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17 Essential Tips For An Epic Time At Ocean Park, Hong Kong

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Fatehah •  Mar 03, 2023

If you’ve never heard of Ocean Park prior to this article, you’re totally missing out! The park is Hong Kong’s oldest and second-largest theme park, and it definitely deserves one of the top spots in your itinerary. This all-in-one park consists of a marine park, a theme park, and an Instagrammable culture zone! There’s so much to do here that you’d want to set aside a full day to fully experience Ocean Park. Here are 17 essential tips to make the best of your adventure here!

1. Alight at Ocean Park Station

It’s easy getting to Ocean Park – just take the South Island Line MTR to Ocean Park station. You’ll see Exit B almost immediately after tapping out. Take a short walk to the park entrance that’s conveniently located directly beside the station.

We recommend coming early (before the park opens!) but not too early, as Exit B only opens at 9am.

2. Beat the queue with a FasTrack ticket

With so many rides and things to do here, it’s no wonder that the park is always filled with visitors! Many tour groups spend a day here, and the queues for rides and attractions can get pretty long. So why waste all that time when you can skip the lines with a FasTrack ticket!

There are two types of FasTrack tickets you can get – Ocean FasTrack (7) which gives you priority access to 7 designated rides or the Ocean FasTrack (All), where you can enjoy priority access to all rides and attractions. We recommend choosing the latter as the cost difference between the two is not much, but the perks are a lot more!

3. Use the Ocean Park Hong Kong app with the park’s free Wi-Fi

But if you don’t want to spend the extra money, you can still save time on queuing by downloading the Ocean Park Hong Kong app! The eScheduler feature in the app lets you pick three out of 8 specified attractions, and it’ll reserve the visit time for you so you can avoid those long queues!

Credit: Ocean Park Hong Kong

Time’s not the only thing you can save with this app! You can also save money by using the eCoupons and Promotions the app offers for some of the park’s retail shops and restaurants. We’d recommend referring to the interactive park map on the app too, as the park is really huge so you’d want to know which part of the park to head to for certain attractions!

#HHWT Tip: There’s no need for mobile data here as the park has free Wi-Fi! P.S. Download the app for Android and iOS!

4. Enjoy breathtaking views during your cable car ride

The park is made up of the waterfront and summit. While it may seem like a chore to get from one area to the other, there’s really no reason for you to gripe. The journey between both areas is an experience in itself! Take the cable car and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the park, along with breathtaking views of the surrounding South China Sea and nature.

Families who are using strollers don’t have to give this a miss for fear that it might be inconvenient! There’s a slope up to the cable car station, and all you need to do is fold the stroller and fit it into the car.

5. If you are afraid of heights, take the Ocean Express instead

But if you are afraid of heights, the Ocean Express is your ride up! Don’t dismiss this as any ordinary train though. You might not be able to enjoy the view outside, but there’s an underwater adventure waiting for you inside the train!

This 4-minute ride simulates an underwater journey in a submarine. The beautiful animations will make you forget you’re on land!

6. Visit your cuddly friends in the morning

Before heading to the summit, stop by Giant Panda Adventure to visit your cuddly friends. Giant Pandas Ying Ying and Le Le are set to make your heart melt!

We recommend heading here in the morning (around 10 am) as it coincides with their feeding time hence the pandas are most active during this time. Want to try your hand at feeding them? You can! Visit the panda enclosure from the inside, learn how to prepare the pandas’ special meals and feed them.

7. Marvel at the aquarium’s wide array of marine life

And while you’re at the waterfront, continue your animal adventure to the darkest depths of the ocean! With an eye-opening collection of 5,000 fish from over 400 species, you’d be amazed at how much marine life there is here.

The aquarium dome and wide acrylic viewing panel makes the experience so immersive that you’ll forget that there’s even a screen separating you and the animals.

8. Get up close and personal with adorable penguins

Once you’ve reached the Summit, kickstart your Ocean Park adventure at South Pole Spectacular with some of the cutest animals. The place might be small, but it is home to many different species of penguins, from the king penguin to one of the world’s smallest penguins!

Credit: Ocean Park Hong Kong

It’s a shame to just look at them though, especially when you have the chance to get up close and personal with these adorable penguins. Book a Penguin Encounter and meet these penguins ? You’ll even get to feed them and observe how they are cared for.

#HHWT Tip: Pack a jacket as it’s pretty cold in here!

9. Go big or go home at the best thrill rides

Marine park, check! It’s time for some fun and games now. Scream your heart out at the park’s many thrill rides. We’ve all probably wondered what it’s like to soar through the skies. Well, let The Flash (Thrill Mountain) give you a glimpse of that! The ride will swing you 22 metres above the ground and hurl you a full 360 degrees. This one’s definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Credit: Ocean Park Hong Kong

And if that’s not enough to shake you up, Hong Kong’s fastest roller coaster rides definitely will. The Hair Raiser (Thrill Mountain) is a floorless roller coaster that would not just make your hair stand on ends; it’ll plunge, dangle and suspend you high above the sea!

