Aqaba
Aqaba, Jordan’s Red Sea jewel, is where luxury travel and attractions blend with ancient mystique. Check into the Kempinski Hotel Aqaba or Al Manara, where infinity pools melt into a horizon of sapphire water and private beaches feel almost unreal. Begin your day sailing from the modern marina on a private yacht, gliding above coral gardens in the Aqaba Marine Park; stop to snorkel or dive over the Cedar Pride wreck, now a cathedral of shimmering fish and soft corals. For a slower pace, book a glass-bottom boat and watch the underwater world unfold beneath your feet while the mountains of Sinai rise purple on the horizon. In town, stroll the palm-lined Corniche, then wander to the sixth‑century Aqaba Church ruins and the imposing Mamluk Aqaba Fortress, whose stone walls once guarded this vital trade route. Evenings are made for rooftop lounges and seafood feasts: reserve a table at Romero or Suzana in Tala Bay for freshly caught grouper and Red Sea prawns paired with Jordanian wine. Spend one day in utter contrast: a helicopter hop or chauffeured drive whisks you to Wadi Rum for a sunset 4x4 tour among colossal sandstone cliffs, followed by a candlelit Bedouin dinner before returning to your Aqaba suite. Before departure, browse luxury boutiques and spice shops, picking up Dead Sea products and cardamom coffee as elegant reminders of Aqaba’s radiant shore.