Built in 1904, the Waikiki Aquarium is the third oldest aquarium in the country and is located right next to the Waikiki Beach and just in front the Kapiolani Park. The aquarium currently serves as home to over five hundred different aquatic species and 3,000 different specimens overall. It?s the aquarium to visit if you want to get up close and personal with a rare pair of Hawaii monk seals, an endangered species. It?s also the place to go to if you want to see with your own two eyes an octopus able to open a jar. Other amazing sights you can enjoy at the aquarium include meeting the real-life counterparts of Disney?s cartoon characters Dory and Nemo.

One of the greatest accomplishments of the aquarium is no doubt its NW Hawaiian Islands Exhibit, which includes the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. This incredible monument serves as haven for more than seven thousand aquatic species (25% of this number are endemic only to Hawaii), making it one of the largest marine conservation projects in the world.