Dalian Laohutan Ocean Park is located at No. 9 Binhai Middle Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian, Liaoning Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and one of China's larger and well-equipped ocean-themed parks. Situated on the coast of the Yellow Sea, the scenic area features marine life displays, polar animal interactions, sea entertainment projects, and coastal natural scenery, integrating sightseeing, entertainment, science education, shopping, and dining. The park covers a total area of about 1.18 million square meters, including a sea area of about 53,000 square meters. It has multiple venues and themed areas such as the Polar Hall, Ocean Hall, Coral Hall, and Bird Language Forest, raising and displaying more than 300 species and tens of thousands of marine organisms and polar animals. The landmark Polar Hall has a building area of about 36,000 square meters and is one of the venues with the most complete variety and larger scale of polar animal displays in China. It receives millions of visitors annually and is a core attraction of Dalian's coastal tourism.
History and Culture
The name "Laohutan" (Tiger Beach) in Dalian comes from local folklore. Legend has it that long ago, tigers came to drink at this beach, hence the name "Tiger Beach." This sea area has been an important fishing port and coastal defense site in Dalian since ancient times. In modern times, with urban development, it gradually became a seaside leisure and entertainment area for residents.
In the 1980s, construction of an ocean-themed park began at Laohutan, and it officially opened to the public in 1989. In its early stage, it mainly featured marine life exhibitions and simple entertainment projects. In 1995, the park underwent its first expansion, adding facilities such as the Coral Hall. In 2002, hundreds of millions of yuan were invested to build the Polar Hall, introducing Antarctic penguins, polar bears, and other polar animals, making it one of China's earlier ocean parks with polar animal displays. After years of development, Dalian Laohutan Ocean Park has not only become a window for displaying marine culture, but also, through science education and animal protection research, has promoted public attention to marine ecology. Its development history also reflects the growth trajectory of China's ocean-themed tourist attractions.
Main Attractions
Polar Hall
The Polar Hall is the core venue of Dalian Laohutan Ocean Park, with a building area of 36,000 square meters. The main building resembles a blue "giant whale." The hall is divided into multiple areas, including the Antarctic Penguin Island, Arctic Wolf Enclosure, and Polar Bear House, displaying more than 30 species of polar animals such as penguins, polar bears, Arctic foxes, and beluga whales. Among them, Penguin Island is home to nearly 100 gentoo penguins and chinstrap penguins. By simulating a low-temperature Antarctic environment, visitors can observe the penguins' daily life up close. The daily "Beluga Love" performance is a highlight, in which two beluga whales cooperate with trainers to perform jumps, spins, and other movements, creating a spectacular scene. The hall also has a 4D cinema showing polar exploration-themed films, enhancing visitors' immersive experience.
Ocean Hall
The Ocean Hall (also known as the "Underwater World") is adjacent to the Polar Hall, with a building area of about 18,000 square meters. It mainly displays tropical marine life. The hall has a 118-meter-long underwater tunnel made of acrylic glass. Visitors can watch large marine creatures such as sharks, rays, and sea turtles swimming overhead through the glass, as if they were on the seafloor. The giant aquarium in the central exhibition hall has a capacity of 1,500 cubic meters, displaying thousands of tropical fish and a coral reef ecosystem. The regularly staged "Mermaid" performance features performers dressed in fish-tail costumes dancing with schools of fish underwater, recreating fairy-tale scenes. In the "Dance with Sharks" performance, divers interact with sharks without protective equipment, demonstrating harmonious coexistence with marine life.
Coral Hall
The Coral Hall is one of China's larger coral reef organism exhibition halls, with a building area of about 3,000 square meters. It is divided into sections such as the tropical rainforest area, coral reef area, and touch pool. The hall cultivates more than 200 species and tens of thousands of corals from around the world, including staghorn coral, brain coral, and sea fan coral, which are colorful and varied in shape. The touch pool allows visitors to closely contact marine organisms such as starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers, with professional interpreters introducing their living habits. In addition, the hall displays various tropical ornamental fish, such as butterflyfish and damselfish, which together with the corals form a brilliant underwater landscape. It is a popular place for science education and photography.
