the Saliendras in Manila Ocean Park

I wanted to be a tourist in Singapore someday. Not because I wanted to experience its urban chic (notorious for being one of the cleanest country in the whole world), but just to see the Sentosa Underwater World which have been a certified tourist attraction in that country. Having a Sentosa fridge magnet is perhaps the nearest the I could be in achieving that dream.

Entrance to the Sentosa Underwater World

"I got to be there."

That's what I exclaimed to myself after I saw a tv documentary about it several years ago when I was still in the Philippines. It made me yearn to be in that place and feel the sublime experience of walking on the ocean floor surrounded by the creatures of the deep without actually getting wet!

Thanks to the Manila Ocean Park. My dream became a reality without the hassle of going to Singapore anymore. Located behind the historic Quirino Grandstand in Manila, the Manila Ocean Park is the city's newest tourist spot to attract both the local and foreign visitors.

Surely, the Saliendras never mind queuing for a couple of hours just to be there. We enjoyed it so much and Marcus was so ecstatic to be surrounded by the creatures of the deep. Being an aquarist myself, I made sure to include it in my to-do-list during my vacation in the Philippines last June.

With its size, the 8,000 square meter Oceanarium is now recognized to be the largest in Asia, beating Sentosa's 6,000 square meter! The whole structure is spacious enough to accomodate an estimated population of 10,000 visitors daily.

The park is divided into seven exhibit halls and an activity center. The display section showcases more than 20,000 exotic fishes and aquatic creatures of about 300 species caught from the surrounding Philippine waters, mostly acquired from the local fishermen in Palawan, Cebu and nearby provinces like Cavite and Batangas.

Come and join us and together we'll journey through the exhibit.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MANILA OCEAN PARK SEVEN EXHIBIT HALLS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AGOS (Flow)

1

Features 8 freshwater fishtanks with fishes
mostly imported from the South America.
The exhibit is in a rainforest set-up.

BAHURA (Reef)

2
With 48 tanks on display, it showcases
different artificial coral setup. Here, you kind find Nemo frolickingaround sea anemone.

LAOT (Fishing Ground)

3
It's a very dark hall.

Main feature on display is the eagle-spotted ray in a very long tank.

BUHAY NA KARAGATAN
(Living Ocean)

4

This is the main feature of the exhibit with its transparent 220-degree curved, 25 meter-long, transparent acrylic tunnel. It is unique, as compared to the 180 degree-curved tunnels from other oceanariums in other Asian countries.

KALALIMAN (The Deep)

5

Showcases marine animals found in the deepest part of Philippine waters.

PAGI (Stingray)

6

Display different variaties of stingrays as they "fly" over you while you're under this unique Overhanging Tanks.

PATING

7

Features several species of sharks.

CHILDREN ACTIVITY CENTER

Located at the second floor of the building that caters to children.



GLASS-BOTTOM BOAT RIDE

For a fee, you can ride on this boat and view the fishes below the BUHAY NA KARAGATAN exhibit tank.

FISH SPA

Nature's best pal for those tired sore feet. The swimming creatures eat all those dead skin cells on your feet to their own delight.

God has given us these creatures from the sea and the Manila Ocean Park provided the facilities for us to appreciate them in full view. But seeing them in their full glory doesn't end there, for the Manila Ocean Park's mission is to raise awareness among the general public about the present status of the different ecosytem that these animals come from. We may consider them to be the ambassador of their own species to assure the continuous existence of their own kind in this place we called EARTH - our home and their homes too.

Let us conserve and protect our environment.

BONUS FEATURE:

Play the video below and see my own underwater world here in Bahrain.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photos courtesy of: i heart manila, bayang magiliw magazine, googles image