Aqaba Diving — Jordan

Aqaba packs Red Sea quality diving into an accessible shore-dive format. The sunken tank and Cedar Pride wreck are photogenic favorites, while the Japanese Garden coral site rivals anything in Egypt. It's the most convenient Red Sea diving — walk in from shore and you're on healthy reef in minutes, with Petra just 2 hours away.

Score
61.7 / 100
Country
Jordan
Region
Red Sea
Area
Aqaba
Nearest airport
King Hussein (AQJ)
Visibility
12–30 m
Water temperature
20–28 °C
Max depth
40 m
Current strength
moderate
Dive types
reef, pelagic
Best months
April, May, June, September, October, November
Minimum certification
Open Water
Access type
boat
Average 2-tank dive cost
$60 USD
Budget tier
mid range
Key species
hawksbill, nudibranch, stingray, eagle ray
Google rating
0 (0 reviews)
Top operators
SeaStar Watersports, Arab Divers
Nearest hyperbaric chamber
Royal Jordanian Navy Hyperbaric Center, Aqaba (~5 km)
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World Class
Intermediate
Aqaba
JordanRed Sea
61.7

SCORE

29.5267°N

35.0078°E

Aqaba packs Red Sea quality diving into an accessible shore-dive format. The sunken tank and Cedar Pride wreck are photogenic favorites, while the Japanese Garden coral site rivals anything in Egypt. It's the most convenient Red Sea diving — walk in from shore and you're on healthy reef in minutes, with Petra just 2 hours away.

Jordan's Red Sea Diving Hub

Visibility12–30 m
Temperature20–28°C
Max Depth40 m
Currentmoderate
2-Tank Dive$60
Best MonthsApril, May, June, September
CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

ML45.0CH71.0VIS76.0SV44.0TMP57.0DA62.0OP73.0TS66.0GT68.0VAL63.0CRD59.0SP57.0

Marine Life

45.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity
64
Megafauna Encounters
0
Reef Fish Abundance
82
Macro Life
30
Endemic Species
50

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life Diversity
45.0
Coral & Reef Health
71.0
Visibility & Conditions
76.0
Dive Site Variety
44.0
Water Temperature
57.0
Depth & Access
62.0
Operator Quality
73.0
Topside Experience
66.0
Getting There
68.0
Value & Cost
63.0
Crowding
59.0
Social Proof
57.0

Key Species

hawksbillnudibranchstingrayeagle ray

Dive Types

reefpelagic

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

Petra day trip (2 hrs)Wadi Rum desert jeep safarisnorkelingglass-bottom boatAqaba Fort visitDead Sea float (3 hrs)

Nearby Cultural Sites

  • Petra (UNESCO)
  • Wadi Rum (UNESCO)
  • Aqaba Castle (Mamluk fort)
  • Ayla archaeological site

Non-Diver Partner Score

8/10

Excellent for non-divers — they'll love it here.

Family FriendlyYes
Restaurants & Nightlifemoderate

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org
Hyperbaric Chamber5 km — Royal Jordanian Navy Hyperbaric Center, Aqaba
Nearest Hospital5 km

Chamber in Aqaba; good hospital; excellent access to Amman (4 hrs) for advanced care

Skill LevelIntermediate
Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

SeaStar Watersports

PADI

4.7
310 reviewsNITROX

Arab Divers

PADI

4.6
210 reviewsNITROX
Compare This Dive Site
Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives
40+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification
Advanced Open Water

What will challenge you

  • →Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
  • →Recreational limit of 40 m is reachable here (max depth 40 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
  • →Cooler than most tropical sites — 20°C minimum. A 5 mm wetsuit is the floor for longer dives.

What will surprise you

  • →Thermoclines can drop water temp by 8°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects49
Wide angle50
Viz stability58
Hover friendliness70
Natural light53

Recommended kit

  • →General reef kit — mid-range wide or a 60mm macro depending on the specific site
Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget
$1,650–$2,450

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US)
$810–$990
Accommodation / day
$50–$100
Diving / day
$50–$60
Food / day
$15–$30
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Mid-range
$2,700–$4,150

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US)
$1,150–$1,450
Accommodation / day
$120–$220
Diving / day
$60–$80
Food / day
$35–$65
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Splurge
$4,750–$7,600

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US)
$1,800–$2,200
Accommodation / day
$260–$500
Diving / day
$80–$100
Food / day
$75–$150
Transfers + misc
$50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here