Sprawling 30,000 sqm! This Giant Ship on Anhua Hui Rooftop is Actually a Parent-Kid Paradise

Summer heat is on, and the school holiday is coming! Planning activities for the little ones has become a problem again. Tired of amusement parks, museums, and zoos? No worries! I’ve found a place that’s the best of both worlds! You’ll absolutely fall in love with it ~

Right on the rooftop of Anhua Hui in Guangzhou’s Baiyun District, a brand-new theme park has opened, covering a massive 30,000 sqm — easily enough for a full day of fun.

It has indoor areas, animals, and even water play! June 20 marks the joyful launch. Special discount tickets will be up for grabs too ~ So without further ado, grab your little ones and go check it out!

Happy Ark Theme Park sits on the 8th floor of Anhua Hui shopping mall, covering nearly 30,000 square meters — as big as four football fields. The biggest eye-catcher has to be that three-story giant ship, but the various outdoor themes are equally brilliant. Spend a whole day here with your kids and you’ll never be bored!

This is a nature- and ship culture-inspired exploration theme park. It has six major zones: Happy Ark, Rooftop Park, Glass Skywalk, Romantic Lawn, Water Splash Square, and the Shape-Shifting Maze.

01 Immersive Science Experience Parent-Kid Space — Broaden Your Child’s Horizons

They say the most popular spot for kids is the Happy Ark itself ~ It has three floors: ground floor themed gallery, 2nd floor Butterfly Valley, Joyful Birds Garden, Exotic Reptile House, and on the 3rd floor the Cute Pet Hall. Follow the guide as we explore this mysterious giant ship!!

1F: Happy Ark Ground Floor Gallery

The guide told us the first floor is the “Ground Floor Themed Gallery” centered on ship culture and animal interaction, featuring five zones: Happy Ark Forest, Happy Ark Revelation, Myriad Beasts Dwelling, Happy Ark Homestead, and Fantasy Plaza. VR brings the most lifelike ocean adventure scenes to life.

Venture up-close into the mysteries of a primeval forest with your little one.

The moment you step in, you feel like you’ve entered a pristine forest world. Stone cave walls, ancient tree bark — a remarkably realistic prehistoric environment. Inside the vessel, lifelike scenes of rare animals from ancient times unfold: a rich, love-filled journey through Happy Ark life, totally immersive, letting you soak in this tech-infused study space.

Creatures you’d normally only see in books or on TV — here your young ones can meet lifelike animals from hundreds of millions of years ago. Many are things kids have never seen before ~ you can explore the mysteries of the primeval forest up close. As you approach these animals, they swing their heads or tails, stretch out their paws, and even let out real cries. That’s because the birds, beasts, and reptiles here use simulation and holographic technologies to recreate the living habits of rare prehistoric animals with amazing realism. Still, remind little ones to be careful!

Packed with high-tech experience, totally immersive.

Stepping in feels very high-tech. The guide narrator introduces everything with storytelling: the ship-building process, navigation routes, design structures… All this fascinating knowledge sneakily seeps into young minds while they play, adding extra-curricular learning to the fun.

The ocean — mysterious and tantalizing — draws everyone’s longing. Here, you can personally experience the mysteries of the underwater world together with your child. Fish, shrimp, coral, jellyfish, shellfish, seagrass surround the seabed ~ as if submerged in a dreamlike underwater kingdom. Playfully interact with deep-sea creatures, move your body to change the undersea scenes. There’s also a cool virtual simulation planting experience where children can water the plants themselves. Not only can they enjoy growing veggies, but they can also watch live science demonstrations about various crops.

There’s even a glow-in-the-dark sand pit with swimming fish inside — every child will be drawn to it. Here you can learn about the living techniques on the Happy Ark: drainage, waste disposal, and pump water by hand to feed the animals aboard, then see how the waste is discharged into the sea in a scientific way. And put on VR glasses to experience a seafaring voyage riding the wind and waves.

2F: Dreamy Insect World — Butterfly Valley

Heading to the second floor, we enter a vibrant insect world brimming with life. Thousands of butterflies dance all around you, letting you get up close and personal with these beauties. The dreamy, romantic Tree of Life is a new Instagram-worthy photo spot inspired by the Australian jacaranda, an interactive science experience. Unlock the mysteries of the insect world. Later we can climb the boardwalk steps and overlook the entire Butterfly Valley — the best visual treat.

