Palma Aquarium: A fascinating underwater world

Palma Aquarium gives holidaymakers on Mallorca the opportunity to embark on a fascinating journey into the depths of the ocean. The diversity of the underwater world is enchanting, drawing adults and children alike under its unique spell. As such, a visit to the aquarium is sure to be a hit day trip for all the family. The refuge for the denizens of the sea is made up of a multitude of aquariums spread throughout different habitats, all of which can be viewed with the expertise of experienced, conservationist tour guides. During this journey, visitors to the aquatic habitats will be able to interact with the plants and animals and learn how to preserve and protect ocean life.

Habitats in the Palma Aquarium

This fascinating journey of discovery on Mallorca will take you through the following habitats:

• Mediterranean
• Tropical Seas
• Gardens
• Whales
• Jungle
• Big Blue
• Jellyfish

Get to know and understand the Mediterranean

The Balearic Island on which the archipelago’s most famous aquarium is based is located in the Mediterranean Sea. In order to help them get to know and understand this geographical area and its native flora and fauna, guests are presented with an impressive, up-close view of the underwater world. While the Mediterranean accounts for just 0.8 percent of the ocean area on the world’s surface, it is nevertheless one of Europe’s most important habitats, and home to over 10,000 different species. These include seahorses, octopuses, squid, moray eels and triggerfish. The waters close to the aquarium also contain corals and Mediterranean cylinder anemones.

The aquariums in the Mediterranean habitat take visitors off Mallorca’s beaten track and into the more uncharted territory of a calm maritime world. Here, they will see one of the most common species of plant found in the Mediterranean Sea: Neptune grass. This is a protected species that is responsible for the majority of the oxygen produced in the Mediterranean Sea. Neptune grass is found in seagrass beds, where it provides shelter for thousands of animals. These grasses filter the ocean’s water to keep it clean. In spite of this, the sea close to Palma de Mallorca is in need of help. The Mediterranean is the most under-threat sea in the world due to pollution, overfishing and the huge amounts of urban development along its coast that help to keep its tourist industry thriving. Palma Aquarium is a member of Coral World International, an organisation that fights to protect our oceans.

Inhabitants of the tropical seas

The aquariums in the “Tropical Seas” habitat are home to many fascinating forms of life, including:

• Candy cane corals
• Mandarin fish
• Picasso triggerfish
• Spotfin lionfish
• Copperband butterflyfish
• Cylinder anemones
• Clownfish

With its vibrantly colourful flora and fauna, the underwater world of the tropics has been a source of fascination to us since time began. And with a tour of this habitat at Palma Aquarium, you can see it all up close and personal.

Fantastic gardens under the sea

Eagle rays, Danube carp, sea turtles - the gardens beneath the ocean’s surface are filled with amazing creatures. And Palma Aquarium, you get a close-up view of all of them. The aquariums are designed to be garden paradises that faithfully recreate the natural habitats of the animals and plants that live in them.

Dive into the world of whales

Humpback whales are the ocean’s gentle giants. A sure-fire highlight for visitors to Mallorca is a spectacular 3D interactive encounter, which will lend both adults and children alike a deeper understanding of these marine mammals. Take a detailed look behind the scenes at the relationship between a mother whale and her calf, the way these 12 to 15-metre-long animals behave, and their migration patterns. Just for comparison: that length makes the humpback about the same size as a school bus, and they also weigh about 40 tonnes each.

A jungle on Mallorca

Jungla is the aquarium’s open-air area, which is sure to provide visitors with plenty of outdoor adventures. After all, this jungle is home to an imposing seven-metre waterfall, exotic plants, and wild animals such as snapping turtles, piranhas and red devils. The air in this enclosure is humid, and you can feel the soft earth under your feet as you walk through its wilderness.

The blue kingdom of sharks at Palma Aquarium

In the “Big Blue”, visitors can experience an up-close confrontation with sharks. These predatory fish live at the top of the food chain, and swim around the guests and even over their heads in a beautifully designed, deep blue underwater world. This is one of the deepest and largest shark habitats of any aquarium in Europe. With over 3.5 million litres of saltwater, it provides a space where sand tiger sharks and sandbank sharks can live in harmony with other denizens of the sea.

Relax with jellyfish

Watching the hypnotic movements of the jellyfish in Palma Aquarium is an experience not unlike meditation. This makes the jellyfish habitat the aquarium’s most relaxing room, a place where you can unplug from the outside world and take time to reflect. The aquariums are lit to bring out the colours of the different species in all their majestic glory.

Tickets, entry and opening hours at the Palma Aquarium

Mallorca’s underwater world is an attraction suited to both adults and children. Tickets are available on the aquarium’s website. When purchasing, you will be given a choice of time slot for your visit. The aquarium is open every day, and the time slots for entry are provided at half-hour intervals between 9:30 am and 3:30 pm. Regular entry for adults costs 26.50 euros. If you want to include the Whales Audiovisual Experience in your visit, your ticket will cost 30.50 euros. Both of these variants are available at all opening hours. No matter what time slot you choose, you will be able to use your tickets to enjoy Palma’s underwater world until its closing time every day, and experience the plants and animals of the ocean up close.

Tickets for children aged between 3 and 12 cost 15.50 euros; together with the 3d whale show, entry costs 19.50 euros. Children between 0 and 3 years of age are allowed free entry throughout the aquarium’s opening hours, so they do not require a ticket. The website clearly indicates the different costs of entry for adults and children during the ticket purchasing process. The website accepts payment by credit card and PayPal.