Jordan was one of the places I wanted to go for a long time, but could not go.. The geography and history of Jordan that haunts my dreams… When I found a 9 euro round-trip ticket from Ryanair, Jordan became my next door.. There are direct flights from our country to Jordan, but they are very expensive.. We traveled with Ryanair via Sofia (Bulgaria). For this, we had to go to Sofia first.
- Click to read how we got to Sofia for 23 liras.
Follow me on my instagram account don’t forget to. I tell a lot in the stories and highlights
Instagram: Where are you from
Jordan in Short
- The most important thing to know before going to Jordan is that Jordan does not apply a visa to us.. A security guard to whom we showed our passport got us into ridiculous visa queues. Then we got scolded from the other passport police for getting in that line as well.. As soon as you land in Jordan, you can go directly to passport control without queuing.
- Jordan’s currency, Jordan Dinar (JOD), was 1JOD=7.5 TL in November 2018 when we went. Toilet 1 JOD, water 2 JOD multiplied by 7.5, we had a very expensive 10 days.
- Language Arabic. little English speaking. They speak English in touristic places.
- Negotiable. They say all the prices are inflated.
- You can’t even enter the villages without a guide.. We did it, we made a heart, we entered, of course, but the people of the country are very tiring.. You are constantly struggling with Arab people in a magnificent geography.. How nice would it be if they just left it alone?.
- I bring stones, sand and soil from everywhere I go as a souvenir. They took all my stones from my bag at the airport in Tanzania. This situation has not changed in Jordan.. They didn’t see what was in my friend’s bag but almost all of my bag was taken. They sell stones in many places in Jordan, including Petra.. Buy considering these will be picked up at the airport. I don’t think you need to buy. Country full of exquisite stones you can find everywhere. I was able to bring the skull I found in Wadirum, but my stones were taken.
- They put a teapot like a teapot directly on the stove, add various spices to it, add lots of sugar and then serve it to you in small glasses.. They directly brew. Although it has a jet black color, it never has a bitter or astringent taste.. Sweet as honey, a sage tea. Cups of tea come out of that tiny teapot. We talk and laugh like Elif’s jug. Teacups are also tiny, of course…
- They recommended that we do souvenirs or other shopping in Madaba.. I gave 10 JOD to a necklace that I really liked.. Same necklace was 5 JOD in Amman. Sand art in glass sold for 10 JOD in Petra 2 in Amman 3 JOD. Prices are more reasonable than other places.. Leave the shopping to Amman.
- Contrary to popular belief, there is a large number of Christians in the country.. There are many churches in the north.
Which Season to Go to Jordan? What to Wear?
The best dates to go to Jordan are spring months, namely April-May, September-October.. we were in jordan on 18 november. We also went to the sea in Aqaba and swam in the Dead Sea.. we were never cold. It was pretty hot too. As it can be really cold in the winter months, it is also useful to stay away from Jordan, especially in July and August.. People die in that heat.. I can’t even imagine that I’ve been traveling around Petra all day.
You will need a swimsuit, towel and slippers for Dead Sea, the Dead Sea.. You will enjoy swimming without sinking in the saltiest sea in the deepest place in the world, reading a newspaper and a book.. This experience is not to be missed. As you go north in the country, the air gets colder, and as you go south, the air gets warmer.. Since the Dead Sea is below sea level, it was Antalya air in November.. It was in Aqaba. The night was freezing in Wadirum. For these reasons, make sure to take thin and thick clothes with you.. Throw a fleece in your bag.
You can swim in the sea in Aqaba.. Make sure to bring a swimsuit, bikini and a sea mask.. Diving is 90JD, so very expensive. You already see what you see in diving with the mask.. I don’t think it’s necessary to spend that much money.
As the people are used to tourists, we didn’t have many problems with dress code.. They’re even more used to it, especially around the Dead Sea.. They don’t bother you with their looks. In fact, the people of Jordan are more covered than the people of Iran, but it doesn’t bother them if you’re covered or wearing a miniskirt.. Although it is an Arab country in the Middle East, they are used to tourists.. There were many Russian tourists in Aqaba and I would not dare to wear the bikinis they wore.. there was no problem. The people use the patterns of the black sheets we have.. Not all, but most of the women are covered. Do not try to take pictures. I took one as I was passing through the vehicle.. He had a great reaction. I didn’t bother to shoot the ones in the sheets. Please…
Car Hire in Jordan
We knew we had to rent a car before we went to Jordan. I learned from my friends that there is not much development in public transportation in Jordan.. Renting a car was difficult when we went to Jordan.. There was even a risk of not being able to find a vehicle.. Since we will enter from Aqaba, there are not as many car rental companies as in Amman.. Indeed, when we went, the car rental companies at Akaba airport closed early.. We had landed on the field around 21:00. Rent a cars open 24 hours a day in Amman.
In line with all this information, a week before we left, we started the business of renting a car online.. How hard can it be to rent a car? We were looking for a tool with “No Risk Waranty” option over the internet.. Before Rental Cover Rent A Car’, we rented a very economical vehicle, but when it was withdrawn from the credit card, we saw that there was an extra payment of 723.81 lira and we canceled it immediately. We weren’t interrupted.
