http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertbrandso/2209565485/
If you are looking for a daytime excursion to pass a few hours then Underwater World Pattaya might be worth a look. It is an aquarium attraction located a short distance from downtown Pattaya Thailand. Billed as a unique edutainment aquarium, it is really not that impressive, but a fun way to pass a couple of hours.
The format as you walk through the aquarium is a ‘journey to the bottom of the sea’. You start out on the beaches and walk your way past tanks and exhibits with many different types of sea life stopping along the way to look, enjoy, and some times touch and interact with the creatures. Signage is written in both Thai and English, but is more informational than really educational.
The grand finally of the tour is walking through a 100 meter long see through tunnel that surrounds you with water and sea life. It really is impressive and you feel like you are right there with the fish as they swim around you.
The aquarium houses over 2,500 animals and over 300 species of fish. In addition to the tour several shows are put on throughout the day. You can watch eagle rays being fed, sea otters performing a show, and large sharks and rays being fed. If you really want to do something special, you can actually dive with the sharks as your friends watch from inside the tunnel. The cost can be a little prohibitive for this as it runs about 2,500 Baht.
The admission price is about 400 THB (Baht) for adults and 300 THB for children. You can book this through your hotel or tour agency, or just get a baht bus to Underwater World yourself as it is very close to most Pattaya Hotels.
While Underwater World Pattaya may not be the best aquarium experience if you’ve had the pleasure of visiting some of the major ones in the west, it is still an entertaining way to spend a few hours. And if you bring your Thai friend, chances are they will really enjoy it as they may have never been there before.
