From majestic ruins of bygone civilizations to bustling urban centers, Jordan inspires with breathtaking sights and plenty to do. This desert land features dramatic red sands, towering cliffs, vast plains of volcanic basalt and hills rich with olive trees. In addition, Jordan has a well-earned reputation for excellent cuisine, a wide range of places to stay (from five star hotels to Bedouin-style camps) and for making visitors feel welcome.

But for divers, Jordan’s southernmost tip, where the Red Sea’s tropical waters bathe some of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world, has to be the main attraction. While the total coastline is only about 27 kilometers/17 miles long, there are plenty of dive sites to choose from, many of them located within Aqaba Marine Park. Some of these sites are accessible from shore on the fringing coral reef that drops steeply down to depths beyond recreational diving limits. Here divers enjoy a wide variety of soft and hard coral and myriad reef fish, and some of the best diving in the world.

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Great Dives

• Cedar Pride- One of Jordan’s most popular dives, the basically intact wreck of the Cedar Pride, which went to the bottom in 1985, is now a busy artificial reef. She lies on her side about 200 metres/220 yards offshore at a maximum depth of about 27 metres/90 feet and can be dived from boat or shore. Make sure to stop by the crow’s nest for a great photo opportunity.
• Yellowstone Reef - This site derives its name from a couple of large yellow boulders, one on land and one in the water. The reef drops to 30 metres/100 feet and divers may encounter giant Napoleon wrasse and big stingrays. This is a great boat dive with lots of soft coral and macro life. Keep an eye out for magnificent lyre-tailed grouper, which are known to frequent the area.
• Aquarium - With a name like this, you would expect this dive site to have enough reef fish and coral to impress all comers. You’d be right. Divemasters used to feed the fish here (no longer an option as the site is within the Aqaba Marine Park) and it seems like the fish’s descendants remember the old days.
• Japanese Gardens – This colorful reef starts shallow and gently slopes into the depths. It’s loved by snorkelers and is renowned as one of the most beautiful dives in the area. Watch for turtles, schools of barracuda and vibrant shoals of reef fish. Moray eels and giant clams make the crevices of the reef bottom their home.
• Power Station - Conditions have to be right to dive this site, but when they are, divers make the most of a dramatic drop off to depths in excess of 40 metres/130 feet. As you might expect, it’s a popular spot with the tec divers too. Look for giant morays and black coral on the wall.
• Seven Sisters and the Tank - This series of pinnacles lie next to an American M42 tank, which was sunk in 1999 just for divers. It’s now well covered in soft corals and marine life. Divers may see moray eels and multicolored nudibranchs around the wreck. The tank sits in 6 metres/18 feet of water, but the pinnacles and fringing reef drop well beyond this.