Part 2: Hong Kong Adventure at Ocean Park-Headland

Second day in Hong Kong, a brand new day. Hubby and I were very eager to go to Ocean Park. We woke up very early so that we can be at the park as soon as it opens.

First order of business (after breakfast, of course) was to get our Octopus Card. This card is just like a pre-paid card or debit card and is accepted on most public transport including buses, minibuses, trains, ferries, the Peak Tram, and some taxis. It's even accepted at convenience stores and fast food restaurants. We used it in McDonald's and Seven Eleven. To pay a fare, simply place the Octopus card on the reader usually found near the counter or the fare box. I placed mine inside my purse and I didn't have to take it out every time I use it. Just swipe the purse in the reader, and the reader picks it up. Cool. A new Octopus card includes a refundable HK$50 deposit and is valid for two years. Any leftover money is also refunded when you return the card. We decided to keep ours for our next visit. The card is available at the airport and at most public transport customer service centers. You may get your "re-load" at the same locations.

Second order of business is Ocean Park. One of my most favorite places in the world. We take the MTR and get off at Admiralty Station to take the bus to Ocean Park. The park fare is HK$185 inclusive of the bus fare to and from. The park opens at 10:00am and closes at 11:00pm during peak season. Normally, it's just until 6:00pm.

Ocean park is divided into two parts. The Lowland and the Headland which is connected by cable cars. If you do decide to visit the park, make sure you are wearing very comfortable shoes and clothing. The park is steep in most areas and will require a bit of effort traversing. The park is not for everyone. It can get very tiring for you and your kids. It would take the whole day to go around the park and would probably take another day to ride aand see all the attractions.

I love Ocean Park for its array of animal attractions. If you love animals, I suggest to forgo the rides and just visit the animal enclosures instead.

One of the rides that my husband loved was the raging river. It's a water ride with a canoe that goes up the mountain via a river system that has sharp turns and a vertical drop which I didn't look forward to. You can see the sheer contrast of me and my husband's enjoyment of the ride in this photo. You can purchase your souvenir photo of going down the vertical drop at the Image Gallery at each exit for HK$80. Not cheap but hey, the look on Eric's face is priceless. A word of caution: you will get wet on this ride. I suggest that you take this ride last when you're on your way home. Otherwise, you will be walking the park in wet jeans and shirt like yours truly. Fortunately, I had a spare t-shirt in my purse.

Next up, Ocean Park Tower. It's just a ride that gives you a bird's eye view of the entire park from a rotating viewing deck. It's comfy and it's air-conditioned, overall a pleasant ride.

The Pacific Pier was next on our agenda. It's a three-level seal and sea lion attraction that allows you to watch the animals' antics on land and under water through the under water gallery . A must-see. For HK$25, you can even feed the sea lions. Feeding time is usually in the afternoon.

For Dolphin lovers, do not miss the dolphin show at the Ocean Theater. It's very entertaining. On one of my visits in OP a few years back, I had lunch at the bleachers just watching a dolphins play (they were off duty). I had such a fantastic time just sitting there and watching them. Very relaxing and calming. I almost didn't want to leave but there were other attractions to see.

The Dragon is the baddest and longest roller coaster in Hong Kong. Eric couldn't wait to ride it. I opted to just watch him on the sidelines. I've ridden that monster before, never again. The whole monstrosity crosses two mountains with hairpin twist and turns that will confuse and scare you. Eric had a blast as usual. But he said he could not ride it again on the same day. Too much thrill, I guess.

The Atoll Reef is the absolute must-see if you are in Ocean Park. It's a giant multi level aquarium with a wide array of fish, turtles, sharks and eels. The collection of fish in the aquarium is impressive. As you go down each level, you will see different varieties of fish. The coral found inside the tank is artificial to preserve the corals that are left in the ocean. Truly a lovely, calming and enjoyable experience. Your kids would love it here.

Another must-see attraction is the Shark Aquarium. The aquarium has an underwater viewing tunnel that allows you to see a variety of shark species as they swim around you. A great hit with the kids. On some days, they will even allow you to touch some of the baby sharks, like a petting zoo. This is where I touched my first shark, years ago with my dad and brother.

A new attraction was the Sea Jelly spectacular. It's a series of aquariums that exhibit different varieties of jelly fish. I was surprised to see really small ones like the size of a small hot-sauce bottle cap (for a lack of a better reference). Some were really huge. But they were all lovely to look at. The attraction is dramatically lighted so that you can see the beauty of each specie.

And that concludes our adventure in Headland, Ocean Park (for now).