Abandoned, spooky waterpark in central Vietnam may see a facelift soon

Ho Thuy Tien Waterpark in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. Photo credit: Thai Loc/Tuoi Tre

Authority in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue has ordered its agencies to come up with plans to restore a waterpark that has been abandoned and left decaying for around four years, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Friday.

The move came a few days after the Huffington Post published a story describing Ho Thuy Tien near Thien An Hill, about 10 kilometers from Hue, as an emerging destination among foreign tourists who love seeking out abandoned places.

Backpackers have been visiting the “cryptic” park with word-of-mouth directions to explore its “vast, eerie interior” — live crocodiles mingling among mold-covered waterslides, half-full aquarium tanks, and massive dragon structure with horror film set-like interior, according to the website.

Visitors were quoted as describing the park’s empty inside as “spooky as hell.”

The 63.38-hectare park was built in the early 2000s and opened in 2006, partly finished. Its investor Haco Hue Company shut it down in 2011, Tuoi Tre reported.

The investor once attempted to revive the project in October 2014, but could never do it because of financial difficulties. It has sought help from local authorities to find new investors to acquire the project.

Haco Hue reportedly owes VDN38 billion (US$1.67 million) to creditors and another VND8 billion ($351,000) of land rental to the province, according to the newspaper.