Jordan Travel Guide
Jordan is a country in the Middle East that is almost land-locked except for a small outlet to the Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba. It is bordered by Israel and the West bank (Palestine) to the west, by Syria to the north, by Iraq to the east, and by Saudi Arabia to the south. Amman is the capital of the Kingdom of Jordan and the other large cities in the kingdom are Zarqa and Irbid. The national language of Jordan is Arabic though most Jordanians, especially in urban areas, speak English. French and German are also popular languages. The currency is Jordanian Dinar (JD), and the present rate is 0.70 JD per USD If you are a visitor to Jordan and would like to know about the places to see and visit, and things to do, you should get yourself a Jordan Travel Guide which would be very helpful in helping you decide these things.
King Abdulla II, the eldest son of King Hussein and Princess Muna, assumed throne following his father’s death in February 1999. He has since established himself as a successful ruler and has started trade and other relations with many countries. There is no hostility between Muslims and Christians and Jordan is one of the most liberal and modern nations in the entire Middle East. Visitors who come to Jordan from non-Arabic countries will need a visa, which you can get easily at most border points. Your Jordan Travel Guide will tell you that if you stay longer than one month you will have to register your passport at a police station. Failure to do so would entail your paying a penalty before you leave. The penalty may not be much, but you would have to run around a number of counters and stand in a number of queues. Allow an extra time of half an hour to one hour for completing this process.
Queen Aila International Airport which is the country’s main airport is about 35 km from the city of Amman. Transportation into the city is provided by the Royal Jordanian Bus service and taxis. When you are leaving Jordan allow yourself about 45 minutes to reach the airport. You can cross into Jordan by car from Israel, but mind you, the border formalities are extremely time consuming. Long distance taxis operate on some routes and you could look at this option also. You can enter the country by air, by bus, by car or by boat. There is only one domestic air route and it operates between Aqaba and Amman.
Should you like to explore the wild scenery or do some trekking, do make it a point to take a Jordan Travel Guide. A better option would be to take an organized tour where an expert, experienced and well-versed guide would help you. If you are on a fixed budget, do not stay at starred hotels all the time – you can search and find what is convenient and stay there. Do not eat food at the place you stay unless the food is part of the package. You can have budget, yet tasty food by doing what the locals do.
A traditional Jordanian breakfast consists of fried eggs, labaneh, cheese, zaatar and olive oil, khobez which is a large flat bread, and a cup of tea. You will find the regular American breakfast in all the hotels. The national dish of Jordan is mansaf, but most people in the urban areas eat it on special occasions. The most popular place to eat mansaf is the Jerusalem restaurant in Amman.
Your Jordan Travel Guide will tell you that there are a number of starred hotels in Jordan, but their prices are very high. There are also a number of restaurants here, but it is always preferable to have your lunch or dinners in any of the regular restaurants rather have it in the restaurants within the hotel. Come to Jordan and explore the country.