Aqaba

Aqaba is Jordan's sole coastal city and its window onto the Red Sea, located at the northernmost tip of the Gulf of Aqaba where Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia converge. Settled for at least 4,000 years, the city has served successively as a Nabataean trading post, a Roman and Byzantine port, an important Islamic pilgrimage waystation and, during the First World War, a strategic prize captured by Arab forces led by T.E. Lawrence in July 1917. Today Aqaba operates as a special economic zone with a thriving port and a growing tourism sector built around its exceptional marine environment.

The Gulf of Aqaba's clear, warm waters sustain fringing coral reefs extending over 25 kilometres, supporting approximately 500 fish species alongside hawksbill turtles and dolphins. More than thirty primary dive sites range from shallow snorkelling reefs to deeper walls and purpose-sunk wrecks. On shore, the Ottoman Aqaba Fortress recalls the Arab Revolt, while the ruins of Ayla preserve the street plan of one of the earliest planned Islamic cities, and the excavated Aqaba Church — dating to around AD 293–303 — is considered the oldest purpose-built Christian church ever discovered.

Aqaba lies approximately 335 kilometres south of Amman, a four-hour drive via the Desert Highway. Wadi Rum is only 60 kilometres to the north-east (one hour), and Petra is 128 kilometres north (two hours), making Aqaba an ideal base for the southern circuit. Winter (November–March) is the most popular season for diving and outdoor activities; summer temperatures regularly reach 38–40°C though the sea remains inviting.