Yatouche - Aqaba

Yatouche holds a special place in Aqaba, a site we think often gets overlooked for its more famous neighbours. It’s got a particular charm. The diving here is mellow, mostly a gently sloping reef, which makes it perfect for longer bottom times and really soaking in the details. What we love about Yatouche is the sheer number of those smaller, often missed creatures. This isn’t about big pelagics, though you might get lucky with a False Killer Whale cruising by if you hit it right. Instead, keep your eyes peeled for the Honeycomb Filefish, they’re usually pretty chilled here, letting you get a good look. We’ve found some cracker Spitlure Frogfish hiding in the coral heads, and the Ring-tailed Cardinalfish are everywhere, a shimmering curtain. The Yellow Scroll Coral formations are especially pretty, and it’s a good spot to try and find a Double-ended Pipefish. For divers who prefer a relaxed pace and appreciate the subtle beauty of reef life, Yatouche is our pick.

Location: Aqaba, Jordan, Red Sea & Middle East
Coordinates: 29.503890, 34.919724

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 Yatouche

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 Yatouche

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