King Abdullah Reef Aqaba, Jordan
This site, named after King Abdullah II, offers some of the finest diving in the Northern Red Sea. Since the reef starts a little bit offshore, some swimming is required - but also with a boat it's needed to moor outside the central reef, as it's a magnificent coral atoll surrounded by shallow hard corals...
King Abdullah Reef Dive Site: Dive Metrics & Features
- Location
- : 29.44179, 34.96919
- True name
- : King Abdullah Reef
- Depth
- : Surface to 23m+
- Conditions
- : Longer shore swim, atoll
- Visibility
- : Excellent (30m+)
- Platform
- : Shore
- Level
- : Beginner to Advanced
- Snorkelling
- : Yes
- Other names used
- : Crown Reef, Abdullah Reef
King Abdullah Reef: Dive Site Overview
As we begin our descent, we're greeted by schools of pennant fish. When the view clears, we see turtles and blue-spotted stingrays cruising the bottom, and then the most prominent shallow-water feature here catches our eye: an ancient fan coral atop Crown reef - it's long dead, but is now encrusted with sponges of all colours, offering a living-rainbow tribute to King Abdullah II.
You'll find something to enjoy at every depth here, from snorkelling on the surface to exploring the sloping sandy bottom, where the reef thins out around 23 m and more. This reef is vibrant, rich, and healthy with a huge variety of coverage and life of all shapes and sizes.
Venturing a little deeper to 21 m, we come to a pristine multi-coloured gorgonian forest, inhabited by large shoals of fish around.
Don't forget your camera on this one. Clear water with very little current and dense, healthy, shallow reefs make excellent conditions for underwater photographers who often surface with magazine quality shots.
King Abdullah Reef Dive Site: Location & Dive Map
