Underwater World Aquarium, Langkawi

Underwater World, Langkawi Overview

The biggest aquarium in Malaysia, Underwater World Langkawi is home to more than 4000 marine life forms, spanning over 60,000 square feet. Located at the southern end of Pantai Cenang, the main attraction of the huge white-washed structure is Jurassic Arapaima, the biggest freshwater fish in the world.

Underwater World Complex is divided into three separate sections - Sub Antarctic, Tropical and Temperate. The major highlight of these three is the Sub Antarctic section which is home to popular penguin-arium. Other highlights of Underwater World include a 3D theatre, Educational Resource Centre and a cafeteria.

The Three Sections of Underwater World

Sub-Antarctic: This is the most popular section in the aquarium which houses several penguins in the arctic environment. The most famous is the Rockhopper penguins, which have been named so because of their ability to jump from rocks to rocks. They are characterized by the yellow feather on their head and feed on squids or small fishes.

Langkawi underwater world — The popular Rockhopper Penguin (Source)

Tropical Rainforest: Visitors will find themselves amidst a tropical rainforest surrounding and will be greeted by a wide range of animals, birds, and fishes. Flamingoes, Mandarin ducks, and black swans are the common birds in this section. While snapping turtles, tinfoil barbs, and knife fish are the common marine life in the rainforest. Do pay a visit to the Marmoset, the smallest monkeys in the world that range between 7 -12 inches.

Underwater World Langkawi — The flamingo enclosure (Source)

Temperate: This section features fur seals from South America and Africa. There is also a daily show at 02:30 PM, where a trainer feeds these seals in front of the audience. Seals can be seen jumping through a large ring and copying different postures. Visitors can walk through an eight-meter tunnel and see African penguins swimming in the cool water above.

Attractions at Underwater World in Langkawi

Preview Tank: The world’s biggest freshwater fish, Arapaima sits at the entrance of the aquarium and is a prominent attraction in the building.

River Ecosystem: This features fish species from various parts of the world – Asia, Amazon, Africa, and the Americas. It also houses unique marine life creatures such as the Chinese Water Dragon and African Fat-Tailed Gecko among others.

Tunnel Tank: Visitors can walk through a 15-meter tunnel while being surrounded by fishes and other marine creatures. Giant Stingrays and Olive Ridley Turtle are the highlights of this tunnel. It also features several exotic species such as the Lion Fish, and Giant Clams.

Ponds: There are two ponds in this section, the Koi Pond and the Otter Pond. Visitors are free to feed the fishes with fish food that is available at the counter. The ponds are located near a waterfall.

Invertebrate Section: It features unusual and peculiar sea creatures such as the Japanese Mitten Lobster and Blue Devil Damsels to name a few.

Underwater World in Langkawi — The Japanese Mitten Lobster (Source)

Coral Reef Section: This is the last section of the aquarium which offers a colourful farewell to its visitors. It shows the relationship between coral reefs and other marine life forms.

3D Theatre: Watch the story of a prehistoric fish and how it became a fossil.

How to Reach Langkawi Underwater World

The underwater aquarium is located at the end of Pantai Cenang and is a 30 minutes cab ride from Kuah Town and 15 minutes from Langkawi International Airport by taxi. It is located next to the Zon Duty-Free Centre.

Since there is no public bus service or other means of transport to Pantai Cenang, taking a cab ride is the easiest option.