Ocean Park Hong Kong opened on January 10, 1977, on the southern coast of Hong Kong Island in Wong Chuk Hang, making it the territory’s second-oldest theme park. Spread across roughly 226 acres (91.5 hectares) of hillside and waterfront, the park splits into a Waterfront area and a Summit area connected by a scenic cable car, combining a working zoo and aquarium with a full slate of amusement rides.
Run by the non-profit Ocean Park Corporation, the park is best known for its giant panda residents, its Grand Aquarium in the Waterfront’s Aqua City zone, and marine-life conservation work, including a landmark 2001 success in breeding dolphins via artificial insemination. After nearly closing following the 2003 SARS outbreak, Ocean Park underwent a HK$5.55 billion redevelopment between 2005 and 2012 that modernized its habitats and attractions.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
- Opened: January 10, 1977
- Size: About 226 acres (91.5 hectares)
- Grand Aquarium capacity: About 5.5 million litres, housing roughly 5,000 fish across 400+ species
- Annual visitors: About 2.4 million (2022–2023 season)
- Famous for: Giant pandas and the Grand Aquarium at Aqua City
A Zoo and Aquarium at the Waterfront
Ocean Park’s Waterfront area, home to the park’s main entrance, centers on Aqua City, a water-themed zone built around the Grand Aquarium. The aquarium takes visitors on a journey from shoreline pools to a Reef Tunnel and a wide acrylic viewing panel, housing an estimated 5,000 fish across more than 400 species. Also in the Waterfront is the Giant Panda Adventure, home to some of the park’s most popular residents, including Ying Ying and Le Le, whose 2024 twin cubs became the first giant pandas ever born in Hong Kong.
The park also keeps a broader collection of marine and terrestrial animals, from sea jellies to red pandas, spread across themed zones that blend education and conservation messaging with entertainment, reflecting Ocean Park’s roots as a non-profit organization reinvesting proceeds into its animal and conservation programs.
Rides and Redevelopment on the Summit
Up on the Summit, reached by the park’s cable car, Ocean Park operates thrill rides including the Hair Raiser coaster in Thrill Mountain and the Arctic Blast coaster in Polar Adventure. A 2021-opened Water World complex added a separate water park to the property.
The park’s survival was not guaranteed: attendance collapsed after the 2003 SARS outbreak, prompting a HK$5.55 billion redevelopment completed in 2012 that rebuilt much of the Summit area and helped attendance climb to a peak of 7.73 million visitors in the 2012–2013 season, before settling to more recent levels around 2.4 million.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Ocean Park Hong Kong FAQs
When did Ocean Park Hong Kong open?
Ocean Park opened on January 10, 1977, making it the second-oldest theme park in Hong Kong.
Where is the Grand Aquarium at Ocean Park located?
The Grand Aquarium sits in the Aqua City zone of the park’s Waterfront area, near the main entrance, holding about 5.5 million litres of water and housing more than 400 species.
Is Ocean Park Hong Kong a non-profit organization?
Yes, it is operated by the Ocean Park Corporation, a financially independent, non-for-profit organization.
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Photo: Exploringlife / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.