Jordan trip - stick with Aqaba or make the trek to Sharm/Egypt?

[Sunn]

Option 1, for sure...

if you want to visit Cairo + Gizeh (pyramids) + diving in Sharm, starting from Jordan, you'll finish the week on your knees, that's also for sure but it will be a great experience

 

[Searcaigh]

I'd go for Option 1 too.

Whilst Oman is a great place to visit, the diving is not at the Red Sea level

 

[nappington]

Thank you for all your opinions, everyone!

One last question - for 3-night trips, it seems we have two options - Either the "Ras Mohamed - Tiran" route or the "Ras Mohamed-Thistlegorm" route (per King Snefro Liveaboards - Red Sea Liveaboards, Safari Routes, Dive Sites -Safari Routes) - any opinions on which one you think would be the better experience, or are they pretty much the same?

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

Well, answer is easy: do you wan to see the Thistlegorm?
Personally, i would recommend that one. We were there at the end of the last century and it was amazing.
Don't know what is left in the meantime but it is certainly one of the must see in the region.

If you don't like wrecks, then the Tiran route, of course.

 

[Sunn]

Depends... if you like wrecks, go to see the Thistlegorm, it's a nice one. Too many divers have damaged the wreck and the corals , but still very nice to see.
If wrecks do not interest you, stay in the strait of Tiran.

 

[diveUAE]

We dived Thislegorm in 2008 and again in 2018, both times were amazing. Especially in 2018, when we did a night dive there it was mesmerising.

I’m not really a “wreck person”, but this one is stunning. I think the only other wreck I liked better is the “Umbria” in Sudan.

 

[Adr1an]

The general idea is simple: from Aqaba you don't want to enter Israel only to be squeezed 10 minutes later of 30+ $ for a so-called "exit tax"even if you have a passport that doesn't require a visa. Plus meet all sort of unpleasant border staff and so on. Plus walk on foot a high traffic road with no sidewalks from Aqaba border to the Eilat highway as there's no public transport from the checkpoint proper to the said highway and taxis are not always present (or attempt to charge obscene amounts from unsuspecting tourists). Israel is interesting to visit, just not that particular bit.
What you want to do is take the Aqaba to Nuweiba ferry (75$) and proceed from there to Sharm (there are some buses but taxi would be 50$ if you haggle well).
Egypt 30 days full visa (as opposed to the Sinai stamp for 15 days) is now free as some sort of help given by the government to the tourist industry. Just got one myself.