Visit this oasis in the desert and find yourself face-to-face with some of the most beautiful and yet the most deadly creatures of the sea.
A 5-million litre aquarium is probably one of the last things you ‘d expect to find in the desert city of Las Vegas. However, you’ll find just that at Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. Even though this is one of the largest in America, this main tank is only one of many at this attraction.
The Shark Reef Aquarium tells the story of an ancient temple sinking beneath the waves, through a series of fourteen stunning exhibits across 8,825 square metres, featuring over 2,000 animals, including a rare golden crocodile and a Komodo dragon.
The Shipwreck exhibit takes you right into the depths of the ocean. Walk through an acrylic tunnel, whilst several species of sharks, stingrays, sawfish and endangered sea turtles swim all around you. Catch a glimpse of the Giant Pacific Octopus, the largest species of octopus in the world and find yourself hypnotised by the graceful movements of the moon jellyfish.
In the 650,000-litre Indopacific Fishes exhibit, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful butterfly fish and angelfish, as well as many types of shark. The Caribbean Reef is an underwater paradise where you can see parrotfish, puffer fish and other beautiful species. Look out for the stunning, but dangerous lionfish in the salt-water Venomous Fishes tank, and the piranhas, with their razor-sharp teeth need no introduction.
At the Touch Pool exhibit, you’ll be able to interact directly with a variety of marine creatures, including horseshoe crabs, sea slugs and even stingrays.
For the more daring visitor, Shark Reef Aquarium has a Dive with Sharks Programme. You must be dive-certified to take part in this 45 minute excursion that will have you swimming with over 30 species of shark, including the sand tiger, sandbar and whitetip reef shark.
The aquarium is committed to the conservation and preservation of the oceans. The facilities therefore use recycled water and imitation coral to ensure zero impact on the natural reefs.
Shark Reef Aquarium is situated near Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s South Convention Center, on the southern edge of the strip. Access is easy via monorail, public bus and shuttle bus from the casino resorts.
