A Crete water park is one of the parks with pools and slides on the north coast of the island, from Chania in the west to Hersonissos and Agios Nikolaos in the east, open through the summer. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover where the parks are, which one suits your base, Acqua Plus, Watercity, Limnoupolis and the other parks, transfers, tickets and tours, children, rules and opening months, with links into the Crete pages. The tickets shown are checked on GetYourGuide and Viator.
What is a Crete water park, and where are they on the island?
A Crete water park is a seasonal outdoor attraction built around water slides, pools and children’s play areas. The island’s four main parks sit on the north coast: two near Hersonissos and Malia, one between Hersonissos and Heraklion, and one at Chania.
Each park opens for the warm months and closes through the winter. Tickets cover a full day of entry and unlimited use of the slides, and sunbeds and umbrellas come with the ticket at the larger parks. Watercity and Acqua Plus serve the east, while Aqua Creta Limnoupolis serves the west.
The island is long, so the drive between the two ends takes hours. Families in Hersonissos, Malia or Heraklion reach the eastern parks in a short drive, and guests in Chania or Platanias reach Limnoupolis in minutes. Rethymno sits between the two clusters, which makes a hire car useful for a Crete water park visit.
Which Crete water park suits your base?
The Crete water park you pick comes down to your resort. Hersonissos and Malia sit beside Star Beach and a short drive from Acqua Plus, Heraklion serves Watercity, and Chania serves Aqua Creta Limnoupolis at Varipetro.
Base yourself in Hersonissos or Malia and the east coast parks are close by. Acqua Plus sits 5 kilometres from Hersonissos, and Watercity lies a short drive south at Anopolis. Guests in Heraklion reach Watercity on the national road, and guests in Chania reach Limnoupolis 7 kilometres outside the city.
Rethymno sits about an hour from Heraklion by road, so both Watercity and Acqua Plus are reachable on a day trip. Agios Nikolaos lies further east, and visitors there join a coach that runs along the coast road, which makes an early start worthwhile for a Crete water park day.
- Hersonissos and Malia: Star Beach on the doorstep, with Acqua Plus 5 kilometres away.
- Heraklion: Watercity at Anopolis, up the hill from Kokkini Hani.
- Chania and Platanias: Aqua Creta Limnoupolis at Varipetro, 7 kilometres from the city.
- Rethymno and Agios Nikolaos: coach pickups along the coast road to the eastern parks.
What does the Acqua Plus Crete water park offer in Hersonissos?
Acqua Plus, the Crete water park beside the Crete Golf Club, opened as the first water park in the Balkans. It holds 50 slides, games and facilities across 67,000 square metres, split between an adrenaline zone and a family zone.
This Crete water park sits on a hillside 5 kilometres from Hersonissos and 30 kilometres from Heraklion. Slides weave through the Garden of Eden, a planted area of Cretan flowers, palms and weeping willows. Extreme Kamikaze and Tornado drop 15 metres, the hydrotube runs 80 metres, and the Black Holes send riders through darkness.
The children’s section at this Crete water park centres on a pool of 1,200 square metres with a maximum depth of 120 centimetres. Fifteen gentle rides surround it, plus an inflatable castle, play areas for the under-sevens and a fish spa. The Lazy River runs 270 metres, and the hydromassage pool takes the rest of the day.
Every guest gets a cashless bracelet on arrival, so no wallet is needed on the slides. The park was the first in the world to run this system. Lockers, hot showers, changing rooms, a baby changing area and a first aid station with trained paramedics sit around the pools and the swim areas.
- The restaurant opens at midday with Greek dishes, gyros, burgers and pizza.
- The River Bar runs beside the Lazy River with cocktails, beer and ice cream.
- Playground Caffe sits in the children’s pool area with juices and mocktails.
- A hot dog stand sits by the Black Holes pool.
- Shops sell swimwear, sun cream, hats and souvenirs.
What does the Watercity Crete water park offer near Heraklion?
Watercity, a Crete water park at Anopolis between Hersonissos and Heraklion, spreads 36 water games across 87,000 square metres. It belongs to the World Waterpark Association and runs a wave pool, a 385-metre lazy river and three children’s areas.
The wave pool makes waves that reach 1.5 metres and travel in five directions across a floor that drops to 210 centimetres. The Crazy River slide passes three separate pools and cuts through olive groves. Rides such as Ofisss Rattlesnake Toboggan and Kamikaze appeal to guests who want speed.
