Chimelong Ocean Kingdom: Tickets, Hours & Visitor Guide

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 — and by 2024 it drew about 12.63 million visitors, ranking among the most-visited theme parks in the world. This guide covers what you need to actually plan a visit: ticket tiers, hours, how to get there from Hong Kong and Macau, and what’s inside each of the park’s eight zones.

Quick Answer

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is a marine-life theme park on Hengqin Island in Zhuhai, China, open daily (typically around 10 AM to 8 PM, with hours shifting seasonally) and selling tiered adult, child/senior, and couples tickets that cost more on peak dates. It’s about 1.5-2 hours from Hong Kong or Macau by ferry plus taxi or shuttle, and its eight zones combine whale sharks, polar bears, and beluga whales with rides like the Parrot Coaster.

Tickets & Prices

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom sells single-day tickets in tiers: a standard adult rate, a discounted child/senior rate (children roughly 1.0-1.5 meters tall or ages 3-11, and seniors 65+), and a couples rate that bundles two standard admissions. Prices step up on designated peak dates — Chinese public holidays, summer weekends, and other high-demand days — and step down on regular weekdays, so the same ticket type can cost noticeably more or less depending on when you go.

On top of the base ticket, the park sells an optional EasyPass add-on that gives priority access to rides and reserved theater seating, useful if you’re visiting on a crowded day and don’t want to queue for the Parrot Coaster or the evening shows. Because exact pricing changes with the season and with promotions, check current tiers and book directly through the official Chimelong Ocean Kingdom ticket page before you go.

Hours & Best Time to Visit

The park typically opens around 10 AM and runs into the evening, often as late as 8 or 9 PM when the Journey of Lights parade and other night shows are running; exact opening and closing times shift by season and are published on the official site closer to your visit date. Arriving at opening is the most reliable way to beat both the crowds and the queue for the whale shark viewing dome, which fills up quickly once tour groups arrive.

Weekdays outside Chinese national holidays — Golden Week in early October, Chinese New Year, and the summer school break — are consistently the least crowded, and also fall into the lower peak-day ticket tier. If your dates are flexible, avoiding those windows gets you both a cheaper ticket and shorter lines.

Getting There from Hong Kong, Macau & Guangzhou

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom sits in the Chimelong International Ocean Resort in Hengqin, on the Zhuhai side of the border from Macau. From Hong Kong, the most common route is a ferry (around 75 minutes) from the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal or Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal to Zhuhai’s Jiuzhou Port, followed by a roughly 30-40 minute taxi or the Chimelong shuttle bus to the resort; budget travelers can also cross via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge by coach.

From Macau, Hengqin is a short taxi or bus ride across the Hengqin Port border crossing — often the fastest option if you’re already staying on the Macau side. From Guangzhou or other parts of the Pearl River Delta, high-speed rail to Zhuhai followed by a local taxi is the most straightforward route. Several Chimelong-branded hotels sit next to the park entrance if you’d rather stay overnight than commute in for the day.

The Eight Themed Zones

Ocean Kingdom is organized into eight themed zones connected by Ocean Avenue, the park’s central shopping-and-dining spine. Dolphin Bay centers on dolphin habitats and shows; Polar Adventure recreates Arctic and Antarctic habitats for polar bears, beluga whales, walruses, and several penguin species; and Walrus Mountain and Hero Island add further themed animal encounters and rides.

Rainforest Flight is the park’s ride-focused zone, home to the Parrot Coaster, while Ocean Wonder and the whale shark aquarium building house the park’s signature marine-life exhibits, including the underwater viewing dome. Because the zones are spread across a large footprint connected by walkways and a tram, first-time visitors typically need a full day to see all eight without rushing.

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, several penguin species, arctic foxes, and thousands of fish, giving the park one of the most diverse marine collections of any aquarium-based destination globally.

Rides, Shows & Journey of Lights

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 Rainforest Flight zone, plus water attractions themed to its polar and marine areas.

The park’s nighttime spectacular, Journey of Lights, is a roughly 40-minute parade around the park’s central lagoon featuring illuminated floats and performers in color-changing costumes; it won a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Themed Entertainment Association in 2018, adding an after-dark draw to a park already built around daytime marine encounters.

Planning Tips

Most visitors need a full day, arriving at opening and staying through the evening parade, to comfortably cover all eight zones plus the major shows. If you’re short on time, prioritize the whale shark viewing dome and Polar Adventure early, since both draw the largest crowds by midday.

For up-to-date opening hours, ticket tiers, and show schedules, check the official Chimelong Ocean Kingdom website directly before your trip, since all three change seasonally.

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom visitor guide 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.

How much are tickets to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom?

Tickets are sold in adult, child/senior, and couples tiers, with a lower price on regular days and a higher price on designated peak dates such as Chinese holidays. Exact current pricing is published on the official ticket page.

How do I get to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom from Hong Kong or Macau?

From Hong Kong, the typical route is a ferry to Zhuhai’s Jiuzhou Port followed by a taxi or shuttle bus, taking about 1.5-2 hours total. From Macau, it’s a short taxi or bus ride across the Hengqin Port border crossing.

How many zones does Chimelong Ocean Kingdom have, and how long should I plan to visit?

The park has eight themed zones connected by Ocean Avenue, and most visitors need a full day, from opening through the evening Journey of Lights parade, to see everything.

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