Australia · AQUARIUMS
Every trip has one free day too few. These 5 aquarium visits justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Spend a full day exploring SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium beside Darling Harbour. Follow underwater tunnels past sharks and rays, see dugongs feed, search for platypuses, and visit penguins, sea dragons, jellyfish, and Japanese spider crabs. This is a self-guided visit, with no tour guide included.
“It was a great day! We loved the set up of the aquarium”
Spend a day at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium beside the Yarra River. You’ll see more than 10,000 aquatic animals across 12 zones, including King and Gentoo penguins, stingrays, jellyfish, seahorses, elephant sharks, and Pinjarra, a huge saltwater crocodile. Allow two to four hours, then add presentations, touch pools, or the 4D cinema if operating.
“Everything was fantastic to see at the Aquarium. Kids enjoyed all the fish, sea horses, jellyfish and especially the penguins. Amazing. Even had a great cafe with lovely hot chips, reasonably priced. We spent 4 hours there.”
Visit SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour with a pre-booked mobile ticket and a morning or afternoon entry time. See King and Gentoo penguins, sharks, rays, turtles, tropical fish, seahorses, and Pig the rescued dugong. The Penguin Expedition includes a short boat ride through a cool sub-Antarctic setting.
“The penguins exhibit was really fun to watch as well as all the fish & sting rays swimming around me. All the exhibits were well done and informative. We learned a lot about sea life that we did not know before. Glad we went.”
Follow a drop of rain from rainforest streams to mangroves, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Coral Sea at Cairns Aquarium. Your ticket covers more than 70 habitats, 15,000-plus local animals, the oceanarium tunnel, shark and ray feeding, touch tanks, and conservation talks. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours.
“It is an interesting place to visit after our snorkelling experience as we could see more marine creatures just behind the glass partition, and not get wet or have motion sickness. 😉 There are many benches for tired customers to rest before continuing. There was also someone presenting interesting facts regarding sharks and rays. We had 10% discounts from our holiday apartments. There are also discounted rates for pensioners and concession. We spent 3 hours here.”
Spend a full day at Cairns Aquarium, where 10 Tropical North Queensland ecosystems lead from ancient rainforest to the Great Barrier Reef. See sharks, rays, coral, freshwater giants, reptiles, and rare regional species, with daily talks, feeds, and touch-tank encounters. The aquarium is in central Cairns, wheelchair accessible, and costs $41 per person.
“Excellent displays and overall setup. Could easily have spent more time there.”
Pick a coastline, a desert or a cellar door.
