The attraction, which took three years to build, is on Hengqin Island, near Macao, and features seven theme areas, each representing a part of the ocean, as well as rides, hotels, a 5D cinema and a circus. It cost a reported US$5 billion to build. It features the world’s biggest aquarium. It showcases what it claims is the world’s longest roller coaster. And it boasts a massive collection of whales, sharks and animals rarely, if ever, seen in captivity in China. A 1000-metre Grand Canal connects the hotel to the Ocean Kingdom, and guests can take water taxis which run in between. Owned by the Chime-Long Group, which runs China’s biggest theme park Chime-Long Paradise, in Guangzhou. Ocean Kingdom is about twice the size of Hong Kong’s Ocean Park and three times the size of the city’s Disneyland.

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The Waikiki Aquarium is the third oldest aquarium in the U.S. The aquarium is part of the University of Hawaii and is located on the shores of Waikiki. It offers a look into the spectacular aquatic life of Hawaii and the tropical waters of the Pacific. The indoor area offers four galleries, starring nautiluses, reef sharks, flashlight fish, lionfish, piranhas, and a wide variety of tropical fishes and living corals. The Aquarium showcases more than 500 marine species, and maintains more than 3,000 marine specimens.

Regular Opening Hours:
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily

Admission:
General – $9
Kama’aina (with proof of residency) – $6
Active Duty Military (with military ID) – $6
Students (with student ID) – $6
Seniors (65+ with ID) – $6
Youth (13-17) – $4
Persons with a Disability – $4
Junior (5-12) – $2
Children 4 and Under – FREE

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credit: Janine 

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credit: Janine 

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credit: Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i

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credit: Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i

credit: Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i

credit: Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i

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credit: Bret Robertson

credit: Bret Robertson

The whale shark is a non-aggressive creature that poses no threat to swimmers, snorkelers or scuba divers. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb). The shark has distinctive light-yellow markings on its very thick, dark gray skin. It is a filter feeder and can neither bite nor chew. These feeder eat plankton, krill, fish eggs, small fish, salp, jellyfish and coral spawn. Although its mouth can stretch to four feet wide, Whale sharks are slow swimmers, moving at speeds of no little more than 3 miles per hour.

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Jellyfish are free-swimming, non-aggressive, gelatinous marine animals surrounded by tentacles, but contact could be dangerous. The jellyfish’s tentacles can paralyze a human and manifests itself as cardiac arrest. Serious stings may cause anaphylaxis and hence people stung by jellyfish must get out of the water. Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. They are abundant in cold and warm ocean water. Jellyfish have roamed the seas for at least 500 million years, making them the oldest multi-organ animal.

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credit: Stacy Blackman

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The hammerhead sharks are named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads. The sharks eye placement is on each end of its very wide head. The sharks lenght is from 0.9 to 6 m (3.0 to 20 ft) long and weigh from 500 to 1000 pounds. Hammerhead sharks eat a fish, squid, octopus, crustaceans, and other hammerhead sharks.