The Red Sea of Jeddah is home to a wide diversity of marine life, with a colorful reef and lots of species to see. The Red Sea’s warm waters favor the proliferation of life; the waters are known to harbor a great variety of fish, an incredible diversity of sharks and many species of coral.
There are around 20% of unique and rare fish in the Red Sea, such as the endangered Napoleon fish or Giant Wrasse, which can be seen at Jeddah’s Fakieh Aquarium, the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. It is named after the Fakieh family, who is known for their contributions to the development of Jeddah.
Inaugurated in 2008, the Fakieh Aquarium brings together all the major underwater species living in the Red Sea. It is home to more than two hundred marine animals, a real spectacle for all visitors. Some species, such as the green turtle or the dragon fish, are incredibly rare, so the aquarium offers a unique opportunity to see them up close.
Visitors will marvel at the aquarium’s long tunnels and large fish tanks where over 200 species live, around 85% of which come from Jeddah’s preserved coral reefs. The aquarium offers a colorful window onto the Red Sea; it is arguably the best way to experience firsthand the region’s underwater ecosystem. To the sound of meditative music, marine life aficionados will discover some of the Red Sea’s 800 creatures, found nowhere else on the planet. In total, guests can see close to seven thousand creatures.
Located in a prime location just off Al Kurnaysh Road on Jeddah’s north corniche overlooking the sea, the Fakieh Aquarium is a charming place that will delight young and old alike as the building also houses playgrounds and restaurants. Throughout the tour, detailed information is provided in English and Arabic. Visitors can find out why the Red Sea is called that way (the color of a specific type of algae), and learn about the specifics of a variety of fish, including the surprising life of the giant wrasse: all are born female before some morphing into males on maturity. The giant wrasse is dubbed either the ”king of the reefs” or the Napoleon. Their beauty is enhanced by the diagonal black lines running from their eyes, reminiscent of eyelashes. These bulbous creatures can reach 1.82 m and 200 kg.
Other attractions include the long garden eels, which likes to bob up and down in the sand as visitors approach; the upside-down jellyfish known as the Cassiopeia; the stonefish, which is deemed the most poisonous fish in the world, with enough poison to kill an adult human in under five minutes. There’s also the surgeonfish, an extremely territorial species endemic to the Red Sea and named for its scalpel-sharp fin.
And there are, of course, some of the most enigmatic animals living in the ocean: sharks. Sharks are extremely important to life underwater. Scientists have dubbed them “the doctors of the ocean”, as they help keep an equilibrium in the ecosystem by preying on the weak or unhealthy, whose genes won’t be passed on to the next generation. Visitors will be able to meet the bulky guitarfish, zebra sharks, giant groupers, and sand tiger sharks, which are the only shark known to gulp and store air in its stomach to maintain buoyancy.
There’s also marine life on show from the Arabian Gulf, Cape Verde, the Maldives, Japan, and Australia, along with four Humboldt penguins from Peru. Visitors will end their tour dazzled by the beauty of undulating jellyfish floating as if for eternity. The bright purple, green and blue of the jellyfish contrast with the deep blue of the water in the tank. A mesmerizing experience.
After having toured through the magnificent underwater tunnels that give the impression of being completely submerged under water, the aquarium also offers the possibility of swimming with dolphins. It is also possible to attend a show with sea lions and dolphins performing several types of amazing tricks. A memorable experience for all family members.
