3.6. Aqaba, Jordan´s Year-Round Red Sea Resort
After the exhilaration
of Petra and Wadi Rum, one will be ready for the relaxing sun-and-sand attractions
of Aqaba, Jordan's Red Sea resort. With it's subtropical climate it has summer
all throughout the year, pleasantly warm even in winter with water temperatures
of 20° Celsius, and refreshing with cool sea breezes in the heat of the
summer.
Aqaba is a little tropical paradise, ringed by mountains that change colours
every few hours, fringed by thousands of palm trees and lapped by the warm
waters of the Red Sea. Just steps off the beach lies a spectacular underwater
world of corals and exotic fish, indigo-coloured water bringing kaleidoscopic
marine life within easy reach, accessible to beginner snorkelers as well as
to experienced scuba divers. Aqaba boasts some of the world's best scuba diving
by day or night, and the Royal Diving Centre, a new and modern diving base
on the southern shore, where the most beautiful coral reefs are. Many of the
modern hotels on the northern beach offer water sports such as snorkelling,
fishing, wind surfing, water-skiing, sailing or glass bottom-boat rides and,
of course, sunbathing.
With several first-rate hotels, restaurants for every sort of taste, bars,
night-clubs, shops and boutiques Aqaba caters for variation on the evenings
and candle lit dinner cruises can be booked as well.
The Aqaba area also offers archaeological sites that tell history. In biblical
times it was called Ezion-Geber, a prosperous town where King Solomon's ships
set sail with their store of copper. Worth visiting are the old harbour, the
island crusader fortress and a recently discovered 7th century Islamic walled
town that is still being excavated and a regional antiquities museum.
Contents of the Guide Book
| 1. | Welcome to Jordan |
| 2.. | The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan |
| 2.1. | Geography, Climate and Borders |
| 2.2. | Entry and Departure Procedures |
| 2.3 | Population |
| 2.4. | Currency |
| 2.5. | History |
| 2.6. |
Government |
| 2.7. | Economy |
| 3. | Jordan, where the Adventure awaits you |
| 3.2 | Amman, the Dynamic Capital City |
| 3.2. | The
Kings´Highway (Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Mukawir, Wadi Mujib, Karak, Shobak) |
| 3.3. | Petra, the Spectacular Rose-Red City |
| 3.4. | The Cities of Decapolis (Pella, Gadara, Abila, Philadelphia, Gerasa, Umm el Jimal) |
| 3.5.. |
Following
the Footsteps of "Lawrence of Arabia"; |
| 3.6. | Aqaba, Jordan´s year-round Red Sea Resort |
| 3.7. | The Dead Sea and Termal Spas; The healing power of the Dead Sea; The Hot Springs of Zarqa Ma´in |
| 3.8. | Biblical Sites in Jordan |
| 3.8.1. | The
Biblical Sites from North to South; Gadara, Anjara, Pella, Bethany, Machaerus, Madaba, Mt. Nebo, the Kings´Highway, Wadi Musa, Sodom & Gomorra, Ayla |
| 3.9. | Nature Reserves in Jordan; Wadi Rum, Dana, Zubia, Azraq, Shaumari |
| 4. | The Tourist Facilities in Jordan |
| 4.1. | Transportation;
Flight Connections, Tourist Buses, Bus-, Train-, Ferry-Connections; Car Rental and Driving in Jordan |
| 4.2. | Communication |
| 4.3. | Sports; Aquatic Sports and Diving; Horseback Riding and Camel Trips; Ballooning; Glimbing and Hang-gliding |
| 4.4. | Culture and Entertainment; Museums and Galleries; Festivals; Other Entertainments |
| 4.5. | Restaurants |
| 4.6. | Shopping and Souvenirs |
| 4.7. | Tourist Guides |
| 4.8. | Accommodation; |
| 5. | Incentive Travel |
| 5.1. | Incentive Special Events |
| 6. | Helpful Facts about Jordan |
| 6.1. | Best Time to Travel and Safty |
| 6.2. | Tipping (Bakshish) |
| 6.3. | Holidays, Ramadan, Business Hours |
| 6.4. | Local Customs - How to Dress? |
| 6.5. | Electric Current, Water Supply |