Manila Ocean Park, Behind Quirino Grandstand

[johnlove]

Agree & @400 per person, pwede nang pagtiyagaan, just don't expect too much so that you won't get disappointed.

And bear in mind that this is 'Manila Aquarium' misspelled as 'Manila Ocean Park' - so that you won't feel bad if you are not impressed by what you see.

Edited July 18, 2008 by johnlove

[methos]

I guess it's worth a visit...

[wrctiatobe]

hav'nt been there yet but i'm planning to bring my kids there soon

[princeman007]

I agree with you completely sir. If you enjoyed the one in HK, this one will disappoint you. I was not very happy when I visited.

if you've been to hk oceanpark

di kayo mageenjoy dito i think

pero maganda din naman and bago pa.

[accountingboy]

Actually it depends on what you like..if you are a fish enthusiast, pwede na ang manila ocean park for starters though wala masyadong spcial attractions ung acquarium nila...unlike the acquariums in japan where they have whale sharks as one of their exhibit or the acquarium in monterey where they had a great white shark for a few weeks before they released it in the wild....pero if you like rides and shows, hongkong ocean park talaga ung lamang..but manila ocean park i believe for now will suffice for a manila acquarium rather than nothing at all..but i hope they plan to add something unique para maiba naman sila sa ibang acquariums

[strangedays]

Ang HK Ocean Park kasi is, well, an amusement park (marine themed). The park's area is really big and has other attractions besides the Atoll reef/4-storey aquarium. We can't compare that to ours kasi yung sa atin naman talaga is an oceanarium.

[johnlove]

Actually it depends on what you like..if you are a fish enthusiast, pwede na ang manila ocean park for starters though wala masyadong spcial attractions ung acquarium nila...unlike the acquariums in japan where they have whale sharks as one of their exhibit or the acquarium in monterey where they had a great white shark for a few weeks before they released it in the wild....pero if you like rides and shows, hongkong ocean park talaga ung lamang..but manila ocean park i believe for now will suffice for a manila acquarium rather than nothing at all..but i hope they plan to add something unique para maiba naman sila sa ibang acquariums

 

Agree, I would rather put up with having a Manila Aquarium than none at all.

I hope the scuba diving facility would be ready before the end of the year.

[sarapngpinay]

Di pa nga tapos eh, puro na kayo pintas. Who knows maglagay ng Butanding dyan at mga buwaya in uniform, wala nag HK nyan.

[accountingboy]

di naman pintas yun...we just hope na may something unique sila na ilagay...

[johnlove]

Di pa nga tapos eh, puro na kayo pintas. Who knows maglagay ng Butanding dyan at mga buwaya in uniform, wala nag HK nyan.

 

Oh yeah, Philippine crocodiles are unique, they can talk & count money too.

[shrike]

not to mention the one and only pygmy 'tasmanian' devil and her rare terrestial manatee sidekick. :thumbsupsmiley:

the chameleons and geckos in batasan included.

 

+++++

 

the comments on Manila Oceanarium will not be harsh if their fee is worth it.

this is an obvious rip off .

[johnlove]

Don't say 'Manila Oceanarium', people's expectation might get too high. 'Manila Aquarium' is good enough.

[accountingboy]

pwede din manila fish bowl

[marcusjohn]

this is really a nice place. congratulations! big break for the pilipinos at least we have our own and no need to go abroad to just experience ocean park :thumbsupsmiley: "Tangkilikin ang sariling atin, crab mentality - alisin natin"

[G.L.]

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a1-38.jpg

 

This is my second visit at the MANILA OCEAN PARK, Father's Day June 15, 2008. My first review of the MOP can be found at this link http://pinoybiscuits.blogspot.com/2008/04/...ocean-park.html

 

What's new at the MOP since my first MOP visit last March 2, 2008 ? Four things

1. Fish Spa

2. Glass Bottom Boat Ride

3. Shark Theater

4. Air-conditioned Souvenir Shop

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a2-37.jpg

They have placed some tents in front of the entrance to keep visitors away from the hot blazing sun rays

 

Gone are the long queue lines but you still have to wait your turn as the process of entering the oceanarium is by numbers highlighted atop the ticket booth.

 

still the same fish tanks and variety of fishes as seen in my first visit. What's really new (at least for me) is the FISH SPA located at the second level of the building

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a5-29.jpg

 

For a fee of P 150 you get to be pampered by tiny little fishes for 20 minutes by nibbling their way those dead skin off your feet.

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a4-32.jpg

 

very ticklish at first but you'll soon appreciate those bulgy eyed fishes' effort in giving you a soothing relaxing feel, just don't wiggle your feet they get frighten easily.

