Anyone been diving in Jordan?

[Scubadiva1]

Would love to get some insights into this since I will be there soon for a business trip and wanted to check out the diving while I am there.

Would love to hear from anyone that has been diving there and learn the best dive locations and what to expect from the diving. Probably the closes comparison I would have would be Egypt/Sharm El Sheikh - but I doubt Jordan diving is the same since nobody talks about it.

Let me know!

 

[Jai Bar]

Just make a search in this forum and you'll find some threads about diving in Jordan.

In a few words, diving in Jordan/Aqaba is very good and it is simply easy.

Aqaba has several dive sites along the ~20km shoreline, and all clubs can offer you guides to these sites. Some have rather nice walls, like the Saudi border and Power station, where others have coral rich slopes and special formations like Gorgone I, and there is a nice wreck- the "Cedar Pride".

All the dives are accessible from the shore (except the Power Station), just jump in the water and start diving, there are lots of corals and fish and being less popular than Sharm is sometimes an advantage

To be sure, Aqaba is different than Sharm/Dahab, but it has beautiful dive sites too. You won't be disappointed.

P.S. I think that in order to dive in the Saudi Border you need a special permission 24 hours in advance, so you should contact the dive club a couple of days before and ask them to arrange a dive there.

 

[Scubadiva1]

Thanks so much for all this information - it is really helfpul! Are you an instructor in that area or did you just get to dive there? Do you recommend any particular dive operators/clubs?

 

[Jai Bar]

Thanks so much for all this information - it is really helfpul! Are you an instructor in that area or did you just get to dive there? Do you recommend any particular dive operators/clubs?

I live on the other side of the border, but I happen to "just get to dive there" from time to time.

We usually go to "Royal Dive Club" which is out of town, not far from the Saudi border. We like the place and they have a minibus to/from Aqaba every hour.

However, we visited other clubs in town and all of them seemed excellent choices- so I'd go for a dive club which is at a convenient distance from the hotel you are staying. Not all clubs have Nitrox compressors, so if it is important for you make sure the operator you are choosing can provide it for you.

Aqaba is a nice town, People are nice, the food is good, and the dive sites are beautiful- you'll enjoy it

 

[Vassilis Vlachopoulos]

I have just returned from Jordan. This was my first trip to the Red Sea so I cannot compare with Sharm. However, my experience was very positive and I can recommend Aqaba for good diving. One thing is for sure, diving-wise, Aqaba is not crowded. You may be diving hardly seeing another soul in the vicinity.

I opted to dive with Dive Aqaba - Red Sea - Jordan. They do two dives per day on their boat and then have lunch on board. Again, without having other experience to compare with, I was very satisfied with the service provided.

There are certain very decent hotels very close to the diving centre.

Apart form diving, I would strongly recommend to take a day off and visit Petra (via local excursion). It is superb.

One important thing to consider if you intend to fly from Amman to Aqaba and back : Internal flights are often cancelled, so leave ample room for catching connecting flights.

Pls feel free to ask any info you wish.

 

[Seadeuce]

I opted to dive with Dive Aqaba - Red Sea - Jordan. They do two dives per day on their boat and then have lunch on board. Again, without having other experience to compare with, I was very satisfied with the service provided.

I can second the recommendation of Dive Aqaba, because of its Instructor/owner Rod Abbotson. Last time I was diving there I went with Seastar Watersports, and Rod was the manager.
He runs a good ship, and I will be following to dive with Dive Aqaba when I return this coming April.

Apart form diving, I would strongly recommend to take a day off and visit Petra (via local excursion). It is superb.


I found you need two days to see Petra. It's worth it.

If you like Chinese food there is a good one in Aqaba. Very important for dive energy levels!


Enjoy,

Seadeuce

 

[Scubadiva1]

Thanks so much for your input - i found it really helpful. Someone mentioned it is mostly beach diving but you mentioned boat diving too. How far out is to the dive sites and reef? I assume they do two tank dives. How deep is it typically? is the sea life very similiar to Egypt and the Red Sea.

I am excited about this trip because I am originally from the UK but living in the US and this is a location not very visited by Americans I suspect but sounds like a lot of international tourists go there judging by the responses here (Greece and Ireland ;-) Where do most of their tourists come from? Thanks also for the tip on Petra - that is definitely on my list. Any other suggestions?

Marianne

 

[Scubadiva1]

By the way, I forgot to ask how is the air/water temperature there at this time of year? I will be there next week!

 

[Vassilis Vlachopoulos]

Someone mentioned it is mostly beach diving but you mentioned boat diving too. How far out is to the dive sites and reef? I assume they do two tank dives. How deep is it typically? is the sea life very similiar to Egypt and the Red Sea?

Aqaba's popular diving spots are located about 15 kms south of Aqaba, in a "Marine Park". Most are quite (sometimes very) close to the beach. That is why they are accessible both from land and from boat. The boats leave from Aqaba's marina at around 9:30 - 10:00 am and it takes them about 50 min to reach the diving locations. There are permanant moorings on every location so the boat doesn't need to drop an anchor and damage the reef. It can also easily swap position if necessary. The moorings are in relatively shallow water - 8 to 10 meters. So some divers may stay in shallow under the boat (eg. for photography), while others may follow a certain path which can take them to 30 meters or more.



Thanks also for the tip on Petra - that is definitely on my list. Any other suggestions?

Wadi Rum is a place in the desert with quite impressive rocks / geological formations. Part of Laurence of Arabia, and also other movies were shot there. Wadi means valley and it is located aprx 50 kms from Aqaba. Excursions with 4x4 jeep can be locally arranged.


Marianne

Enjoy your trip ... and drop a note when back

 

[Vassilis Vlachopoulos]

By the way, I forgot to ask how is the air/water temperature there at this time of year? I will be there next week!

Air is warm. Water is 21 celsius. It does get a bit cold on the second dive ...
"DiveAqaba" diving club offers hot soup and hot tea on board between the dives