by James Cheang and Foo Rong En
Located right in the heart of the city, the 2nd edition of BounceOFF! has morphed from last year’s race and bazaar to Asia’s largest outdoors inflatable play space, with more than 30 inflatable rides. Each of the giant inflatables are specially customised for maximum thrills, and boy, are there a buffet of choices when it comes to ridiculously bouncy fun that is guaranteed to trigger childhood memories. Unlike the fixed route for last year’s race, BounceOFF! Fiesta 2016 has taken on a more open carnival style, with Play Pass holders getting to enjoy unlimited rides at their own free time. For those who have their sights on specific rides, individual rides cost $3 – $40 a pop.
BounceOFF! Fiesta 2016 features 4 huge play zones (Bounce, Slide, Jump, Feast Zones) spanning across more than 40,000 square metres at two main locations along the Marina Bay Bayfront – The Promontory @ Marina Bay and Bayfront Event Space. Over at the main Bounce Zone, kids and adults alike can bounce to their heart’s content. Challenge yourself to many titanic inflatable rides such as the “Skyscraper ”, Southeast Asia’s Largest Inflatable Bouncer or cool off at Singapore’s longest water slide at the Slide Zone – the sheer height is daunting but the thrill is real.
Just a brisk walk away from the Waterfront Promenade, Southeast Asia’s Tallest Blob Jump stands at a towering height of 10 metres. Despite being built from sturdy scaffolding materials, the open structure of the tower and our bird’s eye view of the Singapore skyline quickly reminded us of our overwhelming elevation as we glanced down to our fellow jumpers who would soon share the same fate as us.
Stepping towards the edge, every fibre in my body screamed for me to take a step back, though the knowledge that industrial experts had painstakingly assessed the safety risks was rather reassuring. One of the crew members even dished out tips to calm our nerves. “Look far ahead and choose your favourite landmark”, he said. Without the finesse of Hollywood stunt doubles, I took a leap of faith as I plummeted to the ground on the world’s scariest trust fall exercise. The free-fall was immensely thrilling and surreal. An eternity later, I landed firmly on my posterior. The gigantic airbag made the landing comfortingly soft and the adrenaline rush will definitely propel you to try it again. For those who want to conquer their fear of heights without outright fainting at the sheer height, the 8-metre-high platform might be a less terrifying option.
After burning all those calories at the giant inflatables, the aptly-named Feast Zone is the perfect spot to satisfy those growing hunger pangs, with comfort food like burgers and mouth-watering desserts to end your day on a sweet note.
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by Chan Choy Yu
Remember those days when we jumped to our hearts’ content on bouncy castles at carnivals? They were so much fun, but now we simply walk on when we come across one because we have all grown up.
With the aim to bring back those childhood memories and deliver exciting fun to both adults and children alike, BounceOFF! is back again for the 2nd year running, and is Asia’s largest outdoor inflatable play space. It spans over 40,000 square metres along the Marina Bay Bayfront Event Space, and is akin to a carnival, unlike last year’s edition where the race and bazaar were separate events. BounceOFF! Fiesta 2016 also features over 30 inflatables and 4 major play zones — Bounce, Slide, Jump and Feast. Play Pass holders are entitled to unlimited rides at all zones, and tickets ($3 – $40) for individual rides are for sale at the event as well.
Highlights of the Fiesta for thrill-seekers include Skyscraper, Southeast Asia’s largest inflatable bouncer at 16 metres tall, and Slider, Singapore’s longest water slide at 150 metres long. However, the real star is undoubtedly Blobber, the tallest blob jump in Southeast Asia that stand proudly at a lofty total of 10 metres in height.
Trust me when I say that even the bravest jumper would hesitate the moment you look down from edge of the scaffolding. Trust me once more though, when I say that taking that literal leap of faith would be totally worth the adrenaline rush and sheer thrill that will course through you. Alternatively, there is the less daunting 8 metre-drop to challenge yourself with, although since it’s not everyday you get to free-fall to safety, why not go big or go home!
For those afraid of heights, make sure not to give The Web at the Bounce Zone a miss — it’ll leave you just as breathless as the Blobber, because what it lacks for in height, it makes up for in obstacles. The Jump Zone also should not be shunned entirely because a Gladiator Arena and a Rock Wall awaits.
Finally, the Feast Zone is what it is — a place to feast. From hotdogs and kebabs to ice creams and drinks, it’s perfect for ending a day full of fun and adventure, although they do cost more than the usual hawker fare. That, however, is a small price to pay for a trip down memory lane.
Overall, BounceOFF! Fiesta 2016 did not disappoint, to say the least. With great fun and great food present, be sure to catch next year’s with some great company as well!
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BounceOFF! Fiesta 2016 runs from 2 December to 1 January 2017. Operating hours are: Weekdays (5pm to 11pm); Weekends (2pm to 11pm); 24 & 31 December (2pm to 2am). Ticket prices range from S$48 to S$128.
For more information, please visit www.bounceofffiesta.com.sg.
