City break in Aqaba. Active leisure ideas for Aqaba - attractions, recreation and nightlife

Aqaba is one of the leaders in Jordan when it comes to entertainment. Many tourists visit this city to enjoy premium beach recreation and diving. The Red Sea is famous for its fantastic underwater life. There are several wonderful public beaches in the city. Besides them, many upscale hotels in Aqaba have private beaches. That being said, beach recreation is not the only entertainment available to tourists. This region is rich in natural attractions.

If you like strolling, don’t forget to visit Aqaba Bird Observatory. This is a popular local reserve. The landscape of Aqaba Bird Observatory is not formed by nature – it took several years to make multiple small lakes on the site of the reserve. Today, this is a marshland with perfect climatic conditions for hundreds of different bird species.

More than 350 species of migratory birds visit this area throughout the year. For them, the reserve became an important stop on their way between European, Asian, and African regions. There are several interesting pedestrian routes in the reserve. You will have an opportunity to take a walk to the picturesque lakes. The reserve is home to rare species of flamingoes and predatory birds. Autumn and spring are the best time to visit Aqaba Bird Observatory. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Several large scientific stations work in Aqaba, and Marine Science Station is one of them. It studies the region’s marine ecosystem and controls environmental pollution. A large aquarium is a part of this famous scientific complex. Naturally, the aquarium has quickly become a famous attraction that is equally popular with locals and tourists. Visitors can see an interesting collection of sea creatures, colorful fish, and beautiful corals here. An excursion to the aquarium is like a journey to the underwater world of the region. It allows everyone to admire the marvelous marine life that only fans of diving and snorkeling can see. Some inhabitants of the aquarium are quite rare. For example, visitors can see reef sharks and colorful parrotfish.

A visit to hammam is a wonderful opportunity to have fun and familiarize oneself with the local culture. Turkish bath is one of the most popular ways of relaxing for local people. The best steam baths in the city are open on the street named after King Hussein. These hammams offer treatments in strict accordance with historical traditions. It is important to mention that steam baths for men and women are separated in Aqaba as this is an old religious and cultural tradition in Muslim countries.

Outdoor recreation enthusiasts and everyone who likes visiting beautiful places should explore Wadi Rum. Although the distance from Aqaba is roughly 60 kilometers, excursions to Wadi Rum are ever-popular among tourists. The name of this nature reserve translates as “the Valley of the Moon” from Arabian. Indeed, this area has a very unusual terrain, and futuristic shapes of sandstone and granite rocks are reminiscent of the Moon surface.

Desert surrounds the unique area, and thousands of years of winds and erosion turned monolith rocks into unusual formations of different shapes. The height of some rocks is more than 1,750 meters in Wadi Rum. It is hard to find a more picturesque and marvelous natural wonder in Jordan. Tourists can explore the reserve in off-roader vehicles or choose a more traditional way and participate in an excursion of camels.

If you like unusual entertainment, you can make a several-day-long journey in the desert. In this case, you will sleep in Bedouin tents. You will be able to listen to their traditional music and eat authentic Bedouin cuisine. Upscale travelers can try another interesting activity – they can explore the breathtaking beauty of the desert during a hot-air balloon ride.

There is a berth not far from the old fort. This is a starting point of exciting boat excursions that tourists are welcome to participate in. Vacationers can also rent a boat or motorboat and make a refreshing ride along the coast. If you like fishing, you can book a fishing session here. Sea rides in a special ship with a transparent bottom are always very popular with tourists because this is a safe and simple way to see the underwater life of the region.

Bars and nightclubs, which are typical for foreigners, are open in large hotels only in Aqaba because local people usually do not visit such venues. They prefer to spend their evenings in small restaurants located away from noisy tourist streets. These restaurants offer not only popular national food but also fragrant shisha. Large restaurants often organize music concerts and dancing shows for their guests. As a rule, national cuisine restaurants close quite early.