Bird Language Forest
The Bird Language Forest is located on the back hill of the Laohutan scenic area, covering an area of about 45,000 square meters. It is a large semi-natural bird habitat. The park is divided into areas such as the raptor area, songbird area, and waterfowl area, raising more than 200 species and 3,000 birds, including red-crowned cranes, white swans, macaws, and peacocks. Visitors can walk along forest trails, watch birds moving freely, and participate in feeding (special feed must be purchased, priced at 10 yuan per portion) and photo interactions. The daily parrot show features birds completing arithmetic, riding bicycles, shooting baskets, and other skill demonstrations, which are very popular among children. The waterfalls, streams, and vegetation in the park create a natural ecological environment, making it a great place to get close to birds and nature.
Happy Theater
The Happy Theater is an outdoor performance venue that can accommodate 2,000 spectators. It features humorous performances by marine animals. The theater adopts a semi-open design, backed by green mountains and facing the sea, with a beautiful environment. The performance lineup includes sea lions, walruses, and others. Under the guidance of trainers, they perform funny segments such as balancing balls, ring tossing, and imitating human actions, interacting frequently with the host and creating a lively atmosphere. Each performance lasts about 30 minutes and is held 3-4 times daily, with specific times adjusted according to the season. It is an entertainment project enjoyed by the whole family.
Food
Special Dining in the Park
Dalian Laohutan Ocean Park has multiple dining areas, mainly offering seafood snacks and fast food. Dalian grilled squid is a must-try delicacy, made with locally fresh squid, charcoal-grilled and brushed with a secret sauce. It is tender and juicy. Large skewers cost 15-20 yuan, and small skewers cost 5-10 yuan. Seafood fried rice is rich in ingredients, with shrimp, scallops, squid, and other ingredients added. Each portion costs 25-35 yuan and tastes fresh and fragrant. The "Ocean Restaurant" near the Polar Hall provides set meals, such as cod set meal (58 yuan) and salmon bento (68 yuan). The environment is clean and suitable for a quick meal. In addition, the park also has Western fast food such as hamburgers and fried chicken, with prices comparable to those in the city, meeting different taste needs.
Nearby Food
Within 1 kilometer of the park, there are several seafood restaurants. "Laohutan Seafood Food Stall" is recommended, about 500 meters from the main entrance, famous for fresh seafood cooked on the spot. Signature dishes include steamed swimming crab (market price, about 80-120 yuan per jin), spicy stir-fried clams (38 yuan per portion), and seaweed buns (20 yuan per steamer). The ingredients are fresh and the taste is authentic. The average consumption is about 80-120 yuan per person, suitable for tasting after sightseeing. A little farther away (about 2 kilometers), "Binhai Road Fisherman's Home Cooking" focuses on traditional Dalian dishes, such as salted fish with cornmeal cakes (28 yuan) and menzi (15 yuan), combining fisherman's flavor and cost-effectiveness, with an average consumption of 50-70 yuan per person.
Tickets：
Tickets are 220 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "Laohutan Ocean Park" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours：
Opening hours are adjusted according to the season: from April 1 to October 31, the peak season opening hours are 8:00-17:30 (last entry at 16:30); from November 1 to March 31 of the following year, the off-season opening hours are 8:30-17:00 (last entry at 16:00). The specific opening hours of each venue differ slightly. Among them, the Polar Hall and Ocean Hall open at 8:30 in peak season and 9:00 in off-season. Happy Theater performance times are 10:00, 13:00, and 15:30 in peak season, and 11:00 and 14:00 in off-season. It is recommended to get the day's program list at the entrance in advance.
