Europe’s largest tropical holiday world has opened a brand new outdoor leisure area, with more than 1,350m2 of water attractions.
Tropical Islands, in Halbe Germany, is a former aircraft hangar that has been transformed into an indoor paradise.
The new outdoor leisure area, Amazonia, is the latest addition to the resort and covers an area of 35,000m2. It features swimming pools, water slides, geysers, a jet stream channel and a water obstacle course. Spa lovers can relax and unwind in the 530m² pool, with water jets, massage loungers, neck showers and a water massage area.
A separate pool is dedicated to water sports. The pool includes three 25m swimming lanes, rocking grottoes, a waterfall, a wide stainless steel undulating slide and two rainfall goals for water polo.
All pools including the Whitewater River are heated to approximately 31°C all year round.
The two Amazonia swimming pools were built by Zeller Bäderbau and the water slide was made by Wiegand Maelzer. The Whitewater River was designed by M2Leisure and API Water Fun and the single water attractions were installed by Wassertechnik Wertheim.
The idea behind Tropical Islands was to create a self-contained holiday destination in the heart of Europe, independent of weather.
The largest indoor rainforest in the world, the Tropical Sea, the Lagoon and the Tropical Village are among the star attractions at the resort. Other highlights include Germany’s highest water slide, a huge play area and a tropical sauna and spa complex.
GIGANTIC PROPORTIONS
Built in 2004, the Tropical Islands dome is gigantic – in fact, the Statue of Liberty could stand inside it and the Eiffel Tower could fit in it lengthways.
Its massive dimensions presented its designers with many challenges, including the ability to cope with huge quantities of rain and snow falling on its 70,000m2 of roof and heating the huge hall.
Despite its size, the construction is in fact very light. Five cantilevered steel arches form a half cylinder and the steel construction supports a membrane dome. A special UV transparent film was fitted on the south side so that the hall could be used as a tropical holiday resort.
Fact File: Tropical Islands
• 6,000 guests can be accommodated at one time
• 66,000m2 of floor space inside the dome
• 26°C constant air temperature
• 40 – 60% humidity within the dome
• 194 rooms and lodges inside the dome
• 50,000 plants