Then let’s do the second economy car rental from a well-known company, it’s three cents more but for a guarantee, AVIS‘ on Holidaycars.com. we made skin. Then we entered the waiting period. We rented the car a week ago.. It was two days before we left, it was paid for, but there was still e-mail traffic and our car rental job was not confirmed.. It’s a very stressful situation.
Hiring a Car Has Never Been So Difficult
Emails were answered from Switzerland and they were constantly writing that they could not get a response from the local car rental in Jordan.. We might not have found a vehicle when we went. was paid for. We had it insured for last minute cancellation but we might not have been able to rent another car when we went. On the last day, the other party suddenly canceled and my mouth fell open. He wrote that they could not supply the car.. It said the money would be back in our account within 20 days.. If there was no other limit on my credit card, we would have had to rent the car in cash.
The money was indeed returned within 15 days, but due to international banking procedures and the exchange rate difference, a sum of 224.81 liras disappeared.. We have paid 225 liras for a vehicle we have never rented or driven. While we were not guilty of anything.. In other words, even well-known companies can be helpless when it comes to Jordan.. When I was confused about what to do with a last-minute cancellation, I wrote to Anas, our host in Akaba, which we found on Couchsurfing.. Anas was very upset and got it from a friend who rented a car.
Our car came from Europecar. As well as the fees we found. There are not many diesel vehicles in Jordan.. The vehicle that came was automatic and gasoline. Asked for another $350 for No Risk Warranty. We couldn’t make it. We paid 250 JD in cash for a 10-day rental car (1 JD=7.5 TL), 260JD with credit card, 350JD for deposit with credit card. Finally we got a car.. We wanted to deliver the vehicle we bought from the airport at the airport again.
They said “leave the key on it”, but I insisted that I brought someone to the airport and received the signed paper that I delivered it undamaged.. I heard a story from someone before that they went to Jordan and got into an accident with a vehicle built with a No Risk Waranti and after returning, 1500 lira was withdrawn from their credit cards.. Arab countries unfortunately. Of course, you can’t do much after your return…
Actually, it makes more sense to enter Jordan from Amman and return from Aqaba.. If you can arrange the car rental that way, you will not go for nothing.. Those who went and rented a car before were able to make a reservation and rent a car from companies that they would pay when they left.. They are not located in Aqaba. It is only possible from companies in Amman.
Traffic Rules and Safety in Jordan
There is a very modern and beautiful highway connecting the country from north to south. You cannot exceed the speed limit of 70-80km. The whole country is being watched by cameras. There is a police check every step of the way.. We couldn’t get the passport in our bag as we were stopped at all police checks.. We passed from Amman to Wadirum at night.. Turns out that road was very dangerous for tourists like us.. There weren’t many vehicles on the road.. They like Turks very much.. As soon as they realize that we are Turkish, they stick the word “Erdogan”. Thanks to this, we passed most of the controls very quickly.
They solved the traffic problem in Jordan. I already said the speed limit is 70-80km. There is such a respect for pedestrians in the city.. I saw this once in Georgia. Even if you wait by the side of the road, they see you from afar and give you way.. Impossible not to be impressed. You say a Middle Eastern country, you say Arab, but the guys are respectful. This application is just beginning with us.
Emergency number 911 in Jordan. They wrote a huge 911 on the huge American-style 4×4 vehicles.. I thought the Arab world didn’t like America. I think there are more police than normal citizens in the country.. Even at the furthest point we went for the sunset in Petra, they did not collect souvenirs.. They just left it on the tables. Either they are sure that it will not be stolen or even this place is being watched with cameras.. The whole country is. Penalties should be so deterrent that no one touches it even if it is in the open.. Bedouins legally prefer to rob you while looking you in the eye.
As a woman, you can of course travel alone.. It doesn’t make much difference for them to have a man with you anyway. If they like it, they offer it directly.. There is also a very disturbing. When you do it without hesitation. It doesn’t matter if they are half your age.. So don’t think that I’ll be safe with a man next to me. On the contrary, there may even be a danger of getting into a fight and getting into more difficult situations.
Stay in Jordan
We used Couchsurfing(CS) in Aqaba and Petra in Jordan. A friend of ours suggested the host in Aqaba.. Anas devoted his life to travelers. He turned his house into a dormitory with bunk beds.. His house and beds are never empty. Not that we were worried about theft incidents.. Found it myself on the CS site in Petra. We stayed there in a villa. Elderly hosts hosted us very nicely. They took care of us from the place we sleep to the food we eat.
We stayed at Hotel Mamaya in Amman.I made the reservation on the way to Amman.. You can stay in the center very comfortably and economically.. Rooms with bathroom are 20JD for two people, rooms with shared bathrooms are 12 JD for two people. We negotiated prices online and had the price reduced by a few JDs.. There are always big and star hotels in the Dead Sea.. They are too expensive. We did not stay there.
