Moon Valley
| True name | Moon Valley |
|---|---|
| Depth | 10m to bottomless |
| Conditions | Steeply sloping reef, mild current |
| Visibility | Excellent (20m+) |
| Platform | Shore |
| Level | Beginner to technical |
| Snorkelling? | Yes |
| Other names used | Paradise, Puffer Roc, Ship’s Place |
Moon Valley
The coverage and variety of soft coral growth here will immediately surprise you – so close to shore and we’re already in a garden of life. As we make our way down the sandy channel through the reef you’ll stop to photograph unicornfish, octopi, rays, humphead wrasse, hawksbills turtles, and dozens of other species. The shallow, clear water is just perfect. But save some space on your card!
We’re about to pass through shoals of fusiliers and sardines in clear-blue views as we leave the fringing enter Moon Valley, and the best corals are yet to come, down between 15-25m.
We’ll follow the contour of the reef either to the left or right, depending on the dive and the day. The soft corals down here are truly spectacular and there are quite a few turtles around, as well as some larger pelagic species. Keep an eye on the open blue, too – eagle rays often cruise by and, barracuda are much more common here than in the rest of Aqaba.
Navigating back is simple – when we’re low on air, we’ll simply follow the contour of the reef back to shore.
This area is clear and bright, swept by a nutrient-rich current that attracts and nurtures all kinds of life. Enjoy.
Just a couple of things:
See how gently the reef slopes – how clear the water is? You have to pay extra attention to your depth gauge here, because it is extremely easy to follow the reef down below your planned depth without noticing. And not much further out, the bottom walls away to blue.
It just so happens there’s a cave down there somewhere, too. If you should find it, do not enter this cave for any reason. Aqaba is a great technical diving destination and full of knowledgeable, experienced divers – this cave is unexplored territory because it is unsafe to enter no matter what training you have. Leave it alone
