Diving in Jordan in the Red Sea of Aqaba is a great opportunity when you are on a trip to Jordan.
Waters are rich in marine life, visibility is great and waters are warm. You will be amazed by the schools of fish and the colorful corals that are spread on the sea bed.
There are many licensed scuba diving centers in Aqaba in town on the north beach.
If you are not a certified diver you can go on a discovery dive or even get a diving course and certification.
Below are some of the famous dive spots in Aqaba Jordan:
Power station:
This is the dive site farthest to the north. While located outside of the park it has a very lively coral plateau slanting from a depth of 12-20 m with a steep wall drop-off dropping to deeper than 70 m . Several large Humphead Wrasee and moray eels are often sited here. The site is named after a power station located just East of the dive site. Best access to this site is by boat.
First bay North & South:
This is the first dive site located within the marine park. The site is just south of the closed coral reserve at the Marine Science station. The site starts with a fringing reef between 2-5 m depth and has a wide sandy plain at 9 m depth with intermittent coral clusters. This site is very suitable for shake down dives closer to shore and the site continues to 30+ m in a gentle slope.
King Abdullah Reef:
One of the longest dives, the site is named after King Abdallah II, and is a very popular dive. The reef has some very beautiful fan corals and usually has large shoals of pennant fish. Torpedo rays and Hawksbill turtles are also common sight at this sight. The dive is usually spent exploring the different gulleys in depths ranging from 6 m to 30 + m. The site also has very high densities of coral coverage and is ideal for underwater photography. The site also has an easy shore access as well as convenient mooring buoys for boat.
[Coral reefs while diving in Jordan] Rainbow Reef:
This site is usually accessed from either the Black Rock entry or the Cedar Pride entry. You dive down a sandy gulley heading North West with a colorful reef wall along your left hand side shaped like a rainbow starting at a depth of 6 m, extending to a depth of 18 m. the wall flattens out to a plush coral carpet at a depth of 30 m +. The site makes a particular good night dive as there is an abundance of feathered starfish that perch on top of coral heads and extends their arms to feed at night. Large Spanish Dancers and Lobsters are also common sightings at this dive site.
Cedar Pride shipwreck:
This is a spectacular wreck dive. The Cedar Pride was scuttled in 1985 and lies on her port side across two reefs creating a tunnel running under at a depth of 27 m. the wreck has fantastic soft coral growths draping over the masts and the open cargo holds permit for an easy swim through. While the hold has a large air-pocket at the top, be aware that the air is not suitable for breathing. The wreck is very stable and experienced wreck divers can access the interior cabins and engine room. A mooring chain is attached to the wreck’s stern and provides a good starting point for the dive is easily accessible from the beach of the park’s visitor center and is only a short swim out from shore. The top-masts of the wreck lice in 10 m of water and usually have some large schools of two bar bream swimming around it.
Japanese Garden:
This site was named Japanese Garden because the site is so densely covered in small coral head of numerous species creating the effect of a meticulously maintained bonsai garden. The dense coral coverage starts from a depth of 3 m and extends to a depth greater than 70 m. most of the dives are spent at the shallow depths of 10-20 m as the reed slopes gently downward as you swim to the West providing wide open spaces to explore. The site is often visited by hawksbill turtles, Barracuda, shoals of Sergeant Majors and fusiliers.
Gorgon I:
The site is dominates by three coral pillars sitting in a depth of 8- 15 m covered in corals each forming their own eco-systems. The central pillar has a very busy cleaning station. The site is named after a very large Goregonia fan-coral which is located to the Wes of the pillars. Turtles, Fusiliers, schools of Banner fish and Big Eye Emperors are often found is this area. This site is only accessible as a boat dive or a long drift dive from the Japanese Garden.
Gorgon II:
While very similar to Gorgon I except without the pillars. The site is named after a beautiful Gorgonia fan-coral sitting at 21 m depth. The reef crevasses are filled with moray eels and lionfish. Blue Tangs and other surgeon fish abound at this site.
New canyon:
The dive is usually consists of a route around canyons with a tour around a series of table corals at varying depths, working your way back to a safely stop at 6 m at the wreck of an old M40 tank sitting in a patch of sea-grass. Divers can spend the dive exploring the shallower reefs closer to shore or venture deeper into the gulley into depth of 40 m +. The site has a wide array of coral species and fish including lots of Scorpion fish, frog-fish and Stone fish in addition to the odd octopus and large Eel. This site has easy beach access and conveniently located mooring buoys for boats.
Yellowstone Reef:
This site is named for a large coral boulder which looks yellowish when viewed from the surface and is in line with a large unusual yellow rock located 500 m inland from the dive site. This site primarily accessed by boat and has a large patch of black coral bushes in addition of extensive coral and a resident community of large lunar-tailed groupers
Blue Coral:
This site is named for the abundance of blue corals found here. The site has a nice mix of sea-grass beds and sandy patches with three main spurs of coral reefs running perpendicular to shores starting at 10 m and extending to 50 m. A good variety of nudibranches can be found at this site.
Kiwi Reef:
Named for a dive from New Zealand who discovered this dive, the site consists primarily of dense sea-grass beds along a steep slope. At the depth of 30 m + a series of small coral pinnacles litter the bottom creating small clusters of self-contained eco-systems. The site is a nursery for juvenile fish and has large populations of moray Eels, Lionfish, Burr fish, shoals of Damsel fish and Banner fish, and Emperor fish. This site is also very popular with underwater photographers for macro-photography.
Moon valley:
Named after a famous valley in Wadi Rum, this site drops off steeply. Lots of Unicorn fish, some large Napoleon Wrasses, large shoals or sardines and Fusiliers are common at this site. The site also has lots of nice soft coral in addition to the heavy coral coverage.
Paradise Reef:
Named for the abundance of red soft coral found along this site due to the heavier currents. The slightly heavier currents result in a lot of nutrient through flow and lots of fish life including lots of Unicorn fish, Humphead Wrasse, Octopi, Lionfish, Trumpet fish and others.
Aquarium:
This reef is located just North of Coral Reserve Area 3 which is restricted area in the park, closed to the general public. The site has a very nice wall drops to a depth of 30 m and has heavy coral coverage with a very prominent Fire coral fringe. Puffer fish, Coronet fish, Eels, Clownfish and Anemones are all very common. Occasionally Barracuda and Ribbon-tailed Stingrays can be found.
Coral Garden:
To the North is an extensive coral area with coral ranging to a depth greater than 60 m with sandy sea-grass patches between the coral reefs. To the South is an extensive sea-grass bed with a series of coral clusters usually inhabited by Eels, Torpedo rays and Napoleon Wrasse along with the occasional turtle can be spotted around the area. This site can be accessed from shore and by boat and is the last dive within the park’s boundaries.
Saudi Border wall:
This site has the largest wall dive in Aqaba with a wall that starts about 70 m from shore and runs North- West away from shore. Best is to swim out along the plateau and then swim out over the drop-off to experience the dizzying height of the wall. The wall starts at a depth of 15 m and progressively drops to over 100 m very quickly. The wall is covered in tapestry of coral coverage changes to primarily encrusting corals opposed to extensive branching colonies in shallower waters. It is best to dive the wall first and to return along the plateau area as the return trip can be spent in shallower waters. Turtles are often found in this area. This site can be both accessed by sea and from land and is located outside of the marine park.
