Having been enticed into the Plopsa world earlier in the week following our experience at Plopsaland Belgium, we decided to trial their most recently opened Belgian venture – Plopsaqua Hannut-Landen. Initially opened with limited features in 2020 and fully established in 2021, this water park brings a loose Studio 100 theme into a family-friendly aquatic setting, with indoor and outdoor play areas, a wave pool, numerous slides, saunas and jacuzzis.

For my two, the combination proved far too tempting to resist. They were absolutely blown away from the moment we arrived and, despite a massive storm temporarily closing the outdoor area, there was more than enough indoors to keep them entertained. In fact, even after more than three hours, neither was remotely ready to leave, with both requesting a return visit a.s.a.p. When we later reviewed the holiday, this was easily their biggest highlight.

The temptation to tackle the bigger slides took some warming up for my eldest, Calum (9), who sensibly began with the lazy river before gradually building up his confidence. The disco slide really captured his attention, but the toboggan was the biggest hit. We initially braved it together before Calum decided that one go was nowhere near enough and headed back for several more rides on his own. Sadly, he was not quite old enough for the drop slide, but that simply meant Daddy had to take one for the team. Having given it a go myself, I can confirm that it was every bit the thrill ride it promised to be – although I was perhaps slightly more appreciative of the experience than Calum would have been!

Meanwhile, Skye was more than happy exploring the various play spaces, which offered plenty to keep her occupied while Calum and I headed for the slides. There was a good balance throughout the park, meaning that there was always something suitable for both children, rather than one having to simply wait around while the other enjoyed themselves.

However, it was the wave pool that provided perhaps the most impressive and unique experience of the whole park. Rather than simply generating waves, Plopsaqua has turned the experience into something of a spectacle, complete with thunder and lightning effects. Watching the storm roll across the pool while the waves crashed around us was genuinely impressive and created a wonderfully immersive experience for the children.

The outdoor area also looked set to add another dimension to the day and did so briefly, although our visit was somewhat curtailed when the huge storm rolled in and forced its temporary closure. Thankfully, the indoor facilities more than carried the day, and the children were never short of things to do.

There is, however, one important thing to be aware of before visiting. Belgium's rules around swimwear are very different from those in the UK, and standard UK-style loose swimming shorts are not permitted. Make sure you arrive equipped with tight Lycra shorts or Speedo-style trunks, otherwise you could find yourself paying an additional €35 per pair to purchase suitable swimwear. Definitely something worth knowing before you arrive!

Overall, Plopsaqua Hannut-Landen was a huge success for our family. With an excellent mixture of slides, play areas, pools and more relaxing facilities, there was something for everyone, while the Studio 100 touches and spectacular wave-pool storm gave the experience a little more personality than your standard water park.

More importantly, the children absolutely loved it. Three hours in and they still weren't ready to leave, and the fact that this ended up being their favourite experience of the entire holiday says plenty. A brilliant family water park that we would happily return to – preferably with the correct swimwear already packed!

More information on their official website.