First Impressions
After walking 3 miles from the hotel, it is easy to imagine how happy we were to finally arrive at the (air conditioned) Cancun Aquarium. From the outside it is a very unassuming location, the aquarium itself is situated inside a larger shopping and tourist complex. There was a small entrance, and four kiosks on the outside with a salesman trying to up-sell us on an "experience". Even first walking into the aquarium it was quite modest, with a number of small tanks to welcome you into the dim space, lit only by the cylinders of water around you. Unlike the giant, Georgia aquarium with an entrance large enough to service an amusement park, and its huge central space that you first walk into. This one was much less busy, and a more relaxing, reserved experience.
Some Nice Surprises
Although the first two tanks were small, they eased into some more impressive and interesting exhibits. This aquarium was quite fond of its cylindrical tanks, with a large semicircular freshwater river tank, and a tall and vibrant african cichlid tank. there were several nooks to walk into and in one, if you looked up, there was an overhead tank filled with 3 larger nurse sharks resting on the glass. These centerpieces were surrounded by many interesting salt water tanks imbedded into the walls of the aquarium, that talked about the species inside(in Spanish of course)
Walking further through the aquarium we entered the outdoor portion of the aquarium. Here there was a very large stingray tank along with a touch tank. The real centerpiece though was the dolphin tank, which was below the boardwalk we were walking on. It consisted of two deep pools connected by a shallow bridge, and we sat and watched the people who had payed for the dolphin interaction play with the dolphins while a number of clearly well trained staff guided and instructed. It was also on this boardwalk that one of our members decided to get a fish spa, where some doctor fish (G. rufa) ate the dead skin off his feet.
the final portion of the aquarium was a two story tall tank holding some betrays, and various Caribbean species. There was also a tank with an adorable yellow blackspot pufferfish.
Walking further through the aquarium we entered the outdoor portion of the aquarium. Here there was a very large stingray tank along with a touch tank. The real centerpiece though was the dolphin tank, which was below the boardwalk we were walking on. It consisted of two deep pools connected by a shallow bridge, and we sat and watched the people who had payed for the dolphin interaction play with the dolphins while a number of clearly well trained staff guided and instructed. It was also on this boardwalk that one of our members decided to get a fish spa, where some doctor fish (G. rufa) ate the dead skin off his feet.
the final portion of the aquarium was a two story tall tank holding some betrays, and various Caribbean species. There was also a tank with an adorable yellow blackspot pufferfish.
A Very Interactive Aquarium
Although smaller than many of the aquariums we visited, this aquarium featured a number of interesting and unique exhibits, with lots of educational and interactive tools. Even though we decided not to pay extra for add ons, there were still some games, touch tanks, and ways that this aquarium engaged and educated. Also despite its small size it featured a few local and endangered species (with a large statue of a vaquita, a critically endangered porpoise), like the pejelagarto, a local gar species.
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