Coex Aquarium Seoul Review: Parking & Visitor Guide

Hi there! :)

It's Kkurin, back at it again after a busy season of real life! 🥰

Today, I'm writing a review of my recent trip to #CoexAquarium

and sharing all the details!

Since I spent so much time hunting for tips before going myself, haha,

I've put together everything in one place so you don't have to search all over!

Sea Life Coex Aquarium

🐳 Open Daily 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Last Entry 7:00 PM)

🐳 No Outside Food or Drinks Allowed

First up, the thing you're probably most curious about: parking!

If you search other blogs, here is the most common tip you'll find: ⬇️

[ Parking Tip 1 ]

Coex North Gate (Gate 4)

Basement Level 2 (B2)

Blue Zone, Areas 18–20

But when you actually go (especially on a weekend afternoon),

1. You won't find a spot on B2, and

2. You won't even be able to get to Blue Zone Area 18! 😭

So, here is my personal secret tip!

Of course, parking there would be ideal, but if you can't,

⬇️ try parking here instead:

[ Parking Tip 2 ]

Basement Level 3 (B3), Blue Zone 60s Area

(61E is the closest spot!)

*Note: Coex dynamically adjusts the flow of traffic depending on the parking volume that day.

If you park here, you'll be right in front of the door leading to the escalator!

One thing to keep in mind:

1) There are only escalators here, no elevators.

2) You can't take open strollers on it, so you'll have to fold them up! 💦

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Second, the notoriously high Coex parking fees.

How do we handle them?

= Visitors to Coex Aquarium can get 4 hours of parking for ~$3

BUT, pre-registration at the machine inside the aquarium is absolutely required!

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As you walk through the aquarium,

you'll find this parking validation machine

not too far from the entrance!

Make sure you don't forget to register here, absolutely without fail!!!!!

What if (like me) you use Kakao T Parking

and received an entry notification?

= Don't worry, just register with the machine anyway!

It will be automatically applied when you leave!

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Third, can you grab a cup of coffee to sip on while exploring?

Buzzer sound—Nope, not allowed!

#SeaLifeAquarium has a strict no outside food or drinks policy.

I went after having a meal and brought a coffee with me,

but was told I couldn't enter, so I had to finish it all before going in, haha.

Just as a heads-up, there are vending machines and snack bars inside,

so you can use those if you need anything!

I also bought some water from the vending machine.

(~$1 for a bottle of Samdasoo water)

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Shall we head inside? 🥰

If you park in Area 61 and take the escalator up,

you'll see an optical shop on your left!

Turn left at the corner by the optical shop and walk straight,

and you'll see Sea Life right there! 🐳💙

If you purchased your tickets online,

head straight to the QR code entry on the left!

First up is the Starry Sea ✨

You can see dozens of different jellyfish species here!

The beautiful colorful lighting makes the whole space feel so dreamy and magical.

And of course, we couldn't skip the photo zones! haha

Haha, yep... the photo on the left is a little tunnel,

but if you're around 155 cm (about 5'1"), your head might actually get stuck!

I thought it was so funny that I had to take a picture. haha

The one on the right lets you pop your head up from underneath to take a photo.

It was a bit of a tight squeeze for an adult,

but kids would absolutely love playing in here! haha

Next up is the Our Native Fish Zone!

This area introduces various fish species native to Korea,

along with those that we need to protect and preserve.

It introduces local fish found in Korea's rivers and streams based on water quality grades,

and educates visitors on why we should protect them.

Since this is a popular spot for families,

I loved that it wasn't just about looking at fish,

but also offered great educational moments for the little ones! haha

There were also amphibians like frogs and toads around,

but I totally forgot to take photos of those little guys... ^^;;

But it was still super fun trying to spot where they were hiding! haha

Adults like me and Taetae, the kids next to us, and their parents—

literally everyone was searching for them together like a big team! haha

On one side, there was a tank with carp and various river fish,

along with a capsule vending machine to buy fish food.

Note that this feeding experience is only open at specific times!

If you want to try it out, I highly recommend checking the schedule beforehand. 👍

From here, the vibe shifts to an Amazonian jungle!

I spotted a giant Pirarucu (just like the one in Animal Crossing!),

and of course, you can't have a jungle zone without piranhas, right?

There was even a giant catfish that was absolutely massive!

At first glance, I honestly didn't even think it was a fish. haha

After getting a little spooked by those giant fish,

you get to meet these!!! super!!! cute!!!

Otters! 🦦🦦 haha

There was barely anyone standing in front of the piranhas,

but the otter exhibit was absolutely packed with people.

I had to squeeze in just to get a quick peek! haha

Past the otters is the Ocean Kingdom!

Isn't this area the real highlight of any aquarium?

First, we head towards the opposite side (?) of the main ocean tank.

And on the way there, you'll find Deep Blue Square,

a cozy spot where you can grab light snacks and sit down to rest!

Keep this in mind for your visit! 🐳

Alright, now shall we head over to see the main attraction—the Undersea Tunnel?

Maybe because we entered at 6 PM on a Saturday,

but by the time we reached the tunnel, it was almost completely empty!

We had the whole place to ourselves to snap as many photos as we wanted!

If you're looking to get that perfect, Instagram-worthy shot,

I highly recommend aiming for a slot close to closing time! haha!!

Besides this spot, there are round, window-like viewing ports,

and tons of other great photo zones. Get ready to strike a pose!

Once you make your way through the tunnel tank,

you'll find an exhibition zone dedicated to endangered marine life.

And here is the most famous one of all—the Axolotl!

Did you know that black axolotls actually exist?...

This was honestly my very first time finding out! haha

They're actually this tiny in real life!

Right past the axolotls, you'll greet the penguins!

When I visited, they were all completely absorbed in soaking up the warm light, haha.

Once you've seen the penguins, you've reached the end!

Now, a quick warning to all the parents out there—hold onto your wallets...

Because next up is the gift shop! lol

I was so busy sweeping up goodies that I forgot to take photos,

but the prices weren't ridiculously high compared to other souvenir shops,

and the quality was actually really great!

And! If you're an Animal Crossing fan,

you have to get this! It's only ~$1!

I found this hidden gem while carefully browsing through the shelves,

and it's an L-type folder!

And it's only ~$1, seriously! haha

I ended up grabbing two of them! There's only one design available.

I was also heavily debating whether to get the garden eel fridge magnet too,

but I managed to hold back... haha.

Watch out for your wallets, everyone! 💦

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Since Taetae and I last visited when we were twenty, it's been almost 10 years.

I was so curious to see how much it had changed,

and it was so completely revamped that both Taetae and I

had an absolutely amazing time exploring!

The tickets are more affordable than Aqua Planet, and there are plenty of discounts available,

so I highly recommend it for a #SamseongStationIndoorDate or a cool #SummerDateCourse! 👍💙