PUBLISHED ONApril 06, 2022 4:00 AMByMelissa Teo Right before we went into lockdown two years ago, I had planned to jet off to Bangkok to attend their Songkran festival. Unfortunately, the pandemic had other grand plans for me.
For the uninitiated, Songkran is an annual traditional Thai New Year festival that marks the start of the Buddhist New Year. However, the occasion is more commonly recognised as a water festival, as the Thais celebrate it by engaging in various water-related activities.
So, when I heard that Singapore's favourite water park, Wild Wild Wet, was having its own rendition called the Songkran Water Fest 2.0, you bet that I was excited.
Spanning the entire month of April, Songkran Water Fest 2.0 aims to be bigger and better than its previous run last year.
From Slip-N-Slide mats to even a Cage Dunk Machine, guests can look forward to a myriad of activities that will leave you feeling wet and wild.
To satisfy my wanderlust and need for a good time, I checked out the event for myself to see if it was worth the hype.
Winding down the Shiok River with my water gun
I decided to start my adventure at Shiok River, which winds around Professor's Playground.
Just for Songkran Water Fest 2.0, Shiok River will be littered with water guns so that guests can simply just pick one up and engage in an intense water fight.
And that's exactly what I did.
Along the way, I came across Thailand-themed decor such as life-size cut-outs of tuktuks (motorised rickshaws) and temples — perfect to snap some Instagram-worthy photos with!
Engaging in water fights and the Water Punishers at Tsunami Pool
Apart from Shiok River, Tsunami Pool also has its fair share of water guns floating about. And you'll definitely be needing one because the Tsunami Pool is home to the 'deadly' Water Punisher tanks.
From 1 to 4pm daily, these tanks will cruise around the area looking for their next target and they'll be mercilessly firing water at anyone who crosses their path.
I had to be strategic with this and tried my best to dart away from the tanks while aiming my own shot. But at the end of the day, don't worry if you get shot — it's just water anyway!
Shooting down targets at Professor's Playground
Over at the child-friendly Professor's Playground, children (and adults alike) can slide down mini slides and wade in the shallow pool area.
There will also be Squirt Gun Targets in the form of cut-out figurines so you can test how good your aim is with your water guns.
Dunking friends at the Cage Dunk Machine
Remember those dunk machines we used to have at school funfairs? You can now relive those memories with Wild Wild Wet's very own Cage Dunk Machine.
Simply have one of your friends sit atop the platform above the pool of water and aim your ball at the target. If you hit it, plonk goes your friend!
Slipping and sliding at Slip-N-Slide
If you're competitive like I am, you'll have oodles of fun at Slip-N-Slide.
Here, you and your friend have to penguin-dive onto a 6m x 3m inflatable horizontal slide and slide. The first one to reach the inflatable water pit at the end wins.
To make this even more challenging, try sliding your way through the course while holding your water guns as you try to shoot your friends.
Going all out with attacks at Water Gun Tag Battle
Another competitive attraction that is great for larger groups of people is the Water Gun Tag Battle.
Here, you and your friends have to navigate a massive inflatable maze while trying to attack each other with your water guns. Spraying your friends with water is already fun, but the twists and turns of the maze made the whole thing even more exhilarating.
Feasting my heart out at Thai restaurants
After a whole day of fun and games, I had to refuel. So I decided to check out the range of the Thai restaurants at Downtown East.
There are seven such restaurants including The Basil Inn and Siam Square Mookata. Our Muslim friends can also check out halal options like Sakon Thai and Magic Wok Family Restaurant. If you aren't feeling Thai food, you can also pop by Ola Beach Club, which specialises in Hawaiian-inspired cuisine.
Eventually, I went with The Basil Inn, which is located at E!Avenue. Here, my dining companions and I had an entire feast with scrumptious dishes like Kha Moo with rice (Thai-style pork knuckle), Tom Yum Talay (spicy sour soup with seafood) and Pla Neung Manow (steamed seabass in lemon juice).
I especially enjoyed the Gai Honey, which essentially is succulent slices of chicken thigh coated with a rich honey sauce. Aroy mak mak (Thai for delicious)!
Grabbing freebies
Apart from all the fun, there are also exciting promotions to look forward to so you can make your trip to Downtown East all the more worth it.
NTUC Plus! members and Plus! members can redeem a sports wet bag when they spend a minimum amount of $50 and $60, respectively.
Even if you aren't a NTUC Plus! or Plus! member, you can enjoy other deals like $10 off Tada rides to Downtown East when you use the promo code 'DETADA10'. Note that this is limited to the first 500 redemptions, while stocks last.
Get your tickets at Wild Wild Wet's website. Weekday passes start from $19 and each ticket is inclusive of a $5 Ola Beach Club voucher.
When: April 1 to April 30
Address: 1 Pasir Ris Cl, Singapore 519599
Opening hours: Wednesdays to Mondays, 12pm to 6pm, closed on Tuesdays
This article is brought to you by Downtown East.
melissateo@asiaone.com