Hefei Ocean World is located at No. 321 Fanhua Avenue, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Hefei City, Anhui Province. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction, the first large-scale ocean theme park in Anhui Province, and a distinctive ocean science education base in East China. Featuring marine life displays, marine science education, and parent-child interactive experiences, the scenic area integrates sightseeing, entertainment, popular science, and leisure, serving as a cultural and tourism landmark in Hefei. The main building is designed as a modern aquarium with a total construction area of 15,000 square meters and a total water volume of about 5,000 tons. The park covers approximately 32 mu, housing more than 200 exhibition tanks, displaying over 300 species of marine life totaling more than ten thousand individuals, making it the largest and most species-rich ocean-themed venue in Anhui Province.
History and Culture
Hefei Ocean World was officially completed and opened to the public in 2008, filling the gap of large-scale ocean-themed venues in Anhui Province and marking an important milestone in the development of Hefei’s cultural tourism industry. Designed and constructed by a professional ocean tourism team, the venue blends marine ecology with modern architectural aesthetics and quickly became one of the top destinations for family trips and science education tours in Anhui Province.
Since opening, Hefei Ocean World has adhered to the philosophy of combining science education with cultural tourism, successively earning titles such as Anhui Science Education Base, Hefei Primary and Secondary School Students Research Practice Education Base, and National AAAA Tourist Attraction. Through continuous optimization of exhibition layouts, renewal of biological populations, and upgrading of performance programs, it has evolved into a modern comprehensive ocean venue integrating wildlife conservation, science education, and tourism. With distinctive features among ocean tourism projects in East China, it has received more than ten million visitors and become a core platform for spreading marine culture and popularizing marine knowledge.
Main Attractions
Underwater Tunnel
The Underwater Tunnel is the core attraction of Hefei Ocean World, stretching 35 meters with a 180° curved acrylic panoramic transparent tank holding 1,500 tons of water. It displays more than 100 species of large marine fish including sharks, rays, groupers, and humphead wrasses. Visitors can walk through and immerse themselves in the surrounding marine life, making it the most popular viewing area in the scenic spot.
Dolphin Pavilion
The Dolphin Pavilion is a large indoor performance venue covering 1,200 square meters, capable of seating 1,500 spectators. It houses bottlenose dolphins that perform scheduled shows daily, including surfing, ball balancing, jumping, and interactive arithmetic, accompanied by dolphin science lectures, combining entertainment and education.
Penguin Pavilion
The Penguin Pavilion is a constant-temperature venue simulating the polar environment, with indoor temperature maintained steadily at 0–5°C. It displays about 30 Humboldt penguins in a habitat replicating Antarctic rocky landscapes. Visitors can closely observe penguins walking, swimming, and foraging, making it a well-known penguin viewing spot in East China.
Dream Jellyfish Palace
Dream Jellyfish Palace covers 300 square meters with 22 specialized tanks displaying over 10 species of jellyfish such as moon jellyfish, upside-down jellyfish, and colored jellyfish. Featuring gradient lighting and mirror designs, it creates a dreamlike floating effect, serving as a popular spot for social media check-ins and science viewing.
Shark Pavilion
The Shark Pavilion features a large ecological tank with 800 tons of water, housing various shark species including whitetip reef sharks, blacktip reef sharks, and nurse sharks. Decorated with corals and reefs to replicate tropical shark habitats, it provides science signs explaining shark ecology in detail.
Coral Reef Ecological Pavilion
The Coral Reef Ecological Pavilion displays various stony corals, soft corals, and tropical ornamental fish in a 500-ton tank replicating shallow tropical coral reef ecosystems. It showcases small colorful fish such as clownfish, butterflyfish, and angelfish, serving as a key area for learning about marine coral ecology.
Sea Lion Theater
The Sea Lion Theater is an indoor interactive performance venue seating 800 spectators. It houses California sea lions that perform amusing shows daily including arithmetic, ring tossing, basketball shooting, and handshaking, with visitor interaction sessions, making it a popular area for family entertainment.
Rainforest Pavilion
The Rainforest Pavilion covers 400 square meters, simulating the ecological environment of Southeast Asian tropical rainforests. It displays freshwater species including arapaima, map fish, electric eels, and snapping turtles, decorated with green plants, waterfalls, and rockeries to integrate freshwater life with rainforest landscapes.
Tour Route
The official recommended full tour route of Hefei Ocean World is: Entrance Ticket Check → Rainforest Pavilion → Coral Reef Ecological Pavilion → Shark Pavilion → Dream Jellyfish Palace → Underwater Tunnel → Sea Lion Theater → Penguin Pavilion → Dolphin Pavilion. The entire tour takes about 2.5 to 3 hours, covering all core exhibition areas and performances with a smooth, non-backtracking layout suitable for visitors of all ages.
Visiting Tips
- Arrive at the Sea Lion Theater and Dolphin Pavilion 10 minutes early to secure the best viewing spots and avoid missing performances.
- Family visitors may prioritize the Penguin Pavilion, Jellyfish Palace, and Underwater Tunnel for a more child-friendly experience.
- Bring a camera or mobile phone throughout the visit; the Underwater Tunnel and Jellyfish Palace are ideal photo spots.
- Study tour visitors should focus on science signs in each area and follow venue explanations to learn about marine life.
- Follow the official recommended route to save time and fully visit all attractions.
- Check the performance schedule in advance during peak seasons to plan your visit and viewing time reasonably.
- Avoid midday heat in summer; morning or evening visits are more comfortable.
Notes
- Pets, food, beverages, flammable and explosive materials, and controlled knives are prohibited inside the venue.
- Knocking on, climbing over, or feeding through tank glass, and throwing any objects into the water are forbidden.
- Standing, climbing over railings, and making loud noises during performances that disturb other visitors are not allowed.
- Children must be accompanied by adults at all times; running and chasing in exhibition areas alone are prohibited.
- Smoking, spitting, and littering are banned to maintain venue hygiene.
- Flash photography is prohibited for light-sensitive species such as penguins and jellyfish.
- Queue voluntarily during peak hours and follow the guidance of staff.
- Touching marine life and tank equipment is forbidden to prevent personal injury or equipment damage.
Transportation
- Bus: Take Bus No. 20, 52, 80, 126, 150, 226, 602, or 605 to Fanfei Intersection Station, then walk 300 meters to the venue.
- Metro: Take Hefei Metro Line 3 to Fanhua Avenue Station, exit from Exit 2, and walk 800 meters to the venue.
- Self-driving: Navigate to Hefei Ocean World Parking Lot, which has 200 ground parking spaces with hourly fees.
- Taxi/Ride-hailing: Directly navigate to Hefei Ocean World; the journey from the urban area takes about 20–30 minutes.
Opening Hours
Open daily from Monday to Sunday. Summer hours (May 1 – October 7) are 8:30–17:30, and winter hours (October 8 – April 30) are 9:00–17:00. Open as usual on holidays. Ticket sales stop one hour before closing.
Tickets
Tickets start at 125 RMB per person. For the latest updates, search the official WeChat account "合肥海洋世界".
Online Booking
Click here to jump to the Trip.com ticketing platform for ticket purchase.