OCEAN PARK
Located near Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong Island, Ocean Park opened in 1977 and was Hong Kong’s first theme park. Following a period of decline, attendances in recent years have soared and the park broke its own attendance record for five consecutive years reaching 5.03 million for the 2007/2008 financial year making it the fifteenth most visited theme park in the world. However during 2009 concerns over swine flu and mainland travel restrictions led to a drop in visitor numbers, particularly mainland tour groups and attendances for the financial year ended 30th June 2009 were down by about 5% to 4.78 million and the park subsequently announced a drop in to HK$98.6 million against HK$204.7 million for the financial year ended June 2008. In addition to being a theme park Ocean Park is also an important marine animal conservation, research and education centre. A major HK$5.5 billion redevelopment and expansion programme commenced in 2006 and is planned to be completed by 2012/13 which will result in the park doubling in size and the number of attractions increasing to 70 (see "Ocean Park Redevelopment" below). The park remains open as normal during the redevelopment period.
In December 2009 Ocean Park formed an alliance with eleven other theme parks in mainland China, Singapore and Taiwan to encourage more overseas visitors to each park. Vistors receive a 10% discount on production of admission tickets from any other parks in the alliance and annual passholders receive a 15% discount. The other parks in the alliance are Beijing Aquarium, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, Shenzhen's OCT Happy Valley, OCT East Knight Valley and OCT East Tea Stream Valley, Panyu Chimelong Paradise in Guangzhou, Taiwan's Leofoo Village Theme Park and Hualien Farglory Ocean Park, and the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park. The arrangement lasts until 31st December 2010 except at Beijing Aquarium where it continues until 30th April 2011.
In February 2010 it was announced that a pair of young koalas have been donated to the park by the South Australian state government. These are the first koalas to be kept by the park and are expected to arrive before 2012. The koalas will be housed in a new habitat and serve as important conservation ambassadors.
GETTING THERE
SPECIAL BUS SERVICE 629 FROM ADMIRALTY
Ocean Park is served by dedicated Citybus bus service 629 (fare HK$10.60) from Admiralty (West) Bus Terminus (MTR Admiralty Station Exit B) outside the Lippo Centre on Drake Street on Hong Kong Island. Buses operate at 10/15 minute frequency from 09-00 to 16-00 daily. Journey time is approx 25 minutes.
The last bus back from Ocean Park to Admiralty is at 19-00 (Tai Shue Wan entrance) and 19-05 (main entrance)
There are also special morning departures of service 629 (fare HK$10.60) daily from Central Ferry Pier 7 (Star Ferry Pier) at 09-35, 09-55, 10-15, 10-35 and 10-55. This service also calls at Exchange Square Bus Station (MTR Central Station Exit A) and Admiralty Bus Terminus. Journey time is approx 40 minutes.
On the outward journey to Ocean Park the 629 bus goes directly to the Tai Shue Wan entrance and does not stop at the main entrance except the buses which depart from Central Pier 7 and the 9am, 9-10am and 9-20am services from Admiralty Bus Station which call at both entrances. There is a free shuttle bus service 888 (see below) which operates between both entrances. For the return journeys the 629 bus starts at the Tin Shue Wan entrance and also calls at the main entrance.
OTHER BUSES
Ocean Park is located very close to the Aberdeen Tunnel entrance/exit on the Aberdeen side. There are numerous very frequent bus services from early morning until late night from Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and parts of Kowloon and the New Territories which either pass the main entrance to the park (if heading towards Stanley) or about 3 minutes walk from the main entrance (if heading towards Aberdeen). On all services the stop to disembark for Ocean Park is the first stop immediately after the bus exits the Aberdeen Tunnel. Ocean Park is clearly signed from these bus stops. These routes serve the main entrance to the park, not the Tai Shue Wan entrance. Visitors using these routes who wish to enter the park at the Tai Shue Wan entrance can use the free 888 shuttle bus service (see below) from outside the main entrance.
