Gulf of Aqaba

Jordan's entire coastline is 26 km of shore at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, a narrow 180-kilometre finger of the Red Sea pinched between the Sinai Peninsula and the Arabian Peninsula. The Gulf's geometry creates tidal resonance that amplifies the range above the open Red Sea level: spring range at Aqaba is 1.0–1.4 m, mixed semidiurnal. Northerly shamal winds, common November through April, push water southward and can lower Aqaba's water level 0.2–0.4 m below astronomical prediction. The reef systems along Jordan's coast — including the well-documented sites off the South Beach and Tala Bay — are shallow fringing reefs where low-water exposure limits safe snorkelling access over the shallowest sections. Scuba diving and snorkelling are the primary coastal activities; Wadi Rum desert lies 60 km inland, making Aqaba a dual-destination base.