Aqaba remains to me a dear spot on the Red Sea where I experienced many things for the first time. My first beach resort to manage, my first ever diving adventures, my first sea-desert combined daily life routine, my first true gym regime (out of many unsuccessful past attempts), and on the funny side – my first shark encounter (just saw it caught), first Covid 19 lockdown, first Middle East earthquake and first and the most terrible storm (for 100 years) with severe wind and lots of damages behind.
Aqaba is probably not that popular yet among the Red Sea about to visit tourists compared with the Egyptian famous resorts but it’s a place with unique charm where dreams may come true. If you are looking for a vacation scene to impress with silicon and a tiny bikini, it might not be your proper choice. But if you are into a natural beach experience, amazing coral reefs, breathtaking underwater scenery, crystal clear warm seawaters, delicious food, and a super friendly environment, then Aqaba is just meant for you.
Did you know that the Red Sea is the warmest on the planet? So, getting annoyed by the frost and the snow why not escape to this tropical paradise, where the cold days could be counted on one hand fingers and the winter turns into a great sunbathing season. Being 5-star spoiled for years, visiting Aqaba in June 2022, I explored it from a different perspective, like an average European tourist. It helped me to summarize what’s good and what sucks for a European visitor.
Not all travelers can afford to book a 5-star hotel, so let me guide you a bit on what, where, and how to choose in Aqaba, the Jordanian pearl at the Red Sea, for avoiding unnecessary expenses. Bearing in mind Jordan is not a cheap destination, it’s all about fitting research and good organization. So, if you are a European, dreaming of sunbathing by the Red Sea, the information below could be quite helpful.
Arriving in Aqaba
The options still depend on the season. If you are planning your Aqaba trip from the end of October till the end of March, then it could be much cheaper and more convenient for you. The low-cost airlines fly from Europe directly to Aqaba only for those 5 months mentioned above and sometimes a round-trip ticket could be found for 10 to 20 euros only (no checked-in luggage included).
Ryan Air’s cities for a direct flight to Aqaba are Vienna, Sofia, Milan, Rome, and Cologne. The last time I got to Aqaba by a direct Ryan Air flight was at the end of November 2021 flying Sofia – Aqaba. The ticket cost me exactly 10 euros. Even if you add a 10 kg bag by the Priority program this will cost you 20 euro extra each way, still affordable. This flight lasts less than two and a half hours.
Another big plus – if landing directly in Aqaba, the tourists are exempt from paying for the Jordanian visa, which costs 40 JOD (about 53 Euro) per person. If you are landing in Amman, the visa on arrival is a must whole year-round.
But if you love the heat as I do and choose to be in Aqaba from April till the end of October, when cheap direct flights are not available, then your only chance is to land at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, the capital. This could turn into a headache. Saving time, nerves, and money options are not that many when the distance between Amman and Aqaba is 340 km.
You can also check on the Royal Jordanian website (the local airline carrier) and find a relatively cheap flight from Amman to Aqaba (if lucky it’s about 75 euro per person, one way) that lasts about 35 minutes only. The inconvenience is spending really long time at Amman airport because the flights per day are one or two. The other cheap option is hopping on the airport bus shuttle that runs every 30 minutes to Amman downtown, where you can switch to a bus to Aqaba. This is exactly what I did.
What to be cautious about?! The airport bus shuttle ticket costs 3.300 JOD per person and could be paid only in cash. So, ensure you have 5 JOD prepared in advance while running to the Airport bus kiosk outside the Arrivals terminal. The bus looks like it’s going to fall apart but the ride is quite comfortable and safe.
Do not be misled by the information on the airport website about the several bus stops on the way to the city center. The actual stops are only two – Seventh Circle and Tabarbour Bus Station. Plan your get-off wisely, if you need to make a connection with the bus to Aqaba, operated by JETT.
Bus to Aqaba
The good news is a one-way ticket from Amman to Aqaba costs 10 JOD (about 13 euro) per person. The round-trip ticket is even cheaper. The ticket could be booked online on the JETT BUS website. Just save it as a .pdf file on your cell phone. Make sure the ticket’s QR code is visible, while boarding the bus, it works perfectly.
On the website, you can choose which station to take your Aqaba bus from. I did it from the Al Abdali JETT Bus Stop, but Tabarbour Station, where the airport shuttle arrives, provides buses to Aqaba as well.
The bus trip from Amman to Aqaba lasts about four and a half hours. It’s a direct bus line and no stops on the way, except at the Checkpoint before reaching the Special Economic Zone of Aqaba. There everyone should carry their own luggage and pass it through the luggage scanner. It’s a quick procedure, with no hassles at all.
The bus in Aqaba stops at the only JETT Station, in front of the hotel Movenpick Resort & Residences. It’s a very convenient spot, just in the heart of the tourist area. The buses are modern, clean, and cool, with F&B service and cell phone USB chargers on board. I tried it for the first time after years spent in Jordan, and the journey was delightful. The schedule is on the website too and is pretty well followed, so no delays or cancelations.
Where to stay in Aqaba
This could be a quite tricky question. If you would like to enjoy a comfortable and close to free of hassles stay, then a 5-star is a must. The following hotels – Al Manara (which is Marriott, a luxury collection), Intercontinental, Kempinski, and Movenpick are all in the same line, nearby the bus station, and with directly accessed private sandy beaches on the Red Sea. Double Tree by Hilton is in the same area, but with no direct beach access. Hyatt Regency is a bit far and is located on an artificial lagoon, with no Red Sea beach but still provides proper sunbathing. These are the 5-star downtown options.