Butterfly Valley hosts over 1,000 live butterflies and rows of chrysalises on display. The guide carefully shares butterfly knowledge with the kids, helping them understand the butterfly’s life cycle and body structure. Besides close-up observation, you can watch chrysalises hatch right before your eyes. Best of all, you and your child can make specimen souvenirs to take home ~ a wonderful memento of a wonderful trip ~

After admiring the gorgeous butterflies, check out the exciting Insect Arena, with exotic reptiles, spiders, lizards, beetles… as well as assorted birds. Next door to Butterfly Valley is “Hundred Birds Paradise” — before you even enter, the budgerigars’ chirping fills the air, so lively ~ Desert- and rain-forest-dwelling lizards, spiders, and beetles leave kids so curious they can’t tear themselves away ~

3F: Happy Ark Cute Pet Hall

Ecological landscapes and cute pet culture are the themes here. Stroll from Gobi Oasis to Sand Dune Paradise and soak in the sky’s natural splendor.

Step outside the Happy Ark and we come to the Rooftop Park zone. While the Ark has many small animals, the Rooftop Park has some too. Kids can have a blast blowing bubbles on this plaza, playing with friends ~

03 Photo-Worthy Shooting Spots

Now, let’s climb the sightseeing boardwalk and head to the Romantic Lawn. The first thing you’ll see is a giant dinosaur that even nods to greet you ~ The Romantic Lawn is set against picturesque Baiyun Mountain, paired with a grapevine trellis and fountains behind — beautiful for photos. The lawn can also host various parent-kid events, salons, parties, and future summer camp series you can join. During the day it may seem ordinary, but come evening, it’s something else entirely ~

Spectacular smoke-screen projection displays the bizarre and dazzling scenery of the Voyage’s Wonderland, super cool ~ Every night at 7:30 pm, a breathtaking light show unfolds on the lawn using cutting-edge smoke-screen projection technology to showcase a land of maritime fantasy ~

04 Edutainment High-Rise Water Play Space

This is the Water Splash Square. Those simple-looking stainless steel installations are anything but ordinary! The rooftop introduces Archimedes-style water systems, allowing grown-ups and kids to grasp water flow concepts and learn physics while playing. Change water direction freely, try rotary fetching, hand-pumping; operate gates, turbines, and other devices — fun water play. Go have a splash! But mind the wet floor and stay safe!

Now we’ve arrived at the Shape-Shifting Maze area. This maze spans 600 sqm and features two leaf-cut giant giraffes and an elephant. Such a great chance — why not embark on a parent-kid challenge ~ see who gets out of the maze first. P.S.: The giraffes and elephant inside are inevitable stops. While navigating the maze, don’t forget to snap pics of your little one with the giraffes and elephant ~ After conquering the maze, let’s head to the Glass Skywalk.

06 Guangdong’s First Indoor Glass Skywalk

The Glass Skywalk spans between the east and west wings of Anhua Hui, Block A — it’s the first indoor air glass skywalk in Guangdong. Entirely paved with transparent glass, it is 28 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 42 meters above the ground. Wear shoe covers, queue to enter. Those afraid of heights will likely feel their legs tremble ~ The kids were bolder than me, looking down from above — simply too thrilling ~

We spent nearly the whole day exploring every corner of Happy Ark Theme Park. Though tiring, it’s worth it to grow alongside your child. While playing, children feel the harmony between humans and animals, unconsciously enriching their extra-curricular knowledge ~ Make quality time easily within reach, witnessing their innocent and carefree happiness together…

- Happy Ark -

Happy Ark Theme Park is nestled in Guangzhou Baiyun’s central axis core business circle, on the 8th floor of Anhua Hui shopping mall, a mid-to-high-end large home & lifestyle complex in Baiyun District.

Metro: Take Metro Line 3, get off at Baiyun Dadao Bei, Exit C2. Walk against the traffic direction for about 10 minutes.

Bus: Get off at Yuanxiatian bus stop. Direct buses: 38/66/76A/126/424/529/563/798/805/832/864/B18/B18 Express.

Self-drive: Search “Anhua Hui” on your navigation app.

For visitors coming from afar, you can travel from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Guangzhou Railway Station, Guangzhou East Station, Guangzhou South Station, Guangzhou North Station, or long-distance bus terminals, then take the metro.

Address: 8th Floor, Anhua Hui Block A, No. 880 Baiyun Dadao Bei, Baiyun District, Guangzhou