The Red Sea is famous for having some of the most biodiverse coral reefs on Earth. Biodiverse means there is a huge variety of different living things. Around Aqaba you can spot parrotfish, clownfish, lionfish, stingrays and octopuses, all just metres from the shore. The water is usually about 24–27°C — as warm as a heated swimming pool — making it very comfortable to swim in.
The reef just off the Aqaba shore is sometimes called the 'Japanese Garden' because the coral formations look like a carefully arranged garden with towering towers, fans, and brain-shaped lumps of coral. Some of these coral structures are hundreds of years old. Because the Red Sea is surrounded by desert on most sides, there are very few rivers bringing mud and sediment into the water, which is why it stays so beautifully clear and blue.
Aqaba is also a busy port city where enormous cargo ships arrive from all over the world. From the beach you can look across the water and see three other countries — Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia — because all four countries share the same tiny corner of the Red Sea. At night the city comes alive with outdoor restaurants and the smell of grilled fish.