[Bahamas] A Comprehensive Guide to the Atlantis Aquarium

Before visiting Atlantis, I thoroughly prepared by consulting online maps and YouTube videos.

Frankly, it’s impossible to grasp the layout of various facilities including the aquariums until you actually walk the grounds!

This time, I’ll introduce you to the details of the aquariums and lagoons at Atlantis (Bahamas), complete with photos.

If you haven’t read it yet, here’s the overview article for the Atlantis Bahamas resort.

[Bahamas] Atlantis: A Family Adventure in the Caribbean

Overview of Atlantis: Aquariums and Lagoons

The Four Aquariums of Atlantis

Atlantis boasts four aquariums – two large ones inside the hotel, and two smaller ones near the water slide towers.

• THE DIG: A large aquarium near the Royal Hotel’s reception. It’s designed like wandering through caves, with various marine life swimming amidst sunken ruins. Enjoyable both day and night.
• PREDATOR LAGOON: Discover a tunnel in a pond inhabited by hammerhead sharks. Descend the stairs from an outdoor restaurant bar and find yourself in a tunnel surrounded by water.
• MAYAN TEMPLE SHARK LAGOON: Home to numerous sharks. Famous for its steep water slides and raft slides that pass through it.
• CENOTE: Located beneath the Power Tower, this smaller aquarium is a hidden gem, not marked on maps and found by descending stairs.

Here are some photos ↓

The largest, ‘THE DIG’ aquarium. Almost empty at night, offering a private viewing experience. Previously hosted manta rays, but they were released back into the ocean as they grew too large.

Predator Lagoon aquarium. A tunnel under the sea.

The shark tank in the Mayan Temple. A scene from a feeding event. Sharks jumping out of the water with great vigor.

The most understated CENOTE aquarium. A few tanks in an underground cave.

Numerous Lagoons (From Ponds to Artificial Beaches)

Additionally, there are seven large and small lagoons outdoors, housing rays, sharks, fish, and turtles.

The Ray Lagoon. Inhabited by countless rays.

It’s hard to keep track of which lagoon is where.

This one is a pond near the upscale hotel ‘COVE’, just a bit off the main property. It’s designed with a modern Asian flair and filled with colorful koi.

The koi-filled pond at Cove. Colorful and beautiful.

If you take a break nearby, you might spot a beautiful white bird (center of the photo) ↓ Can you see it?

Spotted a white bird at the pond in COVE. A serene view to admire.

Events at the Aquarium and Lagoons

Daily Feeding Events (Free)

There are daily events where you can watch or even participate in feeding marine animals.

Feeding event at Atlantis. The keeper tosses fish and squid into the water.

Atlantis publishes a daily newspaper with event listings. The right side of the list indicates the locations.

Even after consulting the map several times, it’s honestly hard to identify the exact lagoon for each event!

Schedule of free activities

Be cautious, as asking staff nearby for directions can sometimes lead to incorrect information.

Various Feeding Scenes

Feeding event viewed from the tunnel of Predator Lagoon. A rare sight of fish swarming to compete for food.

Feeding scene viewed from inside the tunnel

Unfortunately, I missed the hammerhead shark feeding.

Lagoon with hammerhead sharks

According to the keeper, “We adjust feeding based on the season and their hunger levels, so during this period, it’s usually only once a week on Saturdays.”

During feeding, various animals, not just fish, gather excitedly.

Feeding scene at Predator Lagoon. A massive flock of birds – an incredible sight!

Cats and a large number of birds gather at the climax of feeding. A fierce battle unfolds between ‘birds’ and ‘fish’.

Interactive Feeding Events (Free Participation)

I participated in a free stingray feeding event and had a quite unique experience.

A bloody situation! Never expected to be bitten by a ray.

Injured by a stingray during feeding.

Among the ten plus participants, I was the only one bitten. Apparently, I held the fish incorrectly while feeding.

