Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom sits on Hengqin island next to Zhuhai, and its scale is what people remember: several very large aquarium halls, one built around a single enormous viewing window, alongside roller coasters, a parade route and a nightly show over the lake. The headline tanks hold whale sharks, manta rays and beluga whales, with separate chilled sections for walruses and polar animals. Rides range from a big steel coaster to gentle indoor boats, so it works for mixed-age groups. It is a full day and a great deal of walking, and on national holidays the queue for the main aquarium alone can run past an hour.

What you actually see

• The main viewing window - the wall-sized panel onto the largest tank, with whale sharks and rays.
• The chilled halls - the cold-water sections for walruses, belugas and polar animals.
• The rides - coasters and indoor boat attractions spread through the park.
• The evening show - the nightly lakeside display with fountains, light and projection.

When to go

The cool dry season from October to April is far more comfortable than the humid Guangdong summer. Avoid national holidays and the weeks around Chinese New Year, when the park runs at capacity. Arrive at opening and go straight to the main aquarium before the queue builds. Staying for the evening show means a slow crush at the exit afterwards.

Honest expectations

Queues dominate the day at busy times, for rides, food and the main halls alike, and the food inside is expensive and mediocre. Parks that keep large marine mammals attract sustained criticism over animal welfare, which is worth weighing before buying a ticket. Reaching Hengqin from Guangzhou takes a couple of hours each way.

Nearby

Zhuhai's seafront promenade and the Hengqin wetland park.