South Beach · Aqaba · Jordan
A small dive village on the Gulf of Aqaba — simple rooms, a PADI/SSI dive centre, a pool and a restaurant, all 50 metres from South Beach reef. Welcoming guests since 2018.
4.8 guest rating · 1,000+ happy divers
01 Dive & stay
Published rates for shore dives, snorkelling and rooms — plus dive & stay packages built around your days on the water. Prices in JOD, with the USD equivalents Darna publishes.
Your first breath underwater, with a guide beside you. No experience needed — full gear, basic training and transport to the site are included.
Guided dives straight from the South Beach shore. Transport, guide and full equipment are included — stay for four dives or more and each one drops to 25 JOD.
Mask, fins and snorkel for a full day on the reef. Add a wetsuit for 5 JOD, or join a guided trip for 15 JOD.
PADI and SSI courses for beginners and experienced divers, run by certified instructors. Open Water, Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver take two days or more depending on level. Course-only or with lodging and three meals a day — both are priced below.
Two, four or six nights all-inclusive: room, all meals, two guided dives a day, full equipment and a dive master or instructor beside you. Rooms sleep two to six — twin 30 JOD, double 37, triple 50, family 60–80.
Dive & stay packages
Two dives a day, lodging, all meals, full dive equipment and an experienced dive master or instructor. Tell us your dates and dive level and we will tailor the package.
Dive courses
Course fee only. Add lodging and three meals a day: 2 nights 170 JOD ($238), 3 nights 200 ($280) or 5 nights 220 ($308). Courses run with PADI or SSI — we confirm the agency with you when you book.
Room rates include breakfast. Package and course rates are the ones Darna publishes; seasons and availability can change them, so confirm your total when you book. Ask for a quote
02 Why Darna
We created this place to offer travellers more than a room — somewhere every guest feels welcomed, connected and part of the family. Since 2018, on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba.
Darna sits on South Beach, overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba — a short walk from the door to one of Jordan's most celebrated reefs. Rooms, dive centre, pool and restaurant are all on the same small site.
A dive centre, a restaurant and simple, restful rooms in one place — so the gap between a dive and a nap is measured in steps.
PADI-certified instructors and dive masters teach every level, from a first try dive to Advanced and Rescue. Full equipment rental is on site.
The sea never drops below 21 °C. July to September is shorty-wetsuit weather; the rest of the year a full suit is the comfortable choice.
Guests keep writing about the owner sitting down for tea at night. It's that kind of place — a family table, not a lobby.
Pick a season to see the typical daytime high and what wetsuit to pack. The sea never drops below 21 °C, so there is no wrong month.
Mild days and cool, quiet evenings. Rain is rare, the reef is empty, and the light underwater is at its clearest.
Warm days, calm water and the best conditions for snorkelling. The mountains are still green and the sea is inviting.
Hot on land, perfect in the water. Dive early, nap at noon, and be back in the sea for a sunset snorkel.
The heat eases, the evenings cool down and the sea stays warm. Short, infrequent showers pass quickly.
03 Your day
No shuttles, no long transits, no rigid schedule. Tell us what you want from the trip and we'll build the days around it — a course, a few shore dives, snorkelling, or simply a room by the sea.
Send an inquiry with your dates, diving level and whether you want a room. We'll reply with a price built around your dives — not an automated quote.
One email or WhatsAppRegular check-in starts at 13:00. Arrive earlier and we'll store your bags while you use the pool, eat, or walk down to the beach.
Check-in from 13:00The dive centre is stocked with full equipment, and South Beach reef is 50 metres from the door. Shore dive, snorkel or start a course — your guide handles the logistics.
Shore access · 50 mBreakfast is included with your room. The restaurant is 100% halal, with fish, seafood, chicken, lamb and plenty of salads. End the day under the Bedouin tent.
Room + breakfastEverything a diver needs after a day on the water. Every room has air conditioning, a hot shower, a mini-fridge and space to dry your gear. Breakfast comes with the room, and the restaurant is 100% halal.
04 The village
Twenty rooms, a pool, a Bedouin tent, a restaurant and a dive centre — all arranged around the same stretch of South Beach. Rooms from 30 JOD / $42, breakfast included.
