Halloween fun: Hong Kong Ocean Park’s “Boo-Up October”

By Chi Binghui, compiled and reported

The festival where you can boldly “dress up as ghosts and goblins”—Halloween—is coming in October. This traditional and important Western holiday is very popular among children and young people. Parents take their kids out in Halloween costumes to go door-to-door for candy, while young people attend parties in ghostly outfits, creating a fun festive atmosphere. Meanwhile, Hong Kong has designated the period from September 22 to October 31 as “Hong Kong Halloween Carnival Month,” with various thrilling and exciting events being held across the city to celebrate together. Hong Kong Ocean Park has also launched the grand “Boo-Up October 2011” to welcome visitors from all over, giving the public an unforgettable Halloween experience.

Hong Kong Ocean Park has been holding a series of Halloween events since 2001, combining Western Halloween with traditional Chinese ghost culture. The term Halloween has been given a localized name, “Boo-Up,” and the park has developed a nighttime attraction market around ghosts and ghouls. With continuously innovative themes each year and an increasing number of haunted houses and spooky characters, it has been hailed as Hong Kong’s most iconic holiday event.

This year’s Boo-Up will run from September 23 to October 31, featuring a record-breaking 25 Boo-Up themed attractions and performances. These include the “3D Nightmare Stalk” escape room, created using 3D technology developed in Hong Kong, which immerses visitors in a terrifying dreamlike world where it’s hard to tell what’s real. There’s also the “Soul Coffin Factory,” a single-person challenge where visitors must navigate through a maze of coffins filled with deadly traps that will get your heart racing. For those who love extreme challenges, don’t miss the “Zombie Last Stand,” where you can grab a laser gun and shoot hordes of zombies in an abandoned military camp.

There are also horror attractions with “Chinese elements.” In “Tales of the Forbidden City: Dark Chronicles,” the evil ghost empress bursts out of her coffin and awaits visitors in the imperial city to witness various forms of torture. Those who successfully escape can head to the “Gruesome Film Set” to star in a never-ending horror movie, stepping into classic ghost movie scenes and witnessing actors meet their demise on camera—truly stepping into the ghostly world of cinema. Finally, in the evening, don’t miss the “Boo-Up Republic National Day Gala” on a massive 360-degree water screen glowing with eerie red lights. Ghosts and ghouls will form the largest dance party group, throwing a hellish dance party that will keep the Halloween spirit alive from morning to night.

Hong Kong Ocean Park’s “Boo-Up October”: http://www.halloweenbash.com.hk/tc