A 16-hectare waterpark, uShaka Marine World, will open to public later this week in the Point Precinct of the coastal city of Durban.

The $125m (£70m) park will be based on three separate themes, but its centrepiece will be the Phantom Ship – a wreck of a 1940s steamer which spans over 80m in length.

Guests will be able to visit a themed underground oceanarium (uShaka Sea World), a waterpark (uShaka Wet ‘n Wild World) and a retail village (uShaka Leisure World).

The oceanarium will boast one of the world’s largest collections of rays and sharks, while facilities include a 1,200-seat dolphin stadium, a 300-seat seal arena, a penguin rookery and a snorkel lagoon – offering the opportunity to swim with fish in a safe environment.

A 500m themed walk will take visitors through the oceanarium, which has over 200 different species on show in seven large ocean tanks and 25 smaller tanks.

Overall, the park’s water volume is 17,500cubic metres, making it the fifth largest aquarium in the world.

Meanwhile, the Wet ‘n Wild World offers guests one of the world’s largest water slides, The Great White, and a number of other rides including the Duzi Adventure River, which that takes visitors all around the park.

Other water rides include the Kamikaze speed slide, the super-fast Stuka slide with a near-vertical drop and the Zoom-Zoom five-lane speed racer slide, offering guests the chance to race each other.

Visitors will also be able to order poolside meals from the uShaka Leisure World, which consists of an 11,000sq m Village Walk with 89 shops and restaurants.