FROM CENTRAL, ADMIRALTY AND WAN CHAI
Citybus/NWFB services from Exchange Square Bus Station via Queensway (outside Admiralty MTR Station) Queens Road East Wan Chai and Aberdeen Tunnel;
6A, 6X, to Stanley (HK$8.4)
260 to Stanley (HK$10.6)
70 to Aberdeen (HK$4.7)
75 to Sham Wan (HK$4.70)
90 to Ap Lei Chau (HK$4.70)
97 to Lei Tung Estate (HK4.70)
M590 to South Horizons (not Sundays) (HK$6.90)
FROM CAUSEWAY BAY
Citybus/NWFB services from Moreton Terrace Bus Terminus (behind Hong Kong Central Library);
72 to Wah Kwa Estate via Yee Wo Street (Sogo) and Hennessy Road (HK$4.7)
72A to Sham Wan via Yee Wo Street (Sogo) and Hennessy Road (HK$4.5)
92 to Ap Lei Chau - circular route via Happy Valley (HK$4.5)
96 to Lei Tung Estate via Yee Wo Street and Hennessy Road (HK$4.7)
592 to South Horizons via Morrison Road and Hennessy Road (HK$4.7)
65 (Sundays only) to Stanley from North Point via Kings Road, Hong Kong Central Library, Hennessy Road and Happy Valley (HK$8.9)
FROM TSIM SHA TSUI (KOWLOON)
973 Citybus/NWFB service to Stanley from Concordia Plaza, Science Museum Road via Mody Road, Salisbury Road (New World Centre and also near Star Ferry Pier), Canton Road, Jordan Road then via Western Harbour Crossing, Pok Fu Lam and Aberdeen (HK$13.6). On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays most buses on this route make a short diversion via the Ocean Park Bus Terminus instead of stopping on the main road outside.
FROM SHA TIN (NEW TERRITORIES), CENTRAL KOWLOON AND HUNG HOM
170 KMB service to Wah Fu from Sha Tin MTR Station via Lion Rock Tunnel, Waterloo Road Kowloon Tong, Princess Margaret Road Ho Ma Tin, Hung Hom Station (Cross Harbour Tunnel Plaza), Cross Harbour Tunnel, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley and Aberdeen Tunnel (HK$16)
For full timetables and routes see the Citybus/NWFB route list;
http://www.nwstbus.com.hk/routes/routesearch.aspx?daytime=3&intLangID=1§ion=routes&page=routeList
GREEN MINIBUS FROM CENTRAL
Green Minibus number 6 (fare HK$10.50) from Man Kwong Street (which runs parallel to the pier entrances at Central Ferry Piers) on Hong Kong Island serves Ocean Park Bus Terminus at the main entrance at 15/30 minute intervals from 08-00 to 18-30 on Mondays to Fridays and Saturday mornings only 08-00 to 09-30. This service does not operate on Sundays or Public Holidays.
888 OCEAN PARK FREE SHUTTLE BUS
A free shuttle bus service 888 operated by Citybus runs between the two park entrances which are some distance apart. This is particularly useful for visitors who may be apprehensive of using the cable car system which connects the two sides of the park. The 888 bus stops are well signed at the park entrances. If leaving from within the park to board the shuttle bus and intending to re-enter the park at either entrance visitors need to request a hand stamp before leaving the park to enable re-entry.
Shuttle bus 888 operates between the park's two entrances and offers an alternative to the cable car for visitors travelling between Lowland and Headland
OPENING HOURS
The park is open every day of the year but park hours vary throughout the year. Opening time is 10am for most of the year but 9-30am at peak times such as school summer holidays and public holidays. Closing time varies between 6pm (for much of the winter) 7pm (summer) and 8pm (summer school holidays and some public holidays). Visitors should check the Ocean Park website for daily opening and closing times;
http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/eng/main/index.html
TICKETS
Admission tickets can be purchased both the main park entrance and Tai Shue Wan entrance. Advance booking of tickets is not usually necessary.
Tickets may also be purchased from the number 629 Ocean Park bus terminal at Admiralty Bus Station (near Admiralty MTR Station Exit B) and also MTR Travel Services Centre at Admiralty MTR Station.
Tickets can be purchased online up to 90 days in advance via the Ocean Park website online ticketing facility. Online tickets can be collected at either park entrance provided they are booked at least one day prior to collection or can be despatched by courier, allowing 5 days for delivery if to a Hong Kong SAR address or 7 days for addresses outside Hong Kong.
ADMISSION PRICES (from 9th October 2009)
Adult – HK$250
Child (3-11) – HK$125
Child under 3 – free
There is a concession of free entry for seniors aged 65 or over but this is restricted to Hong Kong Identity Card Holders only.
Ocean Park's reconstructed Main Entrance
PARK ATTRACTIONS
The park is divided into two sections, "Waterfront" (formerly “Lowland”) and Summit (formerly “Headland”) on opposite sides of a hill, Nam Long Shan (Brick Hill). Waterfront and Summit are connected by a 1.8km cable car system and since September 2009 by the park's latest attraction, Ocean Express, a 1.3km themed funicular railway. There is also a free 888 shuttle bus service (see above) which operates between the two park entrances to travel between Waterfront and Summit.
