Siam Park

Listen first. Water is falling somewhere close. There is the slap of bare feet on warm, wet stone, a ripple of laughter from a slide, and under it all the low roar of a wave building in a pool you cannot quite see yet. The air smells of sunscreen and salt. Above the palm fronds, steep golden roofs curve upward at the corners, and behind them the dry brown hills of southern Tenerife rise towards the sky.

This is Siam Park, a water park on the edge of Costa Adeje, on the sunny southwest coast of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It opened in 2008, and it was built by the same family behind Loro Parque, the well-known animal park in the north of the island. The idea was simple and a little unexpected. Instead of a plain concrete water park, they wanted a whole kingdom, themed on Thailand, set on a Spanish island off the coast of Africa.

That contrast is worth a moment. Tenerife is a volcanic island. The south is dry, rocky, and often cloudless, with very little natural greenery. Here, though, you walk through thick tropical planting, past carved stone figures, ornamental gateways, and pools edged with smooth boulders. Almost everything green around you was planted and is kept alive by careful watering. The lush feeling is made by people, in a landscape that would otherwise be dusty and bare.

Look at the rooftops as you move through the park. The tiered roofs, the sharply pointed gables, and the upturned decorative ends follow the style of Thai temple and palace architecture. Gold, red, and deep green repeat across the buildings. Statues of mythical creatures guard bridges and doorways. Thailand has a long tradition of guardian figures at sacred entrances, and the park borrows that language to frame its paths and its rides.

Now for the ride that most visitors talk about first. It is called the Tower of Power. From the top of a tall tower, riders drop down a slide so steep that it feels almost vertical. The speed comes fast — the stomach lifts, the breath stops. And then comes the surprise. Near the bottom, the slide runs through a clear tube inside a large aquarium. For a second or two, if your eyes are open, there are fish around you.

Most people who ride it say they saw nothing at all. The drop happens too quickly, and the water spray is in your face. So here is a small suggestion. If you are not riding, or if you have already ridden, walk around to the aquarium viewing area. From the side, you can watch the riders shoot through the tube. It is often more fun to watch than to experience, and you will actually see the fish.

If you prefer a slower pace, follow the sound of the surf. The large wave pool here produces some of the biggest artificial waves found in any water park. On strong cycles, the waves rise well above head height and roll across the pool like real ocean swell. A wide beach of pale sand runs along its edge, so you can lie in the sun and watch the sets come in. When the waves start, listen for the crowd. A cheer usually goes up just before the water arrives.

There is also a long, lazy river that winds through much of the park. You sit in a rubber ring and let the current carry you. It passes under bridges, past waterfalls, and through shaded sections where the light turns green under the trees. Some stretches move gently. Others speed up, and conveyor belts lift you from one level to the next. It is a good way to see the park's design from water level, without effort.

Families with younger children usually head for the play area called the Lost City. It is a large climbing structure with shallow pools, small slides, water cannons, and buckets that tip over without warning. The rule here is clear. Nobody stays dry. Parents can stand close by while the children run between the jets. It is noisy, cheerful, and a reminder that many visitors come here not for the biggest thrill but for a simple day in the water together.

For thrill-seekers, the park has several more slides of different styles. Some send groups down in large round rafts. Others twist through enclosed tubes in darkness. Some use long open chutes with sharp turns and high banked walls. Each ride usually has its own height rules for safety, so check the signs at the entrance of each queue. Queues can grow long in the middle of the day, especially at the most popular rides.

Here is another thing many visitors miss. Siam Park has repeatedly been ranked among the very best water parks in the world in traveller-review awards. That reputation has made it one of the most visited attractions in the Canary Islands. Yet it sits only a short distance from ordinary resort streets, hotels, and supermarkets. Step outside the gates and you are back in a quiet, practical part of Costa Adeje, with traffic and bus stops and the sea glinting down the hill.

Take a moment to think about the climate that makes all this possible. The south of Tenerife is known for steady sunshine and mild temperatures through most of the year. That is why a water park can stay open in months when parks in northern Europe are closed. Many visitors here have flown in from cold winters. The trade winds often bring a light breeze across the slopes, which keeps the heat comfortable even when the sun is strong.

Before you leave, stand for a moment somewhere with a view across the park. Look at the golden roofs against the brown volcanic hills. Notice how the planted palms meet the bare rock beyond the boundary. Listen for the next wave rolling in, the splash at the foot of a slide, the call of a lifeguard's whistle. A small Thai kingdom, built on a dry Atlantic island... and you are standing in the middle of it. When you walk out, the quiet will feel very sudden.