Photo: Far East Russia Project

It cost a reported US$5 billion to build. It features the world’s biggest aquarium. It showcases what it claims is the world’s longest roller coaster. And it boasts a massive collection of whales, sharks and animals rarely, if ever, seen in captivity in China.

There’s no question about it: Ocean Kingdom, the giant theme park on Hengqin island, at the southern tip of Zhuhai, which was scheduled to open this weekend, in time for the Lunar New Year holiday, is destined to make something of a splash.

Owned by the Chime-Long Group, which runs China’s biggest theme park – Chime-Long Paradise, in Guangzhou – Ocean Kingdom is about twice the size of Hong Kong’s Ocean Park and three times the size of the city’s Disneyland.

A turreted, fairy-tale palace-like 1,888-room resort hotel has already opened next to the massive main attraction, which – although it…