Wadirum is turning into a difficult place with the Bedouins living there besides its magnificent geography.. Our Akaba host had arranged a Bedouin camp for us with his friend.. When I had difficulties in communication because there was no telephone in Wadi Rum, I made a reservation from booking for 9 JD per person.. I guess my foresight is tied. It was a non-cancellable reservation. What could it be? I thought. I was so wrong. You should stay away from Abdullah Camping in Jordan. There are guarantees of both insanity and insanity.. Anas’ friend’s bedouin camp is called Fire Camping. We didn’t stay, but we got very good references from Anas’s travelers from other countries, whose house we stayed at.. 30 JD per person per day including breakfast and dinner.. Normal price is 40 JD.
How to Take Care of Food and Drink in Jordan?
Since the country is expensive in general, you can go to restaurants like that. we couldn’t eat to our heart’s content, but whatever we ate, it was all very tasty. The hand of the country is delicious in general. The flavor I remember the most was the tiny mince pita we saw while walking in a side street in Madaba, which we wanted to buy but they didn’t sell because it was made for a special day, but they offered us one each.
If you went individually and rented a car, if you can find it. throw a barbecue in your trunk. On the beach in Aqaba, locals lit their fires while swimming in the sea.. They prepared the hookahs and enjoyed it.. It is true that we envy even more because of the meals we have been passing through for days.. By the way, I think it’s normal for Jordanian men to go into the sea with underpants.. They never bother. All of them were, including the barbecue crew.
You don’t have the option of not getting food in Wadi Rum.. You can’t do anything just so I can get accommodation and take it with me.. They do everything to prevent it.. There is an open buffet breakfast and dinner.. It’s usually an all-inclusive system.. There is no place to buy food in the desert, except where you stay.
We passed a few meals with the food we bought from the markets, the village children on the roadside and the breakfast items we took with us.. In the rest, we tried country flavors from kebabs to desserts.. Several-eyed breakfast sets with hummus are sold in their markets.. These worked great. It was cheap and delicious. (1.5 dinars) !We found places in Aqaba that sell kebab menu for 1.5 JOD. Palmiyeli is located on the main street.. There are bakeries in the side streets. Their breads are different and very tasty. Pita assorted. They cost like 4 for 1 JOD but the ones we bought were not tasty at all. we ate hungry. It was the only tasteless place in the country. Even eating becomes a problem when the country is expensive.
Jordan Phone Lines, Orange? Umniah?
As soon as we got our car in Jordan, we immediately went to the center of Akaba to get a line.. Akaba airport is very small and there are no such services. We had been advised that we should get the Umniah company card before we went.. Anas, our host in Akaba, insisted that we get Orange. It shoots very well everywhere.. Indeed it was. We took the Orange line with 20gb internet and paid 23 JD. We couldn’t even finish 10gb in 10 days. We used continuous navigation. We shared social media. We couldn’t finish it.
Must Have Jordan Pass
They said we can avoid long queues if we get Jordan Pass online before we go to Jordan. We bought our tickets at https://www.jordanpass.jo/buynow.aspx. We paid 70 JD for Petra and other castles and museums in the country. At 10 dinars you have to pay for Jerash. Otherwise you can’t get in.. Jordan Pass passes all over the country. We just couldn’t get into Mount Nebo. That was also 2 JD’s.
You should print out the Jordan Pass tickets you bought.. You need to stamp them in the first place you enter and make them available for use.. Valid for one month. We heard that for short-term Jordan departures, you get 90 JD if you enter Petra on the same day.. It means “if you come to my country only for Petra, you have to pay for it”. For this reason, we tried very hard to stamp our Jordan Pass tickets as soon as we landed at Akaba Airport, but we learned that we were not included as the ticket we purchased included the extra Jerash.. Don’t worry about stamping tickets at airports and having them open for use one day in advance.
It is necessary to pay 17 JD for the night show Candel Light in Petra.. We couldn’t get this online. We queued up at Petra’s entrance and bought an extra ticket. You don’t need to stand in line to stamp Jordan Pass printouts.. A man is already scratching in a corner. If you buy your Candle Light tickets in the morning and enter Petra, you do not need to leave Petra in the evening.. Leaving Petra and getting the tickets back again means commuting the 1.5km The Siq road.. Thus, when you cross the same road 4 times when you first arrive in the morning, it means that you walk 6 km.
We took 42 thousand steps inside Petra all day.. There is no human condition. You can also watch the preparation stage of the oil lamps if you buy them in the morning.. You can enjoy the unmanned state without that crowd, but you must take food and water with you.. There was a place selling food inside Petra but it was closed for the evening. A little more expensive than outside. We didn’t take much food with us, thinking that the show would start at 6.30 in the evening.. As you can see, we were a little hungry.
There were some people who said to us “There is an exit money from Jordan” before going to Jordan. We didn’t pay that kind of money.. It was ridiculous at the time.. still coming. I don’t remember who read from which blog and shared it with us.. I hope he reads here and learns the truth.