Jordan

Amman

Note: I would suggest getting the Jordan Pass before you arrive, if you will be in Jordan for minimum 3 nights / 4 days. The pass gets you entry to over 40 of Jordan’s tourist attractions including Petra, Jerash and Wadi Rum and includes the cost of your tourist visa. The cost of the pass varies depending on how many days you spend at Petra ($100-$115).

Activities:

  • Amman Citadel: Included with the Jordan Pass.
  • Roman Theater: Included with the Jordan Pass.
  • King Abdullah I Mosque: Women will need to cover their head, shoulders and knees. You can rent proper coverings in the gift shop next to the mosque.
  • The Jordan Museum: Not included in the Jordan Pass; $7 to enter.
  • Rainbow Street: Street full of restaurants, shops and bars.
  • Beit Sitti (Cooking Class): One of my favorite things I did in Amman. The teaching style was group cooking, so there was less individual cooking than I expected. But, the food was fantastic and you get the opportunity to learn new cooking styles and methods.

Day Trips from Amman:

Note: I booked a 2 day tour from Amman through Viator, where we visited Petra, Wadi Rum, the Red Sea and the Dead Sea. I would highly suggest doing something similar, rather than visiting each site individually. The tour linked does not explicitly say “Aqaba” but as a group, we elected to cut our times sort at Petra to add in time in Aqaba. If you book this tour, you will spend a night in the Wadi Rum Desert; I would suggest booking the “Deluxe Tent.”

  • Petra: Entry is included in the Jordan Pass. Petra is a ~3 hour drive from Amman. I found 1 day at Petra to be sufficient, but there are 2 and 3 day tours, as well. When you arrive at the ancient city, you walk ~1 mile through a canyon to reach the Treasury. The terrain is uneven, so I would recommend wearing good walking shoes. Once at the Treasury, there will be hagglers offering to take you to a viewpoint; the viewpoint is actually very nice and scenic, though I wouldn’t spend more than a few dollars to go. The Viator tour I linked above does not include a guided tour of Petra but you can buy one at the entrance, if you’re interested.
  • Red Sea / Aqaba: The snorkeling in the Red Sea is quite nice. There is a sunken airplane that is worth snorkeling over or scuba diving through (if you can). When we were near the beach in Aqaba, the women were asked to cover up their bathing suits.
  • Dead Sea: We went to Crowne Plaza Hotel to access the Dead Sea. The entrance fee was $30 or $40 if you wanted lunch included. I would suggest getting lunch; there is a large buffet with good food.
  • Wadi Rum: Beautiful desert. Make sure you explore it during the day and at sunset. I would suggest spending a night in the desert. Most several day tours from Amman include a night in the desert. Make sure you bring warm clothes because it gets cold at night. The Jordan Pass does cover the entrance fee to Wadi Rum ($7).
  • Jerash: A city about an hour outside of Amman. The city is primarily known for ruins of the walled Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa, which you can visit with the Jordan Pass.

Food: Recommendations that are italicized are suggestions from a local friend that I unfortunately didn’t have the opportunity to try.

  • Shams El Balad: I would suggest the stuffed onions, the cauliflower fritters, the spicy cheese (a must) and any of the flatbreads. Great for dinner. I would make a reservation.
  • Shi Shawerma: A nice / quick lunch spot.
  • Beit Sitti: The restaurant portion of where the above cooking class takes place.
  • Oliva: Pizza and Italian cuisine.
  • Ciao Ciao: Italian cuisine.
  • Dhberha: Try the Mansaf, a traditional dish.
  • Zajal: Levantine cuisine.
  • Khashouqa: Levantine cuisine.
  • Kan Zaman: Upscale Levantine cuisine.

Accommodation:

  • InterContinental Amman: This hotel was fantastic; the staff were very accommodating and helpful. The hotel was close to many of the main attractions but on a main road so not easily walkable. If you want to be in the thick of things, I would suggest a hotel next to or on Rainbow Street.

Other:

  • Currency: Jordanian Dinar
  • Language: Arabic
  • Dress: For women, I found that conservative dress was appreciated but not required. Only at religious sites and mosques were women required to cover the head, shoulders and knees.
  • Transportation: Uber is available in Amman and very cheap.
  • Jordan was much more expensive than expected. Budget accordingly.

Background photo taken in Wadi Rum Desert.