JORDAN
So, after soaking in the wonders of Iraq ( read more here), I landed in Jordan with big expectations. Spoiler alert: things didn't go exactly as planned. Jordan was super crowded with tourists, this blog post is my unfiltered take on the real deal in Jordan. No bragging, just the honest truth, as usual, on how it went down. Join me as we navigate the highs and lows of my Jordanian adventure. As always I will try to be as factual as possible ( I hate fluffy blogs that tell you nothing) and I will post maps, prices and how-to for most of the sites I have visited.
So first thing first. I travelled to Jordan from Iraq and the airport immigration vibe? Not exactly smooth sailing. Picture long lines and a bit of chaos – your usual airport drama but worse. If you're eyeing a visa on arrival ( check if you are eligible), brace yourself for a 40 JOD hit, roughly 50 euros ( December 2022). Yeah, not exactly budget-friendly, and that was just the kick-off fee. Coming from Iraq, I hit the immigration double feature – twice the wait time and a bonus round of questions in a small room by some officials asking stupid questions. They gave me the green light eventually, and voila, I was officially in Jordan.
I used Uber and got a taxi to the city centre where I had booked a hotel for my stay in Amman. Uber was 23 JOD ( December 2022), but be aware of scams as some Uber drivers will try to suggest different prices.
So, I landed in Jordan late, and the next day, I swung by this small corner shop for a SIM card. Wasn't sure if it was the cheapest deal, but I needed it quickly to plan the rest of my trip. The price tag? 25 JOD, which is around 31 euros, for 10 GB. Yep, kind of felt like another punch to the wallet. Not exactly putting a smile on IndianaGiorgious' face, you know? Jordan already not delivering after not even 12 hours in the country.
If you use WhatsApp, calls from the app are blocked. You can still use it for messages.
To move around Amman I walked as it is my favourite way to explore new places. I spent the first couple of days in Amman and these are the places I enjoyed the most.
AMMAN
Citadel
So, I got up to this place bright and early, only to find tour buses already lining up! Inside, you'll spot the usual Instagrammers trying to snap a hundred selfies for the 'Gram. The entry fee? At least this time was only 3 JOD, roughly 4 euros. The place offers a nice view of the city, and there's a small museum inside too, the Jordan Archaeological Museum. Overall, a nice spot, selfie frenzy aside
Roman Theater
Entry fee of 3 JOD and a nice walk from the Citadel.
The Duke's Diwan
The Duke's Diwan is a neat 1920s building and the best part? No entry fee! It started as a post office but now serves as a cultural centre. Inside, the decor is pretty cool, and there's a balcony with a view of King Faisal Street. Of course, you will have to wait for the usual suspects (aka the Instagrammers) to finish their selfie sessions before you can snap a picture of the interiors.
Rainbow Street
In the historical area of Jabal, a pretty (though, yes, still touristy) spot with vibrant buildings, cosy cafes, and restaurants. Tried some delicious hummus here, by the way. The place is adorned with cool pieces of street art. As always, don't forget to wander down the side streets – you'll stumble upon some really nice street art pieces.
STREET ART
There are many pieces of street art around the city. So by just walking around you could see many of them.
King Abdullah Mosque
The King Abdullah Mosque is a pretty recent addition, built in the 80s. It boasts a beautiful dome constructed with blue mosaics. Tourists are welcome, but it goes without saying that you should dress appropriately to enter.
WADI MUSA (PETRA)
After Amman, my next stop was Wadi Musa, possibly the most touristy spot because it's the closest city to Petra. I opted for public transport using the bus system (check out the JTT website here). You can book and pay for your tickets online (I recommend doing it a few days in advance as these buses fill up fast). The catch? Despite booking online, you still have to exchange your digital booking for a physical ticket at the bus office in Amman.
For the Amman-Wadi Musa route, I hopped on the 6:30 AM bus, reaching my destination at 10:15 AM. The journey could've been way shorter, but we had a 20-minute pit stop for the driver to grab a bite and the usual tourist souvenir shop.
