The Sea Life of Hawaii
Written: Sep 01 '01 (Updated Sep 01 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The Maui Ocean Center has the wonderful sea life of the islands
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: An island treasure, the Maui Ocean Center is breathtaking.
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| roynyr's Full Review: Hawaii |
The Maui Ocean Center is a wonderful attraction to visit in Maui to experience the beauty of the Hawaiian seas. There are numerous examples of beautiful creatures of the sea, hands on experiences for spectators, and a tremendous 270 degree clear acrylic tunnel that will absolutely take your breath away. The employees in the facility are friendly and will answer all your questions ( you may even be lucky enough to see the fish in the aquarium fed like me! ). It is a beautiful and well maintained place that is a lot of fun.
Location
It is located on the island of Maui, obviously; in the town of Wailuku on Maalaea Road which runs along the famous Maalaea Harbor. The Maaleea Harbor is located on the western coast where it curves at almost a ninety degree angle if you look at a map of the island.
Prices
The entrance fee was a reasonable $18.50 for adults and $10.00 for senior citizens and children. You will spend hours within the confines of the aquarium; so it is definitely worth the expense in my view. Also, there is a souvenir gift shop where you can buy momentos of the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium. You can also visit the Reef Cafe or the Seascape Restaurant for a meal although we did not go inside either on our visit.
The Ocean Center
The facility is divided into nine primary parts :
1) The Surge Zone - The Hawaiian fish and marine life are in their natural outdoor environment and you can see them outdoors surrounded in a man-made and controlled environment similar to their natural habitat. Get out the camera and start snapping some great pictures here.
2) Living Reef - A great display of indoor aquariums, showcasing the great tropical fishes as well as the living coral reef. A lot of "oohs" and "aahs" as you walk through this amazing place.
3) Turtle Lagoon - Turtles swim around an outside pool.
4) Touch Pool - I loved this place. You could touch and feel various animals from the Hawaiian oceans. It was fun to actually touch these animals. Most were soft. Kids will absolutely love it ( and adults too! ).
5) Sting Ray Cove - These are not in the touch pool for good reason!
6) Whale Discovery Center - An amazing look at the legendary humpback whales that migrate to Maui, Hawaii each year around December.
7) Hawaiians and the Sea - A look at the relationship between the Hawaiian people and the sea - a true love affair.
8) Open Ocean - This is where you will find that clear tunnel where the tropical fish swim right above you.
9) Discovery Pool - Another great outdoor pool where the tropical fish can be seen up close and personal. Exciting for all members of the family.
Pictures and video camera are allowed so don't forget them to keep the great memories you will have alive. They also, by the way, have a great web site where you can obtain more information about this most wonderful excursion and tourist attraction. The web site is located at www.mauioceancenter.com.
Please note: this review is the part of a series of reviews on a recent vacation to absolutely beautiful Maui, Hawaii and San Francisco, California. Check out my profile page for a complete listing of topics reviewed.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
roynyr
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Roy
Location: About a foot away from the keyboard
Reviews written: 303
Trusted by: 151 members
About Me:
Update 2/22/09 - I have written my 300th review!!
GAME ON!
Huge NY Rangers fan!
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