Outside Huong Thuy, Hue, lies the ruins of Thuy Tien Lake Water Park, an eerie post- apocalyptic site, a reminder of a costly failure, and a surprisingly popular tourist spot, more popular in “death” than it was in life. Its immense postmortem popularity can be chalked down to haunting pictures from the Huffington Post, Insider, and most recently its feature as a backdrop for the music video of “Bad Memories” by Meduza, James Carter, FAST BOY, and Elly Duhé. Construction began in 2000 and the park began welcoming guests in 2004, even though some parts were still incomplete. The facility boasted amusement rides, water rides, aquariums, pools, displays of water jets in time with lights and music, souvenir shops, and restaurants. Sadly, it was unable to make a profit and was forced to close down after a mere six months.

Today, nature is actively reclaiming the park. Structures are covered in plants, moss, and graffiti, ranging from the blue stone car replicating old European vehicles to the magnificent dragon guarding the aquarium. Cows can be spotted grazing peacefully, and three alligators (former zoo exhibits) once lived here, fed by kind-hearted locals and visitors alike. Anything metal is rusted, and electrical boxes have broken down. The greatest danger in the park is not getting caught trespassing but the risk of injury or even death from the crumbling infrastructure. Utmost caution is advised, no matter how desperate travelers are to take the most unique and artistic pictures.

The park laid dormant for many years with its future unclear. However, in 2022, the government of Hue approved a proposal to make the park a safe and functioning holiday site again. However, the ruins will not disappear any time soon, as the approved budget of VND 20 million is only sufficient to make partial repairs.