Aquarium Tour & Wax Museum from Alanya

Antalya Aquarium and its Giant Tunnel

Antalya Aquarium stands near Konyaaltı Beach on the western side of Antalya and is one of the largest aquarium complexes in the world. Its star attraction is a vast walk-through tunnel, often described as the largest tunnel aquarium on earth, where sharks, rays and shoals of tropical fish swim over and around you. Along the way the tunnel passes themed scenes such as tropical reefs, the mythical lost city of Atlantis and a dramatic pirate shipwreck.

If you time your visit well, you may see one of the daily shark feeding sessions – ask at the entrance for the times. The tunnel is the moment most visitors remember, so take it slowly and look up as well as around. Flash photography and touching the animals are not allowed, to protect the marine life, but there are plenty of chances for great photos with natural light.

Seas and Rivers of the World

Before and after the tunnel, a series of themed aquariums takes you around the waters of the world. You see life from the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Atlantic and the Pacific, as well as the native underwater world of the Antalya coast. Other halls recreate great rivers such as the Nile and the Amazon and the waterways of Asia, with freshwater fish you rarely see elsewhere.

Look out for colourful coral reefs filled with clownfish, seahorses, lionfish, octopus and giant moray eels. The labels are clear and the route is easy to follow, so children love spotting the creatures they know. Allow at least an hour and a half for the aquarium on its own. It is fully indoors and air-conditioned, which makes it an ideal plan for a hot summer afternoon or a rare rainy day on the coast.

The Wax Museum

In the same complex, the wax museum is included in your entry. Its halls are filled with lifelike wax figures from history, the arts and sport, shown in detailed settings, and part of the fun is the creative green-screen studios where you can take souvenir photos in imaginative scenes.

A visit usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, and it is especially popular with teenagers and anyone who loves taking photos. Because you have entry to both attractions, you can choose the order yourself – many families do the aquarium first while the children are full of energy, then relax in the wax museum. Other attractions in the complex, such as Snow World or the XD cinema, are not part of this trip and can be bought separately on site if you wish.

Konyaaltı and the Trip from Alanya

How to get to Antalya Aquarium from Alanya is the main practical question, as the aquarium is on the far western side of Antalya, about two hours' drive along the coast. With the default option we pick you up from your hotel in Alanya at around 8:00 AM, drive past Side and Antalya, and bring you back to your hotel at the end of the visit – about 8 hours in total.

The aquarium sits just behind Konyaaltı Beach, a long pebbly bay framed by the Beydağları mountains, so you can enjoy the sea view before or after your visit. Is Antalya Aquarium worth visiting from Alanya? For families with children and anyone curious about sea life, the giant tunnel alone makes the journey worthwhile. Food and drinks are not included; there are cafés inside the complex.