Coming on holiday to the Murcia region with your kids and you’ll no doubt be looking for a water park to visit. Of course you could zip up the coast and head into Benidorm for the Aqualandia experience, at about 23 euros per person, or to Aqua Natura in Benidorm for about the same price. Or you could stick around the Murcia area and enjoy one of our two water parks – Aqua Natura Murcia or the little known Parque Tentegorra near Cartagena.
Aqua Natura Murcia (Terra Natura)
Just North West of Murcia city on a natural hillside is Aqua Natura / Terra Natura Murcia a zoo and waterpark.
Terra Natura Murcia, the zoo, has 3 themed areas Kenya, Peninsular Iberica and Zanzibar. The basic entrance fee is around €20 but is discounted on the internet and in local papers by around €5 and it is well worth the cost to see animals and birds in their natural habitat. There are Birds of Prey and Sea Lions/Exotic Birds shows which start at about 12-00pm and 12-45pm respectively, with plenty of good seating available.
Aqua Natura Murcia, the water park part, has numerous slides and pools – Prison Island, Cuba & Grave Island, there are water toboggans, multiple slides and a long slow river. It seems that many water slides are only for children 1.20m or taller, which excludes the younger (or shorter!) ones in the family. There are also play pools for younger (smaller) children, but no slides. You can hire floats or wait for the free ones to become available. You can swim with the sea lions if you want to pay extra.
There’s a large car parking area for €3 or park for free across the road, the attractions open at 10am. Take a picnic as the prices at the restaurants are high and the quality variable. There’s plenty of space to sit and enjoy a picnic. You can hire sunloungers at a cost. Overall prices are high (and there are plenty of extras to pay for too!), but you can often find discount tickets locally or in the press before you go (try petrol stations if you can’t find anything in the press) and remember almost always your ticket gives you free entry for the following day (if you have the stamina). If you want to go on the water slides and visit a well-kept and managed zoo then this is a great choice.
T:
Aqua Natura & Terra Natura Murcia – http://www.terranatura.com
Their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TerraNaturaZoo
Photos of Aqua Natura / Terra Natura Murcia
Parque Tentegorra, Cartagena
I don’t really want to tell you about this water and adventure park because I’d prefer to keep it to myself, but that’s selfish, as this park is by far the best value for money you will find in the Murcia area. It’s situated out of town near Cartagena, in the area called Tentegorra – which itself is a great place to have a drive around. It’s more than a water park – there’s a full blown adventure park here too, with death slides and trails through the wonderful parkland, a huge maze, a kids play area (sometimes they have a bouncy castle), football, tennis & padel courts, and of course 3 swimming pools with slides and water features. The water slides aren’t nearly as big as Aqua Natura, but they are plenty of fun for big kids and little ones – there’s a height restriction for the largest slide.
To use the swimming pools the prices are around (it changes a little in different seasons) 5 euros for adults & 3 euros for children – yes that’s right – a family of 4 can enter the park and use the swimming pools for just 16 euros – less than the price of a single entrance to Aqua Natura. The restaurant in the park is excellent value – Spanish staples, paella at lunchtime, bocadillos, drinks all at exceptionally reasonable prices, you can sit inside or in the gardens. The changing rooms are fine, clean and plenty of space. Parking is free.
If you want a relaxing, inexpensive family day out, with plenty to do and see then come to Tentegorra.
T: 689 250 179 & Location of Parque Tentegorra – http://parquetentegorra.es/ubicacion/
The park at Tentegorra – http://parquetentegorra.es/el-
Prices & hours – http://parquetentegorra.es/tarifas/
Their facebook page where they sometimes have offers – https://www.facebook.com/ParqueTentegorra
More information about the project – Mancomunid
Photos of Parque Tentegorra
Tentegorra Park & Waterpark versus Aqua Natura Murcia
Now for my money I’d choose Parque Tentegorra, especially for younger kids. It’s so much cheaper, the surrounds are nicer, the food is better quality & value, parking is easy & free and access is easy. You don’t have the big scary slides at Parque Tentegorra but you could go every day for a week, eat lunch there and still save money on a 2 day entrance to Aqua Natura!
