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, the park set five Guinness World Records on opening day, 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 overall 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, including the largest underwater viewing dome — a 12-meter-diameter structure inside its 22.7-million-liter whale shark tank, the single largest aquarium tank it built. This guide covers everything you need to actually plan a visit: how ticket tiers and pricing work, hours and the best time to go, parking and getting there from Hong Kong, Macau, or Guangzhou, 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 or 9 PM, later in summer and on peak dates) with tiered adult, child/senior, and couples tickets that cost more on Chinese holidays and summer weekends. It’s roughly 1.5-2 hours from Hong Kong or Macau by ferry plus taxi or shuttle, with on-site paid parking near the main gate, and its eight zones combine whale sharks, polar bears, and beluga whales with rides like the Parrot Coaster and a nightly light parade.
Tickets & Prices: How the Tiers Work
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom sells single-day tickets in three main 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 up), and a couples rate that bundles two standard admissions at a small discount. On top of the base ticket, add-on packages are sold for priority ride access, reserved show seating, and photo packages — worth considering if you’re visiting on a crowded weekend and don’t want to queue for the Parrot Coaster or the evening parade.
Pricing steps up on designated peak dates — Chinese public holidays, Golden Week, summer weekends, and other high-demand days — and steps down on regular weekdays, so the same ticket type can vary noticeably depending on when you go. Because exact prices shift with the season and with promotions, check current tiers and book directly through the official Chimelong Ocean Kingdom ticket page before you travel; third-party platforms like Trip.com and Klook also sell tickets with more flexible cancellation windows.
Hours & Best Time to Visit
The park typically opens around 10 AM and runs into the evening, often extending to 9 PM or later on summer weekends and around the nightly parade and fireworks; exact opening and closing times shift by season and holiday and are published on the official site and app 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, so flexible dates get you both a cheaper ticket and shorter lines.
Getting There from Hong Kong, Macau & Guangzhou
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom sits inside 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, and some operators run direct shuttle buses from Hong Kong International Airport straight to the resort.
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 elsewhere in the Pearl River Delta, high-speed rail to Zhuhai followed by a local taxi is the most straightforward route. Several Chimelong-branded hotels, including the Chimelong Penguin Hotel and Chimelong Spaceship Hotel, sit next to the park entrance with free intra-resort shuttles if you’d rather stay overnight than commute in for the day.
Parking & Getting Around the Resort
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom has surface and underground parking lots near the main entrance for visitors driving in, charged by the hour with a daily cap; parking is free for guests staying at any of the on-site Chimelong hotels. Arriving before mid-morning gives you the best shot at a close spot before lots fill on weekends and holidays.
Once inside, the eight zones are connected by Ocean Avenue and a resort tram, so you don’t need a car to move between exhibits — but the footprint is large enough that most first-time visitors plan for a full 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, 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 (about 48.75 million liters total) and largest aquarium tank, both tied to its whale shark exhibit’s roughly 22.7-million-liter tank. 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, along with a record-setting acrylic viewing panel. Animal collections span polar bears, beluga whales, manta rays, walruses, sea lions, several penguin species, arctic foxes, whale sharks, and thousands of fish, giving the park one of the most diverse marine collections of any aquarium-based destination globally.
Rides, Shows & the Journey of Lights Parade
Beyond its aquariums, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom’s signature thrill ride is the Parrot Coaster, a Bolliger & Mabillard wing coaster that was the first of its kind in Asia when it opened in 2014, running over 4,000 feet of track with a splashdown finale. Other zones add drop towers, flat rides, and family attractions built around the park’s animal theming.
After dark, the Journey of Lights parade — a story-driven nighttime spectacular created by Miziker Entertainment featuring illuminated floats, costumed performers, and Chimelong’s mascot characters — winds around the park’s central lagoon, typically followed by a fireworks and drone finale. Show and parade timing shifts seasonally, so check the schedule posted at the park entrance or on the official app on the day of your visit.
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom visitor guide FAQs
How much do Chimelong Ocean Kingdom tickets cost?
Tickets are sold in adult, child/senior, and couples tiers, with prices rising on Chinese holidays, Golden Week, and summer weekends and dropping on regular weekdays. Because pricing changes seasonally and with promotions, check current rates on the official Chimelong Ocean Kingdom ticket page before booking.
What are the park’s opening hours?
The park generally opens around 10 AM and closes in the evening, often extending later on summer weekends and around the nightly parade; exact hours shift by season and are confirmed on the official site closer to your visit.
How do I get to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom from Hong Kong or Macau?
From Hong Kong, take a ferry (about 75 minutes) to Zhuhai’s Jiuzhou Port, then a taxi or shuttle to the resort, or cross by coach via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. From Macau, it’s a short taxi or bus ride across the Hengqin Port border crossing.
Is there parking at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom?
Yes, there are surface and underground lots near the main entrance charged by the hour with a daily cap, and parking is free for guests staying at the on-site Chimelong hotels.
Does Chimelong Ocean Kingdom still hold the record for world’s largest aquarium?
No. It held that Guinness World Record from 2014 until September 2023, when it was surpassed by its sister park Chimelong Spaceship in Zhuhai. Ocean Kingdom still holds the record for the largest underwater viewing dome.
How long do I need to see the whole park?
Most first-time visitors plan a full day to cover all eight themed zones, the whale shark aquarium, animal shows, the Parrot Coaster, and the evening Journey of Lights parade without rushing.
Can I leave and re-enter the park on the same ticket?
Single-day tickets are generally single-entry, so once you exit the park your ticket is invalidated — confirm re-entry policy on the official ticket page if you plan to leave and come back the same day.
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