WATERFRONT
Waterfront is on the park main entrance side of the park and the Waterfront Gardens are is the location of the HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB GIANT PANDA HABITAT. Two elderly Giant Pandas Jia Jia (born 1978) and An An (born 1986) reside here. These pandas were born in mainland China and donated as a gift to Hong Kong by the Chinese Government. Until April 2009 the two elderly pandas shared the enclosure two young pandas which have since been moved to the Amazing Asian Animals enclosure.
AMAZING ASIAN ANIMALS opened on April 30th 2009 and is Ocean Park's latest attraction costing over HK$100 million. The 25,000 sq metre enclosure is covered with the same translucent material used for the "Water Cube" at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and temperature is controlled at between 18C and 25C. The enclosure is home to Ocean Park's two young Pandas Ying Ying and Le Le (both born 2005), four Red Pandas (two males Tai Shan and Cong Cong and two females Rou Rou and Li Zi) on loan from Chengdu Research Base of Panda Breeding, Chinese giant salamanders, Chinese alligators, otters, goldfish, birds and turtles. The enclosure includes a 2000 sq metre "sunlit" space for the pandas featuring fish ponds, a "snow" area and vegetation.
There are three talks daily explaining the lifestyle, conservation and environment of Giant Pandas.
Young Giant Panda Le Le has been resident in Ocean Park since 2007 and was re-housed in the Amazing Asian Animals attraction in April 2009
There is a live broadcast from the Panda Habitat and more information regarding the Pandas here;
http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/panda/index.html
Other Waterfront attractions include;
AMAZING AMAZON is a walk through South American themed garden with colourful exotic birds including macaws, toucans and other exotic birds and where the Amazing Birds Show takes place.
SKYFAIR, a recent addition to the park, has a helium balloon ride climbing up to 100 metres into the sky. In this area there is also a “Winged Wonders” bird show once or twice a day, “Skyfair Celebrations”, a performance of acrobatic skills by a team of “balloonatics” and aviators and Kung Fu Spectacle are both performed several times daily.
Skyfair's hot air balloon ride
KIDS WORLD includes the Whiskers Theatre where a Sea Lion Show and Whiskers and Friends Show are performed several times daily and where kids can join in the fun, Dolphin University and Tiny Town Games.
WATERFRONT CABLE CAR TERMINUS for the 15 minute cable car journey to the Summit with breathtaking views over Deepwater Bay, Stanley Peninsula, and Lamma Island.
Ocean Park's exhilarating cable car system links Lowland and Headland
OCEAN EXPRESS
Opened in September 2009 Ocean Express is a 1.3km funicular railway through a tunnel linking Lowland area of the park with the Summit area. The train is designed to resemble a submersible vehicle and the three minute ride simulates a journey through the depths of the ocean. The attraction forms part of Ocean Park's redevelopment and expansion programme and provides an alternative method of transportation to the cable car for travelling between the two main areas of the park.
SUMMIT
Summit can be reached either by cable car from Waterfront, Ocean Express funicular railway or from the park’s Tai Shue Wan entrance entrance via the worlds second longest outdoor escalator (covered by a canopy) travelling a distance of 225 metres. Summit attractions include;
MARINE LAND in the area around the Summit Cable Car Terminus includes Sea Jelly Spectacular, a jellyfish exhibit with music, lighting and multimedia special effects, Pacific Pier a rock-lined seal and sea-lion pool with boardwalk, Atoll Reef where visitors can walk around a huge four-storey aquarium containing over 1500 fishes and 250 species, Shark Aquarium containing over 70 sharks which can be viewed in close up from a walk through tunnel.
Atoll Reef contains over 1500 colourful fish
Ocean Theatre where a dolphins and sea-lions perform with their trainers up to four times daily in a spectacular show set to music (get there early to be sure of a seat).
Ocean Theatre dolphin and sea-lion show
Ocean Park Tower situated between Marine Land and Summit Rides is a rotating viewing platform rising 72 metres from which there are panoramic views of the park and coastline.
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SUMMIT RIDES
Summit rides
Summit rides include The Abyss turbo drop which hoists victims up to a height of 185ft before unleashing a stomach churning freefall drop, The Dragon cliff-edge roller coaster ride, Flying Swing, The Eagle swinging gondola ride, Crazy Galleon Pirate Ship swing reaching a height of 20 metres, Ferris Wheel and Headland Games which include Ring Toss, Goblet Toss and Hi-Striker.
The Abyss, Turbo Drop
ADVENTURE LAND has more rides including Mine Train, a rollercoaster ride reaching a height of 85 metres, Space Wheel orbiting vertical wheel gondola ride and Raging River boat ride.
