Nearly 16 years after the Berlin Wall fell, Germans are having a hard time leaving the former East Germany. That’s because in the city of Brand, an hour’s drive from where the wall once stood, lies a paradise unlike any vision the Soviet Union had.
A former airship hangar houses Tropical Islands: a balmy, 700,000-square-foot, indoor resort. Lining the lagoon’s sandy beaches are 850 lounge chairs. The water is heated to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, inviting patrons to tan under the UV-penetrable roof.
Swimmers can snorkel the 4,000-meter South Sea, float along the current canal, slide into the Bali lagoon and lounge in the whirlpool or next to a waterfall. Every two hours, entertainers from various Asian countries perform for visitors.
Nature lovers can explore the rain forest, featuring more than 500 plant species. Open 24 hours a day, year ’round, Tropical Islands offers fine dining, shopping and massages.
Those who don’t require the hotel option can pitch a tent on the beach and fall asleep to the sounds of insects and birds chirping from hidden speakers. Now that’s a party for the people.
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