Mar
9th

Siam Ocean World @ Siam Paragon, Bangkok

Files under Thailand, Travel | Posted by KY

Being a pair of very somewhat clueless travelers, we had forgotten about the existence of Siam Ocean World until a discount coupon was given to us upon purchasing the tickets for “The Confessions of a Shopaholic”, the movie Mell suggested we watch (which actually turned out to be good)

Well, I was the president of Aquarium Society back in high school, held an annual membership at the Newport Aquarium in Greater Cincinnati, visited the Shedd Aquarium at Chicago, as well as our very own Aquaria at KLCC. So it was natural that I shall not miss out this place, touted as the best indoor aquarium in South East Asia.

Siam Ocean World
Mell walking with the sharks

While the KLCC Aquaria’s entrance fee is RM 38 (foreigner) and RM 28 (myKard holder), the tickets for this place is a lot steeper. 850 baht for adult, and 650 baht for children, which is about 3 times more expensive than Aquaria, but similarly the place is about 3 times bigger, so it was all good. Our discount was something like 30% for one of the tickets if I remember correctly.

Siam Ocean World
this is like a whack-a-mole eel, you go closer, they go into hiding

Other than the usual touring the exhibits like we do, there are several other activities offered at this place, and the most interesting one would be Dive with the Sharks, as in, you get to dive for 30 minutes inside the tank with an instructor and be among the sharks (the docile yet fierce looking Sand Tiger Sharks). I think this is something I should perhaps plan to do in the next visit. If I remember correctly, that costs about 4-5000 baht.

Siam Ocean World
the prawn, the salamander, and the very cute mantis prawn with x_x eyes

The other interesting activity at Siam Ocean World is the Ocean Walker. Basically you suit up and put a glass helmet over your head and walks for 15 minutes on the sandy bottom in one of the giant tanks (which doesn’t house the sharks I believe. It could be a very interesting experience especially for non-swimmers.

And for the less adventurous, there’s also the Glass Bottom Boat for a different perspective in looking at the fishes. We did not take up any of those extra activities though.

Siam Ocean World
otter and some giant rodents too

The aquarium is separated into quite a few sections over 2 basement levels in Siam Paragon Mall. Right after the entrance was the “Weird and Wonderful” section with many interesting creatures such as the “whack-a-mole” eels. Next is the “Living Ocean”, and then “Rain Forest”, “Rocky Shore”, “Sea Jellies”, and “Open Ocean”, you can find out what is exhibiting at which zone on their website.

Siam Ocean World
mell with arapaima gigas, the biggest fresh water fish

The variety of creatures are quite big. Fresh water giants like Arapaima Gigas to the normal aquarium fishes you find at homes. There are also jelly fish, sea horses, mantis shrimps, sharks, sting rays, red snappers, grouper fish, eels, and more.

There are also star fish, horseshoe crabs, salamanders, giant rodents, otters, turtles, and even penguins. I think the only major type of sea creature I did not see in there was living octopus, squid, and cuttle fish. But they made it up with samples of preserved deep ocean creatures though.

Siam Ocean World
in another day, we would have eaten the sting ray

It was a pretty interesting experience despite the price being a little steep. I think the next aquarium I’ll be going could very well be the Melbourne Aquarium :D

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29 Responses to “Siam Ocean World @ Siam Paragon, Bangkok”

  1. By Myhorng on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    looks like a good 1 there.

  2. By Mellissa on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    The mantis prawn is SO CUTE, cannot tahan! :D

  3. By KY on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    Myhorng,
    Yesss, I wanan go to the one in Melbourne too! :D

    Mellissa,
    With it’s X_X eyes! :D

  4. By kai han on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    hey, ky if u happen to come to melbourne pls do contact me. i will be ur host and take u to one of the nicest Japanese restaurant that i have tried in melbourne :D

  5. By Jade Zheng on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    dengggg! didn’t warn me b4 i enter this site!!! FISH!?!??!?!?! *pengsan

