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AQABA IN JORDAN
travels
AQABA IN JORDAN
THE KINGDOM OF WRECKS FOR ALL!
Text and photos Anthony Leydet
Translation Karolina Pierścieniak
Aqaba will allow you to do some amazing dives, starting from the most famous place, the world's only underwater military museum! However, Aqaba offers a lot more and will be an important place on the map during your stay in Jordan.
Squeezed between Saudi Arabia in the south and Israel in the west, Aqaba offers Jordan a tiny window into the Red Sea. At the end of the 160-kilometre Gulf of Aqaba, which separates Sinai from the Arabian Peninsula, lies one of the ends of the Red Sea. This quiet seaside resort is focused on water sports and, in particular, diving. However, taking into consideration that Egypt attracts most divers, the government has decided to strengthen the diving sector. King Abdullah II is an avid diver and has greatly contributed to the success of this project. The vast majority of the Aqaba seabed, about seven kilometres long, has been classified as a marine reserve for several years.
UNDERWATER WAR SCENE AT THE UNIQUE MUSEUM IN THE WORLD!
For several decades, Aqaba has been known as a wreck dive site. in 1999, The Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan (JREDS) decided to create an artificial reef by sinking the famous M42 Duster, which is located on a sandy shoal at a depth of 5 m near the shore and attracts both snorkelling enthusiasts and divers. In 2019, the most surprising underwater museum was created, designed especially for lovers of military machines.
The Military Underwater Museum, the only one of its kind in the world, consists of 21 military aircraft set on a gently descending sandy bottom in tactical combat formation, which is an exciting underwater adventure. At a depth of 6 to 28 meters, it is easy to get caught up in the game and get the impression that you are in the middle of a war scene. Helicopters, anti-aircraft guns, tanks, ambulances, reconnaissance vehicles, transporters, Jeeps – machines of various origins and from different eras follow one another in front of astonished divers. It's an unusual place. In order to appreciate the work put into creating the museum, at least two dives are needed, because the area is extensive. In the middle of machines it is fun to come across numerous marine species that come here to find shelter. A baloonfish hides under a metal door, and a shoal of catfish roams between two tanks. Two jeeps located on a sandy platform will be a pleasant ending to your underwater expedition. Jordan, which has not been involved in any armed conflict since 1973, is a stable and friendly country. No wonder there are more tanks under the surface of the water than on land!
WORLD-CLASS WRECKS
Other spectacular wrecks were also created in the waters of Aqaba. Sticking to the military theme, let's start with the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force, sunk in 2017 at a depth of 17 m. Originally undamaged, it was smashed by a strong storm, which gave it a more dramatic appearance, we get the impression that it crashed into the sea.
In August 2019, a massive passenger plane was sunk to create a new, unusual dive site. The 54-metre-long Lockheed TriStar is placed on the sandy bottom at a depth of 15 to 28 metres and is easily accessible to divers. The door was dismantled, as was the middle row of seats. It is possible to visit any corner of the aircraft, e.g. the cockpit, or the air inlet exit at the rear of the aircraft.
Referring to a more classic wreck, one of the most famous in Aqaba is the Lebanese cargo ship Cedar Pride. Considered one of the most beautiful wrecks in the Red Sea, it was deliberately sunk in 1985 at the request of King Abdullah II. This 74-metre cargo ship arrived in Aqaba in 1982 and was partially destroyed by a violent fire in August of the same year. After she lay abandoned in the harbour, the idea of creating a wreck, the thing that had not been seen before in Jordan, was born. Lying on the port side at a depth of 27 m at the deepest point of the wreck, like most places in Aqaba, it is available to divers at all levels of advancement. Nowadays it is a very well colonised, a colourful wreck with soft corals, many hard corals and a lot of marine life. It is also possible to visit the interior of the wreck completely safely.
It should be noted that all these wrecks have been cleaned and disinfected, and the places of their assembly have been carefully designed so that the interference with the natural environment is as small as possible.
