Mention Thailand and for many the first thing that springs to mind is shopping, nightlife and food. However there is more to Thailand than that. Venturing further south from the capital city of Bangkok is the coastal city of Pattaya. Once the sin city of Thailand, Pattaya is making a great effort to reinvent itself as a family friendly holiday destination. Theme parks, temples, golf courses, cultural villages, clean beaches and animal parks dominate the scene while the louche nightlife is limited to the “Walking Street” in the city centre where you can still spot aging European men walking arm in arm with beautiful young women.

That aside, Pattaya has changed tremendously. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has made a concerted effort to promote Pattaya as a destination with a wholesome image and that is paying off. Pattaya is home to the Cartoon Network themed water park. The first of its kind in the world, the Cartoon Network  Amazone water park is a fun destination for the whole family. Packed to the brim with 30 world class water based activities such as rides, slides and interactive play areas the place is clean, safe and well designed. The park also has live Cartoon Network entertainment shows with a chance for children to meet and greet characters from the Cartoon Network’s shows such as the Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10 and Adventure Time.

Designed  as a “daycation” destination, a place where music and live interactive entertainment with Cartoon Network characters, the water park also has 10 themed entertainment zones boasting live and multimedia entertainment. The Omniverse Zone boasts some of the fastest water rollercoasters in the world including a splash landing from a massive 23 meter high tower while the Adventure Zone is filled with tunnels, spins, twists and turns. The Cartoonival Zone has more than 150 water features to discover and is where little fans can meet with their favourite Cartoon Network characters. The Riptide Rapids is where guests of all ages can grab a tube and hop in to the relaxing retreat of a 335m continuous flowing river that winds its way around the theme park. The Mega Wave Zone is where you can bob up and down on the gentle waves or boogie board on the waves while the surf area has waves that roll out to help you practice your surfing under the watchful eye of the instructors.

Located in the small sea side town on Bangsaray, a 20 minutes drive from the Pattaya City, Cartoon Network Amazone is open daily and is an ideal place for both kids and adults to have unlimited fun. The theme park is bound to be popular especially during Songkran, the Thai New Year whose celebrations include water parties.

Text and pic by Tina Edward Gunawardhana