Things to do — Aqaba

Aqaba organises around four main activities.

Scuba diving is attraction n°1. Several PADI/SSI-certified centres offer day trips including 2 dives, full equipment and lunch: Aqaba Adventure Divers, Sea Star Watersports, Red Sea Diving Center, Royal Diving Center. An exploration dive (equipment included, boat transport, guide) costs 35-50 JOD (€45-65), an introductory dive 45-60 JOD, a full Open Water course 250-350 JOD. Unmissable sites: Cedar Pride (Lebanese cargo scuttled in 1985, 25 m, Open Water accessible, spectacular soft corals), King Abdullah Reef (military underwater museum opened in 2019 with C-130 Hercules, AH-1 Cobra helicopter and tanks, 15-28 m), Japanese Garden (artificial reef with sculptures, 10-20 m, ideal underwater photography), Cessna 152 (plane sunk in 2017, 18 m, entire structure still visible), Power Station Reef (Aqaba's most biodiverse natural reef). The more experienced can ask to dive at Black Rock (40-50 m, reef sharks).

Snorkeling is accessible directly from several beaches — the Tank Wreck (M42 Duster tank sunk at 6-7 m, 50 m from the shore at Tala Bay) is one of the most emblematic snorkel wreck spots in the world. Glass-bottom boat cruises (8-15 JOD per person, 1-2h) are a good alternative for non-divers: departures from Aqaba port every hour.

Beaches split into two categories. Public beaches (Aqaba Public Beach, Berenice Beach Club with paid access 15-25 JOD including sunbed, parasol and restaurant) are accessible to all but overcrowded on weekends. Resort private beaches (Mövenpick Tala Bay, Kempinski, Hyatt, InterContinental, Hilton) are quieter and of better quality — reserved for hotel guests but accessible to non-residents for a day pass of 25-50 JOD depending on the hotel.

The town can be visited in half a day. The Old Town gathers the Mamluk Castle (16th century, 3 JOD, panoramic view over the gulf), the Arab Revolt Fort (Aqaba Fort, where T.E. Lawrence took the town from the Ottomans in 1917, Jordanian flagpole visible everywhere), and the Al-Naseem souks (spices, dates, cardamom coffee). The Aqaba Aquarium (5 JOD, attached to the Marine Centre) showcases local biodiversity, ideal with children. The fresh fish souk (next to the port) offers the best grilled fish in town at unbeatable prices (8-15 JOD a meal).

Day trips from Aqaba are numerous: Wadi Rum (1h north, full day €50-80), Petra (2h30 north, full day €80-120), Dead Sea (4h north, more demanding), border crossing to Eilat (Israel) or Taba (Egypt) for a day — check visas and Jordan exit fees (10 JOD to re-enter).