10. Bring out your inner child on these kid-friendly rides

Want to experience all that fun but without too much thrill? Head to the park’s kid-friendly rides! The Whirly Bird (Thrill Mountain) is a must-try as it spins you (don’t worry, it’s not 360 degrees) 30 metres above the ground. So you can experience the beauty surrounding you, wind in your hair but at a much slower heart rate!

Get your child’s heart racing at the kid-friendly thrill rides. The Frog Hopper (Whiskers Harbour) will take them to the top and plunge them down!

11. Get yourself soaked on these wet rides

You can’t say you’ve experienced fun at Ocean Park until you get completely soaked. Hold on tight at The Rapids (Rainforest)! The ride is a journey of twists and turns along the river. The water doesn’t just come from below you though. You’d probably want to keep an eye out for the sudden water gun attacks from the overhanging suspension bridges.

For a deeper (and wetter!) plunge, the Raging River (Adventure Land) will do the trick. Twist your way towards a spectacular vertical drop and feel that splash of water when you plunge into the mist below!

#HHWT Tip: For those who do not fancy getting wet but still want to try this rides, pack a poncho.

12. Have a blast on these rides that are unique to Ocean Park

Now if you think the rides we’ve mentioned are similar to rides in other parks around the world, you cannot be more wrong. Ocean Park is also home to some of the most unique rides you’ve come across. The Mine Train (Adventure Land) looks like an ordinary roller coaster from the onset but not when you’re onboard the ride!

Put on a special virtual reality (VR) headset that’ll blind you to the roller coaster tracks and transport you to another world altogether. Your roller coaster experience will be completely transformed after this ride!

13. Soak in Hong Kong’s culture at the park’s must-visit spots

Time to take a step back from all that adrenaline rush, and relive the culture of Hong Kong’s culture in the 1950s to 1970s at Old Hong Kong. The streets here were purposefully recreated to be similar to the streets of the past. You wouldn’t want to miss out on the many instagrammable spots here!

Don’t miss out on the Marine World Games Zone! Arcade games are probably a thing of the past, and this zone gives you a chance to relive those memories ? Aim well - it’s not hard to take home a cute prize!

14. Feast on yummy Halal-certified food

There’s no need to pack food for your adventure here. Whether you’re looking for a light bite or a hearty meal, Panda Café Food To Go at the Waterfront is your answer. We especially loved their flavourful beef balls with herb tomato sauce and curry steamed buns. Cool down with a Coco-Cola freeze. Nothing comes quite close to bliss as this after a long day! Note: The café is a takeaway kiosk hence it does not have a seating area of its own. But you can head to the cafeteria (not halal-certified) next door to have your meal!

If you prefer to dine-in, Cafe Ocean located at the summit (Marine World) is the perfect choice! This halal-certified cafe specializes in Southeast Asian cuisine and some of their must-try dishes include Hainanese Chicken Rice, Malaysian Laksa with King Prawns and Penang Char Kway Teow. Apart from the delectable food, the cafe's gorgeous sea view is bound to draw you in!

P.S. Vegetarian menu is also available here!

15. Head to Guest Relations to perform your prayers

No, you do not have to keep your eyes peeled for a discreet corner to pray in the park. All you need to do is head to Guest Relations, and request to use the room for prayers. There’s one at the Waterfront and one at the Summit!

Do bring your own prayer garments and mat, as they are not provided! Qiblah directions are indicated in the room.

16. Use the park’s family-friendly facilities

Parents, we hear you! The availability of family-friendly facilities is always a nagging concern, but you don’t have to worry about that here. There are a few nursery rooms here and washrooms for both you and your children!

You can even rent a stroller or wheelchair at just HKD120. Be sure to take the elevator instead of the escalators!

17. Shop till you drop at the park’s many shops

Now that your amazing Ocean Park adventure has come to an end, we’re sure you’d want to take a piece of the memories home with you. Snag yourself an adorable panda hat at Panda Kingdom Shop or some penguin plush toys at The Lodge!

You don’t have to keep this right to the end of your adventure though! The shops are usually outside the different attractions so you can head there right after your experience. We know, we know. Ocean Park sounds too amazing to be missed. The best part is that now, you’re all ready for this awesome adventure!

P.S. Here are more authentic Hong Kong experiences you have to try! Plus, we've got you totally covered for your next trip to Hong Kong with these essential guides

This article was brought to you by Hong Kong Tourism Board. Supported by Ocean Park Hong Kong.