beach
Eilat
Israel's southernmost city on the Red Sea coast, famous for its year-round warmth, coral reef nature reserve, and dolphin reef.
6 km · about 10 min drive
Aqaba, Jordan · Asia
Aqaba is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Eilat, 29km from Timna Park.
Aqaba is a town located in Aqaba, Jordan. With a population of 95,048, it is an important destination in Asia.
On a road trip, Aqaba sits in Jordan. It's in the Asia/Amman time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Aqaba to your route.
Aqābaʾ (English: AK-ə-bə, US also AHK-; Arabic: الْعَقَبَة, romanized: al-ʿAqaba, pronounced [ælˈʕæqɑba, ælˈʕæɡæba]) is the only coastal city in Jordan and the largest and most populous city on the Gulf of Aqaba. Situated in southernmost Jordan, Aqaba is the administrative center of the Aqaba Governorate. The cityRead more
had a population of 148,398 in 2015 and a land area of 375 square kilometres (144.8 sq mi). Aqaba has significant trade and tourism. The Port of Aqaba also serves other countries in the region.
Aqaba's strategic location at the northeastern tip of the Red Sea between the continents of Asia and Africa has made its port important for thousands of years. The ancient city was called Elath, known in Latin as Aela) and in Arabic as Ayla. Its strategic location and proximity to copper mines made it a regional hub for copper production and trade in the Chalcolithic period.
Aela became a bishopric under Byzantine rule and later became a Latin Catholic titular see after Islamic conquest around AD 650, when it became known as Ayla; the name Aqaba is late medieval. In the Great Arab Revolt's Battle of Aqaba Arab forces defeated the Ottoman defenders.
Aqaba's location next to Wadi Rum and Petra has made it one of the major tourist attractions in Jordan. The city is administered by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, which has turned Aqaba into a low-tax, duty-free city, attracting several mega projects like Ayla Oasis, Saraya Aqaba, Marsa Zayed and expansion of the Port of Aqaba. They are expected to turn the city into a major tourism hub in the region. However, industrial and commercial activities remain important, due to the strategic location of the city as the country's only seaport. The city sits right across the border from Eilat, likewise Israel's only port on the Red Sea. After the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty, there were plans and hopes of establishing a trans-border tourism and economic area, but few of those plans have become real.
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Aqaba offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Aqaba is located in Aqaba, Jordan, Asia. The coordinates are 29.5267 latitude, 35.0078 longitude.
Aqaba has a population of approximately 95,048 people, making it a town in Jordan.
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4 notable places within an hour's drive.
beach
Israel's southernmost city on the Red Sea coast, famous for its year-round warmth, coral reef nature reserve, and dolphin reef.
6 km · about 10 min drive
national park
A desert valley of red sandstone north of Eilat with the Mushroom hoodoo, the Arches and Solomon's Pillars, plus Egyptian copper mines and a Hathor shrine from Seti I's reign. A driving route links the formations.
29 km · about 35 min drive
national park
A vast red desert landscape of sandstone arches, canyons, and towering cliffs known as the Valley of the Moon.
40 km · about 45 min drive
natural wonder
Bedouin-style desert camps offering overnight stays under some of the clearest and most star-filled skies in the Middle East.
41 km · about 45 min drive
Other places to explore near Aqaba.
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