Were you looking for some thrilling experiences? Your search would end here; spend your time with friends and family experiencing thrill at some of the best theme parks in the world.
Ocean Park, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
This is the perfect place for people who want to have fun while learning. There are two main sections in the Ocean Park – the Summit and the Waterfront. Both are connected with each via marine-themed train called Ocean Express and a scenic cable car. There are lots of opportunities for having fun as well as 5000 amazing fishes in the Grand Aquarium belonging to 400 different species and Amazing Asian Animals.
Getting There:
By plane – Hong Kong International Airport (IATA: HKG; ICAO: VHHH) which is also known as Chek Lap Kok (named after the small island it was built over), is the main port for visitors to Hong Kong by air . Designed by Sir Norman Foster, this modern and efficient building opened in July 1998 and has since been named "World's Best Airport" by Skytrax in annual ratings five times.
There are many direct flights to Hong Kong from every continent in the world. Most major cities in Oceania, Europe and North America are all served with at least one daily flight, and flights between Hong Kong and other major Asian cities are also frequent. Cathay Pacific operates one of the longest air routes in the world, linking Hong Kong and New York (JFK)
By ferry – Hong Kong is only a one-hour hydrofoil ride away from Macau and there are good connections to mainland China as well. There are two main companies handling the services, TurboJet and Cotai Jet. The ferries are comfortable and are a handy way of travelling in the region. The main terminals are:
- Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier
- Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal
- Tuen Mun Ferry Pier
By car – You can drive into Hong Kong at the Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen Bay Bridge control points, but your mainland car must have a second set of number plates issued by the Hong Kong authorities. Likewise, those wishing to drive to the mainland in a Hong Kong car must have a second set of mainland plates issued by the Guangdong authorities. Note that you will have to change sides of the road at the border; Hong Kong drives on the left, mainland on the right.
By ship – The Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui is one of the hubs of Star Cruises. Cruise ships leave from here for various cities in Vietnam, mainland China and Taiwan. There are also long haul services all the way to Singapore via ports in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.
Everland, Yongin, South Korea
The world-class and Korea’s largest family amusement park attracts about 6.6 million visitors every year. This park is divided into five areas –European Adventure, Global Fair, Zootopia, Magic Land and American Adventure. It has something for everyone and filled with thrill rides, zoo animals, fairground attractions, budget restaurants, fantasy buildings, seasonal gardens and live music.
Getting There:
By plane – South Korea has 7 international airports: Busan (Gimhae Airport), Cheongju, Daegu, Jeju, Muan, Seoul (Gimpo Airport and Incheon International Airport). South Korea experienced an airport building frenzy and today many of the smaller international airports do not have regular services.
Incheon International Airport, about 1 hour west of Seoul, is the country's largest airport, with good connections throughout the world. This is also one of the best run and best designed airports in the world - a pleasure to use, although if you arrive late watch out for pushy taxi drivers lying about the hotel buses and trying to get you to pay 3x the normal fare. There are direct inter-city buses to many locations throughout South Korea just outside the international arrival hall.
By train – Travel from North Korea (and hence anywhere else in Asia) to South Korea by train remains impossible in practice. There have been a few test runs on the newly rebuilt railroad connecting the two, but it will likely remain more of a political statement than travel option for some time to come. However, for travelers coming from or continuing on to Japan, special through tickets are available, giving discounts of 30% on KTX services and 9-30% on Busan-Fukuoka ferries as well as Japanese trains.
By boat – Busan Port International Passenger Terminal is the largest seaport in Korea and offers ferry rides mostly to and from Japan. There are fairly frequent ferry connections from Busan to Japan. JR's Beetle hydrofoil service from Busan to Fukuoka manages the trip in just under three hours with up to five connections a day, but all other links are overnight slow ferries, such as Pukwan Ferry Company's services to Shimonoseki.
Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan
Improbably lively and friendly, Universal Studios Theme Park is located in Osaka, Japan. The Park has eight different parts – New York, Lagoon, Hollywood, San Francisco, Waterworld, Jurassic Park, Universal Wonderland and Amity Village. It offers several amusement rides, such as thrilling roller coaster, child friendly carousels and simulators etc. based on popular Hollywood movies. During its first year of operation, about 11 million guests visited to this theme park, and till 29 October 2012, it’s greeted 100 million visitors.
Getting There:
By plane – Most intercontinental flights arrive at either Narita Airport (NRT) near Tokyo or Kansai Airport (KIX) near Osaka; a smaller number use Chubu International Airport (NGO) near Nagoya. All three are significant distances from their respective city centers, but are linked to regional rail networks and also have numerous bus services to nearby destinations. Tokyo's other airport, Haneda Airport (HND), is still primarily for domestic flights but has begun drawing an increasing number of international flights away from Narita.
Just about every sizable city has an airport, though most only offer domestic flights and a few services to China and Korea. A popular alternative for travellers to these cities is to fly via Seoul on Korean Air or Asiana Airlines: this can even be cheaper than connecting in Japan.
By boat – There are a number of international ferries to Japan. Except for the ferries from Busan to Fukuoka and Shimonoseki, these are generally uncompetitive with discounted air tickets, as prices are high, schedules infrequent (and unreliable) and travel times long.
Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
Enjoy thrilling rides animal encounters and captivating shows at one of the most beautiful theme parks - Busch Gardens. Experience the dive like a bird of prey, experience Safari of Fun and see some of the amazing animals at the park. Maximise your thrill and fun with several shows at Bush Gardens including Critter Castaways, Iceploration, Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation, Motor City Groove, Soundsational and more other attractions.
Getting There:
By plane – Orlando International Airport - your choice airport for Disney World or the other attractions in Central Florida. Located south of Downtown Orlando, this airport offers car rentals and free shuttles to Disney World for visitors. Miami International Airport - the biggest airport for travel in South Florida, and the best option for trips to the Everglades or Miami's beaches.
Tampa International Airport-serves the Gulf Coast, namely the Tampa Bay area. Has a direct flight operated by British Airways to/from London Gatwick. Also international flights to Canada, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands.
By train – Amtrak Auto Train carries passengers and automobiles between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida, effectively serving as a car-rail link to Florida from the Washington, D.C. Metro Area.
Amtrak Silver Star and Silver Meteor (Trains 91-92 and 97-98 respectively) - both routes begin in New York City and end in Miami. While the two routes are slightly different, within the borders of the state of Florida, the routes are exactly the same. This option can get you from most East Coast cities to Miami, or many Florida cities in between.
By boat – Florida is possibly the largest state for cruise ship embarkation in the United States. Port Canaveral, Tampa, and Miami are all popular ports for embarkation, with cruises heading throughout the Caribbean. There are also many casino cruises that depart from Pinellas County and South Florida.
Europa Park, Rust, Germany
Europa Park is a perfect mix of entertainment, adventure and thrill. The park is home to 11 roller coasters that offers high-adrenaline rides. The park has something for everyone such as beautiful parks, cleverly-conceived themed areas, fantastic shows including ice revues and children’s theatre. One can enjoy the fun and thrill ride on the Silver Star and Loop-the-loop roller coasters and nostalgic driving experience behind the wheel of vintage car.
Getting There:
By plane – The most important airports are Frankfurt (IATA: FRA), Munich (IATA: MUC) and Düsseldorf (IATA: DUS). Berlin-Tegel (IATA: TXL), Cologne (IATA: CGN), Hamburg (IATA: HAM) and Stuttgart (IATA: STR) serve some international flights as well.
Frankfurt is Germany's main hub - one of Europe's four major hubs - and the destination of most intercontinental flights. Munich is a growing secondary hub. Travellers can easily fly in from most places of the world and then connect with Germany's biggest and most respected airline Lufthansa, which is a member of the Star Alliance. Germany's second largest airline is Air Berlin, a member of the Oneworld airline alliance, which also serves lots of destinations throughout Germany and Europe (and some worldwide) from several airports.