The ticket cost around 20 EURO.
Wadi Musa is a bit on the quiet side, not much happening besides Petra. You'll find some restaurants and, as expected, plenty of gift shops. Because of the bus timetable, I ended up spending 2.5 days there, reserving a full day to explore Petra.
PETRA
This spot turned out to be the least impressive on my Jordan trip. Not much of a fan of World Wonders, especially when you throw in hordes of tourists and some overly loud and aggressive vendors – it left a lot to be desired. The entry fee was a hefty 50 JOD (64 EURO!), making it quite expensive for a place packed with people.
I tried to beat the crowd by getting there at 6 AM, but even then, I found myself in a queue with around 30 people. Be ready to spend a full day in the complex; there's more to see than just the famous Treasury building. Many folks stop here for the Insta pic and call it a day.
I decided to take a hike up a hill, about an hour's trek, for what promised to be a scenic view of The Treasury. Guess what? Blocked by a shop that insisted I buy something for the privilege of a photo. Ended up caving in after the hike and bought a can of Ice Tea for around 5 Euros. The constant pressure to buy stuff was real, but thankfully, my earphones and some good tunes were my escape.
Here's the tip: the farther you venture from the Treasury, the more enjoyable it gets since fewer people explore that far. The real gem? The Monastery. A bit of a hike, but totally worth it. Fewer tourists, great views, and bonus – lots of cats! If you plan on going, start early, put on comfy shoes, and gear up for a full day of exploration.
AQABA
Aqaba marked the finale of my trip, and once again, I took a public bus. The bus stop is near the Petra complex. Let me tell you, it was the most chaotic boarding situation I've ever encountered! To add to the confusion, the buses didn't have signs indicating their destination, so figuring out which one was bound for Aqaba was a bit of a guessing game. I found myself asking numerous buses before finally finding the right one.
Just like the previous leg, the ticket was booked online, complete with a seat number. However, it seemed like nobody paid much attention to what was written on their tickets, adding an extra layer of chaos to the mix. The bus was supposed to leave at 5 PM with an estimated arrival at 7 PM. Of course, it took us 3.5 hours instead of the promised 2. Throw in the typical restaurant pit stop, and to spice things up, the bus decided to swing by a stop near Wadi Rum, even though that wasn't part of the plan.
Aqaba is a pleasant coastal city, and I really enjoyed some beach time, even in January when the weather was surprisingly nice. If you're into it, there are boat trips and diving options in the Aqaba Gulf. My main reason for coming to Aqaba was to spend a day in Wadi Rum.
I booked a solo trip to Wadi Rum from my hotel – a bit pricey at around 180 euros, but totally worth it despite the multiple car breakdowns we experienced in the desert. The journey started with someone driving me to Wadi Rum, and then I hopped into one of those open pickup trucks that zoomed through the desert. Sure, the car broke down a few times, and we had to give it a good push to get it going again, but it all added to the fun of the adventure.
Wadi Rum turned out to be my favourite spot in Jordan, with fewer tourists and vast landscapes to explore. It's a famous filming location, including scenes from Star Wars. On the last breakdown, the driver decided to switch things up a bit and put me on a camel for an hour to reach the final stop, where my taxi was patiently waiting to take me back to Aqaba. Quite the adventure, breakdowns and all!
For the return journey to Amman, I stuck with the JTT buses – straightforward, though chaotic. The bus was set to leave at 11 AM, with an anticipated arrival in Amman at 3 PM. Well, that didn't exactly go as planned. A truck accident on the road and two restaurant stop later, we rolled in a good 4 hours behind schedule. Ah, won't miss those buses, but hey, at least they were budget-friendly compared to other options.
All in all, Jordan didn't quite top my list of favourite destinations. On my rating scale, it gets a 3 out of 10. The food was a highlight, and exploring was interesting, but the tourist scene wasn't quite my vibe.
