Jellyfish, a super snake and hundreds of sharks… oh my.
Get your camera ready because the National Aquarium opened on November 12 and it is mega. Home to more than 46,000 creatures, the new attraction is located at Al Qana in Abu Dhabi. It’s the largest aquarium in the Middle East and contains more than 200 sharks and rays.
Wondering what you’ll find there? Walk through the largest tunnel in the Middle East and you’ll find yourself surrounded by divers and more than 22,000 animals. We got a sneak peek at the incredible attraction, and were completely blown out of the water by all the incredible things there are to see, from rainforest habitat to coral reef.
The National Aquarium is the only place in the UAE where you can see hammer head sharks and bull sharks. You’ll also be able to see tiger sharks, black tip reef sharks, eagle rays, cownose rays and more. You’ll also be able to see feeding demonstrations and even hand-feed sharks that are as long as two metres.
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The aquarium is also home to Super Snake: a seven-metre reticulated python. Believed to be the biggest known living snake in the world, this super swimmer weighs 115kg, and, when measured, needs 12 people to hold it at full length. Read more about super snake here.
Entrance to the National Aquarium starts at Dhs105 for general admission, with Dhs130 for Beyond the Glass tickets, Dhs150 for a fun Bu Tinah Dhow ride and Dhs200 for a Fast Track ticket. Additionally, the aquarium will offer limited-availability animal encounters for Dhs180, with the aquarium journey included in the ticket price.
After the grand opening on November 12, The National Aquarium in Abu Dhabi will be open Sunday to Wednesday 10am to 8pm and Thursday to Saturday 10am to 10pm, and it will follow the latest protocols issued by the Abu Dhabi authorities. Visitors aged 16 and above will require green status on the AlHosn app and a PCR test that’s not over 96 hours old.
Dhs105 for general admission tickets, with Dhs130 for Beyond the Glass tickets, Dhs150 for a Bu Tinah Dhow ride and Dhs200 for a Fast Track ticket. Furthermore, the National Aquarium will offer limited-availability animal encounters for Dhs180, with the aquarium journey included in the ticket price.
We’ve been waiting for The National Aquarium to finally open its doors to the public since we heard about the project back in 2019. And now the time has come.
Al Qana is an up-and-coming development in Abu Dhabi, which will be home to the city’s largest cinema complex, a turtle rehabilitation centre, a lifestyle centre, running and cycling tracks, and more. Al Qana is also bringing more than 95 new restaurants to Abu Dhabi, with international and home-grown brands to make an appearance.
Dhs105 (general admission), Dhs130 (Beyond the Glass), Dhs150 (Bu Tinah Dhow), Dhs200 (Fast Track). Opens Nov 12. The National Aquarium, Al Qana alqana.ae.
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