Piranhas – Ferocious River Monsters, etc. at the KLCC Aquaria (Part 1)

KLCC Aquaria had become a goal. I have always wanted to check it out to compare it with similar places of its kind, especially with our Manila Ocean Park. So before flying back to Manila, I took the direct Pasar Seni train (the one near Central Market and Jalan Petaling) to KLCC. From there, it was a long walk amidst the alleys within the KLCC. It took me to the basement, then through the parking area. Finally, I saw the nondescript entrance of the KLCC Aquaria.

The Aquaria is an underwater park located beneath the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC). It houses over 250 different species of aquatic and land animals, spread across 60,000 square feet of dimly lit, albeit strategically planned galleries. Highlighting this visit are its two top attractions: 1) the 90-meter long underwater tunnel, which compared to its counterpart in Bangkok (Siam Ocean World) and Manila, has to be the longest in Asia; 2) the Piranha Feeding Show!

In this first parter, we feature the dreaded and vicious Piranhas! Piranhas belong to a group of freshwater fish that originate from the South American rivers, notoriously feared for their sharp teeth and voracious appetite for meat! Though aquarium-variety piranhas have been introduced in the U.S., most are found in the Brazilian basins, Venezuela, Guyana, and even in Asia - the Kaptai Lake in south-east Bangladesh!

Ferocious Reputation and Myths

As published at a New York Times article, Piranha has a reputation as a fearless fish who hunt their prey in ferocious packs. However, recent research, which "started off with the premise that they school as a means of cooperative hunting", discovered that they were in fact rather fearful fish, like other fish, who schooled for protection from their predators, such as cormorants, caimans and dolphins. Piranhas are "basically like regular fish with large teeth".

There are various myths about piranhas such as how they can dilacerate a human body or cattle in seconds. These myths refer specifically to Pygocentrus nattereri, the red piranha – the species showcased at the Aquaria. Another myth is that they can be attracted by blood and are exclusive carnivores. When hungry, they feed on their own kind; in fact, piranhas that get caught by fishing rods are attacked by their own! That’s how ridiculously nasty they are!

On point of comparison, the collection of animals spotlighted at the Aquaria doesn’t overshadow those eye-popping, more eccentric species found at the newer Manila Ocean Park, but in terms of area and presentation (Manila’s displays are a tad too tight and cramped together), MOP can learn a lesson or two on space allocation and presentation. The underground tunnel at the KLCC Aquaria is also longer by 60%; and Singapore’s Ocean Adventure’s underground tunnel is almost 4x longer!

In this 1^st part, we are featuring the piranhas and some of the other creepy crawlies.

Ready to gnaw! This photo only courtesy of wikipedia's alexdi.

Lethal dentition of a piranha. This photo only courtesy of wikipedia's sarefo.

Ordinary? Not so. This frog is as big as a watermelon!

Admission Price: 38 ringgit ($11.40 or PhP521) for adults – 13 years and older; 26 ringgit ($7.80/PhP367) for children and 18 ringgit for seniors. This rate is cheap compared to Bangkok’s 850 baht ($25 or PhP1,185); Manila Ocean Park’s entrance costs PhP400 ($8.70 or 287 baht) – the cheapest among the tree! Free entrance for children below 3 years old!

Opening Hours: 11AM-8PM daily; last ticket sold at 7PM. Kindly call (603) 2333-1888 in advance for convenience.

Visit their site for updates and more information: http://www.aquariaklcc.com/klaquaria/

For comparison, check out the following:

Siam Ocean World, Bangkok: http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2008/09/siam-ocean-world-wet-and-wild-in.html

Manila Ocean Park: http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2008/04/manila-ocean-park.html.

Check out Parts 2 to 4 of this series:

Part 2 - Tarantula, Butterflies, Eels and Horseshoe Crabs - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/01/klcc-aquaria-part-2-tarantulas.html

Part 3 – Sharks and the Underground Tunnel - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/01/klcc-aquaria-part-3-sharks-and.html

Part 4 - Moon Jellies and the Souvenir Shop - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/01/klcc-aquaria-part-4-moon-jellies-and.html

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Bangkok Not Dangerous - And Its Rich City Vibe

Nicolas Cage explores the underbelly of Bangkok’s backroads and alleyways in the Pang Brother’s remake of their own “Bangkok Dangerous” – a more solid, glossier, hipper original version. But for the ordinary tourist, there is – almost – nothing dangerous about the capital. In fact, I find it so chaotically relaxed (much like Saigon's touted "organized chaos"), with the locals numbingly preoccupied making ends meet.

On my nth visit to this bustling city, I was in a dilemma what to do with my time. To be honest, I didn’t wanna do anything touristy. I have mostly meandered every tourist spot that needed to be seen. In Londony parlance, been there and done that. After a derisively ambitious overland travels, I was intent on enjoying this city vibe; to immerse myself in everything that a cosmopolitan rush offers!

NORTHFACE DANGEROUS

My brother had been pestering me about some brands of Northface bags that I don’t even use myself. I was supposed to buy them in Hanoi, but I couldn’t find them at the Vinaconnex Mall. Vietnam is apparently known to manufacture these world class bags, and in roadside outlets, these are sold as overruns at a fraction of their original selling price abroad. So – I scampered to a specialty Northface store at the posh Siam Discovery’s second floor. However, as I gradually enumerated the brands that my brother texted, it slowly dawned on me how impossibly lavish these bags were. The countdown of prices was in fact, making me unceremoniously sweat. There were medium sized backpacks to the tune of PhP12,000 ($258 or 8,784 baht) … Php16,000 ($386.30 or 13,200baht)! This was ridiculous! This made Bangkok dangerous, in my book. As fate would have it, most of the names I inquired were not available, except for one that was too big! So … I was keeping my fingers cross that I would find them somehow in Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon where i will be in a few days time. My earlier visit to Isetan was also fruitless. The brand has been pulled out. My frustration sent me queueing to the last full show of this newly released film called “Good Morning, Luang Prabang” (Sabaidee Luang Prabang) – which I’ll probably review next post. It was such a nice welcome to cap my departure from Laos with a feature length movie about it!

Giant mangoes (as big as coconuts) and giant atis (sugar apples) in sidewalks. Unfortunately, these are very expensive commodities - $7.30 or 250 baht a piece.



ENDLESS SCAMS IN BANGKOK

Of course there were more encounters with the taxi and tuktuk drivers. When you visit Bangkok, it’s almost impossible not to encounter these touts. You call for a taxi, then he takes you to some gem shop, leather shop or silk shop FIRST before taking you to your destination. In the process, you will be forced to buy item from these shops. These drivers are then given gas coupons from the shop owners. This practice has been so annoyingly patronized that most drivers won’t even bother to take you to your destination unless you allow them to take you to these shops first. Beware of those yellow-and-green taxis. Unfortunately, these taxis are numerous in the capital! Just make sure you state your destination clearly and insist on no gem shop detours! It pays to be emphatic!


Bangkok is a relatively inexpensive place for backpackers. This is the reason why Bangkok is well loved by the cash-strapped backpackers who invariably get first-world conveniences from their dollar. They turn into overnight big spenders in Bangkok!
The malls in Bangkok open at 10AM and close at 10PM.

A view from the top floor of the Siam Paragon. The guards here are so strict in allowing photographs taken on this floor - which is also the cinema area. Last time i was here - last June, I got scolded for taking a photo and when I asked why, they just replied with a stern face! How can you say that something is forbidden without giving a reason for it?



THE PINOY DIGITAL WAVE IN A UNIVERSAL PERSPECTIVE

There was another movie that I could NOT miss watching and that was M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening, which I went to see at MBK’s 5th floor – a multiplex of cinema houses which they call SF Cinema. Now here’s the interesting thing about watching “The Happening” in Bangkok. This was screened as a digital movie and as such, was to be mounted on a digital screen cinema. This means, the ticket price is 30 baht more expensive, since the digital medium is considered as a newer state-of-the-art medium. So – I was sitting there – pulling off 2 pieces of garlic-flavored chicken drumsticks from my backpack (which is NOT allowed in the cinema – hehe). To my surprise, THIS digital movie boasts of sparkling cinematography that is 5 million light years better than ANY of the digital films that I have EVER seen in the Philippines! THIS digital screening is far removed from the poor picture quality (washed up colors, wavy disproportionate images) that the pinoy digital wave has so far been almost exclusively known for (I am of course referrring to those lucky enough to be screened in commercial theaters). And ain’t that a shame?

I watch most digital movies that come my way so this observation is far from being subjective! So far, the acceptable ones that I have seen are those directly shown at the CCP. But we can’t always go to CCP for our digital fix, can we? My point here is, once the paying public has inculcated in their psyche that a digital movie is a no-budget, poor visual quality medium, most of these paying audience would rather NOT suffer-and-pay for these inadequacies. It is not enough that this specialized medium doles out alternative stories and quirky narratives not otherwise seen in mainstream movies. They have to somehow show the paying public that there is an actual budget allotted to tell their interesting stories. In short, gagastusan mo ba ang isang pelikulang mukhang hindi naman ginastusan? The answer is all too obvious – and if the ongoing trend goes on, the general public will catch up and spend their money where stories are tepid and trite, but the visuals are clear and sparkling. Movie going experience is, after all, a visual treat. It is food for the thought.


My favorite time in Bangkok - leisurely viewing an open-air gallery featuring about 50 huge photos from the different landscapes all over the world. I was simply bowled over by the photographs' stark beauty!


A huge ball that was going to be rolled off a ledge infront of Central World Mall and Isetan. I actually discovered that it is possible to walk from the Siam Paragon and MBK to the Central World Mall at the Pratunam. From there, Indra Regent Hotel is just 4-5 blocks away.


New eye-catchers at the predeparture area of Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok. These structures will greet everyone after clearing with the immigration on your way to your predeparture area. Donations are encouraged. The money will go to a foundation seeking to preserve the Thai culture.




Random Expenditures:
· Taxi from within Pratunam to MBK Mall – $1.19 or 40 baht or PhP54.50
· MBK Food Court – Fried Pork with rice – $1.32 or 45 baht or PhP61.30
· 1 piece of giant atis (sugar apple aka annona squamosa) – $7.32 or 250 baht or PhP340.50
· Siam Ocean World (at the swanky Siam Paragon) entry fee – $21.95 or 750 baht or PhP1020.50
· Dinner at a noodle house across MBK – Pad Thai – $2.05 or 70 baht or PhP95.36
· Dinner at a noodle house across MBK – Fried pork – $2.05 or 70 baht or PhP95.36
· Sago-like dessert – $1.17 or 40 baht or PhP54.50
· Coke in can – $0.44 or 15 baht or PhP20.45
· Movie ticket for “The Happening” at a digital cinema – $4.70 or 160 baht or PhP218
· Postcard stamp to the Philippines at the Suvarnabhumi Airport post office – $0.58 or 20 baht or PhP28.45
· Original DVDs at different shops – range from 120 baht to 250 baht to 450 baht ($3.50 to $13)
· Taxi from Pratunam to airport (including tip) – $8.80 or 300 baht or PhP407

Manila Ocean Park

I am not a “fish person”. As I child, I never liked food that came from the ocean. These days, I have learned to patronize fish meals. On a more diversionary habit, I have learned to appreciate aquariums and anything that simulates underwater environs. My mother has nurtured one for several years now, and I loved the gigantic fish tank bearing salt water creatures back where I trained. It had corals that would “flower” during the daytime, then retract to sleep at night. It had clownfish, a lion fish, brittle stars and sea horses.

Recently, my dear friend Chiqui invited me to visit the newly opened Manila Ocean Park (MOP). I have to admit that the prospect of seeing my dear friend excited me more than fish-watching, so – I went! Located at the reclaimed area, at the back of Quirino Grandstand, just beside the Floating Hotel & Restaurant and Manila Hotel, it was obvious that things weren’t quite finished yet – but, they’re getting there.

There was a small fountain in front of the steps leading to the Park. Chiqui and I decided to head down when the park opens at 10 AM (it closes at 6 PM). I met her by the steps so we bought our tickets as we queued among what looked like an already-busy day. We were given a brochure/map as we queued again, waiting for out turn to get inside the main park this time. There was a long line of seats waving through the foyer where we waited for a few minutes. Meanwhile, the line of visitors has started to balloon outside, and down the steps. I did not envy them. It was hot outside and the 36-degree ray of sun was uncomfortable and painful. A lot of these people would fry under such heat. About 15 minutes later, we got inside an open-air park, congested with people milling around the walls of green – ferns and mosses – and on ground level, big fish tanks.

