Jumbo Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Jumbo Kingdom consists of the Jumbo Floating Restaurant (珍寶海鮮舫) and the adjacent Tai Pak Floating Restaurant (太白海鮮舫), renowned tourist attractions in Aberdeen South Typhoon Shelter
, within Hong Kong
's Aberdeen Harbour. Over 30 million visitors have visited Jumbo Kingdom, including Queen Elizabeth II
, John Wayne
, Tom Cruise
, Chow Yun-fat
and Gong Li
. There was also a Jumbo Kingdom Manila in Manila Bay
, Philippines
, but was closed after 8 years of operation. Jumbo Kingdom is part of Melco International Development Limited, a company listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
.
The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant was established in 1952.
On 30 October 1971 a fire
occurred at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, before its opening. Up to 34 workers were killed.
The Jumbo Kingdom was established in October 1976 by Dr. Stanley Ho
after four years and over HK$
30 million were spent to design and build it. It was originally decorated in the style of an ancient Chinese imperial palace.
In 2000, two tugboat
s brought one of the floating barges (Palace) from the Aberdeen Harbour to the mouth of the Manila Bay
, and was rebranded as the "Jumbo Kingdom Manila". Much of the original ancient Chinese imperial palace style renovation has been retained.
The Jumbo Kingdom went through a major multi-million dollar renovation in 2003, which transformed it into a theme park on the sea including dining, shopping, sightseeing and cultural attractions.
's The Protector
(1985), The God of Cookery (1996) and Infernal Affairs II
. The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant was featured in the 1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
and the 1973 Enter the Dragon
. The Sea Palace, another floating restaurant located in the same area, was featured in the 1960 The World of Suzie Wong
and in Enter the Dragon.
Aberdeen Typhoon Shelters
The Aberdeen Typhoon Shelters of Hong Kong are Aberdeen West Typhoon Shelter and Aberdeen South Typhoon Shelter . Both typhoon shelters are located in Southern District, between the southern part of Hong Kong Island and the island Ap Lei Chau. They are roughly separated by the Ap Lei Chau Bridge...
, within Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
's Aberdeen Harbour. Over 30 million visitors have visited Jumbo Kingdom, including Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
and Gong Li
Gong Li
Gong Li is a Chinese film actress. Gong first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Zhang Yimou and is credited with helping to bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the United States....
. There was also a Jumbo Kingdom Manila in Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, but was closed after 8 years of operation. Jumbo Kingdom is part of Melco International Development Limited, a company listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in Hong Kong. It is Asia's third largest stock exchange in terms of market capitalization behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange and fifth largest in the world...
.
History
Floating restaurants appeared in the typhoon shelter shortly after World War II. The Sea Palace Floating Restaurant was sold and towed to Australia.The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant was established in 1952.
On 30 October 1971 a fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
occurred at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, before its opening. Up to 34 workers were killed.
The Jumbo Kingdom was established in October 1976 by Dr. Stanley Ho
Stanley Ho
Stanley Ho, GBM, GLM, GBS, GML, OBE , also known as Ho Hung Sun, Stanley Ho Hung Sun, is an entrepreneur in Hong Kong and Macau. Ho is sometimes nicknamed "The King of Gambling", reflecting the government-granted monopoly he held of the Macau gambling industry for 40 years...
after four years and over HK$
Hong Kong dollar
The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
30 million were spent to design and build it. It was originally decorated in the style of an ancient Chinese imperial palace.
In 2000, two tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
s brought one of the floating barges (Palace) from the Aberdeen Harbour to the mouth of the Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
, and was rebranded as the "Jumbo Kingdom Manila". Much of the original ancient Chinese imperial palace style renovation has been retained.
The Jumbo Kingdom went through a major multi-million dollar renovation in 2003, which transformed it into a theme park on the sea including dining, shopping, sightseeing and cultural attractions.
Jumbo Kingdom Hong Kong's attractions
- Topdeck: A restaurant and bar located on the topdeck of Jumbo which serves western cuisine. Topdeck was opened in 2005 and is managed by Cafe Deco Group.
- Dragon Court: Dragon Court is a fine dining Chinese restaurant which serves authentic and innovative Cantonese cuisineCantonese cuisineCantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
located on the first deck of Jumbo. The interior design of the restaurant is a mixture of Ming DynastyMing DynastyThe Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and contemporary Chinese. - Cooking Academy: A Chinese culinary school taught by the chefs of Jumbo Kingdom.
- Sampan Dining: Visitors can experience the nostalgic Hong Kong dining experience from a bygone era, the Typhoon ShelterTyphoon shelterA typhoon shelter is a shelter for fishing boats during typhoons. These facilities are often found in Hong Kong.-Structure:In its usual form, a typhoon shelter is usually in the form of a bay or a cove, with a narrow opening for access, as most of the opening to the seas are blocked by a man-made...
seafood meal on a sampanSampanA sampan is a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat from long. Some sampans include a small shelter on board, and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers, and are often used as traditional fishing boats...
. - The Chinese Tea Garden
- Pier Plaza
- Bronzeware Exhibition
- Wine Garden
In popular culture
The Jumbo Floating Restaurant appears in Jackie ChanJackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
's The Protector
The Protector (1985 film)
The Protector is a 1985 Hong Kong / USA action film, directed by James Glickenhaus and starring Jackie Chan. It was Chan's second attempt at breaking into the American film market, after 1980's The Big Brawl, a film which had flopped at the box office...
(1985), The God of Cookery (1996) and Infernal Affairs II
Infernal Affairs II
Infernal Affairs II is a 2003 Hong Kong crime-thriller film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak.It is a prequel to the 2002 film Infernal Affairs. Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Edison Chen, Shawn Yue, and Chapman To reprise their roles from the original film alongside new cast members Carina Lau,...
. The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant was featured in the 1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (film)
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing is a 1955 American drama-romance film. Set in 1949-50 Hong Kong, it tells the story of a married, but separated, American reporter , who falls in love with a Eurasian doctor originally from China , only to encounter prejudice from her family and from Hong Kong...
and the 1973 Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
. The Sea Palace, another floating restaurant located in the same area, was featured in the 1960 The World of Suzie Wong
The World of Suzie Wong (film)
The World of Suzie Wong is a 1960 British-American romantic drama film directed by Richard Quine. The screenplay by John Patrick was adapted from the stage play by Paul Osborn, which was based on the novel of the same title by Richard Mason...
and in Enter the Dragon.