FIRST on our itinerary of theme parks in Hong Kong was Ocean Park. Ocean Park is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park and amusement park, situated in in the southern district of Hong Kong.
In 2014, Ocean Park expanded its features to over 80 attractions and rides, resulting to multiples of visitor numbers making it the world's 13th most visited theme park, and the largest theme park in Asia.
Covering an area of 91.5 hectares, the park is separated by a large mountain into two areas, The Summit (Headland) and The Waterfront (Lowland). These areas can be reached by a 1.5- kilometer cable car system which is an 8-minute ride with commanding views of the South China Sea.
Six passengers can be accommodated per car and there are 252 cables cars in total on two pairs of rope ways. Despite the capacity of 4,000 passengers per hour, the waiting line to ride these cars is quite long.
There is also the Ocean Express funicular railway which carries 5,000 people per hour on its three-minute journey. The funicular railway using multimedia effects simulates diving into the depths of the sea. There is the third option which is the escalator. This is Hong Kong's second longest outdoor escalator system at 225 meters long.
If you go for literally hair-raising rides, Ocean Park has four roller coasters, a 20-floor steep drop and more adrenalin pumping rides.
The reason I love Ocean Park is because of its animal exhibits. You see the cuddly giant pandas in their habitat and polar displays. A new addition is the golden monkey. What a gorgeous creature with its shining mane!
The park has the largest Aquarium Dome and you can just waste time and watch these water animals so up close. My favorite in the water world is the Sea Jelly Spectacular. Jelly fishes in different sizes, shapes and colors dance so gracefully before our eyes in an aquatic stage of music, lightand multimedia effects. Truly amazing! Some are as small as a fingernail while others as big as our heads. There are over a thousand jelly fishes on display and from different parts of the globe.
The most popular attraction in the Ocean Theatre is the Dolphin Show featuring five dolphins and two very entertaining seals.
Ocean Park Hong Kong aims to merge entertainment and education, including conservation advocacy. There are over 12,000 animals and highlights its educational and scientific research programs, alongside the animal displays and entertainment.
It has been successful in breeding rare shark species, bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, sea horses, penguins, anacondas, red-handed tamarins, Pygmy marmosets and several species of sea jellies. Endangered birds and butterflies are also hatched and reared at Ocean Park.
Ocean Park has created education programs, such as the Ocean Park Academy (OPA), begun in 2004, through which the park runs educational tours for schoolchildren and workshops for teachers from the Hong Kong Institute of Education.
Every year, the Park offers over 35 core courses for around 46,000 students on six big topics: giant pandas and red pandas, dolphins and sea lions, birds, fishes, plants, and mechanical rides.
We have taken a few trips to Ocean Park from the time my sons were still little children, then as teenagers and as adults. Now, we wanted Iñigo, who is very intrigued with sharks and dolphins, pandas and other creatures in God’s world to likewise share this up close experience. Watching him ogle at them was pure joy.
Family bonding becomes more intimate when you are together for a whole week. You discover the certain developments in your children’s characters as they mature.
Ocean Park is a vast expanse and strong legs and hype energy are required to be able to see more of its features. Our Nana of over 40 years who is now an integral part of the family came along to complete the family. However, she had some mobility problems as her legs were swelling. The best remedy was to hire a wheelchair. My three boys, whom she has given tender loving care as infants even as grown up men, took turns in wheeling her around. I was very touched when they said: “Finally Nana, naka-servicio man kami sa imo”. (Nana, finally we have the chance to also serve you!) Isn’t that heartwarming?
So Ocean Park was not only a fun day to enjoy sea creatures and mammals and rides. It was also a day we gave thanksgiving to a person who has been loyal and faithful and who served as well. Thank you, Lord!