Hi my lovely readers!

Since I was a little girl, I always loved going to theme and amusement parks. They are great as they have something to offer for everyone. I seek the thrill and adventure rides, while my other half prefers the shows and scenic rides.

Still, we both always enjoy our day out together and we always try to incorporate a theme park visit into our holiday.

In Hong Kong there are two theme parks close by. One of course being Disneyland and the other one being Ocean Park.

OCEAN PARK INTRO

Ocean Park, as the name states, is mainly themed around the ocean and sea. There  you can find different aquariums, some rides, animal shoes as well as a bird enclosure and pandas! It also has its own Marine Mammal Breeding and Research Center.

The park is very unique as it is build on different levels and on the side of a mountain. One part of the park is on one side of the mountain and the other part can be accessed by train or cable car.

The park is only about 20 min away from Hong Kong station and can be easily accessed via the MTR. Go to “Admiralty” station and change for the “South Island Line” towards South Horizons. Admiralty is the first and last stop so you cannot go to the wrong direction. Get off at the stop “Ocean Park”. The park is literally next to the train station.

ANIMALS

There are plenty of different animals that you can find in the park, water and land based. Many of them, which you cannot find in European Zoos as they are native to Asia.

The star of the park is most likely the giant panda. But you can also find for example koala bears, otters, arctic foxes just to name a few.

The aquariums are filled with interesting looking goldfish, walruses, sharks and your usual suspects such as jellyfish and Nemo the clown fish.

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I saw so many different animals that I have never seen before. And I have been to a lot of zoos and aquariums. So I thoroughly enjoyed the day out. The animal highlights for me were the sawfish, the giant panda and the different types of goldfish.

RIDES AND SHOWS

The park offers a variety of rides that suite the entire family. There are two wet rides, a log and a rapid ride that pass several animal enclosures.

Some of the thrill rides such as the Hair Raiser, a looping roller coaster, is on top of the mountain and you get amazing views of the area when you ride it. But what is interesting is that the park also has some VR rides.

Your usual suspects such as bumper cars and carousels can be found there as well of course.

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The park furthermore has a few shows such as acrobatic and bird shows. The main show however, is the dolphin show. This show has a conservation and preservation focus and teaches everyone how we can look better after our oceans and how we can tackle some issues that are threatening them. They are informative, interesting and of course entertaining.

FOOD

Food stalls can be found throughout the park, but there is one main food section called the Old Hong Kong. There you can find different types of Asian food stalls that serve foods such as dumplings,  fish balls, meat skewers, noodles, steamed rice rolls, the famous milk tea and egg puffs, which are like little waffle balls that are local to Hong Kong and super tasty!

Of course they also serve some more mainstream foods as well such as chicken, sausages, fried noodles and so on.

So, if you do not fancy some Asian food, you can always find something you are more familiar with. There are more food stalls and eating places located throughout the park that offer all sorts of foods.

The food is reasonable priced and I would recommend to sample a few dishes to be able to taste as many different dishes as possible.

When the park is less busy, some of the food stalls might be closed throughout the park though. However, the stalls in the food market Old Hong Kong are open.

• Opening times: Open Daily from 10 am; closing times vary depending on the day and season, please check the website
• Admission: Adults aged 12 or above – HK$ 498.00; Children aged 3 to 11 – HK$ 249 (prices at point of writing this post)
• For more information please visit: https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en
• How to get there: take the South Island Line and get off at Ocean Park station
  

FINAL THOUGHTS…

I absolutely enjoyed the day out in Ocean Park and would recommend anyone to go there. The park’s set up is unique as it is on top of the mountain and you get a great view of Aberdeen, especially from the Hair Raiser ride.

My tip, go on the cable car to access the other side of the park. Again, the views are amazing, it is very pleasant and relaxing and as it is on the side of the mountain, I found the set up very different and special. It can be a bit scary though if you are not a big fan of heights.

You will see animals, which you have never seen before and it is just a great day out for the entire family. There is something for everyone.

But, the park operates in a strange way which you need to be aware of. The park opens at 10 am, but some sections and rides within the park open later or only between certain times. It is rather difficult to find out when something opens as there is no proper signage and people do not speak English very well. So it was hard to find out information.

Also, I would recommend to check out the park’s website as they sometimes have offers, especially during the shoulder seasons.

And last but not least, since Disneyland opened in Hong Kong, the park has seen a decline is visitor numbers. I am always trying to support less known, out of the ordinary or less mainstream/local attractions and I believe this park ticks that box. This park is not just there to make profit, but also to contribute to research, preservation, conservation as well as education. So I think more people should visit this park as it is lovely!