Oceanarium Bournemouth, Bournemouth (must see)

Situated on Bournemouth’s seafront, the Oceanarium offers visitors a journey around the waters of the world. 10 recreated environments include the Amazon, Key West, the Mediterranean, Abyss, and the Great Barrier Reef. The Oceanarium is home to the world’s first Interactive Dive Cage, which submerges users in a 270-degree virtual view of the ocean.

Interactive touch technology brings visitors up close to computer generated sea creatures including a dolphin, manta ray and shark through a series of animated experiences, games and challenges. It also features an amazing encounter with a blue whale that swallows the Cage, taking visitors on a journey through its digestive system. Launched in June 2008, the Oceanarium’s interactive feature, Global Meltdown, looks into the potential effects of global warming. Visitors are transported to an imagined time in the future when sea levels have risen to such an extent that tropical fish and sharks swim through the streets of London. The Oceanarium is home to hundreds of creatures from across the globe. The Oceanarium welcomes in excess of 225,000 visitors per year and in November 2008, the Oceanarium was announced as Tourism Attraction Experience of the Year at Bournemouth’s annual Tourism Awards. The attraction is owned by Spanish leisure giant Parques Reunidos, who operate 67 parks across the world.