Aqaba in Jordan

26 January 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

Aqaba Marine Park © www.redseaexplorer.com/cc-by-2.0

Aqaba Marine Park © www.redseaexplorer.com/cc-by-2.0

Aqaba is a Jordanian coastal city situated at the northeastern tip of the Red Sea. Aqaba is the largest city on the Gulf of Aqaba and Jordan‘s only coastal city. The city of Aqaba is the capital of Aqaba Governorate. Aqaba is one of the major tourist attractions in Jordan, and famous for its warm water and rich marine life. It is best known today as a seaside and diving resort and also as a home for Jordan’s mega projects. During the high season, the hotel occupancy rate often reaches 100%. However, industrial and commercial activities remain important, due to the strategic location of the city as the country’s only seaport. The port city is located on the cruise route between Europe and the Emirates. Large cruise ships dock here on a regular basis.   read more…

The Suez Canal

17 March 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

Port Said - Suez Canal Authority © Daniel Csörföly

Port Said – Suez Canal Authority © Daniel Csörföly

The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows ship transport between Europe and eastern Asia without navigation around Africa. The northern terminus is Port Said and the southern terminus is Port Tawfiq at the city of Suez. Ismailia lies on its west bank, 3 km (1.9 mi) from the half-way point.   read more…

Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea

24 January 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

© Daniel Csörföly

© Daniel Csörföly

Sharm el-Sheikh is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, on the coastal strip along the Red Sea. Its population is approximately 35,000. Sharm el-Sheikh is the administrative hub of Egypt’s South Sinai Governorate which includes the smaller coastal towns of Dahab and Nuweiba as well as the mountainous interior, Saint Catherine’s Monastery (built between 548 and 565, the monastery is one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world) and Mount Sinai. Sharm el-Sheikh (“Bay of the Sheikh” in Arabic) is sometimes called the “City of Peace”, referring to the large number of international peace conferences that have been held there. Sharm el-Sheikh’s major industry is foreign and domestic tourism, owing to its dramatic landscape, year-round dry and temperate climate and long stretches of natural beaches. Its waters are clear and calm for most of the year and have become popular for various watersports, particularly recreational scuba diving and snorkeling. There is great scope for scientific tourism with diversity in marine life species; 250 different coral reefs and 1000 species of fish.   read more…

The AIDAmar

22 February 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Cruise Ships Reading Time:  5 minutes

AIDAmar in Geirangerfjord, Norway © Drdoht/cc-by-sa-3.0

AIDAmar in Geirangerfjord, Norway © Drdoht/cc-by-sa-3.0

AIDAmar is a Sphinx class cruise ship, built at Meyer Werft in Papenburg for AIDA Cruises. She is the sixth Sphinx series ship, preceded by sisters AIDAdiva, AIDAbella, AIDAluna, AIDAblu and AIDAsol. AIDAmar was delivered on 12, May 2012 during the 823rd Harbour Birthday Hamburg. Her home port is Genova.   read more…

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