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For those looking to explore Guam’s beauty both above and below the surface, Fish Eye Marine Park has you covered - and you don’t even have to get wet.
Located by the Piti Bay Marine Preserve, spectators can view up to 200 species of fish and 100 types of coral. Upon entering on the observation deck above the water, visitors only need to walk 72 steps down a spiral staircase to stand 10 meters underwater. Natural coral surrounds 24 windows of the observatory, educating visitors about coral reef protection and providing a 360° view of Guam’s natural scenery.
Schools of barracuda and needle fish frequent the south side, while in the mid-depths of the water are bluefin trevally and unicorn fish. On the west side, colorful fish entertain guests and during nighttime, stingrays and blacktip sharks emerge.
“When you’re on the lower deck of the observatory, there’s no barriers - it’s all open waters,” HR Manager Jayme Bucek said. “We don’t bring fish in. It’s all natural.”
The observatory is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., seven days a week and Fish Eye also offers different optional tour packages. Other tours include sunset cruises, dolphin watching tours, snorkeling tours, and seawalker special tours that combine dolphin watching and observatory viewing.
“We work together with the Department of Agriculture to make sure that the coral and marine life are safe,” Bucek said. “Our staff also takes classes to keep up to date on everything.
“We get a lot of compliments from divers who say they have never been to a snorkeling spot with an abundant amount of fish and marine life,” Senior Manager Renny Loren added.
Across from the observatory, a restaurant and gift shop lines the interior of the green and white triangular building. Set in a natural tropical garden, the dining area houses tiki statues crafted by Pacific islanders.
The open air theatre includes a manmade lagoon, waterfall and a replica of a native bungalow. Visitors can experience the warm tropical ambience with live musical entertainment and of tiki statue carving demonstrations.
The lunch buffet, open seven days a week, includes specially prepared fish dishes, popular curry, and cold noodles (somen). During the Polynesian dinner shows, the buffet serves seafood.
“During the day, we focus on marine activity, and at night, we have Polynesian dinner shows,” Loren said. “Our show is different from others in that it’s more theatrical. The sound and lighting effects and a lot of our local dancers have really stepped it up. We have off-island dancers from Tahiti mixed with a lot of local dancers.”
For the full tropical island experience, visit Fish Eye Marine Park to see colorful fish, talented cultural performances, and a diverse menu of tasty food.
Fish Eye Marine Park
Tel: +1 671-475-7777 Hours: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 - 9 p.m. Tues.; Thurs. - Sun.; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon. and Wed. Address: 818 North, Marine Corps Dr, Piti, 96915, Guam URL General fees – Adult (12 years): $14, Child (6-11 years): $7, Child (0-5 years): Free - Group rates – Adult (12 years): $12, Child (6-11 years): $6, Child (0-5 years): Free - Military rate is available with ID - Present military or local ID for discount - Varies depending on the package
UnderWater World Guam
Imagine exploring 800,000 gallons of seawater without getting wet.
In the center of Guam’s metro, UnderWater World surrounds you with sharks, stingrays, sea turtles and thousands of other ocean animals.
“We are a family oriented business, and we target school groups to educate the public,” said retail manager Maryann Macaraeg. “We’re big on recycling, and we teach the young and old not to step on corals or litter at the beach.”
Located in Tumon, UnderWater World is one of the world’s largest tunnel-aquariums.
Visitors are offered many experiences, including shark feeding, sealife gallery, behind the seas tour, a trip to the gift shop, SeaTrek, treasure hunt, Dinner Under the Sea, and dinner at the Kaitei Lounge.
“It’s not just an aquarium, because we have about ocean safari tour during the day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and then we transform it into Dinner in the Sea from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.,” added Macaraeg.
One of the most popular activities — shark feeding — involves divers plunging into the aquarium to feed the sharks by hand.
“There’s a lot of misinterpretations about sharks. They’re usually more scared of you, and as long as you don’t have food, they’re not going to chase after you,” said Wilfred Meneses, a staffer at UnderWater World.
For customers who prefer observing animals, the sealife gallery exposes you to unique ocean creatures, including jellyfish, moray eels and clownfish. In the Underwater World labs, visitors can explore the secrets of the UnderWater World aquarium.
Those interested in a hands-on experience, the treasure hunt program offers you cool stickers and a prize to locate seven treasures in the aquarium.
So, the next time you book a field trip or family excursion to downtown Tumon, make sure to stop by UnderWater World to experience.
What to know
Tel: 671-649-9191 Hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily Address: 1245 Pale San Vitores Rd, Suite 450, Tumon, 96913, Guam URL