By train – Regular train services connect Germany with all neighbouring countries - most operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB). Almost all neighbouring countries (especially Switzerland, Poland, Denmark, Czech Republic and Austria) and even some non-neighbouring countries (eg: Italy) are quite well connected with "EuroCity" (EC} trains. They are a little bit slower and slightly less comfortable than the European high speed trains but nevertheless reach up to 200 km/h. They are a worthwhile way to travel - not only for budget travellers (although budget airlines might be cheaper) or landscape viewers (especially the Rhine valley lines from Cologne to Mainz via Koblenz).
By boat – International ferry services exist, notably to Scandinavia. Some of the most popular connections are listed below:
- Lübeck and Sassnitz are connected to Russia's Kaliningrad and Saint Petersburg. Sassnitz is also connected to Rønne (Denmark), Riga (Latvia) and Trelleborg (Sweden).
- Kiel has connections to Gothenburg (Sweden), Klaipeda (Lithuania), and Oslo (Norway).
- Rostock has connections to Helsinki (Finland), Trelleborg (Sweden), Liepaja (Latvia), and Gedser (Denmark).
- Travemuende has connections to Helsinki (Finland), Malmo (Sweden) and Trelleborg (Sweden).
- Puttgarden is connected to Rødby (Denmark).
By bus – Germany is served by buses cooperating in the Eurolines network. The German partner is called Touring. Due to the large number of immigrants from the former Yugoslavia, every major bus company from those countries serves routes to (mostly Southern) Germany. From Bosnia and Herzegovina these include Salinea, Prosic and Globtour; from Croatia you can come with Čazmatrans and from Serbia you can choose Panonijabus, Niš-ekspres and others. See also bus travel in the former Yugoslavia.
Walt Disney World, Orlando, United States
The world’s largest and most visited entertainment complex is spread over an area of 27,443 acres. It is the most visited amusement park in the world with four different sections - Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. All four has its own attraction and offer adventure. It is home to 24 themed resorts, 2 water parks, 4 theme parks and numerous additional recreational and entertainment venues.
Getting There:
By plane – Orlando International Airport (IATA: MCO) is the city's primary airport and the busiest airport in the state in terms of passenger traffic. The airport is located to the southeast of downtown but is centrally located with respect to the region and area attractions.
Orlando International Airport is a secondary hub for AirTran Airways, Southwest Airlines, & JetBlue Airways, all of which fly numerous routes to/from Orlando. Furthermore, Delta Air Lines offers 10-15 flights daily between Orlando and their super-hub in Atlanta and American Airlines has 9 flights a day to their Miami hub. Non-stop service is offered to nearly every major city east of the Mississippi and to several major western cities (LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, & Denver).
By train – Orlando has an Amtrak station that provides service to other destinations such as Miami, but also connects to other points as far north as New York via the Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines.
In nearby Sanford, the southern terminus of the Amtrak Auto Train which carries passengers and automobiles between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia, effectively serving as a car-rail link from Orlando to the Washington, D.C. Metro Area.
By Car – Driving to Orlando should be considered as a real and viable possibility for anyone with the geographic means. All Orlando attractions, including most major resorts and hotels are conveniently located off Interstate 4 which connects to Interstate 95, running from Maine to Florida. Five minutes off of a choice of exits, depending on your destination, takes you anywhere you need to go. This can prove to be the most economical for your trip, as well as the most convenient.
There are many other popular theme parks where you can plan to visit and spend your holidays.
- Disneyland, Anaheim, US
- Six Flags Magic Mountain, California
- Cedar Point, Ohio
- Universal Studios, Singapore
- Parc Asterix, France
- Ratanga Junction, South Africa
Make a plan with your friends and family, and book your discounted flightticket to be there to have fun.