Aqaba is an ideal place for beginner divers since its waters are calm and there are no
currents. So much so that we accessed all the dive sites from the shore of the beach.
Diving in Aqaba is an expensive activity, like most activities in Jordan. Dives usually cost an
average of 35 Jordanian dinars, a fairly high price. The prices are quite standardized in all
schools, so as they say in these cases, scabies with pleasure does not itch.
The school we dived with was Aqaba Adventure Divers. It is a diving school run by local
divers, some experts, and others who recently graduated. It caught our attention when we were
there that they were training several local instructors, so we had a dive with a very young and
novice diving instructor. We believe that this is explained because diving is one of the
activities that provide the most money, so they are training local people so that they can
make a living from it.
What we liked the most about the school is that they have very new and well cared for diving
equipment, which is greatly appreciated. They were very kind in the treatment and always
adapted to our needs. If you are also not a certified diver, they are very used to doing diving
baptisms.
The Jordanian coastline has about 30 dive sites. The two best known and most recommended
dive sites are the Cedar Pride wreck and the Japanese Garden, which you can see both divings
and snorkeling.
The Cedar Pride is a wreck, that is, a sunken ship. This was our first wreck and the feeling of
finding a sunken ship underwater is amazing. Cedar Pride deliberately sank off the Jordanian
coast in 1985 to form an artificial reef off the coast. The main objective of sinking ships
under the sea is to create artificial reefs to regenerate and prosper the marine life in the area.
It also has an added value and is that it serves as a claim for diving tourism.
In Aqaba, they have succeeded, as it is the most famous diving spot in this area of the Red
Sea. Hard and soft corals have grown in it. The most curious thing about this wreck is that an
oxygen bubble was created during the sinking, where you can briefly remove your respirator
and talk: a strange sensation.
The Japanese Garden is the largest reef in the area that is born, literally, on the shore of the
beach. This coral reef has a very varied fauna and flora. What we liked the most was the
fluffy corals, with pastel and yellow tones. Lionfish, angelfish and shoals of snappers and
butterflyfish are some of the species that inhabit this colorful coral reef.
We also did other dives to see the tank and the sunken plane. Getting inside a sunken plane
was also a most curious experience. They have placed a skeleton of a co-pilot, to make the
dive even more entertaining.
Diving in Aqaba was a dive of enjoyment and relaxation, where we were much more eager to
continue diving and get the Advance out soon, to be able to continue seeing the seabed.
We only recommend going to Aqaba if you are diving or want to snorkel. It is a good stop,
especially if you come from having traveled through Jordan and are looking for a couple of
days of rest and you like to be under the sea.
Just as a stop to see the city of Aqaba and enjoy the beach, we did not see the interest
because, as we have commented previously, the beaches are far from being idyllic and they
are not pleasant to spend the day on. We, in fact, after each dive, spent the afternoon in the
pool of our accommodation, as it was much more pleasant than the beach.