Scuba Season
Underwater reef at Aqaba
Improving

Aqaba

Jordan · Red Sea

Aqaba is Jordan's only coastline — a 27km stretch of Red Sea reef shared with the Saudi border and looking across at Egyptian Sinai. Shore-diveable walls, a deliberately sunk military reef (tanks, helicopters, planes), and the Cedar Pride wreck.

How this reef is doing

ⓘ How we measure this

Reef state

Improving

Northern Red Sea corals tolerate heat better than most. Expect full reef colour, soft corals on the walls, and reliable shore diving year round.

Coral cover

22%
LowHealthy
Moderate

Fish life

Not surveyed

Heat

SafeBleaching

Warmer than usual right now, but not hot enough to bleach.

Warming

Fishing

QuietBusy

Quiet water, and the protection is actively patrolled.

Patrolled

Sources · MERMAID and the survey teams · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity

Coral cover over time

Live coral cover, by survey year

Across surveys in 2024 and 2025, live coral cover here has risen from 21% to 22%. Every point is a real survey reading, never a projection.

Live coral cover, percent by year

40%0%region avg 34%20242025
Two surveys
Red Sea & Gulf of Aden average (GCRMN)
MERMAID and the survey teams, within 56 km

What you will see

13 species across the dive sites here

Dive sites

What divers say

An underwater Apache helicopter in 28m of blue water — Jordan does dive sites differently.
— Guest review

Good to know

Combine with Petra

2h drive to Petra. Plan at least 2 non dive days.

Gear & getting wet

  • Basic kit

    • Mask and fins
    • BCD and regulator
    • 5mm full wetsuit · cooler water
    • Dive computer

  • For specific sites

    • 5mm wetsuit · Cedar Pride Wreck
    • Dive light · Japanese Garden
    • Primary dive torch · Lockheed L-1011 TriStar Wreck