See some sharks up close! (Deepsea World (Fife))

Member Name: dougal868

Product:	Deepsea World (Fife)
Date:	16/10/08 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Large underwater tunnel to see the fish/sharks up close

Disadvantages: Quite expensive

Deap Sea World is a large aquarium in Fife. It is in North Queensferry which is directly below the northern end of the famous Forth Bridge, about 20 minutes drive from Edinburgh. Our children (3 and 1) absolutely love it here and so far this year we've already visited 4 times!

So what is it? Deep Sea World is more than just an average aquarium! It has a huge amount of fish in various tanks, seals, feely pools, etc - all that you would expect really BUT it also has a huge glass tunnel that you can travel through via a conveyor. The tunnel really lets you feel as though you are entering the sea and you can see the fish up close doing what fish do! The best part about this is that there are quite a few sharks in the water and you really get to see them well. It's quite eerie to see a huge shark going right past your head but it's also amazing!! The tunnel is one of the longest in the world and apparently holds around a million gallons of water which is amazing enough before you even add in the fact that there's sharks in there!! There are lots of interesting facts posted around the tunnel too and sometimes (usually at feeding times when the divers are in with the fish and sharks) there will be a member of staff in the tunnel to tell you more about the different species, etc. The best thing about the tunnel is that you can go round as often as you want. This usually means that our 3 year old wants to go in around 6 or 7 times every time we go! And if you're feeling really brave you can even dive with the sharks! They even do children's dives!

The tunnel is no doubt the main attraction at Deep Sea World but there is also a lot of other things to see. As you enter the exhibition area there is a large open tank directly in front of you which has rays, starfish, etc in it. There are frequently members of staff in here to tell you more about the fish and they even let you stroke some of them - great for kids! There is also a large tank of pirahanas and various others like clown fish, seahorses, etc. but for me, the highlight of the tanks in this area is the Amazon display which actually rains on the fish and has the biggest cat fish I've ever seen! And the deadly tank which has the most dangerous species including a Stone Fish which, funnily enough, looks exactly like a stone and is quite hard to find!

Outside, you will find the seals (don't forget to go out to see them being fed) and there is also an exhibition of frogs and reptiles which has some amazingly coloured, exotic and no doubt very dangerous frogs!

Anything else? There is also a large cafe which looks out to the seals and Forth Bridge. The food here is standard sort of stuff - filled baguettes, chips, baked potatoes, cakes, etc and isn't cheap but it's really not too bad and the view is nice! And you couldn't go to somewhere like this without checking out the gift shop (well, I couldn't anyway!) - lots of lovely soft toys (sharks, fish, frogs, animals, etc), games, pencils, mugs - the usual sort of stuff really. Again, not cheap but there are some nice mementos.

There is also now a children's soft play are in a temporary building in the carpark. Admission is free with your Deep Sea World ticket. The soft play isn't huge but has enough to keep kids amused while parents grab a coffee from the small cafe bar.

How much does it cost? Admission prices of £11.75 for adults and £7.75 for children (under 3's are free) makes Deep Sea World one of the most expensive attractions in the area. However, given the amount it must cost to keep the tunnel, tanks, etc maintained and the amount there is to see (we could easily spend most of a day here) I don't think the price is too bad really. To be honest, we live fairly locally and our children love it so much, we're considering buying an annual ticket!

Summary: A great day out - costs quite a lot but you could spend a long time here