המסעדה התת-ימית The underwater restaurant - Aqaba
Honestly, The Underwater Restaurant isn’t going to win any awards for sheer size, but we love its quirky charm. It’s an old restaurant structure sunk intentionally at just 11 metres, making it perfect for newer divers or anyone who fancies a long, easy explore. We’ve spent many a no-decompression minute poking around its various rooms, imagining what it must have been like with tables and chairs. The main draw here is the light. Because it’s so shallow, sunlight streams through the window frames and open doorways, illuminating the resident cardinalfish and often a few lionfish lurking in the shadows. Look closely at the ceiling beams and you'll spot nudibranchs, often some vibrant orange ones. Our favourite bit is swimming through the main dining area; the soft corals have started to really take hold, painting the walls in purples and yellows. It’s a gentle, relaxing dive that feels a bit like exploring a submerged art installation. It’s also fantastic for photographers, especially early morning when the light is at its best and there are fewer divers around.
- Location
- Aqaba, Jordan, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 29.549100, 34.954800
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 11m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: محمية العقبة البحرية
Best Time to Dive in Aqaba
The warmest water temperatures in Aqaba 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
- Canyon Dekel South - קניון חוף הדקל - 22m (cave)
- Cedar Pride (wreck)
- Katza Eilat קצאא אילת - 18m
- Marina Divers
- Migdalor Beach חוף המגדלור - 14m
- Mosh Beach, Eilat - החוף של מוש - 16m
- Neptune Table - שולחנות נפטון - 23m
- Power Station, Aqaba - 23m
- Pyramid - פרמידה - 23m (pinnacle)
- Sun boat and amphibian vehicles סנבואט והכלים האמפיביים - 17m (wreck)
- Tamar Eilat - שונית תמר - 11m (reef)
- The Border Line, Eilat - מעבר גבול - 15m
- The Protected Area - השמורה - 14m (reef)
- Three Sisters - שלושת האחיות - 15m
- Tristar - 23m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to המסעדה התת-ימית The underwater restaurant
- AHLA - ["PADI"]
- Aqaba Leaders Dive Center
- Aquatic World - ["PADI"]
- Arab Divers - PADI
- AVIDAG
- DIVERS VILLAGE
Marine Life in Aqaba
Home to 70 recorded species including 40 reef fish, 15 hard corals, 4 whales & dolphins, 2 clams & mussels, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 crabs & lobsters.
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
- Spotted handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
- Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Yellowtail Surgeonfish (Zebrasoma xanthurum) - Reef Fish
- scad (Priacanthus hamrur) - Reef Fish
- Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora verrucosa) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for המסעדה התת-ימית The underwater restaurant
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