
Ten inversions. That was the number that put Chimelong Paradise on the global thrill-seeker map. When the park's 10 Inversion Roller Coaster debuted, it shared the world record for the most flips on a single ride — tied with Colossus at Thorpe Park in England. The record has since been broken, but the park built around that coaster has only grown. Opened on April 12, 2006, in Guangzhou's Panyu District, Chimelong Paradise is now the largest amusement park in China, a AAAAA-rated scenic destination that can absorb 50,000 visitors in a single day.
Chimelong Paradise did not begin small. The Chimelong Group, the Chinese tourism and entertainment company behind it, reported that construction cost more than one billion renminbi — a figure that signals the ambition baked into the project from the start. The park stretches across 60 hectares of Panyu District, a suburban zone south of Guangzhou's city core that has become the anchor of the larger Guangzhou Chimelong Tourist Resort. That resort also encompasses Chimelong Safari Park, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, and Chimelong International Circus, making the complex one of the most comprehensive tourism destinations in southern China. Chimelong Paradise itself is linked by bridge to Chimelong Water Park, and some combined tickets provide access to both. The scale signals a deliberate bet: that Chinese families, and international visitors, would travel to Guangzhou specifically for this.
The park divides itself into seven themed zones, each with a distinct identity. Screaming Zone is the heart of the thrill-riding experience, where the 10 Inversion Roller Coaster — which closed permanently in December 2025 — anchored a lineup that includes the Sky Rocket Roller Coaster and the Windshear. Rainbow Bay features a Dive Coaster and a Giant Frisbee. Whirlwind Island and Water World cater to visitors who want their adrenaline delivered by speed boats and splash rides. Happy Kingdom is built for families with older children — multiple coasters and towers designed to deliver big sensation without extreme intensity. Kids' Land brings in younger visitors with gentler rides, from the Noah's Ark walk-through to the Circus Train. Phantom Zone offers 4D cinema alongside darker, immersive experiences. The range is deliberate: Chimelong Paradise is designed to hold an entire family for an entire day, with something calibrated for every age and appetite.
Before The Smiler opened at Alton Towers in Staffordshire in 2013 with 14 inversions, Chimelong Paradise's 10 Inversion Roller Coaster shared the world record with Colossus at Thorpe Park, both delivering exactly ten flips per ride. For a park that opened in 2006, the coaster was a statement: Guangzhou could compete on the world stage for the title of most extreme. In 2008, the park added another major coaster — nearly 61 meters tall and capable of reaching 105 kilometers per hour — further deepening the Screaming Zone's credentials. The park's AAAAA classification from the China National Tourism Administration, the country's highest tourism rating, confirmed its status not just as an entertainment venue but as a landmark of national significance.
Chimelong Paradise sits a short walk from Exit E of Hanxi Changlong Station on Guangzhou Metro Lines 3 and 7 — a footbridge and a three-minute walk separate the platform from the park entrance, or a free shuttle bus covers the gap. For a park of its size, the metro connection matters: on busy days, 50,000 people enter and the roads surrounding Panyu District feel it. The station opened as part of the broader Guangzhou transit expansion, and the connection transformed Chimelong Paradise from a destination that required a car into one accessible from anywhere on Guangzhou's metro network. Inside, the park's daily rhythm has its own texture — the late morning rush to Screaming Zone, the midday heat that drives families toward Water World, the evening light that softens the look of the whole place and extends the day for those who don't want to leave.
Chimelong Paradise is located at 23.004°N, 113.327°E in Panyu District, roughly 20 km south of central Guangzhou. At 3,000 feet, the large footprint of the park is visible — the roller coaster structures of Screaming Zone stand out against the surrounding suburban development. The Pearl River's southern distributaries are visible to the east. Nearest major airport: ZGGG (Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport), approximately 35 km to the north-northeast. Panyu District's relatively flat terrain and proximity to the Pearl River makes the area easy to identify from the air; the resort complex itself, including the distinctive layout of adjacent Chimelong Water Park, appears as a large entertainment footprint distinct from the surrounding residential grid.