Fakieh Aquarium

Fakieh Aquarium is a marine exhibition on Jeddah's north corniche, just off Al Kurnaysh Road, and the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. Families come to see Red Sea life up close without any need for scuba gear. More than 200 species live in its tunnels and large tanks, and around 85 percent are native to the reefs off Jeddah. A walk through the acrylic tunnel brings you past guitarfish, zebra sharks, giant groupers and sand tiger sharks. Elsewhere, look for upside-down jellyfish, garden eels that bob in the sand, leafy sea dragons and four Humboldt penguins from Peru. Information is given in English and Arabic, and the tour ends at a tank of softly lit jellyfish. The aquarium opens at 10:00 from Sunday to Thursday and closes at 23:00. Tickets cost SAR 55, and children under two enter free. Upstairs are prayer rooms, a gift shop and a cafe serving fast food. The setting gives the visit its meaning. The building stands within earshot of the Red Sea, and its collection draws mainly on Jeddah's own coral reefs, home to creatures found nowhere else, such as the sohal surgeonfish. Staff also explain how endangered animals, including giant turtles, have been rescued after injury or illness and released once they recover.