Bangkok’s Biggest Aquarium

One of the things that makes Bangkok such an exotic destination is the various animal species that are native to Thailand and which are so special to see, such as tigers, elephants, crocodiles and cobras. The aquatic life of Southeast Asia is very special too, and taking a few hours to see them could be a very enjoyable experience. If you’re going to do that, of course you’ll want to go to the biggest and best aquarium available.

So, what’s the biggest and best aquarium in Bangkok? That’s easy! It’s Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World! And it’s way more than just an aquarium. It’s a special event venue, a learning center and the of a global marine wildlife conservancy. It’s also a very interesting environment to take in for a few hours if you need an escape from the big city or relentless shopping, or if you’d just like a dark and peaceful place to relax for a little while.

Let’s take a quick look at why Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World deserves a place on your itinerary.

Location & Background

The Aquarium

Being located on two sublevels of Siam Paragon, the aquarium is designed to give you the feel that you are under water. In some parts, you actually are, as you traverse a tunnel beneath the tanks, allowing the marine creatures to swim above you. Overall, the aquarium covers well over 100,000 square feet, and requires over 1.3 million gallons of water to house its hundreds upon hundreds of aquatic species. These include the Giant Spider Crab, 4 kinds of sharks, and a coral reef ecosystem with clownfish and lion fish. There is an entire exhibit dedicated to seahorses, and a “Tropical Rainforest Zone” with otters, fish and many kinds of interesting frogs. Also, there is a “Tropical Ocean” tank that is 7 meters deep and teeming with beautiful fish.

Sharks are always celebrities at any aquarium, but the real stars of the show at Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World may well be the penguins. They have exhibits for both Gentoo penguins and Jackass penguins.

The underwater “Ocean Tunnel” should not be missed. You really have the feeling of being totally surrounded by the sea life swimming about, and there are lots of opportunities to take a seat and enjoy the serene parade of fish for as long as you like.

Experiences & Special Events

There are numerous options for you to have an enhanced experience at this great destination. These include:

• Shark Diving – you read that right. Regardless of your diving expertise (or 100% complete and total lack thereof), Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World offers you the opportunity to throw on a wet suit and a SCUBA tank and go ask the black tip reef, leopard and sand tiger sharks what’s for lunch. Of course, you’ll be with a guide/trainer to make sure the answer isn’t “You!”. There are also some other beautiful creatures in the tank with you, such as eagle rays and round ribbontail rays.
• Glass Bottom Boat – for a slightly less intimate encounter with the marine life, there is a tank where you can get in a glass bottom boat and admire them from above. The trainers who join you in the boat will hand feed the sharks and fish, so you will get a good look at them.
• Ocean Walker – striking a balance between the shark dive and the glass bottom boat, this experience puts you underwater, but in a glass tunnel that is separate from the fish. So, you are in a wet suit and diving gear, but nothing can swim up and “get you”. Not that they are going to let anything get you otherwise, but you understand – you can leave your adrenaline in your pineal gland, where it belongs.
• Behind-the-Scenes Tour – see the other side of Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World. They will show you the nursery, the water quality monitoring lab, and various sea exploration equipment that you can try out.
• 4D Cinema – currently presenting a SpongeBob movie in 4D.

For special events such as weddings, parties, and photo and video shoots, you can also rent out the spaces in the aquarium. They also have special packages for school trips and for groups of 10 or more individuals.

The Conservancy

What’s behind this all is more than just a group of people who think marine life is cool to look at. The SEA LIFE Trust is a charity that is dedicated to environmental and marine wildlife conservation. Their mission includes the elimination of plastic from our oceans and all waterways, an end to commercial whaling, and counteracting the overexploitation of marine life at large.

At present, the SEA LIFE Trust owns and operates two sanctuaries for marine animals. These are the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in the UK, which rehabilitates ill and injured seal pups, and the Beluga Whale Sanctuary off southern Iceland, which gives refuge to formerly captive beluga whales.

If you would like to make a donation to their cause, or if you’d like to learn more about what they do, we are happy to provide you with the link to their donation page on their website:
https://www.sealifetrust.org/en/how-to-help/make-a-donation/

Tickets & Pricing

As you will encounter at numerous tourist destinations in Bangkok and throughout Thailand, there is dual pricing at Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World. This means that Thai nationals pay a reduced entrance fee. The fees for foreigners are as follows:

• Adult – normal price is 1090 baht ($33-$36), but they offer a 10% discount if you book online, bringing the price down to 981 baht ($29-$32). Click here to go to their booking page.
• Children (ages 3-11) – normal price is 890 baht ($26-$29), but again there is a 10% discount for booking online, bringing the price to 801 baht ($24-$26). Click here to go to their booking page.
• Early Bird Special – buy online to check in before noon on any weekday and get an additional 25% off. Click here to go to their booking page.
• Late Saver Special – buy online to check in any day after 5pm and save an additional 35%. Click here to go to their booking page.

Note that there are terms and conditions, such as no refunds on online purchases. The other terms and conditions can be found at the bottom of their booking page. The prices of other experiences are as follows:

• Shark Dive – No Previous Diving Experience – 6900 baht ($209-$230)
• Shark Dive – Licensed Divers with < 10 recorded dives or none in past year – 6400 baht ($193-$213)
• Shark Dive – Licensed, Regular Divers – 5800 baht ($175-$193)
• Glass Bottom Boat – 350 baht ($10-$11)
• Ocean Walker – 2500 baht ($75-$83)
• Behind-the-Scenes Tour – 350 baht ($10-$11)
• 4D Cinema – 350 baht ($10-$11)

Hours of Operation

Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World is open every day from 10am to 9pm, with last entry at 8pm.