Curaçao Sea Aquarium
Open-water marine park and animal encounters near Willemstad
Curaçao Sea Aquarium
The Curaçao Sea Aquarium sits on the southeast coast at Bapor Kibra, just outside Willemstad, and is the island's flagship family marine attraction. Unusually, much of it uses an open seawater system fed directly from the ocean, so the reef tanks and lagoons hold living Caribbean coral and the fish that depend on it, rather than artificially filtered water.
The displays run from coral-reef tanks and a touch pool to larger lagoons holding sharks, sea turtles, rays, and tropical fish. Beyond simply looking, the park is built around animal encounters: with a guide you can snorkel or dive in supervised enclosures, feed and touch southern stingrays, meet sea lions, and watch feeding sessions, making it a hit with children and first-time snorkellers.
An all-day marine park
The aquarium is next to Mambo Beach, so families can combine the two for a full day. For an even closer encounter with the island's dolphins, the neighbouring Dolphin Academy shares the same Sea Aquarium park.
- Encounter programmes (stingray feeds, sea-lion meets, snorkel and dive sessions) usually cost extra and are best booked ahead.
- Nearby Mambo Beach offers a separate beach stop after sightseeing.
Arrive when it opens to catch the first feeding sessions and beat the heat, bring reef-safe sunscreen and swimwear, and book any animal-encounter add-ons in advance, especially on cruise-ship days.
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Photo gallery
The islet shared by the Curaçao Sea Aquarium and the Dolphin Academy
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Frequently asked questions
What can you do at the Curaçao Sea Aquarium?
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You can see reef tanks, sharks, turtles, and rays in a largely open-water system fed from the sea, plus hands-on animal encounters such as stingray feeds, sea-lion meets, and supervised snorkel and dive sessions. Mambo Beach is nearby.
Do the animal encounters cost extra?
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Yes. General admission covers the displays, but encounter programmes such as stingray feeds, sea-lion meets, and in-water snorkel or dive sessions usually cost extra and are best booked in advance, especially on cruise-ship days.
Is the Sea Aquarium good for families?
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Very much so. The mix of touch pools, feeding sessions, and animal encounters makes it a strong choice for families and first-time snorkellers. The adjoining Dolphin Academy adds dolphin encounters at the same park.
Keep reading
Travel Guides
Helpful guides for planning your trip to Willemstad
Areas IslandsWillemstad Travel Guide
Walk Curacao's capital end to end: the UNESCO old town, candy-colored Handelskade, swinging Queen Emma bridge, keshi yena at the Old Market and Pietermaai at night.
Areas IslandsKlein Curaçao Day Trip Guide
Plan a Klein Curacao day trip: which boats from Spanish Water, why the morning crossing is bumpy, where to see green sea turtles, and why there is almost no shade.
PlanningCuraçao with Kids: Family Guide
Plan a family trip to Curacao: calm leeward beaches for small swimmers, the Sea Aquarium and dolphin swims, safe tap water, short drives, and rainy-day caves.
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Make the most of Curaçao Sea Aquarium
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