Acuario de Veracruz

The Veracruz Aquarium is one of the most important sites for visitors to the Veracruz Puerto, that is, the city of Veracruz. The site opened in 1992 and set off a wave of aquarium building world wide. The largest in Latin America, it was actually expanded just eight years later and continues to be the most popular attraction in the port city. 

The aquarium today hosts nine big exhibition areas and is home to 250 different species of some 3,500 animals plus the plants and vegetation needed to support each species.

Every aquarium is probably only as famous as its shark exhibits, and Veracruz won't let you down. The Shark Tank here holds 912,000 liters and provides safe haven for tiger sharks and sand bar sharks. But they are really just the beginning. There is even a partially submerged plexiglass box that gives visitors the full submersion-with-sharks experience.

There are also fantastic exhibits of the Jungles of Tuxtla, tanks on the great reef systems, and exhibits on penguins, manatees, and dolphins. 

The Aquarium is at the forefront of reef and sea life conservation and so much of the attention is focused on Veracruz and Gulf of Mexico wildlife and sea conditions.  

The Varacruz Aquarium is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, the hours are just till 5:30 p.m. and you'll want to check on bigger holidays. The costs are mx$170 for adults and mx$110 for kids with the range of domestic discounts. 

The site is on the coast basically right in the center of town and just north of the Villa Del Mar area. Any taxi will get you there easily and there is limited parking too. It's a must-visit when you're anywhere on the Gulf Coast and a highlight to any visit to Veracruz.