26 Mar 2014, 11:19 am
And apart from being “easygoing”, CNN lists multiple reasons to visit this beautiful country! The hospitable and polite Bedouin culture; stunning landscapes; eco-friendly accommodation options; fabulous food; quiet and peaceful atmosphere; enriching cultural tours; well-preserved ruins; Biblical tours; the King’s Highway that is the Middle East’s best road trip; and of course the 'new seven wonders of the world' Petra!
The entire area around the site of Petra offers dramatic and varied landscapes. The canyons and high places are a maze of wind-sculptured rocks, tiny meandering tracks and secluded valleys, where the only sound is the tinkling of goat bells or the reedy notes of a shepherd’s flute. It is, in effect, an adventurer’s playground. This is a great place for walking, trekking, horseback riding and off-road cycling.
To visit Petra during daylight is awe-inspiring; but to experience it at night by the light of 1,800 candles is truly out-of-this-world! Walk through the Siq to the Khazneh following a candle-lit path and enjoy the haunting music of the Bedouins at the Treasury. Tours start at 8.30pm and finish at 10.00pm every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Tickets can be purchased from the Petra Site Office at the entrance to the site. Allow yourself plenty of time to walk through the Siq - you don't want to miss the lights!
Another must-see in Jordan is Wadi Rum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is a maze of monolithic rockscapes which rise up from the desert floor to heights of 1,750m creating a natural challenge for serious mountaineers. Hikers can enjoy the tranquility of the boundless empty spaces and explore the canyons and water holes to discover 4000-year-old rock drawings and the many other spectacular treasures this vast wilderness holds in store.
Then there is the calm and placid waters of the Red Sea in Aqaba that is enticing for divers and other watersports enthusiasts. Aqaba offers a full range of facilities for speedboating, scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, fishing, swimming, water skiing, wind surfing, or simply loafing and sunning in the warm crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea. The sparkling purple mountains surrounding Aqaba beckon hikers who seek new adventures, and unconquered terrain.
Without a doubt the world's most amazing place, the Jordan Rift Valley is a dramatic, beautiful landscape, which at the Dead Sea, is over 400m (1,312 ft.) below sea level. The lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast stretch of water receives a number of incoming rivers, including the River Jordan.
Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are land-locked and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving behind a dense, rich, cocktail of salts and minerals that supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its finest products.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a modern, vibrant nation and one of the most politically stable countries in the Middle East.
- Digi Yatra goes international! 7 Indian airports begin trials for overseas flyers
- Finland invites singles from around the world on all-paid blind-date dinner; application closes soon
- New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express: What travellers need to know about route, timings and fares
- Berlin Freedom Week returns in November, exploring the city’s divided past through Films, Tours and Powerful Stories
- Bihar Museum ranks among world's top 10, ahead of Louvre and New York's Met
- Sikkim Adventure Tourism Fest to bring 20-plus activities across six districts this November
- Europe ends Schengen passport stamps, switches to digital border records
- Kayaking, canoeing and water taxis bring new experiences to Kerala’s historic Muziris region
- Emirates expands in Japan with new Travel Store in Tokyo and additional Narita flights
- IndiGo passengers get a surprise at 30,000 feet: Here's what they were asked to do
Indian airline Air India has unveiled a new collection of amenity kits and loungewear for guests travelling on its international flights.
Emirates will introduce its Airbus A350 aircraft on its daily Dubai–Mauritius route from November 1, 2026, replacing the Boeing 777 currently operating the service. The new aircraft will operate flights EK709 and EK710 between Dubai and Mauritius, the airline said.
Lufthansa has launched a new nonstop service between Kuala Lumpur and Frankfurt, with the first flight operating on October 26. The route connects Malaysia’s capital with Frankfurt, one of Europe’s major aviation hubs.
