Go to Petra and other Jordan Things to Do Tips

Go to Petra. While it is a bit of a tourist trap, in that many or most tourists usually go there, it is truly amazing and definitely worth seeing. However, going for one day from Amman is not enough time. In addition to all the 'buildings' carved from the rock, there are numerous walking trails for exploring the site. Petra is a spectacular ancient city. For many centuries, Petra fell into the mists of legend, its existence a guarded secret known only to locals. In 1812, a young Swiss explorer heard locals speaking of a 'lost city' hidden in the mountains of Wadi Mousa. He managed to bluff his way through and revealed the secret of Petra to the modern Western world. The ancient Nabatean city of Petra was first settled in about 800 BC by the Nabataean tribe from northern Arabia. The city reached the peak of its fam in the second century, under Roman rule.

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Address: Just outside the town of Wadi Mousa, S. Jordan
Directions: 280 km from Amman.

Go to see (and float in) the Dead Sea. Unfortunately, we were there in the evening only for dinner and didn't have a chance to 'swim'. I did take the chance to stick my toes in and I would love to go back and fully experience the effect of the Dead Sea. The Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea are at the northern end of the Great Rift Valley. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on the surface of the earth. At the Dead Sea, it is more than 400 meters below sea level. The valley is typically Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers. The valley may also have significance for religious travelers, as the Jordan River is known as the place Jesus was baptized and near where John the Baptist lived. In addition to the Dead Sea water having such a high concentration of salt that people float in it rather than swim, the Dead Sea water is purported to have healing properties.

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Website: http://www.dead-sea.net/

We went to Jerash on what was the last day in the country for most of the group I was with. It was definitely worth a visit.
Jerash is a beautifully preserved Roman city. The area has probably been inhabited since Neolithic times, