Things to Do in Aqaba

As Jordan’s only coastal city and a busy seaport, Aqaba makes a popular stop for cruise ships and a scenic base for exploring Petra and Wadi Rum, encircled by desert mountains and fronting the glistening Red Sea. Recent developments have seen a string of luxury resorts spring up along Aqaba’s coastline, along with the manmade lagoons of the Ayla Oasis Project, which also boasts a marina, golf course and shopping complex, but the town’s main draw is still its natural assets.

Aqaba’s warm waters mean that it’s possible to swim almost all year round and the 5 public beaches form part of the Aqaba Marine Park—a top destination for scuba divers with its expanse of colorful coral reefs and more than 507 species of fish.