Ocean Park on Hong Kong Island's southern shore is home to rare Chinese sturgeons, smiling bottlenose dolphins and laid-back giant pandas. Together with the ferris wheels, roller-coasters and gravity-defying acrobats, there is something for all the family at Ocean Park.
Fairground Attractions and Exotic Species
Occupying more than 870,000 square metres spanning a rocky headland jutting into the South China Sea, Ocean Park is one of Hong Kong’s most popular attractions. Time Out Hong Kong reported in January 2009 that the Park now has well over 4 million visitors a year, drawn by a mixture of exotic and endangered species and tried and tested amusements.
The main entrance leads to the lowland section of the park, complete with the hot-air balloons and outdoor stage of the Sky Fair, the Giant Panda Habitat and a wide range of play areas for children. The Tai Shue Wan entrance leads to the headland area, which rises steeply from the sea. The roller-coasters, water-rides and Pacific Pier with its loud population of sea lions and harbor seals are reached by a 225-metre escalator. The lowland and headland areas are joined by a spectacular, and surprisingly peaceful, cable-car ride, which affords beautiful views of Hong Kong’s rugged southern coast and the South China Sea.
Educational Activities at Ocean Park
It is possible to join tours going behind the scenes at the park, while those eager to get up close and personal with the dolphins can apply to have a Dolphin Encounter. The Ocean Park Academy provides a number of courses on science and nature, aimed at children from kindergarten age and up. The park also hosts summer and winter schools, allowing children the chance to interact with the park’s animals and facilities.
Controversies at Ocean Park
At the end of 2008 the Park temporarily closed the Chinese Sturgeon Aquarium after one of the rare fish died. Another sturgeon died on 2 January 2009, the third to die since June 2008, prompting a call to monitor the welfare of animals generally at Ocean Park, as reported in the Sunday Morning Post (“Deaths spark calls for scrutiny of Ocean Park”, by Vivienne Chow, January 4, 2009). An Ocean Park spokeswoman noted that the number of deaths at the Park were similar to those in the wild.
How to Reach Ocean Park
Ocean Park is located in Aberdeen, on the south coast of Hong Kong Island, and is easily reached by car and bus from the northern side of the island. The bus 629 takes 20 minutes to reach the Park from Admiralty bus station.The Park is open daily from 10.00am to 6.00pm. An adult ticket is HK$208 (US$27), and a child ticket is HK$103 (US$13).
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