S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore: Tickets, Highlights & Visiting Tips

• S.E.A. Aquarium reopened in July 2025 as the Singapore Oceanarium — 3× larger with 22 themed zones spanning nearly 5km of walkways
• Adult tickets start from SGD 50 (~USD 37); children SGD 39 (~USD 29); under 4 free with a paying adult
• Allow 3–4 hours for the full experience; arrive at 10am on a weekday for the fewest crowds
• The 36-metre Open Ocean viewing panel — where manta rays and zebra sharks glide past — is the standout moment in the entire attraction
• Same-day re-entry is permitted, so you can step out for lunch at Resorts World Sentosa and return in the afternoon

S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore, now officially rebranded as Singapore Oceanarium, is one of Southeast Asia's most substantial indoor marine attractions. Adult tickets start from SGD 50 (~USD 37), it covers 22 themed zones, and most visitors need 3–4 hours. Open daily from 10am at Resorts World Sentosa, it's accessible via MRT to HarbourFront then a short Sentosa Express ride. Weekday mornings offer the quietest experience.

What Is S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore? (And Why the Name Changed)

If you've searched for S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore and landed on references to "Singapore Oceanarium," you're not confused — the attraction rebranded completely. The original S.E.A. Aquarium, which opened in 2012 as part of Resorts World Sentosa, closed for a major transformation and reopened on 24 July 2025 under its new name.

The rebrand is not cosmetic. The new Singapore Oceanarium is three times the size of the original, expanded from 10 zones to 22 themed zones, with nearly 5 kilometres of walkways running through them. The building now includes a solar-powered Research and Learning Centre — the first of its kind in Southeast Asia — and the entire experience has been rebuilt around a narrative arc that takes visitors from Singapore's coastal mangroves through to deep prehistoric seas.

Scale and what's inside

The attraction is located at 24 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island, within the Resorts World Sentosa complex that also includes Universal Studios Singapore and Adventure Cove Waterpark. The marine collection stands at over 100,000 animals across more than 1,000 species. The centrepiece remains the Open Ocean habitat, featuring a 36-metre-wide viewing panel — the kind where you stand in silence as manta rays and zebra sharks pass within arm's reach of the glass.

The old zones like Shipwrecked and Shark Seas have been retained and expanded. New zones like Ocean Wonders, Ancient Waters, Whale Fall, and Abyssal Echoes have been added. The result is an attraction that takes significantly longer to cover than the original version — plan for 3 to 4 hours rather than the 2 hours that older travel guides suggest.

Is S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore Worth It?

At SGD 50 for adult admission, this is one of Sentosa's more expensive standalone tickets. Whether it's worth it depends on who's visiting and what they want from the experience.

Worth it if:

• You're travelling with children aged 4–14. The 22 zones hold younger visitors' attention well — touch pools, interactive projections, and viewing panels positioned at child height throughout the family zones
• You have a strong interest in marine life or ocean conservation. The new narrative structure and research centre make this more than a passive attraction
• It's your first Singapore trip and you want a high-quality, weather-proof half-day anchor. The aquarium performs well regardless of the heat outside
• You're planning a full Sentosa day and combining it with Adventure Cove Waterpark or Universal Studios Singapore via a combo ticket — the per-attraction cost comes down considerably

Not ideal if:

• You're travelling on a tight budget and prioritising outdoor experiences — SGD 50 for 3 hours is a meaningful spend, and free or low-cost alternatives like Gardens by the Bay or the Southern Ridges trail offer strong value
• You visited the old S.E.A. Aquarium before 2025 and assumed the experience would be largely the same — the redesign is substantial, but some visitors expecting dramatic change have left underwhelmed if they had high expectations from online hype
• You prefer active, high-energy attractions — the aquarium is observational by nature, and the pace is slow and calm throughout

S.E.A. Aquarium Ticket Prices in 2025

All pricing below is for Singapore Oceanarium (formerly S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore) as of 2025. Prices are subject to change; check the official website before booking.

Standard admission

• Adults (13 and above): from SGD 50 (~USD 37)
• Children (4–12): from SGD 39 (~USD 29)
• Children under 4: free entry with a paying adult
• Singapore residents: discounted rates available — present your NRIC, Employment Pass, or S Pass at entry

Standard admission covers all 22 themed zones. No additional charge applies for live presentations or feeding sessions that are part of the daily schedule — these are included with your ticket. Buying online gives you QR code entry and eliminates queuing at the ticket counter.

Add-on experiences

The aquarium offers several paid add-ons that go beyond standard admission. These are worth considering if you want a more hands-on visit.

