Aquarium at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom confirmed as world’s largest

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a huge aquatic theme park on Hengqin Island in Guangdong Province, China has marked its official opening with confirmation that it has set five new Guinness World Records titles – including being recognised as the world’s largest aquarium.

The new US$806.5 million aquatic theme park, part of the Chimelong International Ocean Resort, has also set records for largest underwater viewing dome, largest aquarium tank, largest aquarium window and largest acrylic panel.

The aquatic theme park is also a major part of the development project being undertaken by Chimelong on the island of Hengqin. Modelled on attractions in the USA, when complete Hengqin Chimelong Ocean Resort will be set across 7.8 kilometres2 and will feature a golf course, yachting centre, sports facilities, theatres, convention centres, a flower park, and a science centre.

There are seven themed areas inside the Chimelong International Ocean Resort, each representing a part of the ocean, with a total water volume of 48.75 million litres of salt and fresh water, making it the world’s largest aquarium. It also features rides, thousands of animals, a 5D cinema, a circus, retail and F&B outlets.

Situated in the Ocean Wonders area of the park, the Whale Shark Exhibit tank features the world’s largest acrylic panel which measures a massive 39.6 metres by 8.3 metres, which in turn also sets a record for largest aquarium window.

The Whale Shark Exhibit tank also features the largest underwater viewing domewhich has an external diameter of 12 metres and is placed over a cylindrical structure built inside the tank.

The tank itself has a volume of 22.7 million litres of salt water, making it the world’s largest aquarium tank.

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is the brainchild of PGAV Destinations, which served as the attraction’s lead strategist, planner, designer, and product developer. It is the company’s first full theme park design in Asia, although PGAV has previously designed Hong Kong’s Grand Aquarium and an attraction at the Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses in Xi’an, China.

The park, which was constructed over a three-year period, officially opened on Saturday 29th March and is part of Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel, the largest ocean ecological-themed hotel in China. Both the park and the hotel are owned by the Chimelong Group, which has invested more than US$3.3 billion into the project.

Following a soft opening earlier this year, Rowan Simons, President of Guinness World Records Greater China, attended the attraction’s official opening event to present the official record certificates to Chen Ming An, General Manager of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom.

Simons explained “to become the world’s largest aquarium requires phenomenal creative vision and immense engineering efforts. The result is an incredible attraction experience.”

After its soft opening at the start of 2014, the park attracted more than 500,000 visitors during the Chinese New Year.

Chimelong are also known for operating Chimelong Paradise in Guangzhou – China’s biggest theme park.

Click here to visit the Chimelong website.

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