Aqaba and Red Sea

Aqaba and the Jordanian Red Sea constitute the only maritime access of the Hashemite Kingdom — 27 km of coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba, the northeast branch of the Red Sea, wedged between Egypt (Sinai to the west), Israel (Eilat just 4 km north of Aqaba), Saudi Arabia (to the south) and Jordan. This unique geographical position makes Aqaba a strategic convergence point — economic (free zone since 2001, major commercial port), tourist (gateway to southern Jordan from AQJ airport), and geopolitical (sensitive border with Israel, reinforced controls).

The city of Aqaba (200,000 inhabitants) is the southernmost in Jordan, and the only true beach resort in the country. Founded in Edomite then Nabataean times, conquered successively by Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, it has known a turbulent history — notably, it was the scene in 1917 of the capture of Aqaba by Arab forces commanded by Lawrence of Arabia and Faisal I (episode immortalised in David Lean's film). The modern city has developed since the 1960s around the commercial port and, since the 1990s, around an expanding tourist hub: international airport (King Hussein International Airport, AQJ), high-end resorts in the Tala Bay area (12 km south of the city centre), diving and water sports centres, shopping city centre with traditional souk and corniche.

Diving is Aqaba's main attraction. The Gulf of Aqaba, formed by the tectonic fault of the Great Continental Rift, is one of the best diving spots in the world — crystal-clear water, preserved coral reefs, exceptional biodiversity, vertical wall descending to 800 m depth just a few metres from the coast. Jordanian waters (27 km of coast only) host about twenty major diving sites, the best known being: Cedar Pride (Lebanese cargo ship deliberately sunk in 1985 to create an artificial reef, lies at 25 m depth, spectacular wreck overgrown with corals and fauna), Tank (American M42 tank immersed in 1999 at 6 m depth, accessible by snorkelling), Japanese Garden (coral garden with unique shapes), Power Station Reef (reef accessible from the beach), Eel Garden (eel garden), Saudi Border (at the limit of Saudi waters, vertical wall and big pelagics).

The Aqaba Marine Park (created in 1997, extended in 2005) protects most of Aqaba's southern coast — 7 km of arranged public beaches, no-fishing zone, marked and maintained diving sites. Several wrecks deliberately sunk in recent years to create artificial reefs and attract divers: Cedar Pride (1985), Tank M42 (1999), Lockheed L-1011 TriStar airliner (immersed in 2019, lies at 28 m depth, one of the largest aircraft wrecks accessible to divers in the world), M42 Duster anti-aircraft tank (2017), military helicopters and tanks (2020-2024). It's one of the richest artificial wreck cemeteries in the world — specifically created for dive tourism.

The city of Aqaba additionally offers some terrestrial attractions: Mamluk fort (16th century, where the flag of the Arab Revolt flew in 1917 — Jordanian national symbol), Aqaba Museum (Nabataean and Byzantine archaeological remains), Sharif Hussein bin Ali Mosque (the largest mosque in Aqaba, modern white architecture), lively souk in the city centre, corniche for evening walks. The Aqaba free zone (ASEZA — Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority) offers reduced taxation and explains the recent development (free zone, no VAT — electronic products 15-20% cheaper than in Amman).