Location: Aqaba 77110
Tel. +962 777 723 618
The Aqaba International Dive Center (AIDC) is a premier scuba diving and snorkeling facility located in Aqaba, Jordan, within the Aqaba Marine Reserve (AMR) along the Gulf of Aqaba’s Red Sea coastline. Established as a key player in Aqaba’s dive tourism industry, AIDC is renowned for its professional services, experienced instructors, and access to the AMR’s 19 dive sites, including iconic wrecks like the Cedar Pride and Tarmac Five. Situated near South Beach, approximately 6 miles south of Aqaba city center, AIDC offers a range of activities for beginners to advanced divers, emphasizing safety, personalized experiences, and environmental conservation. With a claimed 59 years of expertise—though likely referring to collective staff experience rather than the center’s founding—AIDC is a PADI-certified dive center, providing courses, guided dives, and snorkeling trips in the Gulf’s warm, clear waters.
The exact founding date of the Aqaba International Dive Center is not
explicitly documented in available sources, but its claim of “59 years
of expertise” (as of 2025) suggests a long-standing presence or
cumulative staff experience, possibly tracing back to the 1960s when
Aqaba’s dive tourism began to develop. This claim may reflect the
experience of its founder, Ahmed (noted in a 2023 Tripadvisor review),
or key staff rather than the center’s operational history, as Aqaba’s
modern dive industry emerged later, with the AMR’s establishment in
1997. The center operates under the Aqaba Special Economic Zone
Authority (ASEZA), which has managed the AMR since 2001, aligning with
Jordan’s push to promote sustainable tourism in its 27-kilometer Red Sea
coastline.
AIDC likely grew in prominence alongside Aqaba’s
transformation into a duty-free economic zone in 2000, which spurred
tourism infrastructure, including dive centers. The center’s focus on
the AMR, established to protect coral reefs and marine life, reflects
Jordan’s conservation efforts, championed by King Abdullah II, a
passionate diver who has supported wrecks like the Cedar Pride (1985)
and the Underwater Military Museum (2019). X posts from 2020–2025
highlight royal backing for the AMR’s UNESCO World Heritage bid, with
AIDC contributing through its dive offerings. The center’s reputation is
bolstered by positive Tripadvisor reviews, citing professional
instructors like Abdulah and Abdalsalam, and its claim to offer
“unparalleled underwater experiences.”
However, the lack of
precise historical records raises questions about AIDC’s longevity
claim, as other centers like Arab Divers (1998) and Coral Garden
(post-1997) have clearer timelines. This ambiguity suggests possible
marketing exaggeration, warranting critical scrutiny of AIDC’s narrative
versus its actual establishment.
AIDC is strategically located near South Beach, within the AMR’s
7-kilometer protected coastline, offering easy access to dive sites like
Tarmac Five, Cedar Pride, and Seven Sisters. While specific details
about its physical facilities are limited in sources, AIDC operates as a
full-service dive center, equipped to handle daily shore and boat dives,
snorkeling trips, and PADI training courses. Its infrastructure likely
includes standard dive shop amenities, based on industry norms and
reviews praising equipment quality and service.
Key Facilities:
Dive Shop and Equipment Rental: AIDC provides top-quality gear,
including masks, fins, regulators, and wetsuits (3–5mm, suitable for
21–28°C waters), with reviews noting well-maintained equipment. Rental
costs range from ~5–10 JOD for snorkeling gear to ~30–50 JOD for full
dive setups, per industry standards.
Boats: AIDC offers boat dives to
deeper sites like Tarmac Five (27 m) and Cedar Pride (25–28 m), likely
using vessels equipped with safety gear, oxygen, and shaded areas, as
typical for Aqaba dive centers. Specific boat details are unavailable,
unlike Deep Blue Dive Center’s 24-meter Deep Blue 2.
Training Areas:
As a PADI-certified center, AIDC has facilities for classroom and
confined water training (e.g., pools or shallow bays), supporting
courses from Discover Scuba Diving to advanced certifications, per
Tripadvisor.
Booking Office: Likely located in Aqaba city center or
near South Beach, facilitating reservations and transport, as noted in
tourist reviews.
Support Amenities: Restrooms, shaded areas, and
parking are available at South Beach, with AIDC providing transport or
guidance to dive sites, per Inspirock.
Services:
Scuba Diving:
Guided Dives: Daily shore dives (e.g., Seven Sisters, The Tank) and boat
dives (e.g., Tarmac Five, Cedar Pride), with depths from 5–40 meters.
Costs range from ~30–50 JOD per dive, including gear and guides.
Try
Dives: Non-certified divers can dive to 10 meters with an instructor,
ideal for beginners, as confirmed by a Tripadvisor Q&A.
Night Dives:
Offered for advanced divers, showcasing bioluminescent plankton and
nocturnal species like octopuses, per industry norms.
PADI Courses:
From Discover Scuba Diving (~100 JOD) to Advanced Open Water (~300 JOD)
and specialties like Wreck Diving, taught by multilingual instructors
(e.g., Abdulah, Abdalsalam).
Snorkeling Trips: Guided tours to
shallow reefs like Seven Sisters, with equipment and transport (~10–20
JOD), exploring clownfish, lionfish, and corals.
Photography:
Instructors like Abdalsalam use high-resolution cameras to document
dives, capturing nudibranchs and octopuses, per Tripadvisor reviews.
Custom Tours: AIDC tailors experiences, including multi-dive packages
and trips combining diving with Petra or Wadi Rum, per Touristlink.
Staff and Instructors:
Instructors like Abdulah, Abdalsalam, and
Mohamed are praised for professionalism, knowledge, and friendliness,
creating a welcoming environment.
Founder Ahmed is noted for his
wisdom and passion, fostering a family-like atmosphere, per a 2023
review.
