For all the young girls who dream of being mermaids and the energetic and youthful lads who are fascinated by anything squishy or deadly, the Two Oceans Aquarium is a must-see.
One of the finest in the world, this aquarium is home to over 3000 marine creatures including penguins, turtles and sharks. AS one of the partners in the My Cape Town campaign in celebration of Cape Town Tourism Month they are offering discounted tickets now. Adults pay R96, Children (7-13) R45, Children (14-17) R74, South African Pensioners R74 and South African Undergraduate Students R74. Children under 4 get in free.
Located at the V & A Waterfront in Portswood Square, the aquarium showcases the marine life of both the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The water-filled tanks with brightly-coloured fish, shy crabs and steady starfish are magic to the eyes. The kids will love getting their hands wet in one of the interactive displays. Young and old alike will enjoy an exciting and educational experience as they walk safely amongst the underwater world.
There are various galleries presenting the rich aquatic life of South Africa. These include:
Oceans of Contrast – Atlantic Ocean Gallery: This allows viewers a glimpse into the cold Atlantic. Marvel at translucent jellyfish, a rare and tiny Knysna seahorse and check out the large and somewhat creepy-looking giant spider crabs.
Oceans of Contrast – Indian Ocean Gallery: The warmer Indian world invites you to hang out with the popular and well-known orange and white striped “Nemo” (anemonefish) as well as a wealth of other playful fish that frolic in the Indian Ocean reefs.
I&J Predator Exhibit: Brave this section and come face to face with ragged-toothed sharks and mysterious stingrays. If you have an Open diving 1 qualification you can even dive in the predators’ tank! Sundays are when the sharks feed, come early and get a seat and watch the cold-blooded predators in a feeding frenzy.
Sappi River Meander: An education and enjoyable experience this exhibit traces a typical Western Cape river’s journey from origin to its mouth at the ocean. You can view the colony of penguins in their natural environment and watch them laze around or dart across the water.
Kelp Forest Exhibit: This is an eerie and yet impressive exhibit. The kelp forests silently and slowly sways with the current as the shoals of shimmery fish shine silver in the sunlight from above.
Afrisam Children’s Centre: A fun and educational centre where the children have free reign. There are always fun activities to be done and interactive displays all over. Puppet shows, face painting and supervised arts and crafts activities keep the kids between 4 and 10 years old enthralled and entertained.
The aquarium is open 365 days a year from at 9:30am until 6pm. They’ve though of every little luxury and need you want or have with nappy changing areas and free baby carriers for new moms. There are also a limited number of wheelchairs available free of charge for persons who need them and all exhibits are easily accessed via a wheelchair. If you want to buy some souvenirs as gifts or to take back home as well as other marine-theme items, visit the Aquarium Shop.
To find out more information call them on 021 418 3952 or email them on aquarium@aquarium.co.za
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
