Lazy rivers, a pirate ship and sky-high, twisting chutes – here are Thailand’s best resorts with waterparks and slides that are worth splashing out for.
Sugar-white sands, crystal clear waters and lush jungles make Thailand one of the dreamiest places for a luxurious island getaway with the family. But after days of seeking adventure afield, there’s nothing like the ease of unwinding at your resort. While adults may seek a restorative dip, kids bursting with energy may want to keep the fun going until bedtime. Thankfully, some resorts in Thailand boast specialised water zones or huge slides on their long list of amenities, making these stays even bigger and better for the young (and young-at-heart).
Scroll on for Thailand’s best resorts with waterparks and slides.
Best Khao Lak hotels with waterparks and slides
Avani+ Khao Lak Resort
Resting on its own stretch of gleaming white beach, lapped by the turquoise Andaman Sea and surrounded by lush jungle, Avani+ Khao Lak Resort is a secluded hideaway designed with families in mind. Among its many luxurious amenities, the bright colours and fun of the onsite waterpark are a true treat. Complete with a giant tipping bucket, ocean-themed pool and water play fountains shooting from the ground, little ones will have a ball keeping cool in this little slice of paradise.
X10 Khaolak Resort
Nestled along the unspoiled shores of the Bang La On coastline, X10 Khaolak Resort boasts five swimming pools, with two exclusively for children. The palm-tree-lined children's pools feature whimsical designs, with concealed nooks, gradually increasing depths, vibrant soft-foam flooring, toddler-friendly mushroom fountains and a thrilling slide for older kids. Multi-coloured, circular sprinklers, shooting water streams and a bubbling wading pool round out the offerings. An ocean-facing adults-only pool, meanwhile, is perfect for moments of relaxation while the young ones are occupied.
The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani
Get ready for a treat at The Sands Khao Lak by Katanthai, where emerald hills and jungle trees meet the sparkling sands of Nang Thong Beach. When it comes to family-friendly luxury, this five-star resort tops many lists. The hardest decision you’ll have to make every day? Choosing which of the nine swimming areas you'll be stopping by. Choices include two slippery slides, a lazy river and a bubbling wading pool. The kids’ water play house is bound to be a favourite spot for splashing the day away.
Pullman Khao Lak Resort
Perched overlooking the Andaman Sea to the west, Pullman Khao Lak Resort is nestled within a lush rainforest, offering a tranquil retreat for families in Phang Nga. While there is plenty to discover in the surrounding region, this luxurious haven beckons you to find family-friendly excitement within its grounds. With waterspouts, a bucket dump and fun water slide, the outdoor wet zone is one place where kids can’t possibly get bored. Treat the family to a stay in the Family Suite Pool Access room so you can jump straight into the pool from your doorstep.
JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort and Spa
JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort and Spa boasts an unbeatable setting, nestled beside the white sands of Khuk Khak Beach in Phang Nga and surrounded by a lush jungle of towering coconut palms. Boasting one of Southeast Asia’s longest pools, the resort also has an onsite Aqua Play Zone which kids will take to like a duck takes to water. Let the kids enjoy the wave pool, water trampoline and slides while you relax in the serene 2.4-kilometre-long lagoon pool that winds through the heart of the resort.
Best Phuket hotels with waterparks and slides
Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa
Bursting out of tropical gardens and surrounded by tall swaying palm trees, Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa is an easy, breezy escape for families of all sizes thanks to its family-friendly list of amenities. With enormous, shaded pools and spacious terraces to spread out on, everyone can seek out their own slice of dreamy heaven. For your young adrenaline junkies, the 12-metre water slide is one not to miss. Claiming to be the highest water slide in Karon, this exhilarating ride down to the shimmering resort pool is a surefire hit. Plus, with water skiing, parasailing and windsurfing adventures offered by the beach, families are spoilt for choice when it comes to aquatic escapades.
Thavorn Palm Beach Resort Phuket
Wander out from Thavorn Palm Beach Resort Phuket and you’ll find yourself standing on the golden sands of Nakalay Beach. Flop beneath lines of palm trees as the kids splash around the shallows, soaking up valuable time amid the soothing peace of the jungle. If the kids plead for more splash-tastic fun, you’re in luck with the resort’s exciting waterpark. With the tallest standing at 14 metres in height, the four slides are designed to get hearts racing. While the kiddos are choosing between the curved slide, twin spiral and wide slides, adults can indulge in a cocktail at Blue Heaven’s pool.
Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket
Sitting on a prime area of Karon Beach – away from the buzz of Patong and Phuket Town – Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket is the place to find beachside adventure. The resort’s onsite waterpark and lazy river make it no surprise that families love to return to this paradise. Whether your idea of cooling down means zipping down one of two slides or floating under the shade of swaying palm trees, this resort ticks all the right boxes. Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket also boasts three additional outdoor pools and, for the ultra-adventurous, a dedicated cliff-jumping platform.
Katathani Phuket Beach Resort
You’ll never want to leave the comforts of Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, situated directly on the pristine sands of Kata Noi Bay. This coastal oasis offers more pools than you can count with both hands, including six swimming pools, four child-friendly pools, three jacuzzis and two bubbling water springs. The technicolour child’s pool is perfect for knee-high kiddos to splash around in – with a tipping bucket, splash-tastic water tunnel, two mini slides and multiple rainbow mushroom fountains, they’ll be spoilt for choice.
Pamookkoo Resort
Designed with an ancient long-lost civilisation theme, Pamookkoo Resort lets the whole family savour paradise by the sands of Kata Beach. The expansive adventure pool is the resort’s impressive centrepiece, surrounded by lounge chairs for adults and boasting children-friendly play forts and waterslides. Younger children are also catered for, with a separate fun-sized pool featuring a tipping bucket, two waterslides and waterspouts.
Best hotels with waterparks and slides outside Bangkok
Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa
At Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa, little ones can write their own stories of buccaneers and buried gold at the Treasure Island-esqe pool. Let them unleash their inner pirate as they move between a ship, giant tipping buckets, swimming pool and water fountains. For moments of relaxation, take a leisurely float over the resort’s lagoon-style swimming pool that winds through tropical gardens. It’s the perfect way to immerse yourself in silence and enchantment before more frolicking through this tropical playground.
Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya
Finding its home on Wong Amat Beach, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya is a ‘lost world’ tucked among lush jungle landscapes. If this slice of luxurious seclusion isn’t enough to fill your waking hours, it’s home to an 'all the bells and whistles' waterpark that can keep both young and old entertained for the whole duration of your stay. While parents can find escape at SPA Cenvaree, kids will be keen to dive into the thrilling aquatic paradise of Lost World, complete with a maze of lazy rivers, cascading waterfalls, twisting slides and cliff-jumping platforms. If that’s not enough, venture beyond the shores, where water sports and exhilarating activities in the Gulf of Thailand can be added to your daily roster.
Featured image: Phuket Orchid Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand.
Looking for more inspiration? Read up on the best kids clubs in Thailand.
