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general info
Jordan on the Fly
Images of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, carved from the rock over a thousand years ago, have long been most people’s first impression of Jordan. Petra is, however, one of the most stunning attractions in Jordan, let alone the Middle East, which brings about more than a landmark of attraction with a rich history. just for the modern traveller. A well-travelled bridge between sea and desert, east and west, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a land of hypnotizing beauty and contrasts, from the Jordan Valley – which is fertile and ever-changing, to the remote desert canyons – that are immense and still. Visitors can never be bored as they explore splendid desert castles, gaze in awe at the haunting wilderness of Wadi Rum, or bathe in the restful waters of the Red Sea. For adventure lovers, horse riding, 4x4 safaris, rock climbing and hiking are just adrenaline warm-ups. The Dead Sea and the Red Sea host outstanding spa facilities where tourists and visitors can enjoy a full-fledged relaxation experience. after World War I, modern Jordan was founded by King Abdullah I, whose grandson, the late King Hussein, ruled for 46 years until he died in 1999. His son, King Abdullah II, assumed the throne and is now the King of Jordan. Jordan is known and famous for its remarkable peace, stability and economic growth.

Jordan has long and pleasant springs and falls, from mid-March through May and mid-September through mid-November. Rain falls from November to March, and while the winter can be cold in many parts of Jordan, it is amazingly warm and pleasant in the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Aqaba on the Red Sea.
The following chart explains the average high/low temperatures (Celsius) in the main popular cities in Jordan:

No-Arab visitors and travellers need a visa to enter Jordan, whether the purpose if their visit is for business or tourism. A single-entry visa can be obtained on arrival at any airport, port, or land border except at King Hussein/Allenby bridge, where a pre-arrival visa is required. The visa fee is JOD 40 (approx. USD 57).

The citizens of some countries are not eligible for an on-arrival visa and thus need to apply for a pre-arrival visa. Please contact us to learn more if you are eligible for an on-arrival visa.

All guests arriving through the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA) can obtain a gratis visa on arrival. This includes entries through the Aqaba port, Aqaba land borders and the King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba.

Departure Tax (*Airport departures tax is usually included in the flight ticket).

Non-Jordanians travelling: By Land (JOD 10) By Air* (JOD 40) By Sea (JOD 10)


Traditional handicrafts like cross-stitch embroidery, rugs, Bedouin jewellery, pottery, Dead Sea products, hand-blown glass and faked antiquities are the best souvenirs to buy while in Jordan. *Beware of buying real antiquities – it can be illegal

What are you going to bring back home from your visit to Jordan?

Buying a sand bottle from Petra can help you tell your friends and family back home about a timeless story of ancient history. The harmony of the sand’s colours and the creative designs in a sand bottle is truly living evidence.

Be careful! Do not buy sand bottles outside Petra because the sand used is dyed.

Make sure to buy local items and not cheap knock-off “souvenirs” imported from China. Ask your guide or driver where to buy authentic Jordanian products and souvenirs.

Never be shy to ask the sellers about the origin of their merchandise. If you insist on finding bargains, chances are you will get jerry-built products. Buying directly from handicraft workshops, cooperatives, or their retail outlets is the safest way to ensure authenticity.


Where to shop for genuine products?

Most handicrafts made by cooperatives and NGO-sponsored workshops have very distinctive tags. The made-in-Jordan gallery & giftshop in Petra (above the Petra Kitchen) sells only genuine Jordanian products. Other shopping options include the “Souk Zara” shops in the Movenpick, Intercontinental, and Hyatt hotels. The “Art Zaman” shops in Kan Zaman restaurant, Taybet Zaman and Bait Zaman hotels in Petra also sell Jordanian handcrafts. You can find some exciting handicrafts in Haret Jdoudna, the famous restaurant in Madaba. The Wild Jordan centre in Amman retails products from the RSCN nature reserves. The Jordan River Foundation (not far from Wild Jordan) is also recommended for shopping for products made by the Beni Hamida weaving cooperative and the social development workshops of the Jordan River Foundation.

Beware of fake souvenirs! Like the rest of the world, cheap knock-off “souvenirs” imported from China are sold in the market. Never hesitate to look around or ask your guide or driver where to buy authentic Jordanian goods. Never be shy to ask the sellers about the origin of their merchandise. If you insist on finding bargains, chances are you will get jerry-built products. Buying directly from handicraft workshops, cooperatives, or their retail outlets is the safest way to ensure authenticity.

Most handicrafts made by cooperatives and NGO-sponsored workshops have very distinctive tags. The made-in-Jordan gallery & giftshop in Petra (above the Petra Kitchen) sells only genuine Jordanian products Other shopping options include the “Souk Zara” shops in the Movenpick, Intercontinental, and Hyatt hotels. The “Art Zaman” shops in Kan Zaman restaurant, Taybet Zaman and Bait Zaman hotels in Petra also sell Jordanian handcrafts. You can find some exciting handicrafts in Haret Jdoudna, the famous restaurant in Madaba. The Wild Jordan centre in Amman retails products from the RSCN nature reserves, while the Jordan River Foundation (not far from Wild Jordan) sell products made by the Beni Hamida weaving cooperative and the social development workshops of the Jordan River Foundation.

