Diving in Aqaba, near Al Manara Hotel

[AnaCat]

Hello,
We will be in Aqaba on 30 Oct and 1 Sept (mixed group of divers and snorkellers).
We would like to dive from boat - day trips, and I only have as a reference the prices from Egypt.
I know it will not be as good as diving in Marsa Alam or Dahab, but at least we search for a correct price.
Can you recommend a dive center near our hotel, Al Manara?
Also, do you know dive centers we should avoid?
What are the most interesting dive sites?

Thanks dear bubble makers!
Ana

 

[2stroketony]

Arab Divers is best for budget and privacy if you want accomodations while staying in Aqaba. located south of town on the beach.

Aqaba Intl Dive Center is good for boat diving and also friendly. Located downtown.

Have fun at diving the wrecks. No wetsuits needed.

 

[JasmineNeedsGills]

Would love to know how you found the diving... let us know how it went

 

[2stroketony]

I drove from Ammon every other weekend to dive. Right now it's about 75 degrees on the surface. The tank, the airplane, the cedar pride wreck are accessible from the beach. Off the boat is closer to town and very fun with lunch and snacks. With or without a guide. Good people.
Cheers Tony

 

[BoltSnap]

I drove from Ammon every other weekend to dive.

How long is the ride and did you overnight there?

 

[Searcaigh]

How long is the ride and did you overnight there?

I had two trips to Aqaba back in 2011.

IIRC it took me around four hours to drive from Queen Alia airport to Aqaba.

I don't think I would have dived there without a wetsuit as the water temperature in February was 22C and I did my 1,000th dive on the Cedar Pride.

Later that year in October the water temperature was 26C.

 

[2stroketony]

If you go, there is a bus that goes back and forth from Ammon and is cheap and comfortable. Taxis are cheap and plentiful.

 

[AnaCat]

Went with Sindbad Diving Club from the Berenice Beach Club.
Good DMs, very customer oriented attitude from all the staff, the club had a nice beach and my friends that did not want to dive had what to do. Beach resto, nothing fancy, but ok.
We booked a boat trip with diving and snorkeling that went very well, had included a meal at the club that was fantastic - fish cooked in local style.

This being said, the diving is not great, a very different Red Sea than the one in Sharm/ Dahab/Hurghada/Marsa Alam. I knew this from the start so I had pretty low expectations. I enjoyed it just because I love being underwater, not because I liked the sites (6 dives, saw pretty much all the main sites).
As I love taking pics I played with my camera, with the light etc.
I had a good time overall, but if I knew how each location made me feel I would have just done Petra (amazing!) and Wadi Rum (such an extraordinary feeling to be in that alien landscape, I would definitely have liked to spend 2-3 nights there instead of just one).
Dead Sea (although staying at very fancy Marriott resort) and Aquaba were just meh compared with the rest of the trip.
Pictures attached