Manila Ocean Park

Manila Ocean Park occupies a site on the bay behind Rizal Park, and it is the city's main indoor attraction for children on a hot or wet day. The core is the Oceanarium, a sequence of tanks that ends in a curved acrylic tunnel with rays and reef sharks passing overhead. Around it the operators have added separate paid sections over the years: a jellyfish gallery lit in changing colours, a walk-in aviary, a cold-room penguin exhibit, a shallow trout and koi pool, and a sea lion show in a small arena. It is a commercial complex rather than a research aquarium, and the ticketing reflects that.

History

Construction began in April 2007, and the oceanarium, behind the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, opened on 1 March 2008 after its planned opening of December 2007 was put back (Wikipedia, Manila Ocean Park).

Highlights

• The Oceanarium tunnel - the curved acrylic walkway with rays and sharks passing above.
• The jellyfish gallery - darkened tanks of jellyfish under shifting coloured light.
• The penguin exhibit - a chilled enclosure with a small colony, popular with children.
• The sea lion show - a trained-animal presentation in a small covered arena.

When to go

Any time of year; the point of an indoor aquarium in Manila is the heat and the rain outside. Weekdays during school terms are far quieter than weekends, holidays and the April to May school break, when queues form at every section. Arrive at opening. Sea lion and feeding shows run to a fixed daily schedule worth checking on arrival.

What to expect

The pricing is the sore point: the base ticket covers less than most visitors expect, and each extra section is another charge, so a family visit escalates quickly. By international standards the tanks are modest and some exhibits look tired. Weekend crowds make the tunnel a slow shuffle. The trained-animal shows will not sit well with everyone, and the arena is small.

Nearby

Rizal Park is next door, and Intramuros is a short ride north.

Key facts