What other travelers are saying about Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
If you're looking for a valid reason to rent a car in Okinawa, here it is. It took us about two hours to drive from the rental car parking lot in Downtown Naha, and the second half was a scenic coastal drive with sneaky traffic lights that were positioned horizontally. The aquarium parking structure was huge, so we had no trouble finding a space.
Admission was ¥2,180 per person which was less than $15, a good deal considering how expansive the aquarium was over four floors. It features one of the world's largest tanks called the Kuroshio Sea which holds almost two million gallons of water. Gigantic whale sharks and manta rays dominated the tank, but there were also thousands of fish of different species swimming around them with nary a care.
There was plenty of marine flora and fauna to examine in smaller individual tanks. The aquarium's specialties include deep-sea species like salamander sharks that live at depths of over 2,000 feet. We missed the dolphin show, but life isn't perfect. A two-hour visit is probably sufficient for most visitors unless you're some fish fanatic. Not us though. We prefer our fish sashimi style. Too tacky? Sorry.
The good: Lots of sea animals from manta, sting rays, sharks, fishes, shelled guys, star fish, manatees, dolphins, turtles etc
The Price: Fair price at 5k for 2 adults and a child. You can also upgrade to feed the dolphins.
The car park: I parked in p7, lots of space and staff on deck to help.
The staff: super helpful and patient.
The to be improved: too many people. They should use online booking slots with maximum Capacity per slot. Overcrowding was a major issue which took the one star away from the experience.
Overall the aquarium and expo section is excellent viewing and value.
Beautiful aquarium. The whale shark and the huge rays are a must see. The gift shop is pretty nice as well. Fulfills every tourists inner tourist fantasy. My only gripe would be that overall the aquarium is rather small and goes by really quickly. There is an outdoor portion that is pretty nice as well but when you visit an outdoor portion of an aquarium in the August heat, it’s not quite as pleasant as you would think. To clarify, the four stars is not because of the August heat. I would never write mother nature four stars. The star was knocked off merely for size value. Would recommend buying your tickets online in advance as it makes entry a breeze. Would definitely go back, but not enough to warrant an annual passport. Yes, that’s what they call the yearly pass why. I have no idea, but there it is. Again, well, shark cool as heck. Size to be desired.
This is the best place in Japan in terms of Aquarium exhibits perhaps the best in the whole world!
There are a lot of sea creatures to be seen here!
The whale shark is of course the main attraction but even the small species deserves much attention as well! I would recommend maybe 5 hrs to spend here inside... it's just too big plus it is best to take a rest once in a while during the tour!
Surprisingly good aquarium! I did have some concerns about seeing a whale shark in captivity but the history suggests it has been here for decades so it somewhat predates more recent shifts in welfare standards. The main aquarium tank is large, clean and populated with lots of interesting species. The rest of the exhibits are also well-maintained, informative and include some unusual examples. It was a much better experience than we expected. The manatees did look quite sad though - we couldn't spend long there as they really seem unhappy. The surrounding park/gardens are lovely, with fantastic sea views. Convenient parking and reasonable entry fees.
