INDULGE: TRAVEL
JORDAN
ARAB ADVENTURE
By MARA SCHIAVOCAMPO
Photography by Courtesy of Jordan tourism board
When you look at Jordan on a map, it hardly seems like a place you’d go to relax; the country is wedged between Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Israel. While the region may be unstable, Jordan, under the rule of King Abdullah and Queen Raina, is a politically calm nation and a vacation haven. At the crossroads of the Christian, Jewish and Islamic worlds, this small Middle East destination will easily seduce you with its dazzling beauty.
Among Westerners, Jordan is still a hidden treasure (non-Arabs account for about 28% of visitors), but more Americans are becoming hip to its charms.
AMMAN
Jordan is a kingdom, and from the moment you arrive at Amman’s Queen Alia airport, expect the royal treatment. If you’re staying at the Four Seasons, a hotel representative will be at the gate to assist you with customs and your visa, before a waiting limousine whisks you off to the luxury hotel.
Jordan’s capital is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the region. Spend a day shopping on Al-Hashemi Street for authentic Arab crafts, including handmade rugs, silver tea sets, jewelry and colorful clothing.
In Amman you will find a number of sporting activities. Ride an Arabian horse on the outskirts of town or play nine holes of golf. But save some energy for your desert adventure.
WADI RUM & PETRA
There’s no better way to appreciate the vastness of Jordan’s desert than from the air. Golden Holiday Tours can arrange for a helicopter to take you from bustling Amman to Wadi Rum, where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed. After landing, a Hummer will take you on a desert tour where you can glimpse a slice of Bedouin life.
From Wadi Rum, it’s a ninety-minute-drive to Petra, Jordan’s most famous treasure. The ruined city that dates back to the sixth century BC consists of temples, tombs, homes and a theater, all hand-carved from salmon-pink sandstone cliffs. Built by Nabateans- early nomads from Arabia, it became an important crossing point for trade routes from India, China and the rest of the Arab world. It has since been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is in the running to become one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
A great way to experience Petra is on a private evening tour, when it’s cooler and much less crowded. To get to the “rose-red city” you must walk half a mile through a narrow canal called the Siq. The granite passageway is about ten-feet-wide with walls standing 262-feet-high. The Siq ends at Petra’s best-known building, the Treasury, which is illuminated each night with hundreds of small candles. You’ll marvel at the intricate craftsmanship of the 141-foot columned masterpiece. The city stretches for miles and has hundreds of structures with stunning architecture. After seeing Petra, paradise itself might be a disappointment.
DEAD SEA
After hiking through Petra, you’ll be ready for the five-star pampering near the Dead Sea. A spa industry has been built here to capitalize on the supposed magical properties of the sea salt and mud. The water of the Dead Sea is close to ten times saltier than the ocean and full of minerals, which is great for human healthcare but not so good for the creatures of the sea, which can’t survive in its waters.
The Moevenpick Resort’s Zara Spa is one of the biggest and best in the Middle East. Treat yourself to an exfoliating Dead Sea salt scrub and soothing hydrotherapy bath. Later, get slathered from head to toe in one of three types of mud: natural, herb-infused and anti-cellulite. It may be called the Dead Sea, but the pampering here will give you a new appreciation for life.
AQABA
What the Dead Sea lacks in marine life the Red Sea makes up for. Aqaba, home to Jordan’s only seaport, is a coastal playground for the Middle East’s wealthy water enthusiasts.
The Yasmina Boating Group will arrange for a private yacht trip on the Red Sea. Set sail from the Royal Yacht Club on a massive, thirty-two-passenger boat. You will cruise the Red Sea, stopping at two scuba diving sites. Expect to see sea turtles, multicolored fish and even a sunken freight ship.
Tan on the yacht’s sun deck while a private chef grills fresh fish and calamari. Lunch is prepared Jordanian style, cooked with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and onions. While your meal may satisfy for the afternoon, chances are your trip to Jordan will only leave you hungry for more.
MONEY
Currently, one Jordanian dinar is about $1.4 U.S. ATM machines accept U.S. bank cards and dispense dinars. Plan on using cash, however, as many places don’t take credit cards. Dollars are also widely accepted.
CONTACTS
Jordanian Tourism Board
011 962 6 567 8444
www.visitjordan.com
Golden Holiday Tours
011 962 6 565 9051 (52) (53)
Moevenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea
011 962 5 356 1111
www.moevenpick-hotels.com/hotels/dead_sea
Yasmina Boating Group
011 962 79 502 7853
Four Seasons Hotel, Amman
011 962 6 550 5555
www.fourseasons.com/amman
