Aqaba (Jordan)
In the very south of Jordan, on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, there is the country’s only port – Aqaba. This is a fairly young, but rapidly developing resort. Sandy beaches stretch along the entire city, rocky beaches begin only in its southern part. You can relax in Aqaba all year round, in winter the temperature of coastal waters does not fall below +20 degrees, and cool breezes soften the summer heat. Upscale hotels are located in the northern part of the resort. Aqaba has both public and private beaches. Mostly locals relax on public beaches, so it’s better to pay a small amount and relax on the beaches owned by hotels. On each beach near the shore there are submarines or glass-bottomed boats that offer tours of the Gulf of Aqaba.
In the coastal waters of the Gulf of Aqaba, very close to the coast, there are coral reefs with a colorful underwater world where you can go diving. There are about 30 dive sites here, 27 of which belong to the Marine Park. About 300 species of coral are found in coastal waters, and the coral gardens that surround the coast are home to 1,000 species of fish. Underwater visibility at the resort reaches 40 m, and in the summer months it can exceed 50 m. The most popular dive site is Cedar Pride. This is a sunken ship that has been lying at the bottom of the sea since 1985. It is located 130 m from the shore at a depth of 25 m. This place is suitable for trained divers, because strong currents are noted here. In the Power Station coral wall area, you can see sharks, wrasses and moray eels. In the northern part of the so-called First Bay there are very beautiful reefs, the local sandy bottom is covered with red corals. Immersion depth varies from 12 to 30 m. ” – sharks. For night dives, the Rainbow Reef is suitable, where there are a lot of lobsters and starfish in all colors of the rainbow. The Japanese Gardens are famous among snorkelers for their colorful underwater world. There is even a Tank in coastal waters. This is an American tank that was submerged in 1990 to create a popular dive site. – sharks. For night dives, the Rainbow Reef is suitable, where there are a lot of lobsters and starfish in all colors of the rainbow. The Japanese Gardens are famous among snorkelers for their colorful underwater world. There is even a Tank in coastal waters. This is an American tank that was submerged in 1990 to create a popular dive site.
In ancient times, Aqaba was located at the crossroads of the main routes between Europe, Asia and Africa, so there are many historical sights here. During excavations, the ruins of an ancient church were discovered in the city. They date back to the 3rd century AD and are believed to be the oldest church in the world. In the 12th century, the Crusaders built a fort in Aqaba, which was rebuilt in the 14th century and has survived to this day.
Northeast of Aqaba is the desert Wadi Rum, which is considered the best place for hiking in Jordan. It is located 50 km northeast of Aqaba.. Here you will see dry riverbeds, sand dunes and mountains, among which is the highest point in the country – Jebel Ram (1734 m). At sunset, the mountains turn red, creating a unique landscape. The best time to visit Wadi Rum is in the spring, when the desert turns green for a short period after the rains. Wadi Rum is a real sand museum. The events described in the Bible took place here, and ancient drawings remained on some rocks. In the desert, you can take a safari by jeep or camel, and tours in a hot air balloon are also arranged. In addition to the local landscape, tourists will be able to see the Bedouin settlements and get acquainted with their culture.
Umm al Jimal (Jordan)
According to shoe-wiki, Umm al-Jimal is located just 10 km from the Syrian border. Translated from Arabic, the name of the city means “mother of the camel”. Once it was the main stopping point on the caravan route through the Syrian desert. Now Umm al-Jimal is a unique monument of ancient civilizations. The city is built of black basalt, here you can see the ruins of numerous stone buildings, some of which date back to the 2nd century BC. e., the remains of churches, Roman barracks and defensive complexes. Tours and safaris depart
from Umm al-Jimal to the palaces of the desert, which are located in the eastern part of Jordan. There are about 30 of them in total, they were built in the 7th-8th centuries AD. Once upon a time, these were Caliph residences, which were buried in greenery due to irrigation with special irrigation facilities. Now the majestic red-yellow buildings of the palaces rise among the sands, some of them are destroyed, and some are perfectly preserved to this day. All the palaces of the desert can be seen during a day trip from Amman. The Qasr Amra Palace was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it is one of the best preserved examples of early Islamic painting. Its walls and ceilings are decorated with multi-colored frescoes depicting famous caliphs, and the ceiling of the baths is decorated with frescoes of the starry sky of the Northern Hemisphere and the signs of the zodiac. Very interesting oasis Azraq – the only place in the desert where there is water. The oasis covers an area of 12 sq. km, on which luxurious gardens, parks and swimming pools are spread. In addition, a reserve of the same name was created here, because every year birds stop here during their flights between Africa and Asia.