Tour Route：
Recommended one-day tour route: enter from the main entrance at 8:30 in the morning, first go to the Polar Hall (about 1.5 hours), and watch the 9:30 beluga performance; at 10:30 go to the Ocean Hall, experience the underwater tunnel and watch the 11:00 mermaid performance (about 1 hour); at 12:00 dine in the dining area near the Ocean Hall (about 1 hour); at 13:00 go to the Coral Hall to see corals and tropical fish (about 40 minutes); at 13:40 go to the Happy Theater and watch the 14:00 sea lion performance (about 30 minutes); at 14:30 go to the Bird Language Forest and participate in bird interactions (about 1 hour); at 15:30 return to the main area of the park, and choose to take a sea sightseeing boat (at your own expense, 60 yuan per person, about 40 minutes) or stroll along the seaside; at 16:30 buy specialties at the souvenir shop, and leave from the main entrance at 17:00. The whole journey is about 8 kilometers on foot and can be adjusted flexibly according to performance times.
Transportation：
Bus: In the city, you can take bus routes 2, 4, 30, 403, 404, etc. to the "Laohutan Ocean Park" stop and walk about 5 minutes to the main entrance. Among them, route 403 departs from Dalian Railway Station every 10 minutes, with a journey of about 30 minutes and a fare of 1 yuan; route 2 departs from Qingniwaqiao every 15 minutes, with a journey of about 25 minutes and a fare of 1 yuan.
Subway: Take Dalian Metro Line 3 to Xianglujiao Station, then transfer to bus 4 to Laohutan Station. The whole journey takes about 40 minutes. The subway fare is 2 yuan, and the bus fare is 1 yuan.
Self-driving: From downtown Dalian, drive along Jiefang Road and Binhai Middle Road. The distance is about 10 kilometers and takes about 25 minutes. The scenic area parking lot charges 20 yuan per time for small cars and 30 yuan per time for large cars. When spaces are tight, you can park in paid parking spaces on nearby side roads.
Tourist special line: Many travel agencies in the city offer one-day Laohutan tour special lines, including round-trip transportation and tickets, priced at about 260-300 yuan per person. You can sign up at the hotel front desk.
Must-Play Attractions：
Polar Hall: A large venue of 36,000 square meters, displaying polar animals such as penguins and polar bears. The "Beluga Love" performance is the core highlight and a landmark experience of the park.
Ocean Hall: A 118-meter-long underwater tunnel where you can observe sharks, sea turtles, and other creatures up close. The "Dance with Sharks" and "Mermaid" performances are highly enjoyable.
Happy Theater: Funny performances by sea lions and walruses with strong interactivity, suitable for the whole family. The performance lasts 30 minutes and the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant.
Bird Language Forest: A 45,000-square-meter bird habitat with more than 3,000 birds moving freely. Visitors can participate in feeding interactions and get close to nature.
Travel Tips：
Suggested visit duration is 1 day. The best season is May to October, when the climate is suitable and sea projects are open; there are fewer tourists in winter, so you can avoid the peak, but some outdoor projects may be reduced.
Performance times at each venue are fixed. It is recommended to enter 15 minutes early to save seats. Popular shows (such as weekend mornings) require going even earlier to avoid standing without a seat.
Dining in the park is relatively expensive. You can bring drinking water and dry food and eat in rest areas; if you want to taste seafood, it is recommended to go to nearby restaurants after leaving the park.
Visitors with children can rent baby strollers (50 yuan per day, deposit 300 yuan) at the visitor center; elderly people or those with limited mobility can rent wheelchairs (free, deposit 500 yuan).
Photography suggestions: use a fast shutter speed (1/500s or above) when shooting the beluga performance in the Polar Hall. The underwater tunnel in the Ocean Hall is suitable for shooting panoramic views with a wide-angle lens.
Notes：
It is prohibited to bring flammable and explosive items, pets, and glass containers into the park. There is a security check at the park entrance, and prohibited items must be temporarily stored (free of charge).
When watching animal performances, flash photography is prohibited to avoid frightening the animals; do not throw objects into the pools, violators will be fined.
When interacting in the touch pool, follow the guidance of staff and touch the organisms gently. Do not grasp them forcefully or take them out of the water.
In summer, ultraviolet rays are strong, so take sun protection measures and bring a sun hat and sunglasses; the seaside is windy, so it is recommended to bring a thin jacket to avoid catching a cold.
There is a medical point in the park (located on the west side of the Polar Hall). In case of emergencies, contact it promptly.