If you don’t care about the hotel stars, there are plenty of 4-, 3- and 2-star opportunities, also hostels, but the vast majority are with no beach access. What to be cautious about as a female European?! The urban beaches (free of charge) I consider completely unsuitable for foreigners. Those spots are quite dirty, overcrowded, super noisy, and bikini intolerant. The last point is to be really careful. Even though the locals are quite used to the tourist outfit and lifestyle, the proper clothing on the urban beaches is highly recommended. Even one-piece swimwear for the ladies could be a bit too bold on those beaches.
If your accommodation doesn’t provide a beach, I would highly recommend a fantastic beach with quite restricted access, known to be very European-oriented. Of course, I am biased, because I love this place, but can guarantee you won’t regret it. I am talking about Berenice beach.
Its owners have agreements with a lot of hotels in Aqaba and provide free-of-charge transportation if you buy a Berenice beach day access ticket. Here are the Berenice website and the contacts. Or you can just ask at the reception of your hotel if they provide Berenice beach access.
Except for the beach with one of the best locations for snorkeling in Aqaba, Berenice provides also diving, glass boat trips, several swimming pools, and a restaurant with delicious and affordable food, beverages, and animation on the beach the whole day long. And it’s very much bikini tolerant 🙂
Another option is to buy a day pass for the mentioned above 5-star hotels. They offer a day pass varying between 25 and 35 JOD (33 to 47 euro) per person per day, usually with some discounts on food and beverage consumption. The beach sunbed, umbrella, and towel are included in the day pass. In addition, the swimming pools of the hotels are at disposal as well.
Where to dine in Aqaba
In case you are accommodated in the tourist area, where most of the hotels are located, I won’t recommend you dine in the hotel. There are plenty of local restaurants with fantastic meals at very affordable prices. A very well known among the European visitors is Papaya, within walking distance from the hotels, where you can make it up to 10 JOD (15 Euro) per person. Most of the restaurants around provide the same quality and rates, so feel free to choose for yourself.
Two places for foodies within walking distance for dinner only – DIWAN restaurant located on the rooftop of Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. Breathtaking views over the city of Aqaba, good live music, affordable meals, and proper service. The other one is the RED SEA GRILL restaurant located on the beach of Movenpick Resort & Residences Hotel. Afro-Arabian food, right on the beach, holiday ambiance, impeccable service. It’s very well known among the tourists staying in the nearby hotels.
For lunch, I would recommend the Royal Yacht Club, again within walking distance. Full of restaurants and bars, crowded mostly at night but at noon quite empty with fantastic views of the Red Sea and the Marina.
Where to go and what to do in Aqaba
Well… I am not going to speak much about sightseeing in Aqaba, you can easily find them on the TripAdvisor website. But there is a secret which the locals will never share with you. Aqaba remains the cheapest place to stay in the Golden Triangle (Aqaba – Wadi Rum Desert – Petra). So, if you would like to save money, stay in Aqaba overnight and plan day trips to the other two.
Wadi Rum desert is a must-visit and is about a 30 to 40-minute drive away only. Petra is about a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Aqaba. As the fuel is quite expensive at the moment, I am not that sure if renting a car is still the best option but there are plenty of day trips offered on spot, just ask the concierge at your hotel, any local agency or just book it online.
The other spot I would love to recommend is Eilat, the neighboring Aqaba Israeli city. The taxi can drop you off at the border, which is 4 km from Aqaba downtown only. The border Aqaba – Eilat could be crossed on foot, the distance is about 150 meters only. Then on the Israeli side, the taxis are waiting for the tourists. Right after the Israeli Customs, is the currency exchange with quite good rates where you can turn your US dollars or euros into Israeli shekels.
A day trip is quite possible, just check in advance the opening and the closure of the border on both sides. It could be quite tricky as sometimes the border closes at 5 or 7 pm with no advance announcement.
The other options on what to do in Aqaba I have already mentioned above. Knowing to be the Red Sea diving paradise, Aqaba offers more than 40 diving clubs with their equipment and instructors for diving lessons or diving experience.
The best places to dive are the Japanese Garden and the Underwater Military Museum with the sank vehicles, including tanks, troop carriers, and a helicopter. The airplane is the latest addition to the museum collection and is already quite famous among the divers.
Not into diving? Then snorkeling, water skiing, kayaking, sailing, and a variety of boat trips could be your daily entertainment in Aqaba. I would also recommend the glass boat experience. If you are not a swimmer or a diver, this journey with a transparent boat bottom will let you explore the coral reefs, the underwater Red Sea flora, and fauna.
An aquapark has been recently opened in Aqaba, so ask for Saraya Water Park if you are a fan. The Waterpark features more than 25 rides, slides, and experiences in addition to family-friendly eateries with working hours 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM. The single-day ticket is 35 JOD (about 47 euro).
Some extra rules for Aqaba
- Sunscreen is a must during the entire season. The sunbeams could be quite harsh with max air temperature up to 46 degrees C in July and August
- Do not touch the coral reefs and stay away from sea urchins, lionfish, and stone fish
- No tap water for drinking, only bottled water
- Each price is negotiable, it’s the Middle East just be persistent
- Respect the locals and you will be respected
- Mind your clothing, especially during the Ramadan time
- Mind your language, most of the locals speak English
I hope you enjoy your Aqaba holiday and it’s going to turn into a lifetime memory! Cheers!:)