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Besides renowned tourist attractions in Nha Trang, the Institute of Oceanography is one of the must-visit places when visiting this beach city. This is an educational site that is favoured by both locals and domestic tourists, as it consists of both exhibitions of sea creatures and nice spots for taking photos. Join Asia King Travel and have a quick look at the Institute.
The Institute of Oceanography is an institute focusing on marine flora and fauna. This is one of the earliest scientific research facilities in Vietnam and is also considered the largest marine research center in Southeast Asia.
The Institute of Oceanography is considered the largest marine research center in Southeast Asia
When visiting the Institute, you will have the opportunity to see the Marine Biology Museum with thousands of specimens that have been collected and preserved for many years, along with live specimens kept in glass tanks. The Institute was once voted as one of the 10 attractive historical and cultural tourist destinations.
The Institute of Oceanography was founded on September 14, 1922 in the French Colonial era, with an initial name of the Indochina Department of Oceanography and Fisheries (Service Océanographique des Pêches de l'Indochine). With a history of more than a century, the institute has made an important contribution to the research and conservation of marine ecosystems in Vietnam as well as the region of Southeast Asia.
Currently, the Oceanographic Museum is focusing on upgrading, expanding and developing into a complete complex including marine life tanks for research, sightseeing, as well as community education. Also, this is the largest marine life specimen storage system in Vietnam. Many specimens have been sent to many different laboratories abroad and many museums around the world.
The Institute of Oceanography attracts the interest of both domestic and foreign tourists
The mission of the Institute of Oceanography is not only to research but also to educate the community, conserve marine resources and promote sustainable development. Through exhibitions and educational activities, the institute hopes to raise public awareness of the importance of the ocean and the need to protect the marine environment.
From Nha Trang Ward, visitors can easily reach the Institute of Oceanography by many different means. The most convenient and popular means of transport for visitors are motorbikes or buses.
If you are traveling by motorbike, from April 2 Square in Nha Trang ward, move about 4 kilometers southeast via Tran Phu Street to reach the Institute. And if you want to travel by bus, you just need to stand in the central area of Nha Trang, choose bus number 4, and the last stop is the Institute of Oceanography.
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When talking about the Institute of Oceanography, people would always mention the Oceanographic Museum. It has been very famous since the 1930s, and it is also the top educational attraction in Nha Trang that is visited by lots of local families.
The Oceanographic Museum is the most famous attraction in the Institute
Here, visitors will be able to see countless types of marine creatures swimming in glass tanks, from familiar animals such as fish, crabs and squids to rare marine creatures such as sharks, dolphins or stingrays. Observing their shapes and daily activities will bring visitors an interesting and unforgettable experience.
In addition to the beauty of tropical marine species, visitors can also see more than 10,000 species of creatures in the South China Sea that are being preserved. The collection of marine specimens includes species present in the seas of Vietnam, Cambodia and neighboring waters, including rare and endangered marine mammals such as Dugong.
There are thousands of specimens carefully preserved in the Institute
In particular, the museum is preserving and displaying a giant whale skeleton nearly 18 meters long and 3 meters high that has been buried underground in the Red River Delta for at least 200 years. This is truly an extremely valuable natural historical relic.
The exhibition area of Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands is designed in a tunnel through Bao Dai mountain, which is nearly 100 meters long and about 5 meters high. The exhibition contains many marine biological samples collected from small islands. The institute also collects and preserves some rare fish and coral species, and conducts breeding and reproduction to serve research purposes.
There is a miniature landmark outside the exhibition
In addition, the institute's exhibition area also possesses many geological samples as solid evidence affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands. There is also a miniature landmark, which is a meaningful check-in photo spot for visitors when visiting the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography.
The Institute of Oceanography has plenty of interesting and attractive things that attract visitors’ great attention. However, when coming here, you need to know the following tips to have a better experience.
At the entrance to the sightseeing areas, there are always signs stating the requirements to be followed. Visitors must comply with the regulations, such as not making noise or feeding the creatures with food brought along. Especially, when visiting the specimen storage area, visitors must be extremely careful, avoid touching or joking around, causing damage to the artifacts inside.
If you want an informative yet fascinating site for your journey in Nha Trang, especially to explore Vietnam’s rich marine biodiversity, then Institute of Oceanography would be a perfect choice. With impressive collections of specimens and exhibitions, the destination offers both educational value and entertainment purposes. To have a more enjoyable experience in the Institute, feel free to reach out to us for the best travel tips in Nha Trang.
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