Sunway Lagoon

Sunway Lagoon Theme Park is located in Petaling Jaya – a thriving satellite town – about 15km southwest of the Kuala Lumpur city centre. With a variety of watery rides on offer and plenty of dry-land activities too, there are few more fun ways to spend a day than cooling down at Sunway. Water slides that whirl and twirl, a manmade ‘river’ ride, a surf beach, a wave pool, a 360° revolving pirate ship… the list of fun attractions at the 80-acre park is extensive. Built on the site of a former tin mine and quarry, when it first opened the highlights of this multi-zone theme park were its water slides and the world’s largest manmade surf beach. These days, it has expanded and encompasses a total of five different zones – the water park, Scream Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park and Wildlife Park. Waters of Africa: Sunway Lagoon’s water park, the Waters of Africa ‘playground’, is its most popular zone. Malaysia’s first surf simulator, the FlowRider, sees the most action; here, surfers can show off their skills and it is frequently used for competitions while surfing and body-boarding sessions are held at weekends at the wave pool. Other popular rides include the Congo Challenge – a six-lane water slide that achieves speeds of up to 40kmph – while thrill-seekers will love to spin around in the loops of the African Pythons before they’re spat out of the gigantic tubes. Another ride for daredevils is the Cameroon Climb. Here, two riders swoop down from a height of 15m in double tubes and shoot up and down till they come to a standstill. Kids are also well-catered for – especially noteworthy is Little Zimbabwe, an interactive water playground built to resemble an African village complete with huts and Masai warriors guarding the entrance. Scream Park: Sunway Lagoon’s newest addition, Lynton V. Hariss’ Scream Park is home to everything that goes bump in the night. It’s extremely popular due to its ‘after-hours’ feel – lots of scare zones, a vampire-centric horror theatre (Pontianak Theatre of Fear) and a ghost house (Rumah Hantu in 3DX). The most iconic movie monsters are brought to life at Horrorwood Studios – an exhibit where you can traverse through the world’s biggest zombie apocalypse landscape and also meet Freddy, Billy, Jason and other unforgettable characters. Those looking for a little post-Judgment Day fun can arm up with high-tech weaponry and face off against the elite Cyberdyne Systems Corporation battle squads in an interactive game of laser tag within SkyNet’s booby-trapped battle arena at the TerminatorX: A Laser Battle for Salvation attraction. There’s also a ‘Night at the Museum’ attraction, an exhibit of Larry’s pals within a replica of the famous movie’s museum gallery. Amusement Park: Comprising the Wild Wild West and World of Adventure zones, the Amusement Park is where all the heart-stopping adventure takes place. Populated by ‘cowboys’ and ‘red Indians’, the western frontier section has the standard thrill rides and an interactive wildlife zoo where you can stroke giant tortoises and cuddle hamsters. Perfect for kids, adults are kept occupied with the Grand Canyon Rapid Falls (where you sit on inner tubes and swirl down the 350m river). For those looking to get a kick, the Niagra Falls Flume Ride is the attraction to head to – you’re seated in a ‘log’ that’s dropped down a steep hill into a 260m-long river. Excitement is the name of the game at the World of Adventure. There’s an enclosure with majestic Bengal tigers but if you’re in the mood for an Indiana Jones adventure, then ride through tunnels and evade booby traps and lethal tarantulas at the Lost City of Gold. The highlight of this section of the park is the Pirate’s Revenge – a 360-degree rotating pirate ship that swivels 24m off the ground. The screams emanating from riders can be heard throughout the park. Other attractions include the Buffalo Bill Coaster, Butch Cassidy’s Trail, Colorado Splash, Tomahawk and a 428m suspension bridge that has views of Sunway Lagoon’s entire expanse. Extreme Park: A good place for adrenaline junkies, the Extreme Park has an archery range and paintball arena as well as all-terrain vehicles, a rock-climbing wall and go-karting, golf and other activities. Besides that, water sports, including diving lessons and Asia’s highest slingshot ride – the G-Force X – call this park home. Extreme Park also has Malaysia’s longest flying fox ride (206m) and visitors can take the ultimate leap of faith with the country’s first bungee jump. Wildlife Park: Those looking to get in touch with their inner Tarzan and Jane can check out the animals at the Wildlife Park. Home to more than 150 species of animals from across the globe, it’s Malaysia’s first fully interactive wildlife display with educational animal-themed attractions and live animal shows. With a wide array of water rides, kid-centric attractions, midway amusements, thrill rides, live shows, animal exhibits, themed souvenir shops, and above-average dining venues, it’s no wonder that Sunway Lagoon is a favourite local attraction.