Background information
Jordan is a Muslim country like most Middle-East and North-African countries, where Islam is predominant with a Christian minority. This is manifested clearly in daily life, for example with mosques, daily prayers, (optional) dress-code for women, drinks and halal food. You will find lots of (flat) bread, hummus, falafel, corn, meat and shawarma, but no alcohol or pork. Due to the dry climate green vegetables are also rare on the menu.
The Kingdom Jordan is a very peaceful country bordering Israel, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iran is also not too far away. To be peaceful and prosperous with these neighbours, is an achievement by itself. Jordan hosts approx. 2.5 million registered Palestinian refugees.
There are no trains in Jordan, but there are excellent roads and there is good bus transportation. JETT (Jordan Express Tourist Transport) travels between most major destinations, but – depending on season and route – only a few times per day. Advance reservations may be needed.
There are many organised tours to Jordan that take care of your transportation, accommodation and attractions at a reasonable price. There will be no money haggling, pushing around and last-minute departures while still enjoying the sights of this incredible country. Some tours also include Israel or Egypt.
No matter how you travel… If you stay longer than 3 days, I recommend to get the Jordan pass that includes your visa cost, access to Petra and other sites.
Capital Amman and the North
Amman is the largest city, economic and political heart of Jordan. A 3rd of the country’s population lives here. Amman is one of the oldest cities in the world dating back almost 10,000 years, like several other cities in the Middle East.
The city centre is very walkable and features nice shopping and dining. One sightseeing point is the Citadel on top of the hill, with a 360° view over most of Amman. The Roman Amphitheatre is nearby. I can recommend dining at the traditional Hashem Restaurant and Habiba Sweets for the famous Kunafa dessert.
Jerash is located approx. one hour North of Amman and a popular day trip from Amman. It features one of the world's best-preserved Roman provincial cities, sometimes called the "Pompeii of the East" (even though there is no volcanic eruption anywhere).
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is a very special sea and should be nominated - in my eyes – as a natural world wonder. The lake (size: 15 x 50km) is located on the border between Israel/Palestine and Jordan.
What makes the Dead Sea so very special?
First of all, it is the lowest land point on the planet. Its shores are at an altitude of minus 427 meters, and are lowering 1 more meter every year, because the lake loses water. The lake is still approx. 500 meters deep, so it won’t evaporate completely any time soon, but the lowest point on earth will keep on getting lower and lower.
The Dead Sea, also called the Salt Sea in Arabic, is completely dead. There are no plants or fish anywhere in the lake, due to its super-high concentration of salt (10 times regular sea water). It is really salty! Getting some of the water in your eyes is painful! The water is very heavy, what makes swimming on your belly almost impossible. Everyone floats on their back, the only way to go. Scared of water? No problem here! Your shoulders will be above water, without doing anything! It is almost impossible to drown.
The mud around the lake is supposed to be healthy and full of minerals. We also put it on our bodies, what wasn’t only good for our skin, but also fun! Be aware: the salt crystals around the lake, when getting into the water, are really sharp.
Visiting the Dead Sea while in Jordan is a must-do, either on a day-trip from Amman or with an overnight stay in one of the resorts. Note that direct access to a free, clean beach is getting more and more difficult, because most beaches are private. Paying a small fee at a resort is a solution.
The Ma’in Hot Springs, 1 hour South of Amman, features (50°C) hot waterfalls and hot pools in a natural desert oasis. This attraction can be combined with a day-tour to the Dead Sea.
Petra
The city of Petra is an official Wonder of the Modern World. It is an ancient Nabataean city in southern Jordan, renowned for its rock-cut architecture, particularly the Treasury and Monastery facades. It was established 300 BC.
Access to the famous Treasury is from the city of Wadi Musa (where the hotels are) through the Siq, a very steep and narrow canyon. This is an easy and very interesting walk. The Siq and the Treasury are made famous by movies like Indiana Jones and Aladdin.
Many tourists visit Petra. Souvenirs and camel rides are available. You can get a 1, 2 or 3 day pass to discover the site (also with Jordan Pass). To visit most of it, you will need a whole day. You will walk all the way from the visitor centre, though the Siq, past the Treasury, the Amphitheatre and the tombs and climb 1 hour up and down to the Monastery. You will have great views, but these approx. 10 kilometres can be tiring. Fortunately there is the cave-bar at the exit to celebrate the achievement.
Wadi Rum
The desert of Wadi Rum is another destination on your Jordan itinerary. It is a very scenic landscape, with sandy stretches and low, rocky mountains. There are wild camels and natural bridges. Bedouiins sell souvenirs and offer tea. The area has been used for many movies including Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars and Dune. Lawrence indeed spent significant time here during the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire, anno 1916-1918.
Accommodation in Wadi Rum can be a Bedouin style tent or a luxury Bubble Tent. We stayed in a Bubble in a Luxury Bubble Camp on the outskirts of Wadi Rum, just outside the protected area. The nature is almost as beautiful as the protected area itself that we visited with a jeep tour on the next day. It was a memorable experience.
The bubble tent was nice, clean and comfortable, but there are certain things that we did not like at all (and tried to notify booking.com about). So, what’s wrong with this idyllic location?
- Our stay was listed as all-inclusive on the website, but excluded for example dinner. Even for a bottle of water we had to pay.
- The property was listed with a hot tub, that just did not exist at all (which is quite logical, in the desert). There was just enough warm water for a 2 minute shower.
- Jeep activities were more expensive than officially listed at the entrance of the protected area. But we were all dependent on local jeeps and had little choice. They know it.
- We wanted to leave a review afterwards, but this appeared to exist in our name already! Somehow the property owner was able to enter a perfect score of 10 for my stay!!! When looking closer, this appears to happen to multiple properties in Wadi Rum…
- The property name “Desert Moon Luxury Bubble Camp” was not visible anywhere on the property itself. Therefore the property could change their name in 5 minutes, if needed (after bad reviews). Suprise: our camp already disappeared on booking.com (and appears with a different name)…
Therefore, be careful and do not trust property reviews in Wadi Rum. Enjoy your time, but be aware of abuse.
Aqaba and Underwater world in the Red Sea
The Red Sea is a great place for snorkelling and diving. The waters are relatively cold, extremely clear and full of fish, coral reefs and ship wrecks. They can compete with any other great diving location in the world.
Aqaba is the 2nd largest city in Jordan and can be reached from Amman in approx. 4 hours. A short distance, but it may be cold in the north, while temperatures can be very pleasant in the south.
Aqaba South Beach, away from the harbour, is one of the best places to snorkel or dive in the Red Sea. You can walk into the shallow water to see the reef and fish, or join a boating tour that takes you into deeper water.
The bay, also known as the Gulf of Aqaba, borders multiple countries: 1) Sinai, Egypt, 2) Eilat, Israel, 3) Aqaba, Jordan and 4) Saudi-Arabia. Crossings are possible.