Multilingual staff cater to international visitors, enhancing
accessibility, per Inspirock.
Reviews highlight AIDC’s personalized
service, with small groups ensuring safety and enjoyment, though one
2023 review notes a minor equipment issue resolved promptly. The
center’s high demand, with Viator bookings often selling out,
underscores its popularity, per Tripadvisor.
AIDC plays a significant role in Aqaba’s marine tourism and
conservation landscape, contributing to Jordan’s broader cultural and
environmental narrative:
Ecotourism Hub: AIDC’s access to the
AMR’s 19 dive sites, hosting 300 coral species and 512 fish species,
supports Aqaba’s economy, a duty-free zone with mega-projects like Ayla
Oasis, per TIME’s 2023 “World’s Greatest Places” list. Its affordable
dives (~30–50 JOD) and clear waters (20–30 m visibility) rival Egypt’s
Red Sea, attracting global divers, per PADI.
Conservation
Contribution: By guiding divers to artificial reefs like Tarmac Five and
Cedar Pride, AIDC reduces pressure on natural corals, aligning with the
AMR’s 2020 reserve status and Sustainable Development Goals, per UNESCO.
Instructors enforce no-touch policies, though Tripadvisor reviews note
enforcement gaps elsewhere in the AMR.
Cultural Context: AIDC’s
operations near South Beach, with Bedouin communities like Bedouin
Garden Village, tie into Aqaba’s history as a trade hub from ancient
Elath to its modern role post-1965 coastline expansion. Diving
complements cultural sites like Aqaba Fortress, per Cat is Out of the
Office.
Royal Support: AIDC benefits from King Abdullah II’s diving
advocacy, with the AMR’s wrecks reflecting royal initiatives, per X
posts from 2020–2025. The center’s role in the AMR’s UNESCO bid enhances
its global profile.
Educational Impact: Through PADI courses and
guided tours, AIDC educates divers on reef preservation, though limited
signage at dive sites, per Snorkeling-Report, hinders broader awareness.
Scientific Potential: AIDC’s dives support research on coral resilience,
contributing to the AMR’s goal of becoming a global marine biology hub,
per 2021 X posts.
AIDC’s significance is tempered by challenges.
Pollution from Aqaba’s port and coastal developments, noted in UNESCO’s
AMR report, threatens dive sites, while fishing violations near wrecks,
per Tripadvisor, suggest enforcement gaps impacting AIDC’s conservation
efforts.
Location: Near South Beach, Aqaba, Jordan, within the AMR, 6 miles
south of Aqaba city center (approx. 29.43–29.52°N, 34.97–35.00°E). Exact
coordinates are unavailable, but it’s close to dive sites like Tarmac
Five and Cedar Pride.
Access:
By Air: King Hussein
International Airport (AQJ), 10 km from Aqaba, with taxis to South Beach
(~15–20 min, ~5–10 JOD). Flights from Amman (Royal Jordanian, ~50 min)
or regional hubs (e.g., Istanbul) serve AQJ.
By Road: From Amman, a
4–5-hour drive (330 km) via the Desert Highway. JETT buses (~7 JOD) or
taxis (~50–70 JOD) reach Aqaba; taxis to South Beach (~3–5 JOD) or local
buses from Aqaba center. Follow King Hussein St., turn left onto Prince
Mohammed St. to South Beach.
By Sea: Ferries from Taba/Sharm El
Sheikh (Egypt) to Aqaba port; taxis to South Beach (~10–15 min).
Opening Hours: Typically 7:00 AM–6:00 PM daily, with night dives
extending hours. Confirm via AIDC’s website or ASEZA.
Admission
and Costs:
Snorkeling: ~10–20 JOD (gear/guide).
Single dive:
~30–50 JOD (gear/guide).
Boat dives: ~40–60 JOD.
PADI courses:
~100 JOD (Discover Scuba) to ~300 JOD (Advanced Open Water).
Book via
https://aqabadivingcenter.com or Viator, as AIDC often sells out, per
Tripadvisor.
Best Time to Visit: Spring (March–May) and fall
(September–November) for air temperatures of 20–30°C (68–86°F) and water
at 22–26°C (72–79°F). Summer (June–August) is hot (up to 50°C/122°F),
but water is comfortable (26–28°C). Winter (December–February) requires
5mm wetsuits (15–20°C/59–68°F air).
Visit Duration: 1–2 hours for
snorkeling; 2–3 hours for a single dive (briefing, transport, dive).
Multi-dive days (4–6 hours) cover sites like Tarmac Five and Cedar
Pride.
Nearby Attractions: AMR dive sites (Seven Sisters, C-130
Hercules, 1–2 km); Aqaba Fortress (10 km); Sharif Hussein Bin Ali Mosque
(10 km); Wadi Rum (60 km); Petra (125 km). Bedouin Garden Village near
South Beach offers dining/camping.
Accessibility Features: South
Beach’s sandy shore is accessible, but rocky entries challenge
mobility-impaired divers. AIDC likely offers support for disabled
divers, per PADI standards, though specific facilities are undocumented.
Restrooms, shaded areas, and parking are available; bring water/snacks,
as vendors are limited.
Tips:
Book dives/snorkeling in advance
via https://aqabadivingcenter.com to secure spots, especially in summer.
Use reef-safe sunscreen, water shoes, and rash guards to protect reefs
and skin.
Follow conservation rules (no touching corals/wrecks),
enforced by AIDC guides.
Arrive early (7:00–8:00 AM) to avoid dive
crowds, per Wonders Travel.
Negotiate taxi fares upfront; confirm
dive schedules with AIDC.
Check for Aqaba festivals (e.g., Summer
Festival) via
https://www.visitjordan.com.[](https://catisoutoftheoffice.com/diving-in-aqaba-jordan/)