Okeanarium Sharjah
Emirate Sharjah – the record holder in the UAE on the concentration of museums and mosques, but there is little entertainment facilities, if compared with the neighboring dub. Okeanarium Sharjah opened on June 16, 2009 and became a "nail" entertainment program for tourists in the Emirate.
Here are 20 aquariums with a total of 1.8 million liters. Marine animals are shown not only from the Persian Gulf, but also coral reefs of other corners of the world. In addition to aquariums, there are several interactive entertainment and a swimming pool, where you can touch marine inhabitants.
As of February 2021, the Sharjah’s Oceanarium is open to visitors. Do not forget about the Rules of Cake Safety, which read the article on the link above. Schedule recently changed. Details below in this article.
Advantages and disadvantages
Aquarium Sharjah usually compare with Dubai oceanariums. And the comparison is not in favor of Sharjah. The main Aquarium of Dubai Mall has a volume of 10 million liters, against 1.8 in Sharjah. In the Oceanarium The Lost Chambers, only the host aquarium Ambassador Lagoon has a volume of 10 million liters, and all the aquariums are 42 million.
That is, the Aquarium Sharjah is really small, if compared with Dubai, and you can go from Sharjah to Dubai cheap and fast, what we talked about in the article "How to get to Dubai from Sharjah".
The Sharja Aquarium has its advantages. The first is the price for the entrance of only 25 dirhams, and pay more than 100 for the entrance to Dubai. In addition, the ticket price includes a visit to the Maritime Museum of Sharjah Maritime Museum.
Oceanarium Sharjah praise many tourists, here fish seem bright, and almost all marine animals are active. This is the achievement of the company "D J Willrich" (DJW), which worked on the interior of the oceanarium. Lighting is selected in such a way as to fit natural at the appropriate depths. In the afternoon, animals get their usual levels of illumination, which makes them active. In aquariums, several dozen types of corals are successfully growing, and this is also due to the correctly selected light.
For lovers to photograph Oceanarium Sharjah – this is a real gift. There are almost no glare from the lamps, it does not have to "jump" around the aquariums to catch an angle without glare. Almost all light sources DJW specialists placed over aquariums.
Another creation of DJW is interactive screens near the aquariums. On the screens you can read in English or Arabic about the inhabitants and watch videos about them. Another creation DJW is the statues of marine animals at the entrance.
Where is and how to get
Oceanarium is located in the Al-Han district, opposite the eponymous beach. It’s almost on the border with the Emirate of Dubai. Who swims well, can get 300 meters from here to Dubai to Mamzar Beach in Deira.
If you relax in Sharjah, then some hotels can walk, for example, hotels: Al Bustan, Lavender, Carlton Sharjah, Sharjah Grand, Sharjah Beach. Focus on cards.
From the rest of the hotels easily reached by taxi. Rating price: from 13.5 to 25 dirhams. Large price scatter is associated with the position of Sharjah’s oceanarium. If your hotel is located on the eastern border of the Sharjah Emirate (with Ajman’s Emirate), then pay 25 dirhams. If the hotel in the western part of the Emirate, a few kilometers from the oceanarium, then pay 13.5 dirhams. See our article "Dirham UAE", we led the tariffs in the article "Taxi in the UAE".
Opening hours
Monday-Thursday and Saturday: from 8-00 to 20-00;
During the month of Ramadan:
Monday-Thursday and Saturday: from 9-00 to 14-00 and from 21-30 to 23-30;
Friday: from 21-30 to 23-30;
In the last 10 days, Ramadan is only from 9-00 to 14-00;
Ticket price
For adults (persons 13 years and older): 25 Dirhams;
For children (from 2 to 12 years): 15 Dirhams;
Children under 2 years old: free.
What to look
Plan for about an hour. There are 20 aquariums here, some of some minutes do not hold. In total, more than 250 types of marine animals are collected here. At the very beginning, in 2009 there were only 30 species, in a year already 50, now (in 2021) more than 250.
If you own English, look at the information on interactive panels.
Most of all our tourists love to watch sharks. In the aquarium, Sharjah sharks live in the main aquarium, which can be viewed or from above, passing along a special pier, or from below, passing through the tunnel. By the way, the tunnel is very small, about the same as in the Muscavina at the VDNH.
Of the interesting species, we note: Mauren, large sea skates, clown fish. Very interesting Mobuly’s rocks, representatives of this species can jump over the water, but in artificial aquariums it is rare to see the spectacle. Mobulov It is easy to find out on two major "horns" on the face, so these skates are also called "Rogachi".
One of the aquariums works like a touch show, that is, here you can touch the starfish and small rods. Naturally, the views are collected exclusively for a person.
In one of the halls there is a powerful projector that forms pictures with fish, imitating the aquarium on the floor. You can rummaging fish, especially these active entertainment love children. Attention! Do not look upstairs towards the projector, the light is powerful, for the eye is harmful.
After the exit you can stay in front of the building. There are several statues of fish and marine animals, boat models. Near them, visitors love to be photographed. Look at the fountains, Arabs have such an abundance of water is considered a sign of luxury. On the way to the museum there is a "dry fountain", one more great entertainment for children.
There is a playground nearby. We strongly recommend not to show it to children to an examination of the oceanarium, as they spend all the forces on the games, and there will be no. Fortunately, the site is located closer to the museum, it is almost not visible from the oceanarium.
Tips for visitors
– In the summer season, try to watch the aquarium at the sun activity hours of the sun activity (from 12-00 to 15-00), in this watch it is better to be indoors;
– In the Al-Khan area near Oceanarium there are no exchange offices, change money in advance, dirhams will need at the checkout. Read our review "How to change currency in the UAE";
– In the oceanarium there is a cafe, but the range is scant. Al-Khan district is poor at cafes and restaurants. If hungry, then go towards the museum, then more to the large street al-Khan, we turn right there, there will be shops and cafes on the street;
– With stores in the Al-Khan area also "tight", stock water in advance;
– Good news for those tourists who move by car. And the oceanarium, and the museum has free parking;
– The building has a changing room, toilets, facilities for disabled. Free WiFi works;
– Do not forget that a dress code is valid in the Sharjah in public places. Read about it in our article "What is impossible to the UAE".
A pleasant visit to the Aquarium Sharjah, and read our interesting articles about the UAE (Links below).
