Manila Ocean Park

Manila Ocean Park was the very first place to visit in my itinerary when I went home during my vacation in the Philippines last December 2016. Well I've been there once but everything was vivid and all I remembered was the aquarium. 

  

Manila Ocean Park was opened since 2008 (I have never imagined it was that old already), located right behind the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park. If you are visiting the place with a car, they do have a parking lot just beside the entrance. 

Just in front of the entrance, there's this sign of Transport Service going to certain locations FROM the ocean park. You can just ask the staffs in that area and you're good to go.

Entrance fees varies from the package you want to do inside the oceanarium. The basic one is the cheapest of course. Shows and special displays are included in some tickets (which are good too). Our tickets includes Symphony Evening Show (which we didn't go to), Jellies exhibit, Sea Lion Show, Trails to Antartica, etc. (I can't remember the others).

The ticket booth was right at the entrance so no worries of looking for it. Upon entering, there's Hotel H2O, the main entrance to the oceanarium and restaurants and food stalls. There are very few restaurants inside and one small food court like. Since there are no other places to eat to, prices are way expensive so I suggest to eat first before entering (if you're just hungry). 

We went during Christmas season so obviously the place was decorated more than usual. 

 

We were given with a list with all the attractions inside and what are included with ours. 

 

On the entrance, you will be asked for a photo with the Manila Ocean Park background and you can buy it for P200 (?). You can claim your photo on the booth outside the entrance when you finished roaming around inside. We bought one :)

The very first attraction was the Jungle Trek which has obviously fishes. Loads and loads of fishes. I don't know why were these fishes were grouped  differently from the ones inside the aquarium. We weren't able to go around it too because it was packed with people (NOISY PEOPLE). 

    

After this was The Reef. You will be welcomed by all the fishes from the famous movie Finding Nemo. 

  

There were all sorts of fishes that you see everywhere and there were those that are just.... unusual.

  

 
 Loads of Dory... 

Lost Atlantis..

 

This area is too picturesque that you just don't want to leave the place. 

 

Next is of course the highlight... 

   

Well just like usual tourist area, it is packed. So if you want to take a photo here, better come right on opening time. We had a great look over it and it is just a short tunnel so no big deal. 

  

At the end of this tunnel are bigger aquariums with sharks. The most amazing ones are the stingrays swimming and resting above you. 

 

So that's the end of the main oceanarium. There are more other attractions just like the ones I have mentioned earlier. The Trails to Antartica, Jellies exhibit, Sea Lion Show, Fish Spa, etc.  I'll just share a few photos.

   

After passing by the Trails of Antartica, we went straight for the Sea Lion Show. Sadly, we took the middle time show because of a reason that I can't remember. The entrance of the arena like is outside. So you will have to go out from the main building and queue outside. NOTE!! It would be better to watch the Sea Lion Show on it's last (though there might be a lot of people) but it's better than sitting under the scourging heat. They have 3 show times by the way.
   

Who can resist the cute sea lions anyway? They are smart creatures who can bring smile to everyone's face in just a flap of their cute wings. 

  

The show ended in less than 20 minutes I assume. But they're adorable. 

We then went to the Jellies Exhibit. And it's totally astonishing. So the jellies are basically transparent / white (?), I don't know how to explain, and the lights inside the tubes made it more breathtaking. 

 
  

After walking non-stop with that heat (it's almost an open-air building though), we went to enjoy at the Fish Spa. I have no idea what it'll be like and it was my first time trying it. It felt good of course! The fishes are called Doctor Fish which produces enzyme that fastens the regeneration process of the skin. They targets on dead and dry skin (similar to exfoliation) to help healthy skin growth.

  

That was our last activity. We still had the symphony show (dancing water) but we didn't attended the show (TOO TIRED AND TOO LATE). Show starts at 7pm but I was bugging them to go to Mall of Asia instead so we ended up skipping it.