Aquaria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur
Aquaria KLCC located on the concourse level of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the 5000sqft Aquaria KLCC is said to be largest aquarium in the world. Home to over 150 species of marine life, its star attractions include scary tiger sharks, lethal sea snakes, blue rays, bright coral fish, seahorses and more.
It’s a well-stocked aquarium just begging to be explored, and after a few hours here you'll have seen over 5,000 freshwater and marine creatures, including massive arapaimas, giant groupers, gar fish and more. Some people write it off as a tourist trap, but they’re sorely missing out – beyond the big tanks, with gallons of water, filled with necklaces of kelp, coral and mysterious and sometimes menacing sea creatures, is one of the country’s foremost sightseeing attractions with real depth and complexity.
Well worth exploring, Kuala Lumpur Aquarium doesn’t just ‘submerge’ visitors beneath thousands of gallons of seawater – instead the venue is laid out to take visitors through different watery landscapes, from the highlands and flooded jungles of Malaysia, to the Amazon basin, coral reefs and the open ocean. Your journey isn’t a linear one – start off on Level 1 where you’ll see piranhas make quick work of their meal as well as electric eels, elephantnose fish and electric catfish. Also in this section, visitors can check out the DNA Touch Pool where they can pick up and feel the texture of live corals and star fish.
The Tunnel at Aquaria KLCC
One of the highlights of Aquaria KLCC is a giant tank (featuring an authentic-looking shipwreck) – a 90m walk-through tunnel with a moving travelator in its centre. Inside you’ll be surrounded by sand tiger sharks, huge stingrays and more. You can take a break from looking at Nemo and his crew, as you head to The Stream which plays host to the giant water rat and the adorable Asian small-clawed otter. Meanwhile, the Jewels of the Jungle section is home to a variety of reptiles, amphibians and insects including the green snake, coatimundi, tarantula and many others; also be sure to check out the exhibit showcasing the life cycle of butterflies.
Weird and Wonderful
Level 2 sees you journeying through the Amazon Flooded Forest where the oversized araipaima, red tail catfish and many others dwell; next, head up to The Coast to see archer fish, horseshoe crabs and more. Later, develop a deep appreciation for deep sea inhabitants such as the octopus and giant blotched fantail ray at the Oceanarium. Lastly, the Weird & Wonderful section is home to chambered nauticus, sea jelly and more, while the Coral Discovery Section has the requisite array of coral, seahorses and more. What’s more, catch the fish feeding sessions which take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in the 2.5 million-litre aquarium.
Diving with Sharks
The best parts of Aquaria KLCC might actually be when you’re feeling a little lost – either literally, given the sheer size of this place, or figuratively, as you try to learn as much as you can about the oftentimes ignored multifaceted deep sea world. Though the aquaria revels in simple pleasures, thrill seekers are also well catered for – they can get-up-close-and-personal with tiger sharks, stingrays and more as the aquarium has a Diving with Sharks program. Even though visitors have to sign a liability waiver form in order to strap on tanks, it’s a safe environment as the sharks have been in Aquaria KLCC for more than five years now and are domesticated. Those who don’t have diving permits can join the Cage Rage programme where visitors take the plunge into the tank within the confines of a submerged cage.
While this elegant underwater world may seem a kid-centric attraction, it caters well to all ages. There are plenty of reasons to ‘dive in’ and those who do will not regret it. After all, how many people can say they explored oceans in just a few hours?
Aquaria KLCC
Opening Hours: 11:00 – 20:00
Location: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Complex, Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Tel: +603 2333 1888 or +603 2333 1975