Experience	Duration	Price (SGD)	Best For
Standard admission only	3–4 hrs	SGD 50 (~USD 37) adults	First-timers, families, general visitors
Dolphin Encounter — Observer	45 mins	Priced separately (check site)	Families who want a closer animal interaction without entering the water
Dolphin Encounter — In-water (Connection / Immersion)	45–60 mins	Priced separately (check site)	Older children and adults who want in-water contact
Open Ocean Dive / Shark Dive	30–45 mins	Priced separately (check site)	Certified divers; one of the most distinctive dive experiences in Asia
PADI Discover Scuba / certification	Half or full day	Priced separately (check site)	First-time divers wanting a controlled, safe introduction in a marine setting
Behind-the-scenes guided tour	60–90 mins	Priced separately (check site)	Marine enthusiasts, school groups, visitors who want to see the research centre

Combo tickets and passes

If you're planning to visit more than one Resorts World Sentosa attraction, combo tickets offer better value than buying separately. Current options include Singapore Oceanarium paired with Adventure Cove Waterpark or with Gardens by the Bay. The Sentosa Fun Pass is worth checking if you're visiting multiple Sentosa attractions across a single day.

Book all tickets online in advance — walk-up availability can be limited on weekends and public holidays, and online prices are typically lower than at the door.

Top Highlights at Singapore Oceanarium

The 22 zones are organised as a journey from coastal Singapore through to the deep prehistoric ocean. Not every zone demands equal time. Here are the sections worth slowing down for.

Open Ocean — the 36-metre viewing panel

This is the anchor of the entire attraction. The Open Ocean habitat places you in front of a 36-metre-wide curved panel, inside which manta rays, zebra sharks, groupers, and dense schools of reef fish move freely. The scale of it is unusual — the water volume alone exceeds 18 million litres. Feeding presentations happen here daily, and the keeper talk mid-session (where a diver signals to the animals in real time) is one of the most watchable moments in the aquarium.

Arrive early in the morning when the glass is less obscured by crowd reflections and the lighting from outside is lower. Photographs are significantly cleaner before noon.

Ocean Wonders — the jellyfish kreisel tanks

One of the notable new additions post-redesign. The Ocean Wonders zone houses thousands of moon jellies in one of the world's largest kreisel (circular flow) tank systems, which keeps jellyfish suspended in a gentle current without damaging their bodies against glass. The result is a 360-degree wall of quietly drifting, softly lit jellyfish. It's a slow zone — people tend to stop here and not rush — and it's one of the most photographed spots in the entire building. Turn off flash.

Shark Seas — the walk-through tunnel

Over 200 sharks across multiple species, including hammerheads. The walk-through tunnel runs beneath the main tank and gives a ceiling-level view of sharks and rays moving overhead. The live dive-feeding session here (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:30pm) is the most dramatic scheduled event in the aquarium — divers in chainmail suits hand-feed sharks in the open water above you.

Ancient Waters — prehistoric oceans brought forward

One of the zones added in the 2025 redesign. Ancient Waters reconstructs prehistoric ocean environments using fossils, life-size animatronics, and digital projection. It's more museum than aquarium in feel, and it's the zone that holds the most attention for visitors aged 10 and above who have moved past the novelty of looking at fish through glass. The coelacanth exhibit and the animated sequence showing the evolutionary transition from sea to land are both worth pausing for.

Whale Fall and Sea Mount — deep-sea simulation

Few public aquariums globally have attempted a whale fall simulation — the ecological process where a whale carcass descends to the seafloor and sustains deep-sea communities for decades. The Singapore Oceanarium's version uses a constructed whale skeleton surrounded by the species that would colonise it, alongside contextual information on deep-sea chemistry. It's dark, quiet, and completely different in tone to the bright, high-traffic zones elsewhere in the building.

Singapore's Coast — the local touch pool zone

The only section where hands-on contact with marine animals is part of the experience. Archerfish, mudskippers, horseshoe crabs, and starfish are accessible under staff supervision. Interactive projection screens in this zone show coastal ecosystems specific to Singapore's intertidal zone. This is the zone where young children engage most actively, and where the slowest-moving adults tend to stop longest.

Live Shows and Feeding Sessions — How to Plan Around Them

Standard admission includes all daily presentations. The schedule below is the regular programme as of 2025 — check the Singapore Oceanarium app or official website before your visit, as times shift on public holidays and private event days.

• Open Ocean dive presentation: daily at 11:45am — a diver enters the Open Ocean tank and interacts with manta rays and hammerheads while a presenter narrates from outside the glass
• Shark dive feeding: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:30pm — chainmail-suited divers hand-feed sharks in the Shark Seas habitat; the most dramatic session in the schedule
• Manta Ray keeper talk: Monday to Friday at 1pm and 4pm; Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 1pm, 3pm, and 4pm
• Sea jelly talk: daily — covers jellyfish biology, feeding habits, and how the kreisel tank system works
• Coral care talk: covers the breeding programme and why coral reef restoration matters; check the app for timing

If you're visiting on a weekday, the Tuesday or Thursday schedule gives you the most content: the morning shark dive is the standout session, and the Open Ocean presentation gives you a second anchor for the day. Arrive at 10am, take in Ocean Wonders and Singapore's Coast before the crowds build, then work towards the 11:45am Open Ocean presentation.

