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About Aqaba...
Aqaba, with its clean sandy beaches and transparent warm waters, is an ideal location for both relaxation and water sports. It is located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, on the Red Sea coast. A mecca for scuba divers and snorkellers from all over the world, sunbathing, swimming, para-sailing, water skiing and jet skiing, are just some of the other activities available to partake in.

Famed for its preserved coral reefs and unique sea life, this Red Sea port city was, in ancient times, the main port for shipments from the Red Sea to the Far East.

The Mameluk Fort, One of the main historical land marks of Aqaba was originally a Crusader Castle, rebuilt by the Mameluks in the sixteenth century. Square in shape and flanked by semicircular towers, the fort is marked with various inscriptions marking the latter period of the Islamic dynasty.

The current excavations at the ancient site of Medieval Islamic Ayla already revealed a gate and city wall along with towers, buildings, a town mosque, courtyards and baths.

The Museum houses a collection of artifacts collected in the region, including pottery and coins. It also hosts the house of Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, the great grandfather of King Abdullah II.

Aqaba has been inhabited settlement since 4000 BC profiting from its strategic location at the junction of trading routes between Asia, Africa, Europe. During Roman times, a great long road led south from Damascus through Amman, terminating in Aqaba, where it connected with a west road leading to Palestine and Egypt.

During the 12th century the Crusaders occupied the area and built their fortress of Helim, which remains relatively well-preserved today. The Crusaders also fortified the small island of Ile de Graye (now known as Pharaoh's Island - about 7 km offshore). The island now lies in Egyptian territorial waters.

By 1170, both Aqaba and the island had been recaptured by Saladin. The Mamluks took over in 1250 and rebuilt the fort in the 14th century under one of the last Mamluk sultans. By the beginning of the 16th century the Mamluk dynasty had fallen into decline and the area came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire. Under the Ottomans, the city declined in status, for 400 years remaining a simple fishing village of little significance.

During World War I, Ottoman forces were forced to withdraw from the town after a daring raid by Lawrence of Arabia and the Arab forces of Sharif Hussein in 1917, making the territory part of the Kingdom of Hijaz. The capture of Aqaba helped open supply lines from Egypt up to Arab and British forces afield further north in Transjordan and Palestine. Aqaba was ceded to the British protectorate of Transjordan in 1925.

In 1965, King Hussein attempted to give Aqaba room to grow by trading land with Saudi Arabia. In return for 6000 square kilometers of desertland in Jordan's interior the Saudi's traded 12 kilometers of prime coastline to the south of Aqaba. In addition to the extra land for expansion of the port, the swap also gave the country access to some magnificent coral reefs.

View Aquatours Jordan Price Guide.
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