Ocean Park, once unquestionably Hong Kong's premier theme park, took hits from the Asian Financial Crisis, the SARS scare and, most damaging of all, from the Disney empire, which opened a local Magic Kingdom franchise in 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland.

Unable to compete directly with Mickey and crew's brandname power, Ocean Park has successfully set out in a new direction in recent years, upgrading and adding rides while also moving away from a fantasy-based theme park toward more of an eco-theme park focused on (you guessed it) the ocean.

This means that the park's famous pandas are joined by sea lions, dolphins, penguins, sharks and over 2,000 kinds of fish in a revitalized aquarium setting that ranks among the best in the world. The park also features 14 major rides, including two roller coasters, and a cable car runs through it, connecting it to the Middle Kingdom, a neighboring theme park based on traditional Chinese culture.