An introduction.
Researched by the Audiala editorial team from historical records, architectural archives, and local expertise.
AA 1,278-metre steel parrot tears across the artificial rainforest of Parrot Coaster, Zhuhai, People's Republic of China, at 108 kilometres per hour. Formerly called Flying Over the Rainforest, this Bolliger & Mabillard wing coaster is the reason to visit if you like your tropical scenery interrupted by tunnels, inversions, and a theatrical sheet of spray. The train hangs riders beyond the track like feathers on either side of a diving scarlet macaw.
Parrot Coaster sits in Chimelong Ocean Kingdom's Amazing Amazon zone on Hengqin Island, across the water from Macau's casino skyline. Its 50-metre lift hill rises above rockwork, palms, and freshwater-animal exhibits before dropping into trenches that make the ride feel less like a machine placed in a garden than a machine burrowing through one.
The numbers are muscular, but the character comes from the setting: dark green track, a sculpted macaw nose, three inversions, two subterranean runs, and a splashdown that sends a brief fan of water beside the train. Go for the unusual view as much as the speed; Parrot Coaster makes Zhuhai's rapid reinvention visible from the lift hill.
Parrot Coaster Front Row POV Chimelong Ocean Kingdom | HUGE Chinese B&M Wing Coaster!
Coaster Studios01 What to see.
The Macaw Train and Amazonian Station
The Lift, Tunnels and Splashdown
A Ground-Level Watch of the Flight
02 In pictures.
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03 Visitor logistics.
The practical scaffolding for a good visit — kept short.
Getting There
Parrot Coaster sits in the Amazing Amazon Zone of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Fuxiang Bay, Hengqin. From Zhuhai Railway Station, take bus K10 in about 40 minutes or a taxi/Didi in 35–40 minutes; from Chimelong Station, walk through the resort to the park entrance, while Hengqin Port is about 10 minutes by taxi. Drivers should set Amap or Baidu Maps to “Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Parking Lot”; parking costs about ¥20 per day.
Opening Hours
As of 2026, Ocean Kingdom generally opens from 10:00 to 19:00 or 20:00, with the closing time changing by season, weekday, and holiday; the coaster’s own operating window can differ. Official Chimelong hotel guests may receive entry from around 09:00, while heavy rain, strong wind, lightning, and typhoon warnings can stop the ride without notice. Check the Chimelong app or entrance display on the day.
Time Needed
Allow 30–45 minutes for a direct ride attempt when the queue is short: the ride itself lasts about 3 minutes, but the 50–80 minute peak queue can make that estimate look optimistic. Give the Amazing Amazon Zone 1.5–2 hours if you also want the rainforest exhibits, macaws, freshwater stingrays, a meal, and a view of the 1.3-kilometre track looping overhead.
Accessibility
The park’s main paths are broad, paved, and mostly flat, with wheelchair and stroller rentals at the service centre; strollers cost about ¥100 per day and wheelchairs generally require a refundable deposit. The coaster queue uses ramps and stairs, and riders must transfer from a wheelchair independently or with a companion. A minimum height of 132 cm applies, and guests with heart, neck, or back conditions, recent surgery, or pregnancy should not ride.
Cost & Tickets
Parrot Coaster is included in Ocean Kingdom admission, with no separate ride charge. As of 2026, adult tickets are approximately ¥360–395 on ordinary weekdays and ¥420–450 on weekends or public holidays; child and senior rates vary, and Fast Pass wristbands cost extra. Buy through Chimelong’s official WeChat mini-program or app, or an authorised seller such as Trip.com or Klook.
04 Tips for visitors.
Small things that change the day.
Secure Your Clothing
Wear flat, firmly fastened shoes rather than loose slides or flip-flops; staff may ask you to remove or secure them before boarding. Glasses need a strap or station storage, and every loose item goes into the locker.
Film From Ground
Phones, cameras, selfie sticks, chest mounts, and wrist-mounted action cameras are forbidden on the train, so don’t try to negotiate with the restraint operator. Film from the pathways, queue viewing decks, or Rainforest Restaurant terrace instead; drones are prohibited throughout the resort.
Beat The Queue
Head for the ride at opening, especially if you’re staying at a Chimelong hotel and can use early entry; morning waits are often 10–25 minutes, compared with 50–80 minutes or more on crowded days. Late afternoon can also work while visitors eat or watch the parade, but check the weather board before committing to the 50-metre lift hill.