Fasting from dawn to sunset during the Holy Month of Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam, which commemorates the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Mohammed. Fasting Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking from sunrise to sunset. There are good and bad aspects of visiting the country during Ramadan. On the bright side, people hit the streets after breaking their fast after sunset, and people start their social and fun activities like playing cards and enjoying special musical and theatrical entertainments. Shops re-open until the wee hours and many hotels host special Ramadan Tents where traditional holiday snacks and drinks, live entertainment, water pipes, backgammon boards, card games and the like are offered. It is fun and has a great festival atmosphere. The downside of visiting the country during Ramadan is that the work hours of banks and government offices are often down by %30, going from 8 hours to 5-6 hours, and the business life during the daytime is not that active.

Many restaurants close for the entire month, and about an hour before sunset, the roads and streets will be full of crazed demons racing to buy last-minute supplies and get home on time to break their fast. If you plan to visit during Ramadan, you should understand that the touring day will be shortened. Nonetheless, plenty of restaurants will still be open and serving lunch, especially in the tourist areas, but it would be considered inappropriate and atrocious to eat, drink or smoke in the sight of passers-by. Remember, if you visit during Ramadan, your dress needs to be more circumspect than usual. Some women who do not normally cover their heads do so during Ramadan and often feel that make-up, perfume and other “vanities of the flesh” should be given up during this holy month.

 

Arabic is the official language in Jordan. English, however, is widely spoken throughout the kingdom. Road signs and many business signs are in English. If you need to communicate in a language other than English or Arabic, you may just get lucky to run into someone who knows the language or even find a student in one of the country’s excellent language programs. In a worst-case scenario, you can use hand gestures or facial expressions or point things out. That usually works very well.

Jordan is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2) and 3 hours when the country switches to summertime (GMT+3). Jordan changes the clocks on the last Thursday night of March and changes it back on the last Thursday night of October. That means we’re 7 hours ahead of New York, and 8 hours ahead of Perryton, Texas.

Rated hotels and restaurants will add a gratuity of 10% to your bill, but the lion’s share of this is not going to the people who will serve you. You might want to add another 5-10% for the servers. Smaller establishments usually expect you to leave a tip in line with your received service. Tipping is a way of thanking the people serving you. The average income here is $210 a month, and the average family has over 7 children, so your money is going to a worthy cause! Tourist guides and drivers will expect to be tipped. If you bring along as much luggage as we usually do, it’s nice to tip the hotel porter about one Jordanian dinar (approx. USD 1.5).

Jordan has land borders with Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The seaport of Jordan is in Aqbah and it has daily connections by ferry to the Sinai in Egypt. Royal Jordanian Airlines is the official carrier for the kingdom, but the international airports in Amman and Aqaba also serve international carriers, including KLM, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Delta, Alitalia, Middle East Airlines, Egypt Air, Pakistan Airlines and all major carriers from the Persian Gulf states, among others.

Sure, you can. There are many telecommunication options to choose from including landlines, mobile phones, faxes, internet, etc. Internet cafes are easy to find and access everywhere in all cities. Most hotels offer free or paid Wi-Fi for their guests.

Fridays and Saturdays are the official weekends in Jordan. Most offices are closed on weekends including banks. Post offices are open on Saturdays and on Fridays until 12:00 pm. Private businesses and shops either open 7 days a week or 6 days a week - some close on Friday morning and only open after mid-day Friday Prayers. On Fridays, except for the long-distance services, buses usually run in the mornings only, while many buses do not at all. If you are planning on travelling on a Friday, please check the availability of transportation.

Eating is one of the most popular national pastimes. Traditional Jordanian cuisine leans heavily on fresh produce (we grow a lot, and availability is seasonal), chicken and lamb, yoghurt and rice. Most dishes are prepared from fresh ingredients. In Amman, you’ll also find international franchise restaurants of every stripe, including (horrors!) McDonald’s and KFC. In Petra, food can be more fun as you can learn how to cook your own Levantine goodies at the Petra Kitchen. Liquors, beer, wine and spirits are available except during Ramadan, as liquors and alcohol are not widely available. Jordan wineries produce some outstanding table wines, mainly in Madaba and Ajlun and are sold throughout the country. You should also try Arak, the local anise-flavoured fire water.

Jordan’s electricity supply is 220 volts/50 cycles AC. Sockets are generally of the two-pronged European variety, but a variety of other sockets and plugs—especially the 13-amp square three-pinned plug—are in use. To be safe, bring a multi-power adapter. American 110-volt equipment requires both an adaptor and a transformer. Most varieties of adaptors and transformers are available in electrical shops throughout Jordan. The great news is that most laptop chargers, mobile phone chargers and other can’t-do-without accessories are now designed to accept 110 or 220-volt inputs…..hurray!

No, Mom—in fact, people find Jordan one of the safest places to travel, invest, and hobnob (check the big-shot World Economic Forum meetings at the Dead Sea or the conclave of Nobel Laureates in Petra). There is virtually no street crime. People will fall over each other, scrambling to help you if you have a medical emergency, get yourself into trouble, or look a little confused. Visitors who forget their cameras, passports, wallets full of money, or whatever on buses, taxis, or restaurants are amazed to get their belongings back intact, but it happens all the time. Really.

Petra Moon offers programs that include visiting neighbouring countries. It is effortless to arrange extensions to Egypt, Syria, Israel, and Lebanon. Some of our specialized tour programs include one or more of our neighbouring countries. Boundaries have been shifting in the Middle East since men learned to mark off the turf, but no reason should affect your holiday.