Sea Lion Point in Atlantis

Have you ever been able to interact with sea lions? Well, let me tell you, Sea Lion Point was an unforgettable experience. Within the Atlantis Resort and Spa in Dubai, we had the amazing opportunity to participate in a sea lion encounter. This experience was so fun, and I would highly recommend it if you are staying at Atlantis. 

Sea Lions

Sea lions are incredible animals. They get their name from the mane of long hair around the face, resembling that of a lion. There are a ton of interesting facts about these sea animals. First of all, sea lions are super fast and strong. While swimming, they can reach speeds of twenty miles per hour in the water, which is insane. They use their long fore-flippers to gain power and their hind flippers to steer. They use all four flippers to walk on land, which is one of the features that make them different from seals. Have you ever wondered why sea lions look up into the sky when they lay in the sun? Well, the reason for this is because the capillaries are close to the surface of the skin. So, they can catch sunbeams to warm their body.

Sea lions eat many different things in the ocean. They like a variety of different fish including anchovies, herring salmon, squids, and sardines. They don’t use their teeth to chew food, instead, they completely swallow it whole. They can dive to depths of 300 meters as they hunt for food. The average life span of a sea lion is about 20-30 years. Interestingly enough, trainers can determine their age by counting the growth layers in their teeth, just like the rings in a tree trunk.

The Encounter

In Atlantis, they had a total of six sea lions to swim and interact with. We got very lucky because our trainers, Jen and Coco, gave us a VIP encounter with Sanga. Sanga is a beautiful thirteen-year-old, 130 lbs sea lion. Not only did she wave for us, but she also stuck out her tongue to take photos. We got to swim and pose with her for pictures. We are so grateful that Jen and Coco went out of their way to make our experience even more special.

One of the biggest surprises we have experienced in Dubai was seeing how many animals they have from all over the world. Not only were we able to see them, but we got to interact and swim with them, which was so fun! These animals are so amazing, which is why it’s important for us, as humans, to keep our oceans clean. It’s important to protect these amazing creatures of the sea. In Dubai, everyone, especially the trainers, was very passionate about waste in the ocean because they have seen firsthand how much it affects these amazing animals. Plastic is ruining their environment and putting sea lions on the endangered list.

If you’re a lover of sea animals, then Sea Lion Point is for you. Atlantis also offers a dolphin encounter, which I’m sure would be just as fun. Thanks for reading along. If you would like to read more about our previous adventures in Dubai, you can catch up here. I hope this inspires you to see the world!