Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on September 7, 2023
Seven Sisters snorkeling spot is certainly one of the best-known along the Jordanian coast. It is composed of 7 pillars made entirely from coral polyps. Although its reef drop-off is less spectacular than the reefs of nearby spots, Seven Sisters is well worth visiting.
This spot allows you to discover nice underwaterscapes and has easy access. Here, snorkelers can also find a C-130 Hercules tank sunk at the foot of the reef. The tank was sank in 1999 by the Jordanian Royal Ecological Diving Society (JREDS) in order to create an artificial reef. The tank, at a depth of just 6 yards, has become home to a large variety of marine life, making this spot famous for divers around the world.
The Seven Sisters spot is located about six miles south of the city of Aqaba, near South Beach. Park in the parking lot, then walk south to the pontoon (see map below).
The neighboring spot of South Beach designates the reef located just north of it, opposite the campsite. Right north of South Beach, the Japanese Garden is also worth a visit.
This area spans about 220 yards between the pontoon in the north and the tank in the south. We advise you to enter the water near the pontoon, then to follow the reef drop-off south, to the tank (see map above).
Seven Sisters snorkeling spot has several points of interest to discover :
1. The pontoon
Take a look between the pillars of the pontoon installed on the beach. Here you can discover atypical underwaterscapes, alternating between light and shadow. The pontoon area shelters shoals of small fish, which are often seen by the thousands between the pillars. Their presence attracts some predators, like lionfish and trevallies.
2. The reef drop off
Seven Sisters drop-off is less preserved and less steep than that of South Beach or Japanese Garden, but it is still worth exploring. You can swim above beautiful patches of fire and tabular corals, where Eritrean butterflyfish and Red Sea clownfish live. You will also see small moray eels and schools of sergeant major.
3. The tank
About 220 yards south of the pontoon, at the foot of the reef, snorkelers will be able to observe a tank about 6 yards deep. It was deliberately sunk in 1999 for an ecological purpose. Today, the tank is fully established as an artificial reef. It is covered with corals and attracts many fish.
If you have trouble spotting the tank, ask other snorkelers and dive boats that are often moored nearby. A plane was also immersed southwest of the tank but might be a little too deep to be really enjoyed while snorkeling.
Several hotels and diving clubs are found near South Beach, opposite the road.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