Between dives
A sun-drenched pool overlooking the Gulf — the easiest way to rinse the salt off and do absolutely nothing for an afternoon.
After dark
Low light, cushions and Arabic coffee under the stars. This is where guests end up talking until the tea goes cold.
Gear & guides
Full equipment rental, certified instructors and a team that knows the South Beach sites by heart. Courses run through PADI or SSI.
All day
Fresh mezze, local flavours and international favourites by the sea. Breakfast comes with the room; the rest of the menu is 100% halal.
Breakfast included in every rate. Some rooms look over the sea, others the garden or the pool — tell us your preference when you book. Check live availability
Arabic breakfast, seafood at sunset.
Breakfast comes with every room: beans, hummus, eggs, cheese, fresh vegetables, fruit, bread and coffee or tea. Later the kitchen turns to seafood, burgers and fries, with fresh lemon-mint juice to drink. We don't serve alcohol — alcohol-free beer is on the menu, and you are welcome to bring your own for the fridge in your room.
05 The reef
South Beach sits inside the Aqaba Marine Park — around 20 dive sites, more than 500 fish species and 157 hard coral species, all a short walk from the village.
06 Guest reviews
Location in front of the beach. Really nice and friendly staff. Clean room. Beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces. A truly memorable stay in Aqaba.
The hotel is very close to the beach and coral reef. There was a relaxed atmosphere and the staff were incredibly friendly. Absolutely perfect for divers.
Friendly staff. The owner sat down and had tea with us at night and it was a great conversation. You feel like family here, not just another guest.
07 Dive sites
South Beach sits inside the Aqaba Marine Park. Shore entries start 50 metres from the rooms; boat trips reach the wrecks and reefs further out. More than 500 fish species and 157 hard coral species live in this water.
One of the most famous shipwreck dives in Aqaba Marine Park — a freighter now settled into the reef.
Soft coral formations in shallow water — a slow, colourful reef dive with plenty of light.
A sunken aircraft resting on the seabed — best for advanced divers and a favourite with photographers.
Colourful marine life and excellent visibility year-round, straight off the South Beach shore.
Mermaid Diving Center · South Beach
The dive centre is part of the village, a few steps from the rooms. Equipment is regularly serviced and full gear is provided. The instructors dive these sites year-round, and courses run through PADI or SSI.
08 Good to know
Transport, check-in, visas, food, the sea in January — the questions we answer most often. If yours isn't here, message us on WhatsApp.
Ask on WhatsAppBuses to South Beach leave from the stop above Aqaba Castle, near the big flagpole. The fare is JOD 0.75. There are no fixed stops along the way — the driver stops wherever passengers want on or off. Darna is on your left, after you pass Berenice Beach Club. There is no published timetable; the bus runs during the day, about every hour. A green taxi from downtown costs 6–7 JOD.
Regular check-in starts at 13:00. If the room is ready when you arrive, you may check in earlier. If not, leave your luggage with us and use the pool, restaurant or beach while you wait. Arriving after midnight? Book from the night before so your room is ready.
Aqaba is a year-round diving destination. The sea never drops below 21 °C. It is warmest in July–September, when a 3–5 mm shorty is enough; the rest of the year a full wetsuit is recommended. Winter days are mild — typically 15–20 °C, even when it is snowing behind the mountains.
We are not licensed to serve alcohol. We have alcohol-free beer on the menu. You can buy alcohol in town and keep it in the fridge in your room.
All our food is 100% halal. The restaurant serves fish, seafood, chicken, lamb and beef, plus many salads and vegetable dishes that suit a vegetarian or vegan diet. Breakfast — included with your room — has Arabic flatbread, eggs, yoghurt, cheese, jam, fresh vegetables, hummus, olives, olive oil and zaatar.
It depends on your citizenship. Most nationals can get a visa on arrival at Jordanian borders and airports; some must arrange one in advance. Check the current rules for your passport before you travel, and look into the Jordan Pass if you plan to visit Petra or Wadi Rum.
Yes. Room-only and bed & breakfast stays are welcome. Twin rooms start at 30 JOD / $42, doubles at 37 JOD / $52, triples at 50 JOD / $70, and family rooms at 60 JOD / $84 for four beds or 80 JOD / $112 for six. Breakfast is included. You can also check live availability on Booking.com.
