Pusat Ikan Hiasan aka Ornamental Fish Aquarium @ Port Dickson
06.01.2020 by LadyAlly
As someone from Selangor, it is pretty convenient for us to visit Port Dickson, as it is only a 1.5 hour drive or so from city centre. But in all honesty, other than hanging around by the beach, there aren’t that many tourist attractions in this sleepy town.
We discovered this place by chance, and it isn’t very easy discover a place like this since the name and everything else is in Bahasa Melayu, our Malaysian national language. So this place can be considered a little hidden gem, managed by the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia).
The first place you would notice is a little area full of large blue tubs. To me, this is the highlight of the place since it isn’t everyday that you get up close with sea turtles. This area is called ‘Ruang Pameran Penyu‘, which translates to Turtle Display Area.
You can see some breeds of turtles and little cute turtle babies swimming around. To ensure no one smuggles one away, there is a net over the tub. I suppose it also assures cleanliness since there are always some people who just have to touch/carry/removes little animals for a photo op.
There is also adult turtles here and although there isn’t a net to cover the tub, you should not touch them. Why? It might just snap your fingers off. So just look, take a photo, admire how close you are to them although you aren’t underwater, and move on. It was hard to resist touching, but I really didn’t want to take the chance. There is also a signboard that says you aren’t allowed to touch the turtles as well.
Of course, the point of this aquarium is also for educational purposes. So, you get little snippets of information on the different exhibits and creatures you see, whether at the turtle area, or at the indoor aquarium exhibits. The only problem is that most of the information is in Bahasa Melayu, so you might have to just search the internet for information based on the scientific name.
Inside is air conditioned. You will find many different types of sea fishes, corals and sea creatures like seahorses in different aquarium setups. From lion fish to sea horses; sea anemone to coral fishes; you can even find a display area with ‘disco lights’.
#bbquah‘s favourite setup would be ‘Nemo’ and ‘Dory’, which is in fact a clown fish and blue tang fish. I think other than the turtles, this was her favourite.
Good news is that, entry to this place is free. Yes, you got that right – it is FREE entry. Visiting hours aren’t very long, and there isn’t ample parking, so be prepared for that. So if you are in Port Dickson for a staycation, you can pop by this little place for a look-see. The kids will enjoy it.
PUSAT IKAN HIASAN (ORNAMENTAL FISH AQUARIUM) PORT DICKSON
BUSINESS HOURS | Monday – Thursday: 8.30am – 4.30pm; Friday: 8.30am -12.15pm, 2.45pm – 4.30pm; Sat & Sun: 10am – 4pm
ADDRESS | Jalan Kemang 8, Kampung Baharu, 71050 Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan
PHONE | +606-662 1089
PARKING | RM3 per entry
MAP |
