Manila Ocean Park,  an Early Christmas Getaway ideal for the Family

Manila Ocean Park,  an Early Christmas Getaway ideal for the Family





An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

I, together with the "fambam" just went on our "First-ever Christmas Getaway" for the year 2018 at Manila Ocean Park via TravelBook and it was AWESOME!!!


I was born and raised in Manila (and my kids too) yet I still wasn't able to explore much of my beloved city. Most of the beautiful places and tourist attractions are just a stone-throw away from where  I am residing at, but still, wasn't able to see it for myself. Maybe because I always prioritize out-of-town or overseas travels. Because for me, Manila is just right there and will always wait for me. 

But then again with all travel adventures and foodie escapades that I got myself into, the "traveling feet" seems to runs in the family as DaddyO and the #TeamBorneaKids also loves to go places we've never been and always up and looking forward to new attractions and travel destinations in town.  So, Finally, we said Yes to Exploring the City!

When we started on this journey as a fambam, the first on our list were the public parks and old churches.  Next were the ones with minimal fees like heritage and museum tours, Then go on a food trip in Binondo and also see the oldest Chinatown and the list goes on. But there's this one destination that always hit up on our travel bucket list and my also my kids' dream destination this holiday season... 

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park


 "Yas, Manila Ocean Park" 
Shocks ang layo diba? and yes, I'm being sarcastic :)


It was a fine Saturday afternoon and finally, we are walking into Manila Ocean Park! My kids were super hyped and excited because finally after numerous attempts we are here. 

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Then all of a sudden we saw tons of people lining up along the entrance.
Grabe! I wasn't expecting this huge crowd. 

So, I talked to my kids and said "Mga anak, mag re-sched tayo please, pa-sembreak na naman diba?sa school break nyo na lang para less crowded at ma-enjoy natin ang ating tour"

And moments after, nalungkot na sila. But after explaining the pros & cons of it all, they are ok and wanna go with the reschedule na. But also, allow me to enumerate why I decided to postpone our tour at the end of this post.

So, we've decided to reschedule and go on with our tour on a mas super fine day - Wednesday. And, WOW! Just WOW! Sa entrance pa lang obvious na mas less crowded sya that day! My kids instantly went wild and super excited na sa wakas, this is really it! They are touring Manila Ocean Park na!!!

Team Bornea Kids at Manila Ocean Park


Team Bornea Kids at Manila Ocean Park

Yes, this is the very first photo of #TeamBorneaKids upon entering the Jungle Trek

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

My kids know the drill for picture taking, ootds, and blogging purposes but during our tour wala masyadong "OK" na picture at super amazed sila sa mga nakikita nila at di na ata naririrnig instruction ko for picture taking. Di ko akalain na first attraction pa lang eh solved na sila. Yay, Salamat!

Ricci & Chloe | Team Bornea Kids at Manila Ocean Park
#RicciNChloe #TeamBorneaKids

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Kids at Manila Ocean Park

TeamBorneaKids at Manila Ocean Park
Oh diba? Iniwanan na ako, and when I say I'm gonna take pictures of them,
 wala na ata nadinig at super excited na sila to explore!

Educational Tours happening on Weekdays too.

But it is much bearable and in favor din for schools/students to book their tour on weekdays. Take my word for it, Book your tour on Weekdays, like Monday to Wednesday. Promise! Mas may chance to explore the different attraction way better than weekends.


Go Beyond The Reef

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park
#TeamBorneaKids love animated movies like The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, Shark Tale, and Moana and the setting of these movies? Can you guess where? -The Reef of course.

My God, Bakit now ko lang sila dinala dito?! 
They are really having fun and learning at the same time!

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park

The Lost Atlantis? 
Ricci N' Chloe Just Found it! charot!

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Kids at Manila Ocean Park
Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park


Ang hirap kumuha ng Family Picture dahil di sila mapirmi to look on my camera!!!
It's a good sign, right?
Meaning they are really liking what they are seeing here at Manila Ocean Park.

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park
The Most Talked About Attraction in Manila Ocean Park...
The  Oceanarium  

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park
Kuya with the Aquanaut Helmet is waving and inviting Manila Ocean Park's guest to try and experience this one of a kind attraction they offer. I tried helmet diving in Subic for the first time and in another one in Pangasinan and each experience is different from another and still wonderful. I am actually considering to give it try, and also my kid Charles is interested and kinukulit na ako agad when to go back for it.

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Kids An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

DEEP SEA
An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Charles: Mom, ang Lakiiiii!
Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park

How about an All-Star BirdShow?
We had the place all to ourselves! Yay!!!

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway at Manila Ocean Park

No, I'm Just Kidding!

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Sea Lion Show
An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

The Sealion Show at Manila Ocean Park

The Sealion Show at Manila Ocean Park

The Sealion Show at Manila Ocean Park

The Sealion Show at Manila Ocean Park
The Sealion Show at Manila Ocean Park
Meet & Greet Ray n' Sharky
Sharks & Rays Encounter Facility

Sharks & Rays Encounter at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Kids at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Sharks & Rays at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park


Trails to Antarctica - Penguin Exhibit

The Penguin Exhibit at Manila Ocean Park


The Penguin Exhibit at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Christmas in November...
The Christmas Village

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

#TeamBorneaKids at the Christmas Village
An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Ricci N' Chloe #TeamBorneaKids at the Christmas Village

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park
#TravelBookYourHolidays at Manila Ocean Park

Spotted: Dancing Sea Fairies!!!
 

