The kid in every thrill-seeker can’t resist a freakishly high waterslide. From Dubai to Brazil, take in breathtaking views atop the world’s tallest waterslides before you gleefully plunge into an awaiting pool below. These are the most outrageous, hair-raising waterslides in the world.
Insano - courtesy Cadu Tavares
Insano – Beach Park, Brazil
Brazilian attractions often take visitors to great heights (Cristo Redentor). Enter the Insano, a 135-foot waterslide in Aquiraz, with a 14-story drop that people line up to experience. It’s a singular sharp drop that takes riders from top to bottom at speeds of 65 mph in five seconds. Makes your stomach drop just reading about it, doesn’t it?
Toboggan – Città del Mare Hotel Village, Italy
Nestled in the hills of the Sicilian coastline lies 11 turquoise waterslides that take guests of this ritzy Italian resort down the tranquil hillside, through three onsite hotel pools (with observation decks), down to splash into the Mediterranean Sea’s Gulf of Castellammare, the end point of the seaside slide.
The Scorpion’s Tale – Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Wisconsin
After stepping into the translucent capsule-like entrance, riders close the door and wait for the floor to disappear. In five to seven seconds, you will fall 10 stories (400 feet) through a nearly vertical loop. The gut-flipping ride uses sophisticated engineering to keep you secure as you go through an actual loop. The almost vertical loop has a 60-degree angle, so people don’t drop on their heads. When it’s hotter than a scorpion’s breath, Dells.com packages get you to the only U.S. waterpark on our list.
Divertical – Mirabilandia, Italy
There can’t be talk of wild rides if there’s no mention of the world’s tallest water ride that opened lasy year in Ravenna, Italy. This $26 million twister takes 10 people at a time on the ride of their lives. The elevator lift system tops at 197 feet high, and the finish line features a 45-degree water flume that boat riders pass through at 65 mph.
The Behemoth Bowl – Chimelong Water Park, China
The Chinese Behemoth Bowl is no simple waterslide… Oh, no. Like its namesake, it’s a beast. It contains a raft of four riders slowly circling the world’s largest 60-foot-wide “toilet” bowl that riders end up gleefully swirling in after tubing together at 32 feet-per-second down a 262-foot-long tube. The final plummet ends in a large splash to the pool bowl below.
The Leap of Faith & Master Blaster Water Coasters – Aquaventure, Dubai
Atlantis in the Palm Resort in Dubai offers a marine lover’s heaven with dolphins, scuba diving, an aquarium and one of the best waterparks in the Middle East and Europe. Aquaventure Waterpark has waterslides and river rides for kids of all ages. Fall nine stories in one second and find yourself surrounded by sharks and sting rays (in your clear acrylic tube) when you ride the Leap of Faith. And, be propelled up and down by water jets on a different type of water ride on a set of Master Blaster Water Coasters.
AquaLOOP – Terme 3000 Adventure Pool Complex, Slovenia
The AquaLOOP is one of the many super-fast waterslides in this popular water park in Slovenia. This one was the first in the world to build a 360-degree loop on a slide. Speeds reach 2.5 g (G-force) in less than two seconds. The Travel Channel’s Bert the Conqueror says it’s the greatest waterslide he’s ever been on.
About the author: Shelly Masterson is a mom and engineer who recently moved to the U.S. from Toronto. She has visited more than 20 countries and believes those experiences helped her become a better engineer and person.