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Forget Disneyland. As the only Asian theme park that has ever won the Applause Award—‘the Academy Award of the amusement park industry’—homegrown Ocean Park should be your go-to park when visiting Hong Kong. But before we get into how to save money and enjoy Ocean Park... Recent updates Reopening Ocean Park reopened to the public on February 18, 2021 after a temporary closure to due to COVID-19. Visitors are now required to make online reservations after purchasing tickets for entry into the park. Expansion plans and end to marine shows The government has recently unveiled a plan to inject HKD 10.64 billion (USD 1.4 billion) into the four-decade-old theme park to help it get through a financial crisis and support its expansion plan. Its expansion plan promised seven themed zones and 20 attractions, including a water park and an eco-sightseeing boat. Some existing attractions will be revamped while some will be terminated, including the dolphin and sea lion shows at Ocean Theatre which have already ceased. Ocean Park also has marine conservation and environmental outreach programs and follows very strict welfare standards for their animals in captivity. While there may be some construction going on around the park, most parts of the park won't be affected for now. Planning your day at Ocean Park Even without the expansion, Ocean Park—with 51 attractions, spanning over 90 hectares across the mountains—isn’t an easy day out without planning. And it’s not cheap, either. We understand your pain. That’s why we’ve put together an easy park guide for your next visit to help you save money and make the most out of your trip. From the cheapest tickets to how to plan your visit, here are a few tips for Ocean Park: Ocean Park tickets Where to buy You can buy tickets at the following locations: online 7-11 convenience stores Ocean Park main entrance We recommend getting your tickets online because visitors are now required to also make an online reservation after purchasing their tickets and before visiting the park. Without a reservation confirmation, visitors will not be allowed to enter. The idea is to manage how many people are in the park at one time as part of COVID-19 safety measures. Discounts and special offers General admission Ocean Park Klook Adult (12 or above) (plus a $100 cash coupon) Child (3-11) (plus a $50 cash coupon) Special discounts available: If you’re a Hong Kong resident (with a resident card), you get free entry to the park on your birthday. Throughout March 2021, Ocean Park is offering a series of surprise promotions to Hong Kong residents—like a day pass for or a Marriot hotel + ticket package for . Almost free tickets Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel offers an Ocean Park Experience Package. Prices start at at time of writing. The deal—which can be reserved on the official Marriott site a night’s accommodation and complimentary tickets to Ocean Park for two adults and a child. Booking sites like Agoda offer similar deals. (Note: When booking through a third-party site, double-check the fine print to ensure complimentary tickets are included with your stay.) With that hefty discount, you could still save several hundred dollars with the package deal—plus rack up Marriott Bonvoy loyalty points. Where to eat in Ocean Park Overpriced, underwhelming food and theme parks are like Tom and Jerry—hostile partners who aren’t meant to be together but can't get away from each other. Luckily, Ocean Park offers quite a wide range of dining options if you know how to choose carefully. Restaurants like Tuxedos and Neptune’s (two of the highest-ranking restaurants on local food review sites) can rack up bill for a lunch meal. Here are our top restaurant recommendations $$ – Club Panda Club Panda is one of the best-valued restaurants inside Ocean Park. Its cute panda buns with sesame paste are only for three and spicy pork dumplings are . Forget the noodles that can cost up to . $$$ – Terrace Café Slightly more expensive than Club Panda, Terrace Café offers a wide range menu items roasted pork knuckle with sauerkraut and fries for to vegetarian spring rolls for . It gets bonus points for the view of the sea from the terrace. $$$$ – Neptune's Neptune’s Restaurant isn’t cheap but it is the only aquarium restaurant in Hong Kong where diners can eat while watching fish and manta rays. It serves fancy Chinese food that can cost per person (dinner tasting menu). Its lunch menu is the best value option ( per person). $ – food stalls Ocean Park also has more than 30 food stalls. Beyond McDonald’s, there is an old Hong Kong–themed market street selling local street food. Where to eat outside of Ocean Park While bringing outside food in the park is forbidden, visitors can consider timing their meals before or after visiting the theme park. Alternatively, you can leave the park for lunch and reenter later the same day. Make sure you tell a staff member at the exit that you intend to return before leaving the park. They will stamp your hand that you'll need to show for rentry. For lunch outside of Ocean Park, we recommend heading to Wong Chuk Hang. Wong Chuk Hang is only one stop from Ocean Park’s MTR station. The two-storey Nam Long Shan Cooked Food Market, at the exit of Wong Chuk Hang station, offers many affordable dining options. Most shops at the semi-alfresco food hall have English menus. It has a few good quality Thai restaurants and a few places offering international dishes (ramen and steak) with a Hong Kong twist. Prices range from to . How to save time at Ocean Park Like many other theme parks, Ocean Park offers fast passes at an extra cost. There are three different types of Ocean FasTrack. Ocean FasTrack Standard Ocean FasTrack Delux Ocean FasTrack Grand Price Priority access 7/14 designated rides and attractions ALL 14 designated rides and attractions ALL 14 designated rides and attractions Extra access (attractions) NA 1 (The Abyss-VR Space Voyage OR VR Mine Train) 2 (VR Mine Train + The Abyss-VR Space Voyage OR The Flash OR Bumper Blaster) Is it worth getting the FasTrack? Verdict: Ocean FasTrack does help save wait time for some of the most popular attractions like the cable car (one trip only), Ferris wheel, Raging River and Hair Raiser rollercoaster. If you’re short on time and travelling on popular days (weekends and public holidays), it may be worth it to consider getting a FasTrack. But if you’re visiting on weekdays, you may not need one if you strategise what you want to see in advance. Use the Ocean Park app to save time and money Hong Kong Ocean Park has an app for its visitors. When linked to the park’s free wifi, you can see the approximate live wait times for each attraction. Its e-schedule function also allows you to pick three of your favourite attractions/rides and reserve in advance for free. The Interactive Park Map function helps plan the best route for you according to the attractions and shows you choose to visit. The app also offers free e-coupons for discounts around the park. Note: Most of the app's functions can be used only when linked to the park’s wifi. Plan ahead Ocean Park is divided into two sections: the Waterfront and the Summit. The two areas are on different sides of the mountains and are connected by cable car or Ocean Express. It could be confusing for first-time visitors figuring out where each attraction is located, but easy enough to plan ahead using Ocean Park’s website. Use the My Itinerary function to keep the list of the attractions you're interested. It helps you categorise the attractions by section (the Summit or the Waterfront). It also tells you the schedules of each show as well as if any attraction is closed for the day. Top tip: Generally, it's better to catch an earlier cable car ride (when there is less people) to the Summit and work your way down to the Waterfront side. Getting there Visiting Ocean Park is easier than ever after the opening of the MTR South Island Line (lime line). Ocean Park Station is only one stop from Admiralty Station. Opening hours Weekdays (Monday to Friday): 10 am to 6 pm Weekends and holidays: 10 am to 7 pm While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. This post was originally published in January 2020. Last updated: March 5, 2021.

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