 

Next stop, the Glass Bottom Boat Ride

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a6-20.jpg

 

Here you get to wear a life vest jacket for safety

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a7-17.jpg

 

For a fee of P 150 you get to ride the glass bottom boat and see a whole new perspective of the fish tunnel below

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a8-13.jpg

 

see also the filtering system of the MOP

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a9-12.jpg

 

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/pinoybiscuits7007/a10-8.jpg

 

thanks for the detailed review, the pics were a big help!

 

some comments:

 

1) Fish spa is something different.. meron ba ganito sa other countries? anong species ng fish ba yan para ma wiki nga..is that their real function? basta wag lang mga PIRANHA ha... hehe

 

 

2) the "glass bottom boat ride" sounds cool when you hear it... then i saw ur pics...

 

para syang isang warehouse lang (w/ the high roof w/ iron girders, unfinished cement columns, large pieces of equipement, dim lighting etc) na nilagyan l;ang ng isang pool area.

 

then the boats themselves looks hastily constructed, walang masyadong porma or design, looks like something an ordinary talyer will come up with. Makes me wonder what the "Glass Bottom" is made of? baka aquarium glass lang yan na sinilicone lang sa isang butas? At least everyone wears life vest (mukhang kailangan nga).. is there a lifegouard around? malalim ba ang water level?

 

Sana pala bosing you took pics of what the glass bottom looks like...

 

3) Ung souvenier shop I agree, looks nice.. mukhang souvenir shop sa HK...

 

 

all in all, based on lots of negative reviews here, as well as personal reviews by many of my friends whove been there (Consencus: "Dont Go. Not Worth It") parang di muna ako pupunta...

 

mas ok pa (for now) siguro to just watch Discovery Channel, Nat Geographic, Animal Planet. Or buy some of their DVDs in Quiapo. Or sana if IMAX will have an ocean adventure on their GIANT sreens and w/ 3D pa baka mas ok pa yun.. (for now)

 

Now if eventually they construct a GIANT AQUARIUM and put 2 whale sharks from Donsol there for us to see.. then that will be worth it!!! (teka nga muna.. pwede ba silang i-capture for public viewing or bawal? Even if its for the overall cause of promoting Marine Life?)

[shrike]

Di pa nga tapos eh, puro na kayo pintas. Who knows maglagay ng Butanding dyan at mga buwaya in uniform, wala nag HK nyan.

 

you missed the entire point by the mile. Manila Oceanarium per se is a good place, but the price is not worth the attraction.

 

i bet all the naysayers will react differently if the entrance fee is priced at 150-200 on a less than 1 hour tour/show.

 

ang pintas nasa presyo. presyong ganid yan.

[Kurtsky Keigee]

Uy not bad for 400 bucks

[Kaneki_Ken]

so bad soft opening palang naman ata. I cant wait to see dyesabel in there

[jopoc]

may nagpapapick-up ba dito?

 

sana meron. hehehehe

[asusko14]

so, fish spa + glass bottom boat ride + entrance = not only Php400.00. he he he he he he.BullSh=t Manila Aquarium

[DarkAngel]

Been to the Manila Ocean Park last month.

 

Di pa siya tapos pero I find the place very promising and it's a very good place for educational trips for everyone. True, it's not HK Ocean Park but not everyone can afford to go to HK. Like in my case, matagal pa bago ako makaka-save up enough to bring my two children to HK.

 

So essentially, this is a very good place. The Philippines is rich in marine resources and this helps raise awareness of the need to protect these beautiful creatures.

 

The more people who support this venture, the more funds they will have to take care of the creatures and bring in more.

 

I heard they are building an open water area where you can dive/swim with the dolphins. That's something to look forward to.

[Fusarium_jimini]

kakabisita ko lang sa Singapore UW...entrance ngayon is S$22 (or S$24) per head... mas mahal kesa sa MOP natin.. for a first-timer like me everything looks awesome..even yung water tunnel nila may conveyor to keep the crowd moving...malinis ang paligid..sana pagbisita ko sa MOP later this week ganun din; am hard-pressed to make a comparative judgement..

 

one thing's for sure: wala sa MOP yung mga nakasabay namin sa singapore UW na mga grupo ng bumbay tourists! pramis men, grabe pa sa amoy-araw b.o. nila! (at wala pa silang pakialam, lahat nagtaas ng kamay kada flash ng cam!!)..

 

peace!

[Anaheim]

thanks for the detailed review, the pics were a big help!

 

some comments:

 

1) Fish spa is something different.. meron ba ganito sa other countries? anong species ng fish ba yan para ma wiki nga..is that their real function? basta wag lang mga PIRANHA ha... hehe

 

 

2) the "glass bottom boat ride" sounds cool when you hear it... then i saw ur pics...

