Hong Kong can mean different things for people of different age groups. For some, Hong Kong can be source of great Chinese food and for those who've made shopping a hobby, a veritable paradise. But, it's wrong to consider Hong Kong a place of fun, only for the adults. When I visited the place with my kids, I saw a whole new side to the city. We saw a city that had fountains, waterfalls and lakes, right at the heart of it. And, the most exciting part of the trip was the 90-minutes Dolphin Encounter Program at Ocean Park.
Even if you're not a dolphin lover, you'll become one at the end of the experience. The experience of swimming with the dolphins far exceeded my wildest dreams. There are more than 300 species of animals and 2,000 fish at Ocean Park. But, undoubtedly, the dolphin show is the main attraction there. In addition there are three shows, daily, where killer whales, dolphins, seals and other sea mammals perform.
The show begins with by string of activities and unbelievable exercise sessions done in the company of gorgeous animals, lead by the Dominican trainer. Then the adventurous ones can swim with the dolphins. This part of the programme starts with a short introduction, after which the guests enter the water to meet the dolphins. As a part of the orientation, the guests are taught about the hand signals used by the trainers there, dolphin behavior and how to communicate with them. Then comes the best part - swimming and playing with those magical creatures.
And, don't worry. Throughout the session, the staff will be there, all around, watching out for you and giving you instructions. One thing that you needn't worry about at all is safety. Ocean World has taken a lot of effort, like providing quality life jackets, to make sure that its guests are safe and sound. However, the only thing that I would like to change about the experience is that the next time I go, I'll wear swimming shoes since the pool deck has a rough surface and can be quite a strain on the feet.
And, the best thing about the programme is that it's educative as well as fun. Also, there are a lot of things that the adults and the children can learn, about dolphins, their behavior and training. It also creates awareness about things like, animal stress, transmission of diseases from humans to animals and the mercenary use of these gentle animals. So, if I go to Hong Kong again, I'll definitely visit Ocean Park. And the credit for this exhilarating experience goes to the staff and animal trainers who help make the visit fun and hassle free.
