Manila Ocean Park

One of our media activities for ASM this year is a tour of the recently opened Manila Ocean Park in Luneta. It is said to rival Hong Kong's Ocean Park and Singapore's Underwater World so everyone's pretty excited to visit the park.

When two of my colleagues went for an ocular last March 10, they found out that the ticket costs P400. It's a bit pricey, but since the park promises a lot of unique attractions, they thought it was worth it. The thing is, my colleagues said that a lot of exhibits are still closed. Now that's just unfair. Why charge for full price when you can't tour the entire park?

Anyway, to give you a clearer picture of the park, I lifted this from one of their brochures (I uploaded some photos to make the entry a little less boring but the photos here are from Underwater World and not Oceanarium since my colleagues forgot to bring cameras):

The first world-class marine themed park to adopt a fusion concept--bringing together in one complex an Oceanarium, a mall, a restaurant row, boutique hotel, open water marine habitats and multi-purpose function facilities.

Here are the exhibits:

Agos (Flow)

Begin your journey in Agos and learn about the natural flow of water from land to sea. Giant arapaima, piranhas, and various types of crabs can be found in this zone. At the Touch Pool, a hands-on experience awaits those who want to interact with some of our friendly residents, such as the blue-spotted stingray, starfish, and sea cucumber.

Bahura (Reef)

Bahura features some of the most fascinating creatures in the Philippine coral reefs. Find out why the clownfish loves hanging out with the magnificent sea anemone or why the Japanese spider crab is called the largest living arthropod.

Laot (Fishing Ground)

In Laot, you will find a wide array of fish in the deeper waters of the sea. Keep an eye out for the giant grouper, which can weigh up to 660 pounds, making it one of the largest coral reef-dwelling bony fish.

Buhay na Karagatan (Living Ocean)

Experience underwater life through a 25-meter tunnel that showcases various marine animals and how they interact with each other. See how they protect themselves from predators and observe their techniques for finding food to survive.

Ang Kalaliman (The Deep)

Ang Kalaliman features different kinds of schooling fish like the barracuda. Discover why many fish feel safer in groups.

Pagi (Stingray)

The overhang tank offers a unique top and bottom view of stingrays. Enjoy their wonderful co-existence with the beautiful golden trevally.

Pating (Shark)

In the Shark Tank, observe how sharks behave and interact with one another. Find out why they are called the "Masters of the Seven Senses."

Hopefully, they finish the park before the year ends or at least early 2009 so I can take my LBJC there. I think he's still going to be too young to appreciate all the creatures but I think it can be a good, stimulating experience for him. I just hope he's not scared of fishes. Like his mom. Yes. I'm deathly afraid of fish.

Also, I hope that this is not one of those ningas kugon projects which will eventually be scrapped due to lack of maintenance funds. I really hope not. I think the park is going to be a nice addition to the list of tourist attractions in our country.