Seeing small children feeding them too, I wondered, is this really safe? Only in the Bahamas!

Aquarium Cleaning at The Dig

A diver was busy cleaning the giant aquarium at The Dig in the Royal area using a tube.

A diver intensely cleaning with a tube-like device.

Various Paid Aqua Programs

Atlantis offers a variety of paid programs.

Swimming with Dolphins Program

The highlight is undoubtedly the activity where you can swim and play with dolphins.

We had the pleasure of swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Cay.

In the dolphin-exclusive lagoon. A spacious, artificial shallows where dolphins frolic near the rocks at the back unless called by the staff.

You gather at the scheduled time, change into wetsuits, and then listen to a 15-minute lecture on how to interact with dolphins before heading to the dedicated lagoon.

Activities include being pushed by dolphins while on a board, holding onto a dolphin’s dorsal fin to swim, and even getting gently kicked by a dolphin.

The total time spent with the dolphins was about 30 minutes, and it was incredibly fun.

Unfortunately, photos with the dolphins were quite expensive, so we did not purchase them (choosing three favorite photos cost over $100, and the whole set was several hundred dollars).

Children’s Stingray Feeding (Paid Version)

This is a stingray feeding program designed for children. Although there’s a free stingray feeding event, this paid version might be recommended for a more relaxed and enjoyable experience for kids.

Targeted at children. A paid feeding activity.

Various Marine Life

Atlantis’ aquariums and lagoons are home to a diverse range of creatures.

Barracuda

In Predator Lagoon, you’ll find barracudas. Looking up from inside the tunnel gives the illusion of fish flying in the sky! A surreal atmosphere.

Barracuda seen from below

Pufferfish

During feeding times, fish that usually hide come out. This is a ‘non-inflated pufferfish’ near the lagoon by the Royal Tower.

Pufferfish found during feeding time. Cute and a bit goofy when not inflated

Sawfish

In a lagoon near the Poseidon Restaurant, several sawfish, each several meters long, were spotted.

Sawfish, an endangered species, were successfully bred artificially for the first time in the world here at Atlantis.

Sawfish larger than an adult human

Large Stingrays

Several large stingrays were present in ‘The Dig’ behind the ruins, along with many colorful fish.

Various creatures living in ‘The Dig’ behind the ruins. Several large stingrays spotted.

Reef Sharks

Slide down the Mayan Temple’s water slide on a float, and you can leisurely view the tunnel aquarium filled with numerous sharks.

Large reef sharks in the Mayan Temple’s aquarium. A significant number of sharks.

For Those Who Might Get Lost: Aquarium Locations

Predator Lagoon Aquarium

I was unaware that there were multiple aquariums.

Wandering around the facility, I stumbled upon something that looked like a pipe buried underground.

Thinking it was electrical wiring or air conditioning, I was surprised to see people walking inside a tunnel.

View from above of the Predator Aquarium found.

After some wandering, I discovered a secret staircase leading underground near a circular-shaped restaurant bar by Predator Lagoon.

Entrance to the Predator Aquarium

The Dig Aquarium

The easiest to find is ‘The Dig’ near the Royal Hotel’s front desk, with a large tank prominently displayed.

To the right in the photo is the entrance to the aquarium. Inside, you enter a cave with atmospheric sounds.

‘The Dig’ aquarium themed around sunken ruins, near the front desk.

Summary of Atlantis Aquarium

I’ve introduced many aspects with photos, but there are still plenty of sights I missed photographing. Please enjoy them for yourself.

Last but not least, the most luxurious experience for me was undoubtedly,

lying down in an empty aquarium at night and blankly watching the fish swim by.

Such a rare experience! Napping in a private aquarium is truly priceless.

The aquarium at night is quite empty. If you’re lucky, you might have it all to yourself!

There are more articles about Atlantis (Bahamas) for your reference. I hope they are helpful.

For those thinking of travelling to Atlantis, I wish you a memorable and enjoyable journey!