#TeamBorneaKids with the Dancing Sea Fairies?


Jellies: Dancing Sea Fairies at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Kids with Dancing Sea Fairies at Manila Ocean Park

The Dancing Sea Fairies were Jelly Fishies! Amazing!

Jellies: Dancing Sea Fairies at Manila Ocean Park

This is such an amazing sight, and my first time to appreciate its beauty. Because the first time we saw a jellyfish was when Ate Ricci got stung by it during our beach trip in Guimaras. Good thing kuya Charles saw it right away and its a box jellyfish pa. This Jellies attraction made a different impression on my kids, seeing it motion and changing lights it's quite refreshing and calming. Of course, jellyfishes are still dangerous and is better to avoid contact at all times.

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Kids at the Jellies: Dancing Sea Fairies at Manila Ocean Park

Charles
Team Bornea Kids 
An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

But also, here's something that really caught our attention and at first got us puzzled.

"The Deadliest Predator in the Ocean"
At first, we were like, what kind of jellyfish was it? is it more dangerous than a box jellyfish?
Then, after a few more seconds, we finally get it.
Thanked God at na-realized din namin agad before we embarrassed our selves more.
Such an eye-opener for my kids and even me. 

Fish Spa 
Team Bornea Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park
The Fish Spa at Manila Ocean Park




SuperToy Collection 

Team Bornea at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Kids at Super Toy Collection Manila Ocean Park

 An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Team Bornea Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

Who does it better? 


DaddyO or Kuya Charles Lifting a Jeep at the Super Toy Collection?

Team Bornea Kids at Manila Ocean Park



We finished touring at around 7pm and still missed a few attractions like the World of Creepy Crawlies, Barnyard, Birdhouse, Back of the House, and that Symphony Evening Show. Too many attractions yet so little time. But we really did enjoy our trip to Manila Ocean Park. My kids were super into it that they can't stop talkin' about the attractions and encounters we had even though we hop form one attraction to another. 



As parents, me and DaddyO were so glad that we've booked this tour. Instantly, we saw that our kids were learning and discovering more about sea creatures, having a closer look to species they've never seen before, and appreciating more of what life is under the sea. Also, they now understand why plastic is hailed as the oceans deadliest predator for it can instantly kill any creature /choking hazard.  Also, animals who ingest plastic may cause blockage on their digestive system too. It can damage the growth of any animals too not only those living under the sea but even those on land. With this, my kids came to realize and promised to dispose their garbage properly and minimize plastic wastes too. This trip is such an amazing one where we had fun while learning at the same time.



As we exit the park, my kids started to feel tired and too sleepy to have dinner and just wants to go back home in a zap. But moments after, we saw this cutesy ride flickering the night and they instantly wanna go ride with it.

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

The Neon Rides Experience
An awesome way to end our Manila Ocean Park Tour!

Team Bornea An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park

TeamBorneaKids were oh! so Jolly, DaddyO, and I were feelin' Merry already at our first-ever "Christmas Getaway" as a family. Manila Ocean Park made our first #TeamBorneaChristmasGetaway an experience to remember. 



Team Bornea at Manila Ocean Park
Watch this Video

But wait, I promised to share in this post the reasons why I canceled our first M.O.P. trip, 
so here it is:



An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park


An Early Christmas Getaway for the Family at Manila Ocean Park
Reasons why I didn't push through with the Saturday tour at Manila Ocean Park.
  1. A Big Company is having their Family Day at M.O.PYes, Big is the word dahil ang dami nila.
  2. Ongoing Educational Tours of Multiple Schools - Sa Parking pa lang at dropoff area alam na. Ang daming Bus. 
  3. Super daming walk-ins too! -Ganun ata talaga pag weekend, mostly family day because like us, weekend lang din pwede mamasyal ang aming family dahil sa school and work ni DaddyO
  4. 1 + 2 +3 = Long Lines  per attractions. And Y'All know the drill
  5. We arrived M.O.P at past 1pm so we won't be able to maximize or even enjoy the 13 attractions. 

Yas 13! 
Great packages are being offered at Manila Ocean Park.
20 Attractions | 4 Encounters 
Available in Different Packages na for sure may interest you!

So, It will be a jampacked kind of day talaga.
And I don't want our tour to be an Amazing Race edition :)

So how are we to avoid this hassle? 
Top 3 Tips on how to book your Manila Ocean Park Christmas Getaway.

No.1 Schedule Your Visit and please, please, please make it a weekday or if ever weekend talaga ang bet mo,  just come super early as in yung 15 minutes bago mag bukas ung Ocean Park andun ka na para ma-maximize mo per attractions.

No.2 Be mindful of the attractions schedule too! If ever plan an itinerary and stick with it.

No.3 Be always on the lookout for Ticket Sale and Promos!!! One of the main reason why our M.O.P tours for the past years were not happening is that of its rates. Yes, may pagka-mahal sya mga beshies, momshies and dads!!! And in line with this, you should TravelBook your Holidays at Manila Ocean Park.




When I learned about the Great Deals TravelBook.Ph is offering, Mapapatravel more ka talaga! See it here: https://www.travelbook.ph/tour/70000325/ as low as *Php758.00 for 13 attraction na yan ah! For a limited time only. These attractions when availed individually can go at a high price of P5000. Go and check the app or their website and see the fine details about their promos now and start planning your Christmas Holiday Getaway too! May your Christmas Getaway be Merry and Bright!!!