| Owned by MGM Mirage, this Hawaiian-themed, | | | | 20,000 gallon seawater enclosure that houses |
| 3,000 room hotel is as much an entertainment | | | | puffer fish, tangs and other interesting creatures. |
| complex as a place to stay. Over 40 years ago it | | | | There are over 60 species represented among |
| was known as Castaways. But it's as | | | | the 1,000 animals and all are easily visible within |
| up-to-the-minute fresh as any place in Vegas now. | | | | the 53-foot long, six-foot wide by 8-foot high, |
| Inside the front entrance is a lush tropical | | | | 4-inch thick acrylic walls. Until a few years ago the |
| rainforest housed under a 100-foot high dome, | | | | hotel was the home of the Siegfried & Roy |
| with 60-foot palm trees providing 'shade'. Not far | | | | white tiger-themed show. But Roy was attacked |
| away are the lagoons where visitors can swim or | | | | by one of the animals and the show closed down. |
| walk among palm trees. With two pools and a | | | | Fortunately, the tigers are still around in the White |
| series of cliffs where water streams down into | | | | Tiger Habitat. Visible daily, these rare beauties are |
| grottos, it's a man-made paradise. Step along and | | | | on display 24 hours per day, 7 days per week in |
| step up to the Paradise Cafe or the Dolphin Bar | | | | a carefully controlled environment. With a pool, |
| and sip a cool drink on a hot Vegas day. | | | | fountains and simulated mountain terrain for the |
| If you're feeling especially hot, or want to get | | | | tigers to enjoy, it's a treat for them as well as |
| that way, try the Bare pool area. A clothing-free | | | | the viewer. |
| environment, you can lounge away and observe | | | | Outside is the Mirage volcano - an artificial |
| the local beauty while sipping a drink from the bar. | | | | Vesuvius that erupts periodically throughout the |
| You'll enjoy the sunshine au naturel as the dolphins | | | | evening. At the top of each hour from 7 p.m. to |
| swim only a few feet away. Connected to it is a | | | | midnight, flames shoot high into the night sky, |
| Siegfried & Roy-sponsored animal attraction: | | | | spraying smoke and fire a hundred feet up. |
| the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. The area | | | | Backed by design expertise that helped create |
| is a carefully reconstructed tropical paradise. Here, | | | | the Bellagio Fountains, it's a not-to-miss attraction. |
| a dozen species fly, crawl or swim continuously. | | | | Over 50 feet high, situated on three |
| The 2.5 million gallon pool is home to several | | | | water-covered acres, it's been amazing viewers |
| Atlantic bottleneck dolphins in a sandy-bottomed | | | | for almost 20 years. It even smells interesting. To |
| artificial coral reef system. With four connected | | | | mask the scent of the gas used to power the |
| pools, they enjoy plenty of variety and so will the | | | | volcano, the structure emits Piña Colada |
| visitor. | | | | vapor. |
| For a closer look at sea life, visit the Aquarium - a | | | | |