Aqaba is Jordan's only coastal city and the country's sole seaport, at the northern tip of the Red Sea where Jordan, Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia converge. It has a population of around 150,000. The city is the jumping-off point for the south of Jordan — Wadi Rum (65km north) and Petra (130km north) — and a significant destination in its own right for Red Sea diving and snorkelling.
The diving is the main draw. Aqaba Marine Park protects the reef along the southern coast; the underwater life is excellent and visibility is typically very good. Several dive operators offer courses and day trips. The beaches themselves are mixed — some clean and pleasant, others not — and the best are south of the city centre. The compact, atmospheric old city centre has the Mamluk-era Aqaba Castle (rebuilt after being damaged by Lawrence of Arabia and British naval guns in 1917) and the small Archaeological Museum.
Aqaba sits within the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, making imported goods cheap by regional standards — duty-free shopping is a significant draw for Jordanian and Saudi visitors. The city is warm year-round but brutally hot in summer; October to April is the comfortable season.
Ferries cross to Nuweiba in Egypt's Sinai from the passenger port; the fast ferry takes about 1 hour.