  6. By KY on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    kai han,
    Thanks! I’m going this April! Lets see if I can arrange a time or something. ;)

    Jade Zheng,
    Fishes are food, don’t worry! :P

  7. By cindy khor on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    those underwater sea creatures really are fascnating… and they are beautiful… i like the eel and the salamander… not common for us… ^__^

  8. By Huai Bin on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    The Melbourne Aquarium is quite good! :)

    Haha! The stingray would look mighty delicious over a grill. ;)

  9. By Lorna on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    Did they play classical music? Ahh…I remember the one I visited in Perth, I think it’s called ‘Aqua’. It was amazing and I love starring at the fluorescent jelly fish. The aquarium looks like a humongous lava lamp. Hmm… have a good trip in melbie, mate!

  10. By J2Kfm on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply

    geez … you reli love your aquariums dont you? :)

    a bit steep, no doubt, but given the variety of aquatic animals present, (no idea the Gigas is the LARGEST freshwater fish though … never heard of) considered ok lah …

  11. By KY on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    cindy khor,
    Ya the eels are cool, I’ve actually seen them on a diving trip once. :D

    Huai Bin,
    Hahhaa yes, ikan bakar!

    Lorna,
    No classical music I don’t think. ;)

    J2Kfm,
    Hahhaa yah, that’s why I also have a fish pond?

  12. By Paul on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    Come by to Baltimore National Aquarium whenever you visiting the States.

  13. By PenangTuaPui on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    wow…. great shot… i never get lucky in the acquarium shot… :(

  14. By vialentino on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    hey ky….wat camera model u use to take this shots?

  15. By eiling on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    hmmm sting ray..grilled! best!

  16. By dy on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    wah..! X_X expression. cute!!!

  17. By ShaolinTiger on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    Wah quite expensive sial.

  18. By Robb on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    i want to go walking in the ocean~~ lol

  19. By KY on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    Paul,
    Ahhh Baltimore, I would love to!

    PenangTuaPui,
    Just have to be steady, steadyyy :D

    vialentino,
    Just an old Canon 400D :D

    eiling,
    Yess! sedap!

    dy,
    Hahha yes!

    ShaolinTiger,
    Yah, very, in fact almost more expensive than Australia!

    Robb,
    not flow in the ocean? hahaha

  20. By pinky on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    i want the jellyfish! just to keep it at home and look haha

  21. By Jess on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    how come u always get to eat and travel, eat and travel, eat and travel?

    HAHAHA
    the world ain’t always fair, is it?

    =D

  22. By rakthai on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    i think siam paragon is way much better than any of malaysia shopping malls combined. great place to shop (it is kinda expensive though) but the things there, u cant really get it in kl. i think the ticket is just worth it considering what you will be experiencing.

  23. By xL on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    I went there in December also!! Nice!!

    Check out here

  24. By Simon Seow on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    Go to Melbourne and meet your sweet heart.

  25. By KY on Mar 10, 2009 | Reply

    pinky,
    Hahaha, buy a soft toy version!

    Jess,
    You can do it too! :P

    rakthai,
    I have to agree, though Pavilion and Starhill isn’t bad either. ;)

    xL,
    Ooo you took the glass bottom boat! Cool.

    Simon Seow,
    Heehee

  26. By vialentino on Mar 11, 2009 | Reply

    wow…canon 400 d …ok ok…me planning to get dslr but doing survey….but saw all ur pics very beautifuly taken and the quality is wat i want….any dslr cam’s to recommend…wat u think of nikon d90?

  27. By carrie on Mar 16, 2009 | Reply

    i also want to buy camera… any suggestion? budget less than RM1K…

  28. By KY on Mar 21, 2009 | Reply

    vialentino,
    D90 is a very good camera, actually lens quality is more important than body in many cases. :)

    carrie,
    oOO maybe a used dSLR? Try searching on some of the local photography forums :)

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