Children’s areas at this Crete water park are split by age and height. The Children’s Castle and Children’s Zoo hold water at 60 centimetres deep and stay reserved for children under 12 or shorter than 140 centimetres. Five slides make up the Children’s Jungle, and a team of 30 lifeguards covers the games.
Watercity stands between Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos, close to Kokkini Hani and Gournes. Free parking sits outside the entrance, and a two-way bus ticket covers hotel pickups. Changing rooms are free, towels are not supplied, and outside food and drink stay at the gate. Swimwear without zips or thick cotton is the rule on the slides.
What does the Limnoupolis Crete water park offer near Chania?
Aqua Creta Limnoupolis, the Crete water park at Varipetro, covers 65,000 square metres below the White Mountains and 7 kilometres from Chania. Its central pool spans 1,500 square metres, with a separate diving area 3.80 metres deep.
Eleven slides run through the park, which sits 7 kilometres from Chania. They include a Free Fall of 55 metres, a Giant Slide of 100 metres, a Triple Twist, a Black Hole and a five-colour Multi Slide. A Crazy River and a lazy river of 206 metres carry guests past caves, stones and waterfalls.
The children’s pool at this Crete water park keeps shallow water with a turning wooden barrel, climbing frames and Lilliputian slides. Around the main pool, sunbeds and umbrellas come free. A restaurant, a fast food counter and the Pirates Bar on the artificial island handle meals, and a mini market and sauna sit on site.
Which other Crete water park options are there?
Star Beach in Hersonissos is the other Crete water park on the north coast, and it runs on a different model. Entry is free, slides carry an extra charge for guests outside the resort, and the site covers four acres of waterfront.
Six large slides sit at Star Beach, among them the Black Hole, Kamikaze and Multi Slide, open to adults and children over six. Baby pools, mini slides and four aquatic play areas cover the younger guests, and a lazy river crosses the site. Beaches along the north coast fill the days between park visits.
Hotel water parks form the second option, since larger resorts in Hersonissos and Malia keep their own pools and splash areas. Pantheon Water Park is a themed Crete water park in Hersonissos, built around Ancient Greek mythology, with the Poseidon ride complex reaching 47 metres high. The Cretaquarium at Gournes gives a dry alternative close by.
- Banana boat rides and crazy sofa runs along the shoreline.
- Jet ski hire and parasailing above the bay.
- Bungee jumping from a tower on the beach.
- Daytime parties and evening events with guest DJs.
How do you get to a Crete water park?
Coaches, buses and hire cars all reach a Crete water park. Acqua Plus and Watercity sell transfer tickets with hotel pickups, Limnoupolis runs its own pickup service, and Star Beach sits inside Hersonissos, so a local bus or a short taxi ride covers it.
Coach transfers are the simplest route to a Crete water park for guests without a car. Watercity and Acqua Plus both sell bus tickets that collect guests near their hotel and bring them back later. Guests in Rethymno join the coach for the eastern parks, and visitors in Agios Nikolaos pick up the coastal route.
By road, Acqua Plus sits 5 kilometres from Hersonissos and 30 kilometres from Heraklion, beside the Crete Golf Club. Watercity stands between Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos, close to Kokkini Hani and Gournes. Malia sits 10 minutes from Hersonissos, and Limnoupolis is served by KTEL buses from Chania and by taxi.
Which Crete water park tickets and tours can you book?
Bookings for a Crete water park come in three shapes: entry only, entry with a meal, and entry with coach transfer. Online booking platforms list the main options, and the parks also sell tickets at the gate on the day.
A coach trip to Acqua Plus from Rethymno runs a full day. The bus leaves Rethymno at about 08:00 and reaches the park around 10:30, and the park stay lasts seven hours. The return bus leaves at 17:00, and the option includes bus tickets, entry, all water games, and sunbeds and umbrellas.
Entry tickets to Acqua Plus come with or without a transfer, and one version adds a meal of one main dish, one salad, a fruit salad or ice cream, and a drink. Transfers run from 40 pickup points. A shorter Acqua Plus product covers four to five hours with hotel pickup.
Tickets for this Crete water park sell as entry only or with hotel pickup and a six-hour park stay, with return buses at 16:00 and 18:00. A day ticket carries no fixed arrival slot, so guests arrive when they choose between 10:00 and 18:00, and children under 90 centimetres enter free at the gate.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the visit.
- Mobile tickets accepted on a phone, with no printing needed.
- Skip the ticket line at the gate on the entry-only products.
