Exploring Jordan

Petra is, of course, a true wonder of the world. This site alone is reason enough to make the journey to Jordan. Aqaba is a decent base to venture into the Red Sea and is the jumping off point to Wadi Rum--a desert valley. Amman is a very pleasant city and it's a good base for exploring the desert castles, the Dead Sea, and the ancient Roman city ruins of Jarash.

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Public buses can be cramped, but are bearable. Long-haul minibuses are common and taxis are very reasonable. Car rentals are the best choice for seeing the far-flung attractions outside of the main towns and cities. This is also a country where an organized tour (in an A-C bus) can be a good thing, except for Petra where a healthy set of legs and lungs are the ticket.

There are few hotels on Earth that are as interesting and magical as this one. You won't be overwhelmed by opulence, as you would at the nearby Movenpick, but it will be a stay you'll never forget. The hotel used the actual buildings and layout from an 19th century stone village. The common areas include a 'town square,' a pool overlooking the Petra valley, and a wonderful rustic restaurant, bakery, and bar. A luxurious Turkish bath is a must after hiking. Each former house has been turned into a large hotel room, with stone arches, sitting areas, heavy furniture, and spacious baths with touches of luxury. It's a very 'green' hotel, but is fit for a royalty--King Hussein himself stayed here several times.

No surprises--was the best hotel in the city until the Hyatt opened, and now it's a toss-up. Americans who have to always feel like they're home will be happy here, since the property offers some of the same eating and drinking spots you'd find in Cleveland or Dallas. Rooms are average size and have average furniture, but it is all well-maintained. Has an indoor pool and gym, plus a wide range of excursion offerings.

These are some of the most atmospheric and mysterious ruins on the planet, and this is probably the most fascinating site in the whole Middle East. Hikers can find miles and miles of rock carvings beyond the first collection that all the tour bus crowds go to before turning around. You hike for a mile through a narrow canyon before even getting to these, then spend hours walking around the valley to see a fraction of what else is on offer. Carvings range from small tombs with 6-foot facades to giant carvings as large as a modern bank building, projects that took years of work from a whole team of skilled craftsmen. At some point, the people all vanished and the city was just a legendary place which only the local Beduoins knew was for real. Hike away from the crowds, and you'll feel like you discovered it all on your own.

It takes the better part of a day, but it's an interesting excursion to head out of Amman and make a loop through the 'desert castles.' Calling them castles is a bit of a stretch, but these 7th-century buildings are still worth a visit. They're as interesting for their cultural revelations as they are for their architecture. One was a former Roman fort that was converted to a pleasure palace for travelers. The second was a hunting lodge and bath house. The castle in Azraq was used a base by Lawrence of Arabia and this oasis town is full of both legitimate and shady merchants going to and from Iraq. The Amra castle (pictured here) is the best preserved, and gives an interesting history lesson. Here in the early days of Islam, the doctrine was not nearly so uptight: frescoes on the walls not only depict real people, but they feature some frolicking nudes as well.

The best way to do this trip through the desert is to get a group together and spring for a sturdy rental car--preferably one with powerful A-C.

Visiting the Dead Sea is a bizarre experience: it's impossible to sink, nothing lives in the water, and you're so far below sea level that it can take hours to get sunburned. It's much better to experience the Dead Sea from Jordan than Israel--the water is much deeper here. You can paddle around in the water and even read a book or newspaper without needing a raft. If you're a woman that gets excited about mud packs at a spa or beauty salon, you can scoop up your own and get a major treatment here. It takes about an hour to get here from Amman, depending on whether you get lost leaving the city. There are a few hotels lining the shore if you have time to spend the night: the Movenpick Resort Hotel and Spa is the best in the area.