An Immense Aquarium at Central Phuket
Aquaria Phuket is in the basement of Central Floresta, the newer wing of Central Phuket mall. It opened in 2019 and claims to be Thailand’s largest aquarium with 25,000 animals and 300 species. We’ve been a few times now. It’s not world-class, but on a rainy day with kids, it does the job.
The aquarium spreads across 8-9 themed zones. You’ll spend about 1.5 to 2 hours if you catch a couple of shows. Rushing through in under an hour feels like a waste of the ticket price.
What does Aquaria look like? – The Zones
Aquaria consists of four distinct areas: Mystic Forest, Coastal Heaven, South China Sea and Station Aquarius. 
We walked back and forth between each area, some of which were outdoors, and most of which were indoors. We saw giant freshwater fish, stingrays, otters, penguins, leopard sharks and other sharks. If we feel like it, every hour, we can assist with animal feeding or presentations. The schedule is as follows (it may change, so double-check with the program inside Aquaria). As we went around, we noticed a lot of food, snacks and drinks on sale everywhere. There is even a restaurant if you choose to dine among the fish. And, of course, there is a souvenir shop on the way out, just before reaching the TrickEye Museum, that can be purchased with the aquarium ticket.
Mystic Forest
Mystic Forest has freshwater giants like arapaima, some up to 3 metres long. The planted tanks look more like art installations than fish tanks.
River Caves
River Caves is where the otters live. Yes, they really do hold hands while sleeping. The most photographed spot in the place.
Coastal Heaven
Coastal Heaven has Humboldt penguins. The feeding show is worth catching — they’re surprisingly loud and competitive.
South China Sea
The South China Sea is the main attraction. A 3.5-million-litre tank with sharks, groupers and rays drifting overhead. The mermaid show happens here. There’s a curved tunnel section, though it’s shorter than you might expect, and part of it is mirrored glass rather than a full underwater walkway.
Station Aquarius
Station Aquarius is the touch pool. Kids can handle starfish, horseshoe crabs and sea cucumbers. Staff make sure their hands are washed before and after. The jellyfish display nearby is worth watching.
The Mermaid Show
This surprised us. Professional underwater performers in elaborate costumes glide through the main tank while sharks drift past. It runs at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM daily, except on Monday. About 10 minutes. Arrive early for a front-row spot. After the show, performers surface for photos — kids love this part. Show Schedule Feeding shows run throughout the day. Times can shift, so grab a schedule sheet at the entrance.
- 11:00 AM — Mermaid Show (South China Sea)
- 11:30 AM — Otter Feeding (River Caves)
- 11:45 AM — Penguin Feeding (Coastal Haven)
- 2:00 PM — Giant Amazonian Feeding (Mystic Forest)
- 2:30 PM — Shark Feeding (Shark Alley)
- 2:45 PM — Stingray Feeding (Stingray Bay)
- 3:00 PM — Mermaid Show (South China Sea)
- 3:30 PM — Main Tank Feeding (South China Sea)
The stingray feeding lets you hand-feed for a small extra fee. There’s also a newer Feed the Shark activity.
Ticket Prices
Walk-in prices are steep — 1,090 to 1,290 baht for adults. Don’t pay that. Buy online instead. Adult tickets run 540-599 baht on Klook, Traveloka or Ticket2Attraction. Kids (90-140 cm) pay 270-522 baht. Under 90 cm is free. That’s a saving of 500+ baht per person. Book at least 3 hours before your visit. Thai residents pay around half price with an ID. Combo tickets with Trick Eye Museum cost about 720 baht online — worth it if your kids like photo ops.
Dining at Su Va Na Restaurant
If you want to make an evening of it, Su Va Na is Thailand’s only underwater restaurant. It won World’s Best Underwater Restaurant at the 2024 World Culinary Awards in Dubai, along with Best Luxury Fine Dining in Phuket. You dine surrounded by the 3.5-million-litre tank while sharks and rays drift overhead. The mermaid show performs during service, and performers stop by tables for photos afterwards.
The restaurant seats 120, plus a private 16-seat submarine room for special occasions. Chef Atanu runs the kitchen, serving 13-course tasting menus that mix Thai and international influences. Signature dishes include Kamchatka king crab, Japanese Hamachi with Vietnamese green chilli, and Patagonian toothfish. Winter 2025 tasting menus run from 5,200 baht++ (vegan) to 7,800 baht++ (full 13-course menu). Reservations required with a 2,500 baht deposit. Open 7 PM to 11 PM, closed Wednesdays.
Tips
- Buy tickets online — saves 500+ baht per person.
- Arrive at 10:30 AM opening or after 5 PM for fewer crowds.
- Bring a jacket. The AC runs at 18-20°C. It’s cold.
- Start at Mystic Forest on the upper level and work down.
- No flash photography — disturbs the animals.
- Weekdays are quieter. Avoid weekends and school holidays.
- No outside food, but Central Phuket has restaurants upstairs.
- Wheelchairs are available free at the ticket counter. Leave your ID.
The Honest Take
Worth it if you have kids aged 3-12. They’ll love the touch pool and mermaid show. Also good if it’s raining and you need an indoor activity. At 540-600 baht online, the price is reasonable. Skip it if you’ve been to larger aquariums in Singapore, Japan or Dubai. Also, skip if you’re on a tight budget or only have an hour. The aquarium is more entertainment than education. If you want to learn about marine conservation, the Phuket Aquarium at Cape Panwa is smaller, cheaper (180 baht), and run by actual marine biologists. One December visitor summed it up: “We spent about 1.5 hours there, which felt just right. Definitely worth a visit — especially if you’re looking for something fun and family-friendly indoors.”
What’s Good
On the plus side, it’s immense, and kids will enjoy taking photos with enormous fish swimming around their heads. It’s much easier to reach than the original Phuket Aquarium in Panwa, so we didn’t have to drive far to see the marine life. If you decide to spend the day in Phuket Town, you can easily add it, especially on a rainy day.
The layout is complex, and the curved tank glass distorts the view in some areas, making visibility difficult. Even taking photos of marine life was challenging for us. Like in other aquariums in Bangkok and Phuket, there is a short tunnel, but it soon appears it is only half a curved glass reflecting in a curved mirror!
Aquaria Phuket Info
Location: Phuket Town – Central Floresta PhuketAddress: B1 floor, Central Floresta, 199, Vichitsongkram Rd, Wichit, Muang, Phuket 83000
Open: 10.30 am – 7 pm
Phone: 076 629 800
Price: Adults 1,161 baht, children 630 baht (3-11 years old)
Length of visit: 1 hour and 45 minutes for your visit. Last admission occurs 1 hour before closing each day
Bookings: Book here
Aquaria Phuket Map
Get the directions on your phone: https://g.page/aquariaphuket?shareMore about Central Phuket
