A Day at Dry Dam Sen Park: A Parent's Perspective
Setting Expectations and Finding Value
We recently spent a day at Dam Sen Park, and overall, our experience was enjoyable. It's important to go in with realistic expectations, but we definitely weren't disappointed.
Savvy Ticket Strategy
We visited on a Saturday, and surprisingly, it wasn't too crowded. We were lucky enough to get a discounted admission, which significantly lowered the cost. Full-price tickets were listed around 300k VND for those taller than 1.4m, 220k VND for those under 1.4m, and free for children under 90cm. The all-inclusive ticket is recommended for the unlimited access to the "Childhood Train" which runs every 15 minutes. Plus, the little ones can enjoy their favorite attractions over and over!
Navigating with a Toddler
Our family, including our 3.5-year-old, arrived around 10:00 am. While stroller rentals were available, we found we didn't need one. A simple bag with essentials like wipes, a phone charger, a water bottle, and a small fan was sufficient for our needs.
Gentle Adventures for Little Ones
Our toddler is a bit cautious, so we focused on gentler rides like the paddle boats, the "Dragon Ride," the "Childhood Train," the monorail, the carousel, and visits to the aquarium and the ice cave. Believe it or not, this kept us busy all day! Our child even asked to return. There's also a water park area (swimsuit rentals available) within the dry park, which looks perfect for younger children. I believe the entrance fee for that specific area is between 50-100k VND.
Areas Needing Improvement
Dam Sen advertises a playground with interconnected ball pits and slides, but unfortunately, it was quite old, unclean, and poorly maintained, making it unusable. The ice cave wasn't very large, but its temperature made us seek relief quickly. The aquarium had a decent collection of fish, although not as impressive as the one in Nha Trang, but it did manage to captivate our child.
Food and Refreshments
Beverages such as coffee, lemonade, and orange juice were priced around 35k VND, while bottled water cost 15k VND. We had lunch at the "Garden Stone Cafe." The food was slightly pricier than the other vendors inside the park (our meal of fish with rice, spaghetti, and macaroni cost 197k VND), but it was cool, had phone charging stations, and a fish pond for entertainment. Our child even took a nap, reenergizing for more playtime. In the zoo area, you can purchase food for the goats, giraffes, sheep, and rabbits (10k VND per portion) so that the children can interact with the animals.
A Successful Family Outing
If it wasn't for the park closing at 5 pm, our child would have kept playing. Our total expenses for the day came to 785k VND (410k VND for discounted tickets, 197k VND for food, and the rest for drinks, ice cream, and animal feed). Overall, Dam Sen Park proved to be a great option for families like ours looking for a local, activity-filled day.
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