Aqaba and the Red Sea
After the sandstone and the dust, the big blue: Aqaba's coral reefs start a few metres from the shore — the circuit's final reward, mask pushed up on your forehead.
Suggested stay — 2 nights
Jordan's 27 km of coastline concentrate the essentials south of town, along the road to the Saudi border: a marine park where the reefs — Japanese Garden, Yamanieh — drop straight off the shore, hard corals in excellent health, clownfish, moray eels and the occasional turtle in water at 22-26 °C year-round. Snorkelling works straight from the beach; divers add the Cedar Pride, a Lebanese freighter deliberately scuttled in 1985 and colonised by soft corals, plus a tank and a Hercules C-130 sunk for the occasion.
The town itself, a duty-free zone (ASEZA), plays the laid-back seaside resort: a lively corniche in the evening, sayadieh fish for dinner, a souk without hassle. It is the logical stop after Wadi Rum, one hour's drive away: two nights to rinse off the sand, get in the water and, incidentally, stand at a crossroads where four countries eye each other — Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia close the horizon from the beach.
Don't miss
- Snorkelling the Japanese Garden, accessible from the beach (South Beach)
- The Cedar Pride wreck on scuba — or on ambitious snorkel, it tops out at 8 m
- Aqaba's corniche and souk at sunset, sayadieh for dinner
- A full-day boat trip combining several reefs with lunch on board
Our tips on the ground
- Skip the town-centre beaches for getting in the water: everything happens to the south, in the marine park — the clubs (Berenice, dive centres) rent loungers and gear by the day.
- The north wind often rises in the afternoon: schedule snorkelling and diving for the morning, visibility and comfort gain markedly.
- Never stand on the reef or the seabed: protected corals, very real stonefish — neoprene booties and a flotation vest settle the question.
Our flagship guide — €29
Guide available“Jordan on Your Own”, the complete edition, is out
10 chapters: day-by-day itineraries, driving and transport, a costed budget and checklists — the same method as our Namibia guide.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
Before you go
Readers' questions about Aqaba and the Red Sea
Is Aqaba worth a stop if you don't dive?
Yes, for two reasons: the snorkelling is exceptional without a tank (the reefs start 3 m from shore), and the stop decompresses the circuit perfectly after Petra and the Rum. If you like neither water nor towns, however, skip it and gift the day gained to Dana or a second desert night.
Do you need a permit or package to swim in the south?
The marine park beaches are public and free, but comfortable access goes through the beach clubs and dive centres (JD 5-15 for the day with lounger, shower and locker). Snorkelling gear rents everywhere; for diving, Aqaba's centres are PADI/SSI certified at some of the Red Sea's gentlest rates.