Laohutan Ocean Park
老虎滩海洋公园
Dalian's long-established 5A-rated ocean theme park. Its polar hall, coral hall, bird garden, and marine mammal shows are family favourites, and it is also the starting point of the eastern Binhai Road hike.
Laohutan Ocean Park is located in the southern part of Zhongshan District, on Laohutan Bay. It covers about 1.18 million square metres and was built in the 1980s. It is a national 5A-rated scenic area and Dalian's oldest seaside amusement park. The park has five main venues. The Polar Hall features beluga whales, polar bears, penguins, and dolphin shows, and it is the most popular part of the park. The Coral Hall displays live corals and tropical fish. The Marine Mammal Hall features sea lion and seal exhibits. The Bird Garden is a free-flight area with thousands of birds where visitors can interact and feed them. The Happy Theatre hosts sea lion and walrus shows. Outside the park, there is a cross-sea aerial cableway, sightseeing yachts, and the 'Herd of Tigers' sculpture at Laohutan Square, one of Dalian's landmarks. Tickets: the all-venue pass costs about 220 yuan and includes all five venues and the shows. It can be purchased through the official 'Laohutan Ocean Park' WeChat account, and single-venue tickets are also available. The cableway and yacht tours are charged separately. Travel tips: check the show timetable upon entry, then visit in the order of Polar Hall, Coral Hall, Marine Mammal Hall, and Bird Garden. This takes about 4 hours. If visiting with children, allow a full day. After your visit, you can walk west along the Binhai Road boardwalk from outside the park to Beida Bridge and Yanwo Ridge. Getting there: Laohutan Station on Metro Line 5 is about a 5-minute walk away. Several bus routes serve Laohutan Station, and a taxi from Dalian Railway Station takes about 25 minutes. Note: visitor numbers are high in summer and on weekends, and you should arrive 15 minutes early to get a seat for shows. Food inside the park is expensive, so you may want to bring your own. The seaside is windy, so dress warmly and use sun protection.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:30–17:00 (extended to 18:00 in summer)
Nearby sights
- Dalian Fisherman's Wharf
- Binhai Road Coastal Walk
- Yanwoling
- Bangchui Island
- Fujiazhuang Beach
- Haizhiyun Park
- Nanshan Style Street
- Dalian Port Warehouse No.15