Editor’s Note
This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting, and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy.
Antalya, Turkey
I’ve always loved a good waterslide, but it had been years since I’d been to a waterpark when I arrived at Antalya’s Land of Legends and found myself staring up at Dragonfly Tower on the Turkish Riviera.
At first glance, it didn’t seem too intimidating. But as I approached, the tower’s height grew more daunting. Stretching up 52 meters (170 feet), it towers like a 16-story building. Opened in May 2026, it’s the centerpiece of Waterfly at Land of Legends, Turkey’s largest theme park along the Mediterranean coast.
As I began the climb, my nerves escalated. More than a dozen loops around the tower later, I finally reached the top, heart racing not just from the workout, but from anxiety. With three slides atop the tower, I opted for the most challenging: the high-speed, 278-meter-long Emerald Blur.
The ride is so steep that riders need specialized back support to withstand the G-forces. Once at the entrance, I realized the scariest part wasn’t the height but the trapdoor launch mechanism. Standing in the launch capsule, I waited through an excruciating automated countdown. A false start made it even worse.
Then, the floor disappeared beneath me.
The ride lasts around 56 seconds, but time feels irrelevant when plummeting down one of Europe’s tallest waterslides. For a split second, I nearly blacked out from the shock of the initial drop, only to find myself thrashing through a colorful, swirling descent, like being tossed in a giant washing machine.
Water blasted into my face as I screamed my way down, and my first feelings weren’t exhilaration but relief and pride, quickly followed by the thought: “I want to do that again.”
In fact, I rode it five times.
What surprised me most about Dragonfly Tower is that despite its terror, it awakened my inner thrill-seeker and left me craving more.
