Aqualandia: Benidorm’s original water park hasn’t lost any of its splash

When Aqualandia opened on 23 May 1985, Benidorm discovered something still rare in Europe: an entire hillside turned into a water playground. For more than twenty years it was even the continent’s largest water park. Newer giants have overtaken it since, but it has two things the newcomers lack: a setting of pines and rock at the foot of the Serra Gelada, and a rock-solid reputation with several generations of families.

A park on a hillside

Aqualandia is terraced into the slope, which gives it a special charm… and a few flights of steps. The big slides start at the top of the park, while the calm pools and areas for little ones sit lower down in the shade of the pines. The whole site covers around 15 hectares, and neighbouring Mundomar belongs to the same group — you can even combine the two (see prices below).

The rides, from gentle to wild

The official website lists sixteen attractions. Here is how we’d sort them as a family:

For little ones and ‘I’ll watch first’ types: Mini Zig-Zag, the Laguna, the Pistas Blandas and Adventureland, designed for children with water play and small slides.

For the whole family: the wave pool, the Amazonas lazy river, the Rápidos and the big Iguazú Jacuzzi, ideal for a break without getting out of the water.

For thrill-seekers: Zig-Zag, Cyclón, Black Hole, Splash, Géiser, Niágara, the famous Big-Bang and above all Verti-Go, a 33-metre capsule slide billed as one of the tallest in Europe. The idea: you step into a capsule, the floor opens beneath your feet… and physics does the rest.

Minimum heights and ages are posted at the entrance to every ride. Check them for the most spectacular slides before the kids start dreaming about them in the car.

2026 prices

The 2-day combo with Mundomar is probably the best family deal in the area: one day of water, one day of animals, one car park. And if your children are under 4, their entry costs nothing.

Tips from ‘veterans’

Book online. The difference from the gate price is up to €6 per adult: for a family, that pays for the ice creams.

Arrive at opening time in July and August. Queues for the big slides grow quickly by late morning, and the best shady spots go early.

Water shoes and sun cream. The ground gets scorching between rides, and the Benidorm sun never takes a break.

Waterproof pouch. For your phone and bank card, it is the small accessory that saves big worries.

Consider the afternoon ticket. If you are staying in Benidorm and the kids have a nap, arriving around 3pm gives you a full half-day for less.

Aqualandia or another water park?

Aqualandia is all about big thrills in a natural setting, with rides for every age. If you are staying further south, Aquópolis Torrevieja will be closer; in Benidorm itself, Aqua Natura, next to Terra Natura zoo, is a more compact alternative. And for a ‘dry’ day, Terra Mítica is just a few kilometres away.

All our ideas with children are gathered in our guide to family days out on the Costa Blanca.