Shark Reef

Description:

• The Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay is an attraction that appeals to adults and kids. Tucked away in the back of Mandalay Bay by their conference rooms, the Shark Reef is a small exhibit, but stocked with a very unusual combination of creatures.
  
  The jungle-ish feeling of the Shark Reef is enhanced by mist and faux stone artifacts, which go well with the giant reptiles and crocodiles. You'll see piranhas, eels, and jelly fish, and the baby sting ray display gives you the chance to touch the animals. 
  
  The star attraction is the shark tank, but you'll see more than sharks here. This is where a ship wreck and a submarine meet. Large windows into the aquarium are all around, and you'll see more than one type of shark swimming past. Giant sea turtles are also drifting around in there, and the best way to see everything is to stop and take a while to watch what's swimming above and below you. Don't be afraid to wander back into the galleries before; it does feel like the ride comes to an end too soon, so to speak, so you can go back and take a second look.
  
  The wands that are offered are worth the time it takes to stop and listen to each presentation. You'll learn more than you expected--and in Las Vegas, no less. The Shark Reef is an accredited aquarium, the only one in Nevada, and it's also the only predator-based aquarium in North America.
  
• © NileGuide2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010