Rainbow reef - Aqaba Marine Park
Rainbow Reef. The name itself suggests something special, and we’re happy to report it mostly lives up to the hype, though maybe not in the way you’d first expect. Forget rainbows of fish – it’s the corals that really earn the moniker here. We’re talking about a fantastic spread of soft corals, especially the yellow scroll coral, which is just brilliant in the sunlight. Find a patch, hover, and watch the tiny fish dart in and out. This isn’t a deep dive, making it perfect for longer bottom times. We love dropping in mid-morning when the light is best for photographing the corals. You’ll find plenty of studded pufferfish poking around, and the peacock wrasse are always busy. Keep an eye out for Rama Rao's scorpionfish blending into the reef structure – they're tricky to spot but a real treat when you do. If you’re into macro photography or just love to drift and observe, Rainbow Reef is our pick in Aqaba. It’s a gentle, colourful experience that reminds us why we love the Red Sea.
- Location
- Aqaba Marine Park, Jordan, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 29.432524, 34.973785
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: محمية العقبة البحرية
Best Time to Dive in Aqaba Marine Park
The warmest water temperatures in Aqaba Marine Park occur in August, averaging 27.2°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 20.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 21.9°C
- February: 20.9°C
- March: 20.5°C
- April: 20.9°C
- May: 22.7°C
- June: 24.5°C
- July: 25.8°C
- August: 27.2°C
- September: 26.7°C
- October: 25.5°C
- November: 24.5°C
- December: 23.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Aqaba Marine Park
- Abdallah Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Aquarium House Reef (reef)
- Black Rock
- Blue Coral (reef)
- Cazar reef (reef)
- CEDAR PRIDE - 27m (wreck)
- Cedar Pride Shipwreck (wreck)
- Eel Canyon
- First Bay - 5-15m (reef)
- First Bay North - 20m (reef)
- Gorgon 1
- Gorgone II III
- Gorgone One
- Japaneese garden - 5-20m (reef)
- Japanese Gardens Coral Reefs (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Rainbow reef
Marine Life in Aqaba Marine Park
Home to 64 recorded species including 31 reef fish, 16 hard corals, 4 whales & dolphins, 2 clams & mussels, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Lesser valley coral (Platygyra lamellina) - Hard Corals
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora eurystoma) - Hard Corals
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Rock Cod (Epinephelus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Snakefish (Trachinocephalus myops) - Reef Fish
- Starflower coral (Astreopora myriophthalma) - Hard Corals
- Klunzinger's wrasse (Thalassoma rueppellii) - Reef Fish
- Red Squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora pharaonis) - Hard Corals
- Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Spotted handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
- Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- scad (Priacanthus hamrur) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Rainbow reef
Based on average water temperature of 23.7°C, currents 4 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 24°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories