Chimelong Ocean Kingdom opened on March 29, 2014, on Hengqin Island in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China, as the marine-life centerpiece of the sprawling Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Resort. Designed by PGAV Destinations and built for its first phase, the park set five Guinness World Records on opening, including a title it held for nearly a decade: the world’s largest aquarium by total water volume, with roughly 48.75 million liters across its tanks.
That record has since passed to a neighboring Chimelong-owned facility, Chimelong Spaceship, which Guinness recognized in September 2023 as the new largest aquarium. Ocean Kingdom still holds other titles, however, including the largest underwater viewing dome, a 12-meter-diameter structure inside its whale shark tank. Spread across eight themed zones, the park pairs its marine exhibits with rides like the B&M-manufactured Parrot Coaster, and by 2024 drew about 12.63 million visitors, ranking among the most-visited theme parks in the world.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- Opened: March 29, 2014
- Operator: Chimelong Group
- Total water volume: About 48.75 million liters
- Largest tank: 22.7 million liters (whale shark exhibit)
- Annual visitors: About 12.63 million (2024)
- Famous for: Held the Guinness World Record for largest aquarium from 2014 until 2023 (surpassed by sister park Chimelong Spaceship); still holds the record for largest underwater viewing dome
The Ride Experience
Beyond its aquariums, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom operates rides across its eight zones, including the Parrot Coaster, a Bolliger & Mabillard wing coaster that weaves through the park’s Ocean Avenue themed area, plus water attractions themed to its polar and marine zones.
The park’s nighttime spectacular, ‘Journey of Lights,’ earned a Thea Award in 2018 for its parade and lighting design, adding an after-dark draw to a park already built around daytime marine encounters.
Record-Setting Marine Exhibits
When it opened in 2014, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom set five Guinness World Records, including largest aquarium by water volume and largest aquarium tank, both tied to its whale shark exhibit. In September 2023, Guinness confirmed that sister park Chimelong Spaceship, also in Zhuhai, had surpassed those totals with a larger aquarium and tank. Ocean Kingdom’s whale shark tank still houses the world’s largest underwater viewing dome, a 12-meter cylindrical structure that lets visitors walk beneath the water.
Animal collections span polar bears, beluga whales, manta rays, walruses, sea lions, penguins, and thousands of fish, giving the park one of the most diverse marine collections of any aquarium-based destination globally.
Explore more: Explore more top zoos and aquariums.
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom FAQs
Where is Chimelong Ocean Kingdom located?
It’s on Hengqin Island in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China, part of the larger Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Resort.
Is Chimelong Ocean Kingdom still the world’s largest aquarium?
No. It held that Guinness World Record from 2014 until September 2023, when it was surpassed by Chimelong Spaceship, a separate Chimelong-owned park also in Zhuhai. Ocean Kingdom still holds the record for the largest underwater viewing dome.
When did Chimelong Ocean Kingdom open?
It opened to the public on March 29, 2014.
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Photo: xiquinhosilva / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.