Forty kilometres south of Berlin, inside a former Soviet aircraft hangar that is the largest free-standing hall in the world, you will find a tropical rainforest. The hangar was built in the 1930s as a construction facility for airships. It is 360 metres long, 210 metres wide, and 107 metres high. Today it contains a beach, a lagoon, a rainforest with actual trees, and enough humidity to fog your glasses the moment you step inside. Tropical Islands is entirely indoors. The temperature is a constant 26 degrees Celsius. The rain falls on schedule.

What Awaits Inside the Giant Dome

Stepping into Tropical Islands is like walking into another world, especially when the German winter is blowing outside. The main hall, housed within a former airship hangar that was once the largest free-standing hall in the world, maintains a constant 26 degrees Celsius and features its own lagoon, sandy beaches, and lush tropical vegetation. The centrepiece is the Tropical Village, a re-creation of a Southeast Asian settlement surrounded by over 50,000 plants and trees. A massive underwater glass tunnel winds through the lagoon, allowing you to observe tropical fish swimming overhead. The dome is so vast that clouds actually form near the ceiling, creating brief indoor rain showers that add to the immersive atmosphere.

Water Rides, Saunas, and Evening Entertainment

The water park section offers everything from gentle wave pools and lazy rivers to high-speed slides and a free-fall drop slide. The Tropical World area includes the Amazonia water slide complex and a separate children’s pool with pirate-themed play structures. For a more relaxed experience, the sauna village features Baltic, Finnish, and Roman-style saunas spread across a landscaped garden area. Evening entertainment includes laser shows, live music, and themed parties held around the lagoon. Overnight stays are possible in one of the beach lodges, safari-style tents, or even basic camping pods within the dome, giving you the surreal experience of waking up to tropical birdsong while snow lies metres away on the other side of the hangar walls.

Planning Your Visit

Tropical Islands is located in Krausnick, roughly 50 kilometres south of Berlin. A direct train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Brand Tropical Islands station takes about 45 minutes, followed by a free shuttle bus to the entrance. Parking is also available on site for a small fee. Opening hours run from 6 am to midnight daily, with extended hours during school holidays. Day tickets for adults start at around 50 euros, while evening tickets and multi-day passes are available at reduced rates. The warmest months to visit are June through August when the outdoor pool area is also open, but the indoor dome operates year-round regardless of weather. Book online in advance for the best prices and to guarantee entry during peak periods.

The Main Attractions

The centrepiece is the Tropical Village, a 200-metre-long beach with 30,000 square metres of white sand imported from Sardinia. The water temperature in the lagoon is 28 degrees Celsius. The wave machine generates waves up to 1.5 metres high. The Amazonia section contains the indoor rainforest, with 50,000 plants, a walkway through the canopy, and a butterfly house. The Bali Lagoon features a pool surrounded by traditional Balinese architecture, carved wooden pavilions, and a swim-up bar. The Sauna and Spa area includes 14 themed saunas: the Finnish sauna at 90 degrees, the bio sauna at 60 degrees, the steam bath, the salt grotto, and the outdoor sauna with a view of the surrounding Brandenburg forest.

The Hangar and Its History

The hangar was originally built as part of the CargoLifter project in the 1990s, a company that planned to build and operate heavy-lift airships. The company went bankrupt in 2002 before any airship was built. Malaysian investors acquired the hangar in 2003 and converted it into a tropical-themed water park at a cost of €78 million. The hangar’s size is difficult to comprehend until you are inside it. The volume is 5.5 million cubic metres. A tropical thunderstorm, simulated every afternoon at 3pm, releases 6,000 litres of water in 15 minutes. The sound echoes across the hall. It is convincing.

Practical Information

Tropical Islands is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A day ticket costs €54 as of 2026. An overnight ticket, which includes access from 6pm to 9am the following day, costs €47. Hotel rooms within the dome are available at €100-200 per night, including a basic breakfast. The park is accessible by train from Berlin to Brand, then a free shuttle bus: total journey time roughly one hour. A car is faster. Parking is free. The restaurants inside the dome are expensive and average. Pack a waterproof bag for your phone. The humidity is relentless. Your camera lens will fog. Everyone’s does.

Can you imagine swimming in a wave pool inside a hangar while the Brandenburg winter sits at minus five degrees outside the door?

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