WRECKS, BUT ALSO BEAUTIFUL CORAL GARDENS
Aqaba is a place where diving focuses on wrecks, although it is available for divers of all levels. Let us not forget, however, that we are located on the Red Sea, which is characterised by extraordinary biodiversity and magnificent coral reefs. Even if the reefs are less developed than in Egypt, and the Jordan coast, due to its size, does not offer the same opportunities, you can perform very beautiful dives in coral gardens, where each massif is abundantly populated by many species. Underwater photographers are delighted with the easy access from the shore and the depth that allows for stress-free diving. The house reef of the Deep Blue dive centre, near the Tala Bay beach south of Aqaba, is matched by some house reefs in countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, offering an incredible array of creatures. Anglerfish, morays, nudibranch, shrimp, clownfish and boxfish are just a small sample of what can be found beneath the surface. The presence of several pontoons allows you to spend successful moments of photographing, playing with lights and tracking hidden species!
The obligatory item on the agenda is the power plant, which is the only real drop in land in Jordan! The wall begins at a height of about 15 m and sinks into the abyss. A little higher there is a magnificent coral garden, which leads us almost to the edge, with plenty of corals, we can admire the yellow of lettuce corals!
Aqaba is often considered a place where tourists can try a single dive, many of them are later disappointed that they have not planned more time to fully enjoy the seabed of Aqaba, which is a real place to dive, and not just an addition on the map of underwater adventures!
GOOD TO KNOW:
Getting there: travel to Amman airport or directly to Aqaba airport. The Jordan Pass is very advantageous (include visa and entrance to most visited touristic attractions) https://www.jordanpass.jo/
When to go: diving is good all year long, but the best period is from april to november. Be careful of the very warm summer.
Stay at: Marina Plaza Hotel, Grand Tala Bay Resort, Lacosta Hotel, Hilton Hotel
Dive with: Deep Blue Dive Center Aqaba
More info: https://www.deepbluedivecenter.com/
Diving details: currents are very low in Aqaba, Deep Blue Dive is a PADI center.
Hyperbaric chamber location: located at the government hospital in Aqaba
Water temp / exposure protection: 21°C–28°C, in summer, the sun is very intense and hot
Water visibility: good to very good visibility 30 m+
Getting around: car rental, walking, bikes, scooters, boat. Taxi is easy to move in Aqaba, but I’s possible to walk too especially in the center.
Don’t miss: visit of the Aqaba Castle
Topside: kitesurfing, snorkeling, eat seafood at Captain’s restaurant
Top Tip: allow at least 3 or 4 days to enjoy Aqaba and its beautiful dives. Drones are forbidden. UK Electric plugs
WHAT TO DO IN JORDAN OUTSIDE AQABA?
To explore everything Jordan has to offer tourists, both culturally, naturally and archaeologically, you would need to spend a few weeks... Amman – the capital, a trip to the Dead Sea, countless archaeological sites and museums. Speaking of two places you can't miss, there's undoubtedly Petra and the Wadi Rum desert are in the lead. These two sites, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, are known all over the world.
Starting with Petra, Jordan's main tourist attraction. It is an amazing Nabataean city, founded almost three millennia ago, whose most famous monument is Al Khazneh (treasure). It is steeped in history, and reaching the Siq outlet (the canyon leading to the city of Petra hidden in the mountains), where this giant sculpture appears in the rock, provides incredible emotions that will remain forever in your memory. The city is not limited to this building, it is very extensive and requires at least one day of sightseeing.
Further south lies the Wadi Rum desert. If the name doesn't sound familiar, then you've certainly seen its photos, because it's a place where many films were shot: Indiana Jones, Lawrence of Arabia, Life on Mars, Star Wars and recently Dune! This place is beautiful and rare, as far as the eye can see, there are canyons, arches, cliffs and vast stretches of sand. Breathtaking sunsets... Wadi Rum is also a great place to watch the sky at night, in total darkness.
Alone, in a couple or with a family, Jordan is a cosy and truly exotic place, which allows you to combine the pleasure of diving with the discovery of a multinational culture...
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