The Two Oceans Aquarium is one of the best aquariums in the Southern Hemisphere — named for the two oceans (Atlantic and Indian) whose marine ecosystems converge at the Cape and whose species fill the aquarium's exhibits with a diversity of marine life that reflects the Cape's position as one of the world's most biodiverse marine environments.
The I&J Ocean Exhibit — a massive predator tank containing ragged-tooth sharks, short-tail stingrays, and giant sea turtles — is the centrepiece, and the underwater tunnel that passes through the tank puts you face-to-face with animals that the rocky Cape coastline usually keeps at a distance. The kelp forest exhibit recreates the towering underwater forests that line the Cape's cold Atlantic coast — an ecosystem as productive as a tropical rainforest and home to over 800 species that live nowhere else on Earth.
The aquarium's location at the V&A Waterfront makes it a natural stop on any waterfront visit, and the rooftop exhibit — an open-air pool with a backdrop of Table Mountain — provides one of the more unusual marine viewing experiences in any aquarium. The conservation programmes (turtle rehabilitation, African penguin rescue, shark research) give the institution scientific credibility that extends beyond entertainment, and the education centre hosts school groups from across the Western Cape.
Verified Facts
The aquarium is named after the Atlantic and Indian Oceans that meet near Cape Town
The Cape's kelp forests are home to over 800 unique species
The aquarium runs turtle rehabilitation and penguin rescue programmes
The aquarium is located at the V&A Waterfront
Get walking directions
Dock Road, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
