Aqaba

Walking is not permitted in the port area. If heading into town, use the ship’s coach shuttle to a car park. The main purpose of this call is to visit Petra or the Dead Sea, and the port serves that role well.

Aqaba is also a principal visitor stop in its own right, especially for excellent diving and snorkelling, and it is rapidly becoming a regional winter resort.

Shuttles are normally provided into town, a 4 km journey.

At the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, Aqaba is Jordan’s only sea access.

Cruise ships call at the Red Sea, known for coral reefs, excellent diving and sandy beaches.

Calm water makes Aqaba ideal for water-skiing, wind-surfing and scuba diving. Several diving centers offer novice lessons, while experienced divers can hire equipment and use local guides. The reef’s coral formations are regarded as among the world’s most spectacular and are often close enough for an amateur snorkeler to see easily. Glass-bottomed boat trips can be arranged. The aquarium in the Marine Sciences center on the Corniche, southeast of town, displays exotic marine life for those who prefer to stay dry.

Aqaba Fort dates originally from the 14th century. Its present structure was built by the Mamluke sultan Qansawh el-Ghawri (1501-1516) and has been altered many times since.

A minibus with driver from Petra costs 45 JD; the journey from Petra to Aqaba takes about 2 hr.

At the gate, cabs wait for town trips; alternatively, walk a further 15 - 20 minutes to Aqaba Castle.

Taxis are readily available in the city. A ride within town should cost no more than 2JD, while trips outside town, such as to a nearby beach or border crossing, cost around 3JD.

An all-day Petra taxi round trip now costs 74JD or Euro 80. Independent travellers should note that Petra entry is £50(sterling) per person.

When agreeing a taxi fare, establish whether it is the total cost or a “per-person” price, otherwise the final bill may be a surprise.

Aqaba is fairly close to Wadi Rum and Petra. Public buses serve both but leave only when enough passengers have gathered. Many town tour companies can also arrange excursions, especially to Wadi Rum.

Aqaba is the entry port for Petra, Jordan’s most famous attraction and one of the Middle East’s great wonders.

Carved directly from solid rock, Petra is reached after a two-kilometer (1.2-mile) walk through a narrow chasm, adding to its mystery and grandeur. Built in the fifth and sixth centuries BC, it was the ruined capital of the Nabatean Arabs. Its immense facades were lost for almost 1000 years until Swiss traveller Johan Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered them in 1812. Today, sights include the giant rock-cut tomb el Khazneh (The Treasury), the Temple of the Winged Lions, al-Deir (Monastery) and the small Archaeological Museum, which…

Wadi Rum is a spectacular desert valley about an hour north of Aqaba in the Jordan desert, loved by British adventurer T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). Its rocky cliffs and brilliant red, brown and orange colours distinguish it from other desert areas. Explore on foot, by camel, donkey or 4-wheel-drive covered jeep. A cruise-ship-organised excursion may be the best option.

Special purchases include Hebron glass, mother-of-pearl boxes, pottery, backgammon sets, embroidered tablecloths, jewelled rosaries and worry beads, olive-wood nativity sets, leather hassocks, old and new brass and copper goods, and caftans hand-embroidered with silver and gold thread. Jordan is also known for gold and silver. Necklaces with a small golden coffee pot (dalleh), the national symbol, are popular and widely available.

Local currency: Jordanian Dinar.

Some places, including McDonalds, accept US Dollars but give change in Jordanian Dinars.

McDonalds and Ali Baba restaurant near the market provide free WiFi.

The local language is Arabic.

Aqaba follows siesta hours: most places close around 3pm, sometimes earlier, then reopen later in the evening from around 6pm.