Mine Train Ride
BIRD PARADISE near the Tai Shue Wan entrance is a huge aviary with over 750 birds and 75 species and flamingo pond.
The park’s mascot Whiskers, a friendly sea-lion and other characters can usually be seen around the park and there are character greeting venues where visitors can meet these characters at specific times.
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DOLPHIN ENCOUNTER
DOLPHIN ENCOUNTER allows visitors an "up close and personal" encounter with the dolphins enabling visitor to meet them close-up, feed them, hug them in the water and includes a souvenir photo and other memorabilia. Dolphin Encounter takes place at 12-30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and 9-30am and 12-30pm Wedenesday to Sunday. Tickets cost HK$680 for adult or child and are available from the Main Entrance Ticket Office and Ocean Theatre Image Gallery. Minimum age limit is 8 years, minimum height 1.32 metres. There is limited capacity and tickets are available on a "first-come, first-served" basis;
http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/park-experience/unique/dolphin.html
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BEHIND THE SCENES "ED-VENTURES"
On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays only the park offers two "up close and personal encounters";
AMAZING ASIAN ANIMALS ED-VENTURE allows visitors accompanied by a specialist to meet the giant pandas in their habitat aand learn more about their diet and enrichment toys and visit the Bird House and back of the house facilities to discover how the birds feed, play and breed. Time of the Ed-Venture is 11am to 12 noon, price is HK$80 adult/child (additional to the entrance fee) and tickets can be purchased at the Main Entrance Ticket Office from 9-30am to 10-30am and Panda Kingdom Shop at Amazing Asian Animals from 10-30am to 11am;
http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/park-experience/unique/behind-scenes-panda.html
SEA JELLIES & FISH ED-VENTURE takes visitors back stage to learn about the life-cycle and breeding methods and provides a front row seat in the Atoll Reef underwater classroom to view the fish species and see how aquarists take care of the marine animals. Time of the Ed-Venture is 3-30pm to 4-30pm, price is HK$80 adult/child (additional to the entrance fee) and tickets can be purchased from the Main Entrance Ticket Office from 9-30am to 10-30am and from Ocean Paradise Souvenir Shop from 12-30pm to 3-30pm;
http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/park-experience/unique/behind-scenes-jelly.html
UNIQUE ANIMAL ENCOUNTER PROGRAMMES
BREAKFAST WITH PANDAS is an opportunity to view the Giant Pandas and Red Pandas during their daily breakfast feeding from 8am at Giant Panda Adventure. Max 36 persons per session. Price is HK$380 for adults and HK$320 for children (3-11). Prices include Ocean Park admission;
http://www2.oceanpark.com.hk/AAA2009/en/rules_Bf_with_GP.html
HONORARY PANDA KEEPER PROGRAMME is an all-day experience allowing participants to tour the panda dens, learn to prepare the pandas special meals and how to care for the pandas. There is no physical interaction with the pandas. Price HK$980. Full details and booking application;
http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/park-experience/unique/panda.html
OCEAN PARK REDEVELOPMENT
Ground breaking for the 7 year HK$5.5 billion redevelopment programme mentioned above commenced in 2006 is being carried out in eight phases. AMAZING ASIAN ANIMALS opened in April 2009 and OCEAN EXPRESS, a 1.3km funicular train connecting the WATERFRONT (formerly "Lowland") and SUMMIT (formerly "Headland") opened in September 2009. The rail system is capable of transporting 5,000 passengers per hour in each direction on the 3 minute journey. Featuring a Swiss-manufactured train resembling a 19th-century explorers submarine the train journey simulates an undersea adventure. The rail system in addition to being an attraction provides an alternative method of travel between the two main areas of the park in the event of the cable car system being disrupted by adverse weather. The Waterfront area will contain three themed zones, AQUA CITY (expected to open mid-2010), BIRDS OF PARADISE and WHISKERS HARBOUR. The Summit will contain MARINE WORLD, THE RAINFOREST , SYMBIO, THRILL MOUNTAIN and POLAR ADVENTURE. There will also be night shows and attractions and park opening hours will be extended. During late 2008 the park's remaining Chinese Sturgeon were returned to Xiamen for treatment following illness and pending their return the existing Chinese Sturgeon Aquarium in the park is being converted into a new freshwater exhibit showcasing the aquatic wildlife species of the Yangtze River. The new aquarium AQUA CITY will be among the largest in Asia and is expected to open in mid-2010. There are also plans for three hotels (Ocean Hotel, Spa Hotel and Fisherman's Wharf Hotel), and an Ocean Park MTR station serving the park on the proposed South Island Line linking to Admiralty MTR Station.