The next area was through a wooden stairway that would spiral down a dark room. This was an enclave of small aquariums placed beside each other; each one highlighting a coral formation, a crustacean, a fish, a sea mammal. Though the area is decidedly cramped into inadequate space where guests could hardly move, and the fish tanks were obviously smaller than I believe they should be, the species inhabiting this masikip area were jaw-dropping!

I am no fish person, but I was blown away by the beauty of such creatures! The corals looked like drawn and hand-painted living beings, and many of the species of fish looked so out-worldly, they might as well be “alien species”. Though I mistakenly brought my hp camera with me (which is BAD with no-flash photography, the only picture-taking allowed inside – or risk the consequences, as warned), I took shots of those that I could! I missed carrying my Cannon G9 which was excellent even with low light situations. Herewith, I am sharing the few good shots that I was able to take, which does not even come close to the jaw-dropping spectacle and beauty that I witnessed at the park!

As you leave each area, you aren’t allowed to go back to the previous, so people are advised to make the most of each section. After the dark room, the next section turns into a gigantic aquarium, with overhead and wall-to-wall glasses surrounding you. There are manta rays smoothly gliding above you. I have heard of comments comparing it with establishments of the same kind from its Asian neighbors, even the ones in Brisbane and Bangkok, but hey, let’s not nitpick. For its admission price of PhP 400 (about $10) for adults and P350 for children, this will obviously suffice! And as I have to reiterate, the current collection is a spectacular and mind-boggling eye candy!

I recently read an article from the PDI about the Manila Ocean Park saying it "cannot handle its own success". With a daily admission of 3,000, their management did not seem to expect such success – and it showed! A weekend ago, crowd once again fried under the sun, queuing for tickets – for 2 to 3 hours! I’ve heard hearsays that this is a Singapore-Filipino consortium. Let’s see if this group will be able to maintain its array of magnificent creatures. My friend Chiqui wanted to see it before the number of unique, out-worldly creatures dwindle and flitter away. She predicted that in time, there will be 30 to 50 % less variety. Let’s hope not!

At the back of these fish tanks, you are ushered to a fine dining restaurant facing the calm seas, where you can gaze at the horizon, brushed with the bluest of skies and whisps of feathery clouds. From such vantage point, Manila Bay has reclaimed its beauty.

If you do not like crowds, you probably would want to skip the MOP, but it’s not everyday that one gets to witness an amazing array of sea creatures that I never knew existed! Though comparably less in scope and grandeur of its contemporaries, MOP is still a must-see! Without the hassle of a plane ride, etc. – Manila residents should take advantage of the MOP, while it still thrives with underwater life. It is also rumored that these dirt-cheap rates might be hiked in 6 month’s time! So, run now!!!



Rates of other similar-themed parks:
Hong Kong Ocean Park – HK$ 19.50 (PhP 104), Sea World in Queensland – Australian $ 33 (PhP 1,281), Siam Ocean World at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon – B750/adult (PhP 988), Kuala Lumpur’s Aquaria (which features piranhas) – MR 38 (PhP513.50), Singapore’s Underwater World in Sentosa – Singapore $17.30 ($70 if you swim with the dugong) ; Shanghai Ocean Aquarium – 120 RMB (PhP 840), London Aquarium at the South Bank (near the London Eye) – 13.25 pounds (Php 1,090), Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour – Aust $29.50 (PhP 1,144). London's ambitious Biota! is expected to open in 2010!
This is how the whole complex will look in a few months. Presently, scaffolds cover most of the facade of the park.

Silhouettes of shark larvae seen through these transparent eggs.

Fine dining, anyone?

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Update: August 2008

Bangkok's Siam Ocean World - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2008/09/siam-ocean-world-wet-and-wild-in.html

Update: January 2010

Malaysia's KLCC Aquarium - Piranhas, Part 1: http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/01/piranhas-ferocious-sea-monsters-etc-at.html