How to Get to S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore

By MRT and Sentosa Express — the easiest route

Take the MRT to HarbourFront Station (North East Line NE1 / Circle Line CC29). From there, follow signs to Level 3 of VivoCity Mall and board the Sentosa Express monorail. Ride to the Resorts World stop. The aquarium entrance is a short, signposted walk from the monorail platform. Total time from central Singapore (e.g. Orchard Road): around 25–30 minutes.

By foot — the Sentosa Boardwalk

From VivoCity, the Sentosa Boardwalk runs along the waterway into Sentosa Island. The walk takes around 10–15 minutes and gives good views across to the marina. It's a reasonable option in the early morning when temperatures are lower; less so at midday in Singapore's humidity. The boardwalk is covered in sections.

By Grab or taxi

A Grab from central Singapore (Orchard, Marina Bay, Chinatown) to Resorts World Sentosa typically costs SGD 12–18. Drop-off is at the main entrance. This is the most convenient option if you're travelling with young children, luggage, or in a group. The Sentosa entry levy for private vehicles is charged at the gate.

By car

Parking is available at the Resorts World Sentosa Car Park. Use the B1 East zone — it's the closest to the aquarium entrance. Parking rates:

• Weekdays (Monday–Thursday, excluding public holidays): SGD 6.50 for the first hour, then SGD 1.10 per additional half-hour
• Weekends and public holidays: from SGD 9.70 for the first hour

Best Time to Visit S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore

The aquarium is indoors and climate-controlled, so weather is not a factor. Crowd management is the primary consideration.

Re-entry is permitted on the same day. If you're visiting with children, arriving at 10am, exiting around 12:30pm for lunch at Resorts World Sentosa's Festive Walk dining area, and returning at 2pm for the afternoon keeper talks is a practical way to manage the visit without fatigue.

Practical Tips Before You Go

• Dress for air conditioning: the entire building is kept cool for the marine animals. A light layer is recommended, especially for young children who will be standing still at exhibits rather than moving
• Lockers: not available inside the Oceanarium. The nearest lockers are outside Universal Studios Singapore and at the Coach Bay area — store bags before you enter if possible
• Wheelchair access: wheelchairs available for rental at Guest Services, Level 1, at SGD 15. First-come, first-served. Strollers and wagons are welcome throughout
• Payment: fully cashless inside — cards and mobile payments accepted. ATMs are located outside the Resorts World Sentosa Casino entrance if needed
• Photography: permitted throughout without flash. The jellyfish zones, the Open Ocean at 10am, and the tunnel sections of Shark Seas produce the clearest results. A phone on portrait mode with the flash disabled will outperform most DSLR setups in these low-light tank environments
• The app: the Singapore Oceanarium mobile app (launched July 2025) carries the daily schedule, AR features at specific exhibits, and zone-by-zone navigation. Download it before you arrive

What to Combine With Your Visit

The Singapore Oceanarium sits within the same resort complex as several other major Sentosa attractions. Planning a full day on Sentosa is easy if you map it in advance.

Best pairings for a full-day Sentosa visit:

• Singapore Oceanarium + Adventure Cove Waterpark: the strongest family combination. Do the aquarium in the morning (10am–1pm), break for lunch, then the waterpark in the afternoon. Combo tickets are available. Best for families and groups
• Singapore Oceanarium + Universal Studios Singapore: both are high-ticket, full-morning attractions, so this combination requires either a very early start or spreading across two visits. Best for older children and adults
• Singapore Oceanarium + Wings of Time: the aquarium in the morning, Wings of Time (the outdoor light and water show) in the evening. A low-effort, high-satisfaction day — the two attractions don't overlap in energy or style
• Singapore Oceanarium + Skyline Luge Sentosa: a good option if you want to balance the indoor, slow-paced aquarium with something active and outdoor. Works well for mixed groups

If this is your first visit to Singapore and you want a single curated list of what's actually worth your time across the island, Travjoy's top 20 Singapore experiences covers the full range — from wildlife and nature to food and nightlife — each vetted and reviewed by local experts.

Planning Your Visit

S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore — now the Singapore Oceanarium — is a substantially more capable attraction post-2025 than the version that many older reviews describe. The 22-zone layout, the live presentations, and the scale of the Open Ocean habitat make a strong case for the ticket price, particularly for families or anyone with a genuine interest in marine life.

Go on a weekday, arrive at 10am, download the app before you leave, and plan your session around at least one scheduled feeding talk. Those three adjustments will give you a meaningfully better visit than the majority of reviews online currently describe.

For more help planning your time on the island, explore everything Singapore has to offer on Travjoy — from Sentosa day trips to the best wildlife experiences across the city.