- Up to 15 tickets on one booking for group visits.
Is a Crete water park suitable for small children?
Yes. Every Crete water park on the island sets aside shallow pools and small slides for young guests. Watercity uses height bands, Acqua Plus and Limnoupolis run dedicated children’s zones, and Star Beach adds baby pools and mini slides.
Watercity rates its slides on three levels and works by height, not age. Guests must reach 1 metre 40 centimetres for the full set of rides. Children between 90 centimetres and 1 metre 40 centimetres use the level one and level two slides, and smaller children stay in the children’s pools. Entry is free under 90 centimetres.
At Acqua Plus, the children’s zone holds a 1,200-square-metre pool with a maximum depth of 120 centimetres and 15 small rides. Star Beach gives the youngest guests baby pools and mini slides, and its six large slides take children over six. Families planning a Crete water park trip with younger children can read the Crete with kids pages.
What do you bring and need to know at a Crete water park?
Bring swimwear without zips or metal, a towel, sun cream and a hat to any Crete water park. Towels are not handed out, outside food and drink stay at the gate, and lockers cover valuables while you ride.
Lockers are rented at the boutique shop or the entrance, and keys come on a wristband. Bracelets replace cash inside the parks: guests scan the band for food, drinks and souvenirs, then settle the bill at the exit. Sunbeds and umbrellas come with entry at a Crete water park, and parking is free.
Watercity does not allow outside food, drink, snacks or sweets, and runs restaurants, bars and a boutique instead. Acqua Plus opens its restaurant at midday with Greek dishes. Sun protection matters on the hillside parks, where shade fills quickly in July and August. Guests with heart problems or high blood pressure stay off the extreme slides.
- Swimwear without zips, metal snaps or thick cotton.
- A towel, because the parks do not hand them out.
- Sun cream, a hat and sunglasses with a safety band.
- Waterproof nappies for babies and toddlers.
- Cash or a card for the locker and the exit bill.
When is a Crete water park open?
Every Crete water park shuts through the winter and runs from late spring to early autumn. Watercity opens at the start of the summer season and closes in the middle of October, Acqua Plus follows a similar season, and Limnoupolis closes at the end of September.
Daily hours are short and steady. Watercity opens at 10:00 and closes at 18:00 each day of its season. Acqua Plus and Limnoupolis keep the same 10:00 start, and Limnoupolis runs its slides from 11:00 to 18:00. Star Beach opens its water slides from 11:00 to 18:00 every day of the season.
Watercity opens on weekends and public holidays as well as weekdays during high season. Limnoupolis publishes an operating calendar that marks low season, high season and closed days, and recent seasons have seen weekday-only opening late in the year. Weather decides other closures, so check the operator’s own page before a Crete water park visit.
- Watercity: the start of the season to the middle of October, 10:00 to 18:00 daily.
- Acqua Plus: a similar season, with slides running through the day.
- Limnoupolis: spring to the end of September, with a published calendar.
- Star Beach: the summer months, with water slides from 11:00 to 18:00.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Crete water park tickets include transfers?
Only the options sold with a transfer. Entry-only tickets leave guests to reach the park by car, taxi or public bus. Acqua Plus sells tickets with coach pickup from 40 points across the island, and Watercity offers hotel pickup with a six-hour park stay. Limnoupolis runs its own pickup service, and the ride carries an extra charge.
Can you reach a Crete water park without a car?
Yes. Coach transfers run from the main resort areas, and both eastern parks sell bus tickets with hotel pickups. Public buses follow the north coast road all summer, and taxis wait outside the entrances. Guests in Chania also reach Limnoupolis by KTEL bus, by taxi or on the Little Fun Train. A hire car gives the greatest freedom over timing.
How long does a day at a Crete water park last?
Plan on a full day. The coach trip from Rethymno to Acqua Plus takes an hour and a half each way, with seven hours inside the park and a 17:00 departure. Watercity transfers allow six hours on site, with return buses at 16:00 and 18:00. Guests arriving by car set their own pace between the 10:00 opening and the 18:00 close.
Which Crete water park works for teenagers?
Teenagers head for the extreme sections. Acqua Plus builds 34 of its slides for adults, with the Extreme Kamikaze, Tornado, Racers and Tsunami, plus an 80-metre hydrotube. Watercity answers with the Ofisss Rattlesnake Toboggan, Kamikaze, Hyper Race and a wave pool with 1.5-metre waves. Star Beach adds jet skis, parasailing and beach parties with guest DJs.