Scubareefing
DIVE Into History with Us ~ Jordanian Red Sea coast, Gulf of Aqaba
7D6N Scuba Diving trip to Jordanian Red Sea coast, Gulf of Aqaba
Package : 5k, depending on the pricing of your booking of your stay for resort/ dive center/ liveaboard accomodation, airline flight booking with us etc.. and where you are currently based at. Send us an enquiry for more details.
All sorts of scuba diving environment and experiences if you join us for a scuba diving trip with us here to the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordanian Red Sea coast... :)
From 6m deep - Tank Wreck dive site to 57m deep @ Taiyong wreck dive site...
Situated on the Jordanian Red Sea coast at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, the resort which shares the name is a long-established diving destination that boasts both lush coral reefs and some of the Red Sea's most notable wrecks. With little in the way of currents and a topography that sees gently sloping reefs fringe from the shore before dropping off into the depths, Aqaba diving is perfect for the inexperienced novice and the technical diver alike.
Away from the diving, the World Heritage site of Petra's ancient city and the expanse of Wadi Rum are easily accessible either as day trips, or as overnight excursions as the guests of the Bedouin, dining under clear and starry skies. The indirect flights to Aqaba via the capital city of Amman have dissuaded some tourists from visiting in the past, but the recent addition of direct flights from the UK and other locations makes it an ideal destination for divers to get their Red Sea fix.
Here's a round-up of essential guide to the delights of Aqaba...
Aqaba has 234 dive sites, 22 of them lie within the boundaries of the Marine Park and each one of them has its special feature and unique character. They can only be truly appreciated by putting on your diving gear and losing yourself in the warm, enticing waters of Aqaba’s unique coastline.
JREDS was established in 1994 with the aim of helping to protect Aqaba’s marine life and conserve its biodiversity. It has carried out a number of projects including conducting a baseline survey for the coral reef; monitoring the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, which has potential to damage the reef; helping to reintroduce native turtles to the Red Sea; and running regular underwater clean-up programmes.
CEDAR PRIDE WRECK
Max Depth 28m | Beginner to Advanced | Wreck
Arguably Jordan's top dive, the Cedar Pride is the wreck of a Lebanese freighter that in 1985 was deliberately sunk as an artificial reef at the request of King Abdullah II. The wreck lies on its port side, bridging two reefs and is well colonised by hard and soft corals. Highlights include the crow's nest, which is easy to find – just follow the photographers who will be competing to capture the best snaps of this coral-covered feature. The top of wreck on the starboard side is as shallow as 10m, so it makes a good option for groups of mixed abilities. Expect to see snapper, lionfish, and a good smattering of reef fish. Barracuda are often seen here and even Napoleon wrasse put in the odd appearance.
C130 HERCULES WRECK
Max Depth 18m | Beginner to Intermediate | Wreck
The C-130 'Hercules' transport aircraft was sunk in November 2017 as an artificial reef and it is a fun, attractive and easily accessible dive. Sunk in less than 18m of water, close to shore and not far from the Tank (see below), the Hercules is also an excellent wreck to snorkel, with the tip of the giant tail fin rising to just below the surface. The exterior is a beginner level dive in almost every respect and although caution must be applied while penetrating any sunken wreck, the aircraft has had all of its doors removed and the cavernous interior makes for easy and atmospheric swim-throughs.
TAIYONG WRECK
Max Depth 57m | Technical | Wreck
This large crane barge scuttled in 1999 sits at a maximum depth of 57m on its starboard side and is close to the popular Japanese Garden site. Its considerable depth puts it outside of the realm of most divers, but tekkies will enjoy the challenge of working their way from the top of the wreck at 35m to its maximum depth of 57m. Tyres and winches can be seen along the superstructure and the crane is clothed in black corals and gorgonian fans. Schools of fusiliers are a common sight as are balls of glassfish that seek refuge from predators amid the wreckage.
