Aqaba

城市概覽

Aqaba is Jordan's window on the Red Sea. Historically the same city as Eilat on the Israeli side of the border, plans for a shared international airport and other forms of cooperation have cooled down in the past few years during a period of political tension. Aqaba has seen a lot of development. This has improved the infrastructure and facilities. Be prepared for road maps to be incorrect or out of date.

如何抵達

When entering Jordan in Aqaba you may be entitled to a free visa. Further details you can find in the Jordan article.

By bus The Desert Highway terminates in Aqaba. The 1 bus station is about 300 m east of the mosque. There are frequent buses to Amman and other points along the highway. The fare is 10 JD each way to/from Amman with well-known transport companies (e.g. Jett).

By car Amman to Aqaba is about 350 km using the Desert Highway. It will take about 4 hr to travel this distance at a reasonable speed. Service/fuel stops are not very frequent on this road. There is a customs checkpoint at the border of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. Officers will probably check the trunk of your car, but the checks are usually quick for private cars and taxis.

By taxi Minibus rental with driver from Petra costs 45 JD and it takes about 2 hr to get from Petra to Aqaba. Coming from the Israeli border, you will probably want to take the border taxi into town and switch to another taxi to continue on, especially if your hotel is in the South Beach resort area. From Aqaba city, taxi prices are lower than from the border. Also see the note on the Aqaba border taxi Mafia below.

By plane 2 King Hussein International Airport (AQJ IATA) (9 km (5.6 mi) north of Aqaba, about 20 min to drive). Served by a few airlines. Royal Jordanian operates between Amman and Aqaba. Duration of the flight is approximately one hour and costs around 50 JD + tax one-way. If there are two or more of you, it may be cheaper to take a taxi, especially once you factor in getting to and from the airport at each end. Note there is no public transport to and from the airport. To get a taxi that is cheaper than at the airport you can walk to the Jordan Valley Highway. That's how the locals do it. At the police checkpoint of the airport you may have to show your passport and answer where you are walking to. Also you could hitchhike from the Jordan Valley Highway to Aqaba. Depending on the driver it ma

當地交通

By taxi Taxis are easily available in the city. A ride within town should cost no more than 2 JD. A ride outside town (to a beach near by or to any border crossings) costs around 5 JD. However, if your hotel calls you a taxi, you may end up paying double for it as they receive a kickback (this is especially true if you are staying on the South Beach). While taxis are yellow all around Jordan, Aqaba taxis have been painted green and blue: the logo colours of Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ). When negotiating the price of a taxi, make sure to determine whether the final cost is the total or "per-person" price, as you may otherwise receive a surprise at the end of the ride. App-based taxies, such as the regional Careem or Uber, are not available within the city. You will have to use the local taxis.

By bus Local minibuses connect residential areas with downtown. The fare is 17 piasters (0.17 JD) regardless of the length of the journey. Passengers can get on and off at any point of the route. The central bus station is in front of the police station in King Talal street, less than 10 min walk from city centre (Ayla Square, Al-Hussein Bin Ali Mosque).

On foot Most points of interest can be reached on foot, and that is really the best way to see the place and experience Aqaba.

必看景點

As of December 2018, the staff at the information center near the castle claims that there is no place to use Jordan Pass in Aqaba, even though two museums are listed on the official website of Jordan Pass.

1 Aqaba Castle (قلعة العقبة) (at the southern end of the city beach, behind the flagpole and museum). under reconstruction as of December 2018. It dates to the 14th century, although the present structure was built by the Mamluke sultan Qansawh el-Ghawri (1501-1516) and has been revised many times since then. The archaeological museum which used to be here no longer exists. 3 JD or free with Jordan Pass. (updated Jul 2022) 2 Aqaba Heritage Museum (at the southern end of the city). A simple museum on local history and people. 3 Ayla (next to the Mövenpick resort). The old city that was established when Islam came to the area in 622 AD. 1 JD. 4 Aqaba Church (Behind the JETT bus station, which is just west of the Mövenpick Resort & Residences). The oldest purpose-built Christian church in history. A posted sign (viewed in the right angle) gives a little bit of information on the church and its age. (updated May 2021) 5 Aqaba Flagpole (at the southern end of the city beach). The sixth tallest freestanding flagpole sits at a height of 130 metres high. It carries the flag of the Arab Revolt. 6 Sheik Zayed Mosque. This mosque in the east beyond the highway gives a great overview of the area and Aqaba. 7 Marine Science Center Aquarium (5 km south of Aqaba). Small aquarium with a few local and exotic fish. Very small aquarium with limited information, not worth the high price for foreigners, but Jordanians (1 JD) might want to take their kids. 7 JD.

體驗活動

Except the sea and diving, Aqaba doesn't have a lot of things to offer. The following can be of interest but are easily done in one day.

Aqaba Castle Aqaba museum Fourth century Roman church There is a public beach between the city and the fort, although it can be very dirty. There are several public beaches south of Aqaba, which also can be dirty. Beaches generally have eating and showering facilities and sometimes watersports.

1 Mount Um al Nusaylah (try hiking up near Domina Aquamarina III Hotel, 1 km east of the bus station). Hike this mountain for a great view of the Aqaba area, Eilat on the other side of the Red Sea and the valley behind the mount.

Scuba diving

Have a look at an online map south of Aqaba, such as in the Tala Bay article; many dive centers can be found there, and diving is extremely popular. A two-dive single-day package typically costs around 50 JD, but booking multi-dive packages in advance can save a lot. Almost all dives are shore based. A small number of sites are better accessed by boat, though the journey is never more than 45 min and is typically in the 20-min range. Though dive packages tend to be more expensive than nearby Egypt, the quality of operators is much more consistent, and the fact virtually all dives are done as shore dives save both money and time with day-boats. Diving here is also good for beginners, as there are no tides, and currents and swells this far up the gulf of Aqaba are minimal, which also means diving any given site is all but guaranteed, regardless of what the weather is up to.

2 Ahlan Aqaba Scuba Diving Center, Al Na