A glimpse of Jordan

Newsroom 22/05/2015 | 17:05

One of the safest places in the Middle East nowadays is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, where the new wave of luxury hotels and spas emerging in Amman, Petra, Aqaba and the Dead Sea awaits travelers who want to combine ancient times with modern facilities. BR took a trip there.

From the quiet desert of Wadi Rum to the noisy center of Amman, from the imposing ruins of the Nabataeans civilizations to the timeless grandeur of the Dead Sea, Jordan is considered an exotic destination offering mysterious sights, with good-value accommodation, tasty cuisine and activities that can take visitors out of their comfort zone.

Getting there and around

Most airlines fly into the Amman Queen Alia International Airport, 35 km from the capital. For solo travelers, the visa costs JOD 40 (about EUR 53), but groups of at least four with a booking via a Jordanian tourism office get the visa free of charge. The fee cannot be paid by credit card, and the airport exchange rates are very bad, so it’s better to withdraw cash from one of the ATMs. If you arrive at the Aqaba International Airport, no visa is needed, as Aqaba has a free-zone status.
From both airports, you can hire a car from one of the international rental companies if you have a credit card, or negotiate for a local car. Bear in mind that for tourists, car number plates are green, while for the locals they are white. All roads are supervised by police who stop cars at random. If you are a tourist driving a local car, the fine is JOD 30. Most of the cities are built on hills, so the roads undulate – a real pleasure for driving or a severe headache, depending on your tastes. We had an automatic car which was often a real blessing. Gas costs between JOD 0.60 and 0.80 per liter, depending on where you stop to refill.
Amman and the surrounding cities are relatively small, and most places of interest are well-known. Information is in both Arabic and English, so it is easy to find roads and landmarks. We used HERE app as anthis offline map, developed by Nokia for Android and Apple devices, which we found quite accurate.
From north to south, there are three main roads, only one of which is a highway. We took it from Amman to Aqaba early in the morning and it was quite busy. Returning, we took the King’s Highway, a beautiful snaking route with great scenic views. Descending the hills to reach the Dead Sea at sunset, the landscape was breathtaking, as the intense red of the rocks gradually softened.

Aqaba, Jordan’s Red Sea resort

If you have enjoyed the Red Sea’s other shores, then you know what to expect: clear waters where you can scuba dive, snorkel, swim or go on a boat trip. Public beaches are very crowded and women are expected to remain covered, but in the southern part, near the border with Saudi Arabia, there are some private beaches for foreign tourists, where the entrance fee is JOD 15. Some three- and four-star hotels in Aqaba offer free entrance or a cheaper ticket, so ask at the reception. If you book a hotel through www.booking.com as we did, read up in advance what other tourists have to say about the facilities: the photos and the reality are not always the same. It’s worth trying the restaurants used by the locals: hummus is a must, of course, as is fresh fish.

Discover the stupendous cliffs of Wadi Rum

T.E. Lawrence described the Wadi Rum desert as “vast, echoing and God-like”. He nailed it. According to the national tourism office, “A maze of monolithic rockscapes rise up from the desert floor to heights of 1,750 m creating a natural challenge for serious mountaineers. Hikers can enjoy the tranquility of the boundless empty spaces and explore the canyons and water holes to discover 4,000-year-old rock drawings and the many other spectacular treasures this vast wilderness holds in store.” It offered me a silence that I had never heard before, the finest sand I have ever touched and probably the most impressive full moon, not to mention the sunset and the sunrise, when the rocks stage a colorful show that the camera lens can’t replicate. The internet is full of adverts for adventures in the desert, from jeep tours to overnight stays in a Bedouin camp or a cave. Prices start from JOD 20, but everything is negotiable. Keep in mind that the desert is off-road, so you need a strong stomach to get around.

Petra, the rose-red city

The giant red mountains hide what is without doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure, the life of the Nabataeans civilizations, a hard-working Arab people who settled in Petra more than 2,000 years ago, making it a hub for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. The main entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge over 1 km in length, flanked on either side by soaring, 80 m high cliffs. At the end of it, you will come to Al-Khazneh, meaning The Treasury. From this point, every rock is shaped as part of the city: it could be a tomb, a temple, a monastery or house, for the poorest to the richest Nabataeans.

Entrance to the site costs JOD 50 for one day, JOD 55 for two days and JOD 60 for three days. The main landmarks can be seen in about half day, but for those passionate about history and architecture, the three-day ticket is preferable. Locals sell different souvenirs, from necklaces to bracelets and magnets, and keen hagglers can secure good bargains. The food and drink inside is quite expensive, so bring your own if you’re on a budget. The wonders of Petra can be seen by foot, camel, horse, donkey or carriage. The animals do not look very happy and owners tend to force them to sit down. You can also book a tour guide – a certified or local one.

Floating at the lowest point on Earth

From the Jordanian shore, the lowest point on the face of the earth, the Dead Sea offers an amazing view, flanked by mountains to the west and the rolling hills of Jerusalem to the east. Over several years, the Jordanian east coast of the Dead Sea has evolved into a major hub of health & wellness tourism in the region, with hotels offering spa and fitness facilities that take advantage of the natural benefits of the water. Float in one of the five-star hotels here, where entrance costs from JOD 50 with spa treatment included, or go for a cheaper version, such as Amman Touristic Beach, for JOD 20. Also, if you can stand the salt on your body, a free way to float at the earth’s lowest point is to park near the road and enjoy the sea for yourself, as we did. Unfortunately, we didn’t see salt formationsed mountains like the ones that appear when you Google the Dead Sea, but we were able to bring home some salt that we extracted directly from the sea.

Amman and its surroundings

Amman is clearly a city of contrasts – old and new is blended over the seven hills of the capital, which is ideally situated between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. Modern times have reached the city and both commercial and contemporary buildings can be easily spotted. The downtown area showcases the traditional town, where souks (bazaars) still operate and shoppers and traders haggle hard. Most Amman guides encourage tourists to taste falafel at Hashem, a small tavern nestling between two buildings, where we ate Jordanian appetizers for only JOD 4.5; fresh fish at Sarah, where we had the best grilled shrimps I have ever eaten; and also two types of grilled fresh fish for JOD 25 and snacks at Wild Jordan, which boasts wonderful city views over the Citadel and where you can find more information about the local wildlife and outdoor activities.

Besides the Citadel and the Roman amphitheater, Amman does not have many touristic sites, so half a day is sufficient to enjoy the city. Nearby is Jerash, called also the “Pompeii of the East,” a ruined Greco-Roman city which still preserves places of worship and other buildings from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and early Muslim periods. In Madaba, also near Amman, you can find a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of the Holy Land and local artisans making mosaics and carpets, which can be bought from the Mosaic Souk at the entrance of the church where the map is on show. For JOD 12 you can see the Baptism Site in the Jordan River, which is pretty close to Amman. Sightseeing from Mount Nebo is also wonderful, in part due to its religious significance: the spot is mentioned in the Bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land. The view affords a panorama of the Holy Land, the valley of the River Jordan, Jericho and Jerusalem on a sunny day.

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