"Aqaba : the sea, the ships and the shops " a Aqaba Travel Page by TheWanderingCamel

Aqaba is crammed into a little strip of land between the mountains and the sea. Across the water one can see the mountains of Sinai, and Eilat in Israel is only a few miles away to the west. Indeed, when arriving in Aqaba from the Desert Highway, it is not immediately obvious that one is looking at two towns (and countries) and not a single one. Just 25 kilometers to the south is Saudi Arabia.

Aqaba became the main entrepot for all goods coming into Jordan from abroad as a deliberate government policy following the foundation of the state of Israel which saw the tiny country's access to the Mediterranean cut off. Now the harbour is always busy with ships from all around the world, cargo and container ships moving goods both in and out of the country and cruise ships disgorging tourists, usually into fleets of buses that head up the Desert Highway on a day trip to Petra.

It is a free trade area (the "Aqaba Special Economic Zone"), so many people from south Jordan come here to shop. Most prices are lower than elsewhere, but you are subject to customs duty when you take goods outside the area - there is a control point. However, the officials are reasonable, and if you have low taxed items for your own consumption, you are unlikely to be asked to pay. This does NOT necessarily apply to electrical goods. For those who are thirsty, the off-duty prices also apply to alcohol, beer and wine! Have a look at Sami's Supermarket, opposite to the Cairo-Amman Bank. Imported cigarettes are also cheaper here but tend to be rather dried up.

For land-based visitors to Aqaba, there are frequent buses between the city (the central bus station) and most of the towns in south Jordan including Wadi Rum - 2 services a day except Fridays - and of course to Petra and to Amman. This latter is one route where the Jett buses do come in useful, they leave from the Jett office on The Corniche, phone 03.201.5222. The Trust International Transport (An-Nahda Street) also offers six services to and from Amman every day including Fridays, their phone number is 03.203.2300. Locals much prefer their buses to the Jett ones.

The main bus station is just below the police station (if you need your visa registered, this is the place to have it done). You can go straight downhill from the bus station to reach the shops. You pass beside one of the public gardens, it's a pity that the entrance to the garden is closed up at the top, and you can only get into it from opposite the shops.

For land-based visitors to Aqaba, there are frequent buses between the city (the central bus station) and most of the towns in south Jordan including Wadi Rum - 2 services a day except Fridays - and of course to Petra and to Amman. This latter is one route where the Jett buses do come in useful, they leave from the Jett office on The Corniche, phone 03.201.5222. The Trust International Transport (An-Nahda Street) also offers six services to and from Amman every day including Fridays, their phone number is 03.203.2300. Locals much prefer their buses to the Jett ones.

The main bus station is just below the police station (if you need your visa registered, this is the place to have it done). You can go straight downhill from the bus station to reach the shops. You pass beside one of the public gardens, it's a pity that the entrance to the garden is closed up at the top, and you can only get into it from opposite the shops.

lulu and leyle