Aqaba
★ 4.6🇯🇴 AqabaSuggested visit 2-3 daysBest season March to May and September to November, with comfortable water
DivingBeachWater sports
Jordan's only outlet to the sea, with Red Sea reefs and wrecks making it a top regional dive base.
Overview
At the northern end of the Red Sea, Aqaba is Jordan's only coastal city and warm all year. About 25 dive sites lie offshore, including coral gardens, a sunken aircraft and wrecks, the Cedar Pride being the best known. Snorkellers see plenty of coral and reef fish in the shallows, and the town has a corniche, a fort and a duty-free zone.
History
A port for the Nabataeans and Romans, it gained a Hejaz Railway terminus in Ottoman times, and its coastline was extended by a land swap with Saudi Arabia in 1965.
Highlights
- •Snorkelling the Red Sea reefs
- •The Cedar Pride wreck
- •Aqaba Fort
- •The corniche and seafood restaurants
Practical tips
- •Allow 18 hours after diving before flying
- •Summer water is warm; stay hydrated and use sun protection
Practical information
- Best time
- March-May, September-November
- Tickets
- Dives about JOD 50-80 each
- Opening hours
- Dive centres roughly 8:00-18:00
- Local food
- Red Sea grilled fish, Jordanian kebab, seafood
- Getting around
- About four hours by car from Amman, or an hour by air.
- Visa
- A visa is required, available on arrival or via the Jordan Pass.
Traveller reviews
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