Aqaba

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Aqaba is Jordan's only port. From Aqaba you can look down at Jordan, to the West, Aqaba shares a land border with Eilat in Israel, slightly South of there across the Red Sea is Taba in Egypt's Sinai and directly South is Saudi Arabia. The port and ferry terminal to Nuweiba, Egypt are just south of town.

Because we were there at the end of Eid Adaha, the Eid holiday following the annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca, the beaches in Aqaba were very crowded.

The Jordanians camp Bedouin style right on the beach. There were no facilities per-se for this mass of people, so the beach had lots of litter. The beach is also not the fine white tropical sand type, more of a course grainy sand with patches of small rocks. The Red Sea though has great snorkeling and diving opportunities, right off the beach. Lots of interesting fish and coral and other sea creatures.

We stayed south of Aqaba near the Saudi border, at the Bedouin Garden Village which is Jordan's equivalent of Egypt's Dahab in the Sinai. It's a laid back place where travelers mingle and recuperate before proceeding on their journeys. Aqaba was our beach time before heading back to Doha. N..'s colleague D.. and E.. changed their planned desert adventure of camping out Bedouin style in Wadi Rum, which used to be T.E Lawrence's favourite hangout, and came down the next day to spend some beach time with us.

So was it "Better Dead than Red?", when it comes to the Seas at least? For this trip, it certainly was. The Dead Sea was amazingly calm the day we visited. Not a wisp of wind and the air was cool, not too hot nor cold. The water too was very pleasant. The Red Sea was windy and the sea was choppy each of the three days we were there. We didn't spend much time in the water as the wind made it cold when we were wet. Wet suits would have been nice. The snorkeling made it worth while though.

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Photos

W..
Wyn flopped out in flippers.

Aqaba Beach
The land in the distance is Taba, Egypt and Eilat, Israel.

Aqaba Beach
Wyn with a Sea Urchin

Aqaba Beach
Eve and Wyn playing in the sand

Comments

[Nel]

Wonderful Viewing
Enjoyed going through the pictures. One can see you are all enjoying your time at Aqaba. Good stuffNalin, Eva and Wyn.