Chiang Mai has two main water parks, and they make for very different days out. Grand Canyon Water Park in Hang Dong is built in a flooded former quarry. You spend the day in a deep lake, in a life jacket, on floating inflatables, a giant slider and a zipline. Tube Trek Water Park in San Kamphaeng is the classic kind, with slides, a wave pool, a lazy river and a kids’ zone.
Either one fills a half day from the city. This article covers what each park has, the rules that catch families out, how to get there and back, and when to go.
Hours, ticket types and rules change. Grand Canyon’s details below come from its official website (checked October 2026). For Tube Trek, we couldn’t find a 2026 update from the park itself, so phone the park or check its official social media before you go.
Grand Canyon Water Park (Hang Dong)
The park is in Nam Phrae, Hang Dong district, about 20 km southwest of the Old City, a 25–40 minute drive. Red quarry cliffs surround a deep green lake, and most of the activities float on it.
What’s there
According to the official site, the standard ticket covers:
- a giant floating aqua park (an inflatable obstacle course) and a floating trampoline
- a kids’ zone with smaller inflatables and slides
- kayaks, SUP boards, water bikes, spinning boats and aqua skippers
- the giant slider, for ages 15 and up
- jumping from high platforms (8 and 10 m), for ages 18 and up
- one zipline ride across the canyon, with a 100 kg weight limit
Wakeboarding on the cable, with instructors, costs extra, and so do lockers (with a refundable key deposit) and food.
Rules worth knowing before you go
- Life jackets for everyone. They’re required for all water activities and provided free. Without one, you’re not allowed in the water.
- Deep water. The park says you don’t need swimming experience, because everyone wears a life jacket. Still, the lake is a deep former quarry and the obstacle course has no shallow end. Small children and nervous swimmers are more comfortable in the kids’ zone. Check the leg straps on children’s jackets yourself.
- Supervision. Children must not be left unattended.
- Health. The park advises pregnant guests and anyone with heart or neck problems not to use the rides.
- No outside food or drink. There are restaurants on site, with Thai and Western food and halal-friendly options.
- No refunds, including for storms, strong wind or heavy rain. The park stays open in light rain, but some activities pause in heavy rain, strong wind or thunderstorms.
- Child tickets go by height, not age. Check the height bands on the official site.
The park says more than 30 trained lifeguards are on duty and that Chiang Mai University tests its water every six months.
The other park on the same quarry
A smaller, older park sits on the other side of the quarry, with its own entrance and ticket. It’s simpler: jump platforms, a zipline, an inflatable slide and boats. Travel sites describe the two as separate operations. If you search for “Grand Canyon Chiang Mai”, make sure the ticket or map pin is for the park you mean, and check that the smaller one is open before you go.
Tube Trek Water Park (San Kamphaeng)
Tube Trek is a space-themed water park on more than 30 rai (about 5 hectares) in Ton Pao, San Kamphaeng district, east of the city past Bo Sang. Allow 30–40 minutes by car, depending on traffic.
What’s there
- A kids’ zone at the entrance, with a shallow pool, small slides and water guns
- Thrill slides, including the Capsule, where the floor drops away beneath you, and the Wormhole, a four-person raft ride into a funnel
- A wave pool in front of a stage
- A lazy river around the edge of the park, for a slow float if you’d rather skip the slides
- Restaurants with Thai and Western food, and a coffee shop
Tickets have been sold at two levels: one covering three zones, and one covering all zones including the thrill slides. Check what your ticket includes.
The park’s website lists daily opening 11:00–18:30, closed on Wednesdays, but other listings give different hours. Phone the park (052 010 123) before you set out. Height limits for the slides aren’t published, so ask at the entrance if your children are small.
Which park suits your group
This isn’t a ranking. The two parks are simply built for different days.
- Teenagers, strong swimmers and groups of friends: Grand Canyon has the jump platforms, giant slider, zipline and wakeboarding. Remember the 15+ and 18+ limits.
- Young children and non-swimmers: Tube Trek’s kids’ zone, wave pool and lazy river are all in pools. At Grand Canyon, the kids’ zone is the shallow option.
- Grandparents who would rather watch: both parks have restaurants and places to sit.
- A longer stay with mixed ages: do one park on each of two days.
How to get there (and back)
Most visitors arrive by car, Grab or red truck. Whichever you choose, you’ll be heading home wet and tired, so plan the return before you leave the hotel.
Grab or Bolt. Easy on the way out. Book your ride back a little before you’re ready to leave. A group of five or more may need two cars.
Red truck (songthaew). Agree the fare before you get in. Grand Canyon also sells tickets that include a shared red-truck transfer from the city.
Your own car or scooter. Grand Canyon has on-site parking. A scooter ride home in damp clothes, after hours in the sun, is less fun than it sounds.
Car with driver for the day. Convenient for families with young children or bigger groups: one car for everyone, and a place to leave bags and dry clothes. Arrange it in advance, and ask for child seats if you need them. Park tickets are separate: buy them at the gate or on the park’s official website.
When to go
Time of day. Arrive close to opening and plan 3–5 hours. At Grand Canyon, arriving after about 3 pm leaves you rushing for the slider and zipline before closing.
Day of the week. Weekdays are calmer. Weekends, Thai public holidays and school holidays bring local families.
Season.
- November to February: cool and dry. Pleasant on land, but the quarry lake feels cold once you’re in it.
- March to May: the hottest months and peak water-park weather, but March and April are also burning season. Check the air quality on the day before planning hours outdoors.
- May to October: green season. Afternoon showers are common, and activities pause during thunderstorms. At Grand Canyon, rain doesn’t get you a refund.
Water park tips
- Bring your own towel and a change of clothes for the ride home.
- Bring a waterproof phone pouch. At Grand Canyon there’s nowhere dry to keep a phone while you’re on the course.
- Use waterproof sunscreen and bring hats for breaks. Both parks are largely in the open.
- Lockers are available at Grand Canyon for a fee and deposit. Leave valuables at the hotel.
- With kids: check life jacket fit, agree a meeting point, and keep a snack plan in mind, since Grand Canyon doesn’t allow outside food.
Combine it with nearby places
After Grand Canyon. Chiang Mai Night Safari is also in Hang Dong district. If anyone still has energy, read our Night Safari article to plan an evening there. Baan Tawai, the woodcarving village in the same district, is a quieter daytime stop.
After Tube Trek. Bo Sang, the umbrella-making village, is on the same road back to the city. San Kamphaeng is also where several paramotor operators fly, early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
FAQ
Which water park suits small children? Tube Trek has a kids’ zone and pools. Grand Canyon has a kids’ zone too, but the rest of the park is on a deep lake, and some activities have 15+ and 18+ limits.
Do I need to be able to swim at Grand Canyon? The park says no, because life jackets are compulsory. The lake is deep, though, so non-swimmers usually stay in the kids’ zone and the calmer areas.
Can I bring food and drinks? Not at Grand Canyon, where outside food and drink aren’t allowed. Tube Trek doesn’t publish a rule, so ask.
Are the parks open when it rains? Grand Canyon stays open in light rain and pauses some activities in storms, with no refunds. For Tube Trek, check on the day.
Questions before you go?
Questions about visiting? Message us on WhatsApp.
Photos are stock images for illustration and were not taken at these water parks.
