Exploring The City's Delights
Aqaba, the city of fun, sun, leisure, and adventure in Jordan
Our own representative in the Middle East, Motaz Othman, introduces our readers to the wonderful delights in the city of the Aqaba in Jordan. Aqaba is an open and modern city with five-star hotels available for guests to enjoy their stay with fun and leisure for the young and old and for men and women. There is an old saying about the city that goes, “Have fun under the Aqaba sun.”
Aqaba is a year-round resort that has something to offer everyone and is a popular destination for all age groups. This seaside city is blessed with great weather throughout the year; hot and breezy in the summer, warm and pleasant in the winter.
For those who crave adventure, diving under the warm crystal blue water is a great activity where you can see the world’s most breathtaking underwater scenery, with a marine ecosystem that comprises more than 140 species of corals and countless varieties of brightly-colored fish, some unique only to the region.
A forty-minute drive from Aqaba takes you to the magical desert expanse and majestic mountains in Wadi Rum, where you can experience crossing the desert in a 4-wheel drive and enjoy sleeping under a tent and watching the stars in the night sky. In the morning, you can enjoy a Bedouin breakfast or take a camel safari to attend a Bedouin wedding.
If you are looking for a taste of rich Arabic culture and heritage, you will certainly find it here in the melodic call of the surrounding mosques, the tempting aromas wafting from local restaurants, and the enchanting Arabic music heard around every street corner.
For the history enthusiast, Aqaba has sites reflecting human existence in the area that dates back at least 5,500 years, a result of Aqaba's strategic location at the junction of land and sea routes linking Asia, Africa, and Europe. Of special interest among the ancient and medieval archaeological sites are the newly-discovered sites of what is thought to be the oldest church in the world, the early Islamic city called Ayla, a Mamluk Fort, and a little-known museum, which used to be the home of Sharif Hussein bin Ali, the great grand-father of King Abdullah II.
A two-hour drive north of Aqaba takes you to the world-renowned, rose-red city of Petra where you can experience the history of one of the new 7 wonders of the world. The natural beauty of Aqaba, where mountains meet both sea and desert, is a unique attraction in itself, displaying magical shades of red with each sunset, while the blue sea constantly sparkles, hiding beneath it some of the most colorful marine life in the Red Sea.
Local restaurants offer various specialties of Arabic and international cuisine. A downtown souk area, in addition to a number of modern malls and shopping centers, offers plenty of shopping options, and the best part is that it's all tax-free on some items.
Aqaba is also an ideal location for international congresses and company incentive vacations. So, whether here for business or pleasure, there is plenty to do and so much to see, it's guaranteed to keep the boredom at bay, and all at very affordable prices!
Aqaba is one of those wonderful places that leaves lasting memories and tempts you back time and again. It is truly a tourist’s haven, an oasis in the desert, and so much more. Start planning your visit for some sun, fun, and relaxation in this unique oasis and come create your memories here in the ancient land of Aqaba.
Comments
Thanks Motaz for a great article.
Aqaba needs such promotion to advise the tourists to the region of the wealth this area in the south of Jordan has to offer.
Petra Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea complement the natural wonders of the deep sea wonders of the Red Sea.
Nice introduction about Aqaba.
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