 

para syang isang warehouse lang (w/ the high roof w/ iron girders, unfinished cement columns, large pieces of equipement, dim lighting etc) na nilagyan l;ang ng isang pool area.

 

then the boats themselves looks hastily constructed, walang masyadong porma or design, looks like something an ordinary talyer will come up with. Makes me wonder what the "Glass Bottom" is made of? baka aquarium glass lang yan na sinilicone lang sa isang butas? At least everyone wears life vest (mukhang kailangan nga).. is there a lifegouard around? malalim ba ang water level?

 

Sana pala bosing you took pics of what the glass bottom looks like...

 

3) Ung souvenier shop I agree, looks nice.. mukhang souvenir shop sa HK...

 

 

all in all, based on lots of negative reviews here, as well as personal reviews by many of my friends whove been there (Consencus: "Dont Go. Not Worth It") parang di muna ako pupunta...

 

mas ok pa (for now) siguro to just watch Discovery Channel, Nat Geographic, Animal Planet. Or buy some of their DVDs in Quiapo. Or sana if IMAX will have an ocean adventure on their GIANT sreens and w/ 3D pa baka mas ok pa yun.. (for now)

 

Now if eventually they construct a GIANT AQUARIUM and put 2 whale sharks from Donsol there for us to see.. then that will be worth it!!! (teka nga muna.. pwede ba silang i-capture for public viewing or bawal? Even if its for the overall cause of promoting Marine Life?)

 

regarding the Fish Spa, they are called Doctor Fish/Fishes...species Garra rufa and Cyprinion macrostomus Wiki --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_fish

 

regarding the Glass Bottom Ride...I did took a snapshot but the image is very poor...the see-through glass panel is about 1/4 of the squared boat bottom located in the middle, what you can see are the fishes and people under the Oceanarium tunnel.

 

***************

 

Ocean Park gets 5 freshwater crocodiles from Palawan

 

 

By TJ Burgonio

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 02:15:00 08/27/2008

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – Tourists need not fly to Palawan to take a look at one of only two species of crocodiles in the country.

 

Five juvenile freshwater crocodiles once held in captivity at a wildlife center in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, have just been added to the Manila Ocean Park’s collection of wild animals.

 

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources signed Tuesday a memorandum of agreement with park operator China Oceanis Philippines Inc. (Copi) to lend the crocodiles to the park for three years.

 

The crocodiles, all female, belong to the Crocodylus mindorensis species (freshwater crocodile), one of only two species in the country. The other is the Crocodylus porosus or saltwater crocodile.

 

“Seeing the crocodiles will inspire the public to help conserve these animals that have been bred in captivity at the Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center,” Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said.

 

He said he was confident park officials would be able to handle these crocodiles well, and “be able to disseminate information about its importance in our overall biodiversity.”

 

For its part of the deal, the park, the country’s first oceanarium, would turn over P30,000 each year to the Palawan farm to support conservation and research activities on crocodiles.

 

These would include studies to determine the distribution and conservation status of the freshwater crocodiles, the threat to their survival, and the extent of their remaining habitats.

 

The DENR established the wildlife center in Puerto Princesa City in 1986 to conserve the freshwater and saltwater crocodiles.

 

Under the MOA, the park should guarantee that the freshwater crocodiles be used strictly for public education, awareness and research, and not be used for breeding purposes.

 

The Philippine crocodile, considered a critically endangered animal, is relatively small, growing not more than three meters. It is believed that the primary cause of its reduced numbers today is commercial exploitation.

 

But the current threat is mainly from the removal of a suitable habitat for agricultural purposes to satisfy a rapidly expanding human population, MOP said in a statement.

 

“We are very happy that we were considered to be part of conservation and preservation efforts of the Philippine crocodile,” said George Lin, head of MOP’s curatorial department.

 

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadl...es-from-Palawan

Edited August 27, 2008 by Anaheim

[KenReyes]

kakabisita ko lang sa Singapore UW...entrance ngayon is S$22 (or S$24) per head... mas mahal kesa sa MOP natin.. for a first-timer like me everything looks awesome..even yung water tunnel nila may conveyor to keep the crowd moving...malinis ang paligid..sana pagbisita ko sa MOP later this week ganun din; am hard-pressed to make a comparative judgement..

 

one thing's for sure: wala sa MOP yung mga nakasabay namin sa singapore UW na mga grupo ng bumbay tourists! pramis men, grabe pa sa amoy-araw b.o. nila! (at wala pa silang pakialam, lahat nagtaas ng kamay kada flash ng cam!!)..

 

peace!

 

 

Sir, buti buhay ka pa. :thumbsupsmiley:

[mellowcat]

magkano na nga uli entrance dito? Sulit ba talaga?