Itineraries6 min read

Shanghai Haichang's 'Orca Wave Festival' Is the City's Biggest Summer Splash

Through 31 August, Haichang Ocean Park in Lingang runs night sessions, water parties, drone and fireworks shows, and an orca starlight performance. It is the freshest family day-trip option near Shanghai this summer — and a world away from the crowded city center.

By Shanghai Welcome · August 7, 2026

A summer splash, Pudong-style

Through 31 August, Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park in Lingang (Pudong) leans all the way into summer with its 'Orca Wave Festival'. The park keeps night sessions open until 21:00 across 66 days, with four water parties running through the day and the orcas leading a 'wave' of splash moments with more than 100,000 marine animals as backup.

The hook for families is simple: it is one of the few places near Shanghai where you can beat the heat with water play and still see world-class marine shows after dark. The pitch-and-plays happen in the open, so bring a change of clothes and lean into it.

•Night sessions to 21:00 through 31 August
•Four daily water parties
•Orca-led 'wave' splash moments

What is new this year

The festival layers on spectacle: a national-first orca starlight show, a fireworks-and-600-drone formation performance, and a 200-metre mecha water-parade. A music-festival IP co-created with a talent agency brings weekend electronic-stage shows through 23 August, with a rotating line-up of artists.

There is also a new underwater show, 'The Eight Immortals Enter the Sea', staged in the park's tilted giant tank — a tie-in with a summer film. None of it is subtle, and that is the point: it is built for kids and for the camera.

•Orca starlight show + 600-drone fireworks
•200m mecha water parade
•Underwater 'Eight Immortals' tank show

Getting there and back

The park sits in Lingang, well south of the city center — roughly an hour or more by metro plus a short transfer, or a private car straight from your hotel. It is a full-day outing, not a quick stop, so plan it as the day's main event rather than a side trip.

A private guide or car turns the long transfer into downtime: leave mid-morning, arrive for the first shows, stay through the night session and the drone-and-fireworks finale, and ride back as the city winds down. For families with kids, that door-to-door ease is the difference between a memory and a marathon.

A private day with door-to-door transfer to Lingang and back, so the long ride to Haichang becomes easy time rather than logistics.

Explore Shanghai Modern & Future Tour →

Our planning note

Haichang is not a central-Shanghai attraction, and that is its strength — it trades the crowds of the Bund for water, drones and an orca under the night sky. Go for the full day, pack for water, and let a private car handle the distance. On a hot August weekend, the night session is the coolest part of the whole plan.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Haichang Ocean Park from the city center?

It is in Lingang, Pudong, about an hour or more by metro with a transfer, or a private car straight from your hotel. Most visitors treat it as a full-day trip rather than a quick stop.

Is the festival worth it for non-kids?

If you enjoy spectacle, yes — the orca starlight show, 600-drone fireworks and mecha water parade are unusual even by Shanghai standards. The night sessions are also noticeably cooler than the daytime.

When is the drone and fireworks show?

The fireworks-and-drone performance runs on the festival's night sessions through 31 August. Check the park's same-day schedule, as exact times shift with weather and crowd conditions.

Should I book a private transfer?

For families, it is the easiest call. The park is far south, and a private car or guide turns the long transfer into relaxed travel time and gets you back after the night finale without navigating the metro late.