Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DISCOVERING AQABA ON FOOT
The compact centre of Aqaba lends itself to a late afternoon amble. The following 3km circular route takes about
two hours. It begins outside Al-Cazar Hotel on the Corniche where you can hire a horse carriage if you prefer.
Gain a sense of Aqaba's antiquity in the
ruins of Ayla
: there has been a port at the mouth of the gulf for many
centuries. Continue along the Corniche to the
marina
to understand Aqaba's strategic location, with the mountains
of Israel and Egypt just across the water and Saudi Arabia, 14km to the south.
Continue along the Corniche and take the path through the carefully tended allotments of spinach and radish to
the
beach
. On the weekend, the beach comes alive with picnicking locals; on a weekday off season, you'll have the
sand to yourself. Continue south to the large plaza at the base of the giant flag. Spare 30 minutes for a ride in a
glass-bottom boat
and a tantalising glimpse of the fabled Red Sea with its window-pane clarity.
From the flag, cut inland to the
Aqaba Fort
and catch the cry of 'To Aqaba' as you stroll through the giant
wooden gates. This is where the Arab Revolt memorably ousted the Turks, with TE Lawrence in tow. For a
memento of standing in the big man's shoes (or at least in his celebrity sandals), buy something from the
Noor al-
Hussein Foundation
opposite, where profits are returned to the community.
Leave history behind and turn left onto the busiest section of the Corniche, dodging the invitations to snack with
the locals from the town's popular shwarma vendors. Turn right up Ar-Razi St and first left, doglegging through the
colourful
fruit & vegetable souq
selling monumental mounds of eggplants. Turn left on Zahran St - or be led by
your nose as you're bound to smell the shops selling nuts, coffee and spices before you see them. Jewellery, bead,
antique and
souvenir shops
Offline map
Google map
punctuate the parade along the rest of its length. To feast
the belly instead of the eyes, duck left through one of the alleyways into Raghadan St. The magnificently renovated
mosque
opposite was a recent project of the current king. Turn right along Raghadan St and buy desserts for later
from the famous pastry shops at the bend in the road, then settle yourself into a street-side table at
Ali Baba Res-
taurant
for a tasty first course.
Cross the busy Amman Hwy and stroll along An-Nahda St, the teeming centre of modern Aqaba. Choose a
fish
restaurant
for tonight's supper or stop off for an Arabic coffee and sheesha along As-Sa'dah St, stepping aside for
the entrepreneurial young lads exercising their camels on the pavement. Turn left onto Ar-Rashid St by the ruins of
the
ancient church
; a few paces will bring you to the Mövenpick Resort Hotel by the ruins of Ayla - a grand place
for an end of tour ice cream.
Activities
Beaches
Look at pictures of Aqaba in a brochure, and you may imagine that the town has already
achieved resort status. While there are some good facilities in the top-end hotels, and
plenty more in the pipeline, the public beaches at present are more about fully dressed
bathing on board your own inflatable lilo than jet-skiing in designer swimwear across
palm-fringed bays.
