Tropical Islands Resort ()
In the dreariest of German winters, it’s not uncommon to fantasize about swimming in sunny, warm tropical waters. At Tropical Islands, that dream vacation can be a reality without the need to fly beyond Europe.
Themed areas allow you to travel around the world. The Tropical Village features restaurants, hotels, and entertainment that reflect the architecture of Southeast Asia. But, these aren’t just inspired fantasies, they were traditionally built and created with the help of local architects and the tourism boards from Thailand, Samoa, Bali and Borneo.
The world’s largest indoor rainforest is also housed in the Tropical Islands dome. The rainforest is biologically managed and is home to flamingoes, peacocks, turtles, fish and a new butterfly garden. Instead of chemicals, insects and soil bacteria are used to keep the ecosystem in balance. You may see a beetle scurry past the sandy beach and, just like in nature, it has a job to do. The rainforest sits between the waterfalls and grottos of the lagoon and the massive Südsee - an indoor ocean and wave pool surrounded by a long sandy beach.
There is plenty of adventure, as well, with two beachside water-play areas full of slides and sprayers for the kids (and kids at heart). There are 13 slides in all, plus even more kid adventures to be had out of the water. Between the large climbing playground, indoor hot air balloon, mini golf, and the Treasure Island arcade, kids of all ages can have some dry fun as well.
The Amazonia area is outside, but heated water keeps it open year-round. Here you can try your hand at surfing, or ride along Germany’s longest whitewater slide. If you’d rather relax, Amazonia has a massive selection of pool spaces with massage jets, jacuzzi beds and bubbles galore.
In keeping with the scale of things, Tropical Islands also hosts Germany’s largest tropical sauna and spa area. This is a textile-free zone, meaning you must be nude but wrapped in a towel. It has numerous hot saunas, spa services like clay treatments and massage, and an air-conditioned gym.
Tropical Islands was first opened in 2004 and is housed in a gigantic former airship hangar. Interestingly, the resort is located on the former Nazi-built Brand-Briesen Airfield, but the airship hangar is a modern development. Following the reunification of Germany, the CargoLifter company bought the airfield intending to develop airships for heavy cargo transit. The giant hangar was built to produce and construct the gigantic CL160 airship, but only a small prototype was ever created. When the company went bankrupt in 2002 the Malaysian-based company, Tanjong, bought the hangar and the grounds to build Tropical Islands.
The resort truly aims to be a destination of its own with numerous unique overnight options, from tent camping on the sand to lodges beside the waterfall, there is a lot of variety. In addition, there are plenty of meal options. A food court satisfies any cravings, while three restaurants offer international and Asian delights. For a special night out, try one of the five waterside lounges to sip a fruity cocktail from a striped paper straw (surprise: you’re still in Germany).
Visit www.tropical-islands.de/en for details and booking.