Sometimes. Tell us your dates and how many people are travelling. If you have seen a better price for the same room on a booking site, send it to us — we will see what we can do.
King Hussein International Airport is 24.5 km from the village, and taxis are available at arrivals. Message us with your flight details and we will point you to the simplest option for your arrival time. If you land after midnight, book from the night before so your room is ready.
Swimwear and bikinis are fine on the public beach at South Beach. The beach is busiest from Thursday to Saturday. In Aqaba town, and away from the beach, dress a little more modestly.
Yes. Snorkelling is 10 JOD / $14, or 15 JOD with a guide, and the house reef is 50 metres away. The pool, restaurant and Bedouin tent are open to guests, and you can book a room without any diving at all.
Petra is about 2½ hours by road from Aqaba — a long day, best started early. Wadi Rum, protected as a desert area since 1998, is closer: red sand, jeep tracks and Bedouin camps under the stars. We are not a tour agency, but we can help you rent a car, find a driver or choose a camp.
If your nationality is eligible for a visa on arrival, the ASEZA visa at the Wadi Araba crossing (Eilat–Aqaba) is free when you stay at least two consecutive nights in Jordan. Leave earlier and the 40 JOD visa fee is collected on departure. Keep the manifest you fill in at the border, and have it stamped at the Petra visitor centre if you visit. Rules change — check the Jordan Tourism Board before you travel.
Downtown Aqaba is 11 km away: restaurants, coffee, souvenir shops and the old town. Look for hand-made sand bottles and Bedouin crafts. We can point you to the taxi or the bus, or help you plan a day that isn't all salt water.
09 Find us
Darna sits on the South Beach highway, 11 km from the centre of Aqaba and 24.5 km from King Hussein International Airport. The shore is 50 metres from the gate.
From Aqaba city. Take the bus from the stop above Aqaba Castle, near the flagpole — JOD 0.75, roughly hourly during the day. There are no fixed stops and no timetable. A green taxi from downtown is 6–7 JOD.
By minivan. Minivans from town cost around 5 JOD.
By car. Follow the South Beach highway south. Darna is on your left after you pass Berenice Beach Club.
From the airport. King Hussein International is 24.5 km away, with taxis at arrivals. Message us with your flight time if you would like directions.
GPS 29.425033, 34.974664 · South Beach Hwy, Aqaba 77110
While you're here
We're a dive village, not a tour agency — but we will happily help you plan the rest of the trip: renting a car or finding a driver, booking a desert camp, or choosing where to stay next.
The Nabataean city carved out of sandstone, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders. A long day, an early start, and worth every hour of it.
Official siteRed sand, rock bridges and quiet. Hike, take a jeep ride, then sleep in a Bedouin camp under the stars — the desert that played Mars on screen.
Official siteRestaurants, coffee, souvenirs and the old town. Pick up a hand-made sand bottle or a piece of Bedouin craft before you fly home.
Official siteAbout Aqaba
Aqaba sits at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, on a 27 km strip of Red Sea coast between desert mountains and the water. The Aqaba Marine Reserve protects 7 km of it — from the Marine Science Station to the police club — reaching 350 metres offshore.
A marine park since 1997 and a full reserve since 2020, it protects a reef that has bleached far less than most — the gulf's deep, cool water does much of the work.
See dive sites in AqabaUnderwater history
74 m freighter scuttled on her side, 10–27 m down.
Aqaba's first artificial reef, 6 m from the surface.
Military transport, 17 m down and 300 m offshore.
21 vehicles in formation; cockpit 15 m, tail 28 m.
Aqaba underwater
A Royal Jordanian Air Force transport, scuttled on purpose in 2017 — now one of Aqaba's best-known dives.
A wide-body airliner sunk in 2019 — cockpit at 15 m, tail at 28 m, and the largest aircraft down there.
21 pieces of Jordanian military hardware in battle formation, from 7 m at the front to 28 m at the back.
Coral, tropical fish and clear water. Despite the name, nothing here was built by Japan.
10 Book direct
Tell us your dates and what you'd like to do. We'll reply with a real price for the room, the diving, or both. Direct booking means real savings — and a package built around your dives, not just your room.