40USD) for kids from 90-120 cm tall.  You can also purchase it from Get Your Guide and use my code (7WAYFINDERS5) to get a 5 percent discount!

Recommended Days to Visit the Best Chiang Mai Waterpark

This time our visit to Chiang Mai was in July.  This is rainy season and we did see rain every day, even if it was brief.  However, that’s not a problem at all since this is a water park!  If it is not raining, there are giant sprinklers keeping the entire inflatable park wet anyway.  

We had a big downpour while we were there, and we all loved it.  Warm, clean rain was so pleasant as we swam and played on the inflatables.  I would totally go during the rainy season again!  Plus, there are fewer tourists overall.

If you’re looking for milder and pleasant weather, you could consider visiting from November to February.  This is the time when it begins to cool down, and the rainy season is over. 

Try visiting during weekdays, early in the morning, so you can better enjoy the park.  By arriving early, you can also get cooler temperatures compared to the afternoon.  It’s a good idea to arrive as soon as parks open to make the most out of your day.  We were so sad to leave at closing time. 

Tickets and Entry to the Grand Canyon Water Park

There are still numerous ticketing options available for you to choose from.  Just keep in mind that adults in this park are considered from 120 cm of height and kids are considered from 90 to 120cm of height.  Smaller kids enter free.

• Waterpark ticket:  Price for adults starts at 950฿ ($29.32USD) and for kids 750฿  ($23.15USD).  This ticket option includes, apart from a full day at the park: a life jacket, the floating aquapark zone, a trampoline, kayak, SUP board, water bikes, spinning boat aqua skipper, the big slider and one free zipline round.

• Water Park Ticket with Transportation:  This one costs 1,250฿ ($38.58USD) for adults and 1,050฿ ($32.40USD) for kids.  It includes the same attractions as above and they can pick you up at different times from your hotel.
  
• Water Park Ticket + Wake Board:  This one costs 1,400฿ ($43.21USD) for everyone and includes the same attractions.  However, to use the wake board your kids must be over six years old.
  
• Water Park Ticket + Wake Board with Transportation (Red Truck):  This option costs 1,700฿ ($52.47USD) per person no matter the age.  The only difference is that the transportation option is a public transportation option, but they also pick you up from your hotel.

Family-Friendly Facilities in Grand Canyon Water Park

The Grand Canyon Water Park in Thailand doesn’t just have attractions for the most adventurous ones to have fun.  Various facilities will come in handy in case you need to rest, eat or let the youngest members of your crew enjoy the park too!  Let’s go facility by facility:

• Souvenir shop.  In case you forgot your swimsuit, you want to buy a souvenir to remember your visit or purchase a water game (or something like a sunscreen).  This store will surely come in handy if you need anything!
  
• Safety measures.  Since it’s a waterpark, it does have a safety/medical area you can visit in case of emergency.  They have lifeguards, but you also have to follow the rules: wear your life jacket and follow any age restrictions.
  
• Rest areas, shaded spots and seating.  All throughout the park, you will find places where you can rest for a while, get some shade and just relax and let your kids have fun!
  
• Food options inside.  Inside the park, you will find the Copper Canyon Cafe and Restaurant, which has a wide variety of food options.  So, you won’t have to worry if your kids are picky eaters!  There are hamburgers, pizza and traditional food options like noodles. 

Attractions for Kids at the Grand Canyon Water Park

• The inflatable obstacle course is the largest zone in the waterpark and easily the best!  It did remind us of Wipeout, and it’s suitable for almost all ages.
  
• Giant sliders and jumping pillow:  These activities are tall or require big jumps, so your kids under 15 are not allowed to use them.  These are really fun and probably your most intrepid kids will love to use them.
  
• Non-water activities:  If your kids get a bit tired of the water or would like to do a different activity, you will find a zipline and a cliff jumping platform.  Your ticket includes one free zipline round, so they can soar through the air on a 400-meter-long ride.  Only our youngest did this on our last visit since the other kids didn’t want to leave the inflatables!  She loved it.  Kids can experience a thrilling way to see the park from a different angle!  I think parents can do it too, but swimsuit + zipline harness isn’t something I am interested in.
  
• Kiddie zone and splash areas:  This is the most easygoing area of the waterpark.  Perfect for the littlest ones, but it’s just as fun as other areas for everyone.  Trust me, your kids will have fun playing here!

Tips for Parents

The Chiang Mai waterpark has something for every age, however, some areas are better for the youngest ones.  Smaller children will for sure enjoy the kid zone, with shallow pools and small slides.  While older kids and teens will love the inflatable obstacle course!  

You will find many activities suitable for families to enjoy together, no matter the age, but it’s good to plan ahead so everyone has fun.  Personally, I would still hesitate to bring very young kids as they will get bored of the small kid zone quickly and want to go onto the inflatables, which they cannot do.  

This last visit in which all of us could do all the activities, was a BLAST.  If you have young kids, consider a babysitter!  I’ve used them all over the world.

Other Things to Know About Visiting the Grand Canyon Water Park

• Life jackets are mandatory in most areas and included in your ticket, which is a huge plus for families!  We kept them on all day, except when eating, but you cannot enter the inflatable area without one.
  
• Shoes and sandals are not allowed in the inflatable area.  There are shoe racks available to store them.
  
• Lockers are available for rent, and I would recommend this.  Keep the phones and valuables there.
  
• If you want to capture the fun, consider a Go Pro (be sure to also get the water attachment that makes it float in case you drop it) or an Insta360 with water stick attachment.  We used this at times in the park and then put it away to enjoy the fun!
  
  • Note: On our first trip, we had our son wear a Go Pro with a chest attachment.  In the first few minutes, it was knocked off and sunk!!  It may still be there! 
    
• For an easy break, grab one of the kayaks or peddle boats and go around the park to get a new view!
  
• Bring sunscreen and sunhats for everyone (kids included), and rash guard swimsuits for women, men, girls and boys, as shade can be limited but also, this last one protects their skin while playing.
  
• Have a few breaks for water and snacks to avoid your kids getting tired.  The littlest ones in the crew can get tired faster than expected.

What to Pack for Grand Canyon Water Park in Thailand

And last but not least, a few other things you should pack when visiting the Grand Canyon Water Park:

• Bring your own towels.  They do have towels available for an extra fee at the park. But,  if you’re on a tight budget, make sure to bring your own quick-dry towels! 
  
• Waterproof shoes or aqua socks.  These shoes are great for climbing inflatables and walking on hot or slippery surfaces.
  
• Reusable water bottles.  Your kids will be running around most of the day, so make sure to stay hydrated all day long!
  
  • NOTE: You cannot bring ANY food or water into the park.  We had disposable water and had to drink it before entry.  This is probably to get you to buy it there, but maybe also to ensure you do not have any alcohol.
    
• Pack some extra dry clothes.  You will want to pack some change outfits for the ride back to your hotel!  So make sure you pack for everyone in your crew in a comfortable bag.

Additional Readings

Best Spas and Pools in Europe with Kids

Discovering Madeira as a Family

Visiting Germany’s Largest Amusement and Water Park With Kids: Europa-Park Tips