Two Oceans Aquarium
The Two Oceans Aquarium Cape Town is ideally located at the V&A Waterfront and showcases the diverse marine life which can be found in the Indian and Atlantic oceans.
It is now about 25 years in existence and offers visitors the chance to meet penguins, sea turtles, and various predators as well as views of stunning displays.
Things to do
Explore the Aquarium
The aquarium is home to over eight thousand different marine life and is made up of more than two hundred species.
Scuba Diving
The Two Oceans Aquarium offers visitors the ability to dive with magnificent fish, graceful rays, and turtles. There are excellent diving conditions, great visibility, and guaranteed sightings.
Also, the Two Oceans Aquarium Dive School is a certified PADI Dive Resort and provides a world-class diving experience.
There are numerous courses and experiences available from the Dive School at varied rates in accordance with different packages available. These diving experiences take place in three of the big exhibits which include the I&J Exhibit, Kelp Forest Exhibit, and the Save our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit. Some of these options are all-weather scuba dive experiences.
Penguin Experience
For those who want an up-close and personal experience, the aquarium offers visitors an interactive and educational penguin experience to interact with the northern rockhopper penguins.
Two people are able to join their bird keepers for face-to-face interaction with these penguins. The experiences occur on Tuesdays to Sundays at 10:45 am at the Kelp Forest Exhibit. Only children above the age of eight years old and adults are suited for this experience.
Visitors have to make a booking for the Penguin Experiences at least 48 hours in advance and ticket prices are stated below. These fees include the general entry ticket to the aquarium.
Why you should visit
There are an array of exhibits available at the Two Oceans Aquarium which is a great reason to visit.
I&J Ocean Exhibit
The I&J Ocean Exhibit is 6 metres deep, has a full tunnel, and displays incredible species such as green sea turtles, rays, musselcrackers, guitarfish, brindle bass and spotted grunter.
The exhibit can be viewed from either the transparent tunnel or the main viewing window.
The exhibit is made up of about one million six hundred thousand litres of seawater providing an optimum temperature for the different species.
Prior to arriving at the exhibit, you will pass the Jelly Gallery which is home to varied species of jellyfish.
Save our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit
This exhibit was created to provide people with an opportunity to have a close encounter with a species that is misunderstood in the waters.
The exhibit can be viewed from either the large viewing window or the spiral viewing ramp.
In addition to the sharks, the exhibit also homes numerous other predatory species ensuring a multi-faceted educational experience.
Some of the popular species at this exhibit include the ragged-tooth shark, the giant knob, and the Cape yellowtail.
Kelp Forest Exhibit
The Kelp Forest Exhibit hosts a giant sea bamboo and is an enchanting underwater forest.
At the exhibit, there are algae, abalone, lobsters, and sea urchins. The exhibit has three species of giant kelp which provide shelter for a variety of local fish.
Kelp requires certain conditions in order to grow and therefore the aquarium carefully coordinated to ensure that these conditions were met in order to provide the kelp with all the nutrients it needs.
Some of the popular species at this exhibit include the spotted gully shark, white steenbras, and red stumpnose.
Penguin Exhibit
This exhibit is home to a large colony of African penguins. In addition, the exhibit is home to a few rescued rockhopper penguins and a small selection of freshwater fish, some of which are indigenous and some are alien.
The exhibit also offers a bird hide enabling visitors to sit and relax in a peaceful environment.
Food
As the aquarium is located at the V&A Waterfront, the Aquarium is surrounded by amazing food outlets. One of these great places is the Bootlegger Coffee Company which shares the building with the aquarium. This stunning eatery offers an amazing terrace overlooking the marina. Visitors can choose from a selection of sandwiches, wraps, burgers, pastries, and coffee. The aquarium allows visitors to leave the Aquarium and return back to the aquarium later in the day. All you will need to do is to ask for your hand to be stamped by the staff.
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Two Oceans Tickets Prices
Tickets are available for day visits or you can purchase an annual membership and have unlimited visits for a year.
| Day Visit | Annual Membership | |
| Adults | R 210.00 | R 485.00 |
| Children 14 – 17 | R 160.00 | R375.00 |
| Children under 4 to 13 | R 100.00 | R240.00 |
| Children under 4 | Free | Free |
| South African Pensioners | R160.00 | R 375.00 |
| South African Students | R160.00 | R 375.00 |
Please note that children under the age of 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult on a visit to the aquarium.
Penguin Experience prices:
| Adult | R 750.00 |
| Children 8 – 17 | R 600.00 |
| Adult member | R 563.00 |
| Child member 8 – 17 | R 450.00 |
Opening hours
The Two Oceans Aquarium is open seven days a week.
Monday-Sunday: 09:30 am – 18:00 pm
Contact Details
Address: Dock Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Telephone number: 021 418 3823
Website: https://www.aquarium.co.za/
E-mail: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Two Oceans Aquarium free on your birthday?
If you are a South African citizen, you are able to visit the Two Oceans Aquarium on your birthday for free.
The offer for free admission is valid on your birthday or six days thereafter. All you need to do, is show your valid Identity Document to show your date of birth.
Please see the full terms and conditions on their website.
Why is it called the Two Oceans Aquarium?
Cape Town is uniquely situated at the meeting of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. As a result, the warmer currents from the Indian Ocean merge with the colder currents from the Atlantic Ocean at the southern tip of Africa and creates a unique environment for different biodiversity. The Two Oceans Aquarium features creatures found in these areas and derives its name from that.
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* Please note that all prices and contact information are correct at time of publication. Please check the venues websites as prices may change without notice. *