THE TANK WRECK
Max Depth 6m | Beginner | Wreck
This M42 anti-aircraft vehicle is another artificial reef project. It was sunk in 1999 by the Jordanian Royal Ecological Diving Society. The wreck is known as 'The Tank' and its shallow depth makes it a fantastic site for novices and even snorkellers. It's also easy to access at only 20m from the shore. The largely intact structure makes it a visual treat, and attracts plenty of reef fish. Several moray eels have also made homes in the wreckage.
EEL GARDEN
Max Depth 30m | Beginner to Intermediate | Pinnacle
There is a profusion of garden eels in the seagrass at this site which is easily approached from shore. Scorpionfish and lionfish are often seen in the grass and eels cover the sandy slope where rare black corals grow in abundance. A pinnacle at 7m provides the greatest interest, with its resident giant moray who is well served at this cleaning station by banded boxer shrimp. Anthias and other reef fish make this a beautiful scene.
GORGONE 1
Max Depth 15m / Beginner / Pinnacle
Famous for the two large gorgonian fan corals after which it is named, divers reach this shallow site through a small passageway in the reef. Keep your eyes on the reef for shrimps and morays before reaching the large cabbage coral at the end of the passage, you can then make your way to the fan corals or head for three pinnacles that are home to a variety of reef fish and invertebrates. Angel and butterflyfish flutter around and a resident turtle is usually in attendance.
KING ABDULLAH REEF
Max Depth 30m | Beginner | Reef
Named after Jordan's ruler King Abdullah II, who has done so much to champion scuba diving in Jordan, this site is one of Aqaba's most popular dive spots. Divers weave their way through the fringing reef and can then take a circular route to either the right or left. Fan corals, sponges and a school of pennant fish line the route, and torpedo and blue-spotted rays are often on show. A number of pinnacles at the end of the dive provide a great way to finish the dive as they are packed with parrotfish and schooling fusiliers.
KIWI REEF
Max Depth 24m | Beginner to Intermediate | Reef
A must for underwater photographers, Kiwi Reef is one of those sites where you need to slow down, take your time and let the action unfold in front of you. The site is made up of lots of small pinnacles at around 20m which are reached via a short swim over seagrass beds. Pick your spot and take in the many varieties of moray eels – including yellow-mouthed and peppered – and enjoy the schooling damselfish and large emperor fish circling the pinnacles. It's a great place for macro fans too, as nudibranchs and Christmas tree worms abound.
JAPANESE GARDEN
Max Depth 30m | Beginner to Advanced | Reef
There's a good chance of seeing white-tip reef sharks on what has become one of Aqaba's signature dives, which is popular with divers of all levels. A gully through the reef leads to a eelgrass bed at around 5m, that is famed for its snowflake morays. Weaving your way past fire corals and schools of damselfish and sergeant majors, head over the black coral at a depth of 20m and keep an eye out in the blue for any pelagic visitors. There's also the opportunity to see gorgonian fans, hawksbill turtles and several species of morays.
POWER STATION
Max Depth 30m | Intermediate to Advanced | Reef wall
This wall dive three or so miles south of Aqaba is only accessed by boat. The reef drops to a sandy area before sloping some 20m down and then dropping off a further 200m. The wall is very attractive with plenty of rich coral cover including fans. There are lots of morays poking out of hidey-holes in the wall, and frogfish and scorpionfish are likely to be seen. Make sure you keep an eye on the blue for larger visitors, and expect to see napoleon wrasse, turtles and rays.
BLACK ROCK
Max Depth 30m | Intermediate to Advanced | Reef
A mixed-level dive, that's great for turtle lovers - you'll be in hawksbill heaven. The site is often used for advanced diving training. There several pinnacles and a good mix of hard and soft corals, including large cabbage coral and clumps of black coral at between 14 and 30m. The current can be up to 1 knot at the deeper parts of the dive, but you can slow things down by making your way back to the sandy area at about 10m where you'll see snowflake and grey moray eels.
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