Manila Ocean Park Oceanarium

The state-of-the-art Manila Ocean Park had its soft opening almost 2 weeks ago, on February 29. It’s gorgeous and truly world-class! The Oceanarium has only been open for only two weeks but the response has been tremendous. It’s really a big hit! By showcasing indigenous marine life here in the Philis., it has encouraged people to visit and explore the country’s tourist destinations. It showcases more than 20,ooo colorful marine inhabitants of about 300 species, that are indigenous to the Philippines and Southeast Asia contained in 12,000 cubic meters of seawater. Definetely one of the largest in Asia. This Php1.2 -billion Manila Ocean Park, located behind the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park in Manila, is the world’s first marine theme park to adopt a "fusion concept", housing an oceanarium, a mall, a boutique hotel and open marine habitats. All over the world, people have been saying that our country is the center of marine biodiversity. This is the time to be proud and show the world what we have.

The Oceanarium journey is divided into six sections and each section will carry a Filipino name: >"Agos"; "Bahura"; "Buhay na Karagatan"; "Pating"; "Ang Kailaliman"; and "Laot". The first section, called Agos (Flow), features a rainforest-theme with eight tanks containing freshwater species. This part of the oceanarium -- the only open area in the facility -- shows the interconnectedness between the water and land. Agos would also feature an artificial waterfall and a touch pool, where children could interact with creatures such as starfish and shrimps. The Bahura or the Reef, would exhibit artificial corals in 48 tanks, complete with their scientific and common names, and their roles in the ecosystem. Laot (Fishing Ground), on the other hand, would feature big fish and Eagle-spotted rays in a long tank. A school of barracudas would be seen swimming in a large tank at the Kalaliman (The Deep) section of the oceanarium. There would also be a shark tank and an overhead aquarium featuring the breathtaking beauty of rays.

Among the salient features of the park is a glass tunnel where visitors may get to see the some 200 species of marine life. The tunnel is a 25-meter, 220 degree curved acrylic walkway that would provide visitors the chance to better appreciate the marine species, and unlike other oceanariums in Asia, the Manila Ocean Park will be getting marine species from our own waters. Visitors will be exploring the secrets of the Philippine ocean and surrounded by such underwater wonders without actually getting wet.

Aside from the Oceanarium, Manila Ocean Park will have a mamall and a boutique hotel, which are scheduled to open late this year. The mall will feature new and unique shops that are not commonly found in other malls and a unique restaurant row located at the rear of the facility, alongside a promenade that offers an unobstructed view of the Manila Bay. This part of the park is free and accessible to the public. The 120-room hotel will also have a marine theme. Rooms facing the bay will have an uninterrupted view of the ocean and the renowned Manila Bay sunset, while others will have one wall of aquarium in the privacy of their own room, which will be a first-of-its-kind in the world.

The Concourse Plaza, located at the main entrance of the park is the central activity area for the facility. This is where various big events will take place throughout the year. The Oceanarium also has a multi-purpose hall which will house interactive multi-media educational exhibits and capable of hosting various functions. After the journey, one can enjoy a sumptuous meal at "Tagpuan", an al fresco dining facility. For those who would like to snorkel or even dive without having to go to far-flung places, the two Open Water Marine Habitats will give you that exact experience. This facility is scheduled to open in April 2008. Manila Ocean Park is owned by China Oceanis Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of China Oceanis Inc., a Singaporean-registered firm that has operated four oceanariums in China.

**credits to Webmaster for the pics.**

Weeeh!...Can't wait to visit the place this coming April. Hubby will be coming home two weeks from now, Sam and I were soo excited to see and be with him once again. Our little girl will surely enjoy the big tanks and the fishes with her daddy. A really great place for the phtography enthusiasts just like me and hubby...hehe! For sure we'll be more busy in taking pictures of Sam and the fishes more than anything.=)

Admission Fee
Adults P400/ Kids P350
Different Rates for Tour Groups
Operation hours is from 10am - 9pm daily
Manila Ocean Park hotline no. for inquiries is +(632) 567-7777