Date of Visit: 24th March 2012
Frankly speaking, we were indeed overspend too much days in Manila itself. We had done with visiting most of the tourist top spots such as Tagaytag City, shopping at the second largest mall in the Philippines, SM Mall of Asia, and even done with city tour around Manila.
Thank goodness Manila has more to offers for the foreign tourists like us - such as having fun and exciting experience in their theme park, Enchanted Kingdom or even getting wet in their biggest waterpark, Splash Island. There is another option which is an oceanarium in Manila, Ocean Manila and we opted for this one since it was kinda near to our lodging.
#1: Here I am at Manila Ocean Park
Manila Ocean Park is the first world-class marine theme park in Philippines. It's not just an oceanarium, but also serves as a premiere educational facility. It is very close to Rizal Park, which located just opposite to it.
#2: There are many kind of package rates that you can choose from and we opted for the PH900 (roughly around RM63).
The package we took which includes entrance to Oceanarium, Sea Lion Show, Marine Life Habitat, Fish Spa, Jellies Exhibit, Trails to Antarctica and Musical Fountain Show. It's really worth cause we spend whole of our day in here.
#3: Sea Lion Show started at 2pm
We started our tour with Sea Lion Show, located just next to the ticket counters. I watched this kind of show before during my maiden trip to Ocean Park, Hong Kong but I always get exciting with this kind of entertaining show. Both of the sea lion were so adorable and makes all the audience laughed non-stop throughout the show. No worry, their trainers spoke in English language. By the way, if you got the chance to visit here, don't be shy and become volunteer if they request cause you could get close to these two sea lions.
#4: One of Oceanarium's area - Looks alike rainforest
#5: The main attraction: the walkway underwater acrylic tunnel - which similarly seen in Ocean Park (Hong Kong), Underwater World (Singapore), Aquaria KLCC (Malaysia) and Siam Ocean World (Thailand).
#6: All About Penguins - Remind me of the Happy Feet animated movie
If you have extra money and don't know where to spend, try to feed the penguins! I forgot how much they charged for that but you got the chance to get close with the penguins and they even provides photos of you and your family with the penguins. Those photos are save in a CD for you to bring back home. We didn't do so cause it seems a bit pricey for us but if I really got the chance, I really wish I could do so. Not like we got the chance to see penguin everyday especially in a hot and tropical country like us.
#7: Jellies Dancing Sea Fairies - My favourite section compare to the others.
The arrangement and ambiance of the jelly fish section was so beautiful and well designed. Upon entering into this, all those jellies were just like grow in the dark and they were so colourful eventhough they were behind those transparent glasses. Instead of swimming, I felt like those jellies were indeed doing their dance and at that moment, I think my eyes were barely blink and non-stop watching they dance. It's really pretty amazing cause I will never thought jelly fish cause be so interesting to me.
#8: Ended our night with Musical Fountain Show
We ended our tour with Musical Fountain Show which performed at the same location as the Sea Lion Show. And again, this night show which started at 7pm, never fail to amaze us with different kind of water nozzles, music, light, sound and special effects. As you can see the photo above, there even a laser show behind the Philippines's first and tallest musical fountain. And finally, it ended with loud bang of colourful fireworks.
It's not just entertaining but also serve as the purpose for education. However, if you had been most of the aquarium world and park before such as Ocean Park (Hong Kong), Underwater World (Singapore), Aquaria KLCC (Malaysia) and Siam Ocean World (Thailand), maybe this place is not highly recommended unless like us, if you got plenty of time then you could go ahead with this.
[Credit To: Wikipedia, Manila Ocean Park homepage]
