A magical stroll along the ocean floor and our big, blue reset!

Underwater World Pattaya: A magical stroll along the ocean floor

After some incredible, bustling and sweltering moments at the floating market, we found ourselves in a place that absolutely stole our hearts. If you think Thailand is just about bustling, noisy streets and the scorching sun, Underwater World Pattaya will instantly prove just how wrong you are! Diving into this place was like stepping into a completely different, fairy-tale reality, and it was one of the most relaxing moments of our trip.

Face to face with a smiling stingray

Forget the ordinary aquariums you’re used to seeing in Europe. Here, a real highlight awaited us – a massive, over 100-metre-long acrylic tunnel! You step inside, and the blue water surrounds you on all sides. Suddenly, you realise you’re walking with dry feet right along the ocean floor, whilst absolutely incredible underwater life unfolds above your head. It’s a feeling that brings a smile from ear to ear!

Giant manta rays glided over our heads with incredible grace. Up close, they look like underwater birds, and the shape of their snouts gives you the impression that they’re smiling broadly at you the whole time. Alongside them, we were accompanied by majestic sharks, which, seen at such close quarters, inspire not fear but immense admiration, as well as thousands of beautiful, brightly coloured reef fish. It was like strolling through the set of the most beautiful live-action nature film.

Our big, blue reset

That long walk through the tunnel was our great blue reset. There was an incredible sense of calm there, which had a soothing effect on us. Seeing the underwater world up close awakened in us a pure, childlike fascination and the joy of discovery. We stood with our heads tilted back, marvelling at this vast, blue spectacle, and felt grateful to be able to see it all with our own eyes.

What happened next? The best was yet to come!

Did you know that the glass panes in this tunnel are over 6 centimetres thick to withstand the pressure of thousands of tonnes of water? We were 100 per cent safe there! This relaxing stop-off recharged our batteries completely, and you should know that we were going to need that energy very, very soon. Why?

Because as soon as the sun sets in Pattaya, the city sheds its peaceful, beachy façade and kicks into high gear! We were ready for a shockingly bright dose of neon lights on the famous ‘Sinful Street’ and for a culinary experiment that left us unable to believe what we’d just eaten for quite some time afterwards.