The downside to waterslides? The effort usually always exceeds the reward, at least where time’s concerned.
You climb dozens of steps to reach the slide’s entry point, huffing and puffing your way to the top, only to find yourself floundering about in the exit pool mere seconds later.
This won’t be the case with a new waterslide that’s just opened in Malaysia.
Stretching a whopping 1,111 meters (3,645 feet) long, the ride snakes through the undergrowth at Penang’s ESCAPE theme park is claimed to have smashed the previous record for world’s longest tube waterslide held by Action Park, a theme park in Vernon, New Jersey.
Unlike the New Jersey version, which is inflatable, ESCAPE’s new slide is made of fiber-reinforced polymer and is a permanent structure attached to steel poles.
“Breaking the world record was never our intention,” said Sim Choo Kheng, CEO of ESCAPE operator Sim Leisure Group, in a statement. “I’m always baffled by how rides are made so short and quick. I wanted to build rides that last a good few minutes.”
The slide offers a four-minute ride that meanders its way down a 70-meter slope, passing through jungle scenery.
Huffing and puffing won’t be part of the experience either. Visitors access the slide via a cable car chairlift.
Bringing the global spotlight to Penang
The island of Penang, off the western coast of Malaysia, is more famous for culture and cuisine than thrills.
George Town, the island’s main city, is its top draw thanks to a colorful mix of cultures that includes Hindu and Buddhist temples, street art, Islamic mosques, British colonial architecture and ornate Chinese manor houses.
Penang is also considered one of the world’s top food destinations, thanks to the presence of delicious Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine that includes dishes like Hokkien mee (fried prawn noodles) and Penang laksa.
ESCAPE is about 30 minutes from George Town and offers a variety of adventure activities including waterslides, ziplines and obstacle courses.
Correction: An earlier version of this article, based on figures provided by ESCAPE, stated that the slide is 1,140 meters long. The theme park’s latest announcement states that the slide is actually 1,111 meters in length. The article has been updated to reflect the new measurement.