Europe's Largest Water Park Is So Crowded Tourists Are Calling It 'Fun Destroying'

It's no secret that Europe is wrestling with a negative over-tourism sentiment. According to a 2025 BBC report, anti-tourism protests were seen in Barcelona, as well as in Portugal and Italy. It's not just the locals who are growing frustrated with the mass crowds, though. For instance, Rome's Trevi Fountain is a popular destination, but you'll find a slew of social media videos in which travelers attempt to avoid the large crowds there. As it turns out, a major European water park is also feeling the effects of this over-tourism.

Siam Park, located on Tenerife, one of Spain's Canary Islands, is the largest water park in Europe, but it's become so overcrowded that tourists have been left disappointed with their experience. In his Siam Park review on Trust Index, Adrian Kilanowski from Poland described the long waits for the attractions as "fun-destroying." It's not just the attractions suffering, either. Kilanowski shared that wait times for the bars were upwards of 45 to 60 minutes. He isn't the only one calling out Siam Park, either. A report from Radical Storage noted that this Tenerife-based water park was ranked as the third most disappointing tourist attraction in the world.

While long wait times are a frequent complaint among the park's visitors, the Radical Storage report also touched on other issues travelers have experienced there. Among the complaints were that the staff was "rude" and that the park doesn't offer suitable accommodations for visitors with disabilities. The report added that at least a third of reviews on Siam Park were negative.

Perhaps most alarming was a Tripadvisor review from user Billy B., who said that he spotted human waste around the park. "Kept finding stinky scuttery poos all around the park. Very disgusting to want to try and go for a drink at the bar, and all you can do is step in and out between poo mushed into the ground," he shared. Worst of all, he isn't the only review to note excrement-related issues, as a 2024 review from user Bogdan made note of dirty bathrooms and a questionably unclean pool. 

Despite these negative reviews, other visitors on websites like Trust Index have expressed positive views of Siam Park, and it's in the number one spot on Tripadvisor for waterparks in Europe. It even earned a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best commendation in 2024.

You can also take advantage of attractions near Siam Park, such as Playa Jardín, a black sand beach with vibrant gardens. Located in Puerto de la Cruz, this unique beach is over an hour away from the water park by car. Tenerife's Monkey Zoo is just a 10-minute drive from Siam Park. In addition to monkeys and primates, you can see exotic birds, turtles, and crocodiles. This zoo specializes in breeding endangered species and caring for rescued animals.

While Siam Park might be the biggest, it's not the only water park in Europe. Zoomarine in Guia, Portugal, is a four-hour plane ride from Tenerife and combines water park attractions, amusement-park-style rides, and zoological exhibits. Currently, summer season tickets purchased online go for $53.30 (€46.50) for people aged 11-64. Online tickets for kids 10 and younger and seniors 65 and up go for $42.99 (€37.50). There's also Berlin's indoor water park, Tropical Islands, which is about five hours away from Tenerife via plane. Along with traditional water park amenities, Tropical Islands has a sauna and spa. Current online tickets for adults 18 and older are $40 (€34.90). Online tickets for kids aged 4-17 are $34.27 (€29.90), and kids 3 and under can enter for free.