Skip The Scalpers
Ignore drivers outside the gate or Hengqin Port offering a suspicious flat fare, and avoid unofficial ticket or Fast Pass sellers. Use a metered taxi, Didi, an official Chimelong shuttle, or K10, then buy admission and express products through authorised channels.
Choose Your Meal
For the easiest coaster-side stop, Rainforest Restaurant serves Chinese and Southeast Asian set meals, while in-park quick-service meals are roughly ¥20–60. For better-value local seafood, take a 5–10 minute taxi to Hengqin Old Town and Baoxing Road stalls for oyster porridge or garlic-grilled oysters; expect about ¥20–60, while the Penguin Hotel buffet is a more comfortable mid-range option.
Pair Nearby Attractions
Add Chimelong Spaceship, the enormous indoor marine park beside Ocean Kingdom, if rain threatens or your group needs a calmer interval after the coaster. Small factory-sealed snacks and personal water bottles are usually allowed, but security rejects self-heating meals, heated instant noodles, and open or raw food.
05 From Oyster Beds to Scarlet Wings
Parrot Coaster belongs to a much larger Zhuhai story. Records show that Hengqin was still largely rural, agricultural, and associated with oyster farming and mangroves before the island's development accelerated after 2009; the coaster arrived as part of a plan to give the Pearl River Delta a family attraction opposite Macau's gaming economy.
Its history is unusually legible in steel. A Swiss manufacturer, an American master-planning firm, and a Chinese resort operator combined a new ride type with reclaimed coastal ground, artificial cliffs, and rainforest exhibits. The result opened as Asia's first wing coaster, though the name changed almost as soon as the public met it.
The Gamble That Took Flight
According to industry reporting, Chimelong founder and chairman Su Zhigang placed a RMB 20 billion-plus development gamble on Hengqin: a remote, changing coastal site had to become a family-leisure counterweight to Macau. His personal stake was larger than a single attraction. Su had risen from a poor peasant and butcher in Panyu to build the Chimelong group, so the resort's success would test whether his company could turn a new island district into an international destination.
Records show that Bolliger & Mabillard's custom wing coaster was intended to provide the hard-edged thrill that an aquarium-led park might otherwise lack. B&M engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard were also scaling a young concept in which riders sit on either side of the track, exposing the vehicle to demanding torsional forces; extending it to 1,278 metres on reclaimed coastal ground made precision, wind, and foundation stability personal engineering risks rather than abstract specifications.
The turning point came on January 25, 2014, when the coaster opened to the public as Flying Over the Rainforest. A train of 32 riders climbed the 50-metre lift, then dropped into the new park's trenches and inversions, making the construction gamble audible across the artificial jungle. By the official grand opening around March 29, records indicate that the ride had been renamed Parrot Coaster, a clearer salute to the scarlet-macaw train that had first been unveiled at the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando in November 2012.
Hengqin Recast (2009–2011)
A New Ride Language (2011–2013)
Opening, Renaming, Recognition (2014–present)
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06 Frequently asked.
The questions travellers send us most about Parrot Coaster.
Is Parrot Coaster worth visiting?
Yes, if you like forceful roller coasters and open-air exposure rather than gentle family rides. Bolliger & Mabillard's 1,278-metre track runs for about 13 football pitches, rises 50 metres—roughly 16 storeys—and reaches 108 km/h through three inversions, tunnels and a water-splash finale. Anyone uneasy with inversions, height or suspended seats should admire the scarlet-macaw train from the path instead.
How long do you need at Parrot Coaster?
Allow 30–45 minutes for one ride when the queue is short, though the ride itself lasts about 3 minutes. Typical waits run 10–25 minutes in quieter periods and 50–80 minutes or more on busy weekends and holidays. Give the Amazing Amazon zone 1.5–2 hours if you also want the rainforest exhibits, macaws, food and viewing spots around the track.
How do I get to Parrot Coaster from Zhuhai?
From Zhuhai Railway Station, take the intercity train to Chimelong Station in about 20 minutes, use bus K10 in roughly 40 minutes, or take a taxi or ride-hail car in around 35–40 minutes. Chimelong Station connects directly with the resort; once inside Ocean Kingdom, walk left past Ocean Avenue into Amazing Amazon, where the green lift hill is hard to miss.
What is the best time to visit Parrot Coaster?
Go at park opening, with October through April offering cooler, clearer weather and better views from the 50-metre lift hill. Hotel guests may receive entry about 1 hour early, while the queue can ease between 1:30 and 2:30 PM during shows and parade periods. Rain, lightning, strong wind and typhoons can stop the outdoor ride, so check the day's operation before committing.
Can you visit Parrot Coaster for free?
No, you need admission to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, but Parrot Coaster has no separate single-ride charge. Research-listed adult prices are about RMB 360–395 on weekdays and RMB 420–450 during peak dates, although current prices can change. Children who enter the park free because they are under 1 metre or under 3 still cannot ride unless they meet the coaster's 132-centimetre minimum height.
What should I not miss at Parrot Coaster?
Don't miss the lift-hill view, the straight first drop, the three inversions, the two rock-lined tunnels and the final water spray. The cantilevered seats leave riders hanging beyond both sides of the track, so the outer seats offer the most exposed view of the rockwork and water, though seat choice depends on dispatch procedures. Watch from the splashdown path afterward: the macaw train flashes past low to the ground, followed by twin plumes of spray.
Verified, and shown.
Researched and written by the Audiala editorial team from historical records, architectural archives, and local expertise.
Provided the ride's alternate name, opening history, manufacturer, dimensions, train details and macaw-themed design.
Cross-checked the opening date, former name and basic ride specifications.
Supplied context on Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Hengqin's development and the resort's role in Zhuhai's tourism growth.
Added planning and design background, the park's opening context and commentary on the coaster's custom layout.
Provided official park and ride-renaming context.
Supported the March 2014 grand-opening and rebranding timeline.
Referenced the reported August 2025 operational halt and evacuation.
Provided background on Chimelong founder Su Zhigang and his IAAPA recognition.
Supported observations about the coaster's visual role during nighttime park entertainment.
Described the splashdown feature and rear-train water effects.
Provided a secondary listing of the track-length record and technical specifications.
Supplied practical details on park hours, early entry, tickets, transport, parking, lockers and rider services.
Provided ticket-booking information and park admission context.
Described access from Hengqin Port and Macau.
Provided indicative crowd and queue-planning information.
Provided indicative wait-time data for Parrot Coaster.
Supplied ride commentary and information about Rainforest Restaurant viewing.
Described the restaurant's location beside the coaster and its rainforest-themed dining setting.
Provided loose-article, locker and on-ride photography information.
Located Parrot Coaster within the Amazing Amazon zone and described the park's major areas.
Referenced the lift hill, drop and speed details used in the ride description.
Provided enthusiast imagery and commentary on the coaster's inversions.
Discussed Parrot Coaster's custom layout, inversions, tunnels and seat-dependent ride experience.
Illustrated the track sequence, inversions and terrain interaction.
Supported the description of the enclosed tunnels and near-miss visual effects.
Showed the water-splash finale and low-level helix.
Provided visual reference for the scarlet-macaw train and articulated cars.
Provided information on park experiences, viewing areas and timing around shows.
Provided seasonal weather and operational guidance for the outdoor coaster.
Supported the cooler-season recommendation and visibility notes.
Provided express-pass and priority-access information.
Provided additional information on fast-track access and park logistics.
Described premium guided access and front-of-line tour options.
Provided the 132-centimetre minimum height figure.
Provided the Chinese name, visitor impressions and general attraction information.
Provided context on the former ride name and Chimelong's role in Zhuhai's tourism development.
Represented enthusiast opinion on Parrot Coaster's layout and reputation.
Provided enthusiast commentary on the ride's custom design and standing among wing coasters.
Provided local food, safety, crowd, transport, ticket and outside-food guidance.
Provided additional visual context on the coaster and Chimelong's nighttime shows.
Provided information on local seafood, Hengqin oysters and nearby dining options.
Referenced recent enthusiast observations about ride comfort and maintenance.
Provided dining information for Chimelong hotels and restaurants.
Provided visitor-oriented context for the park and hotel dining.
Provided destination, dining and premium park-experience information.
Referenced the November 2014 Thea Award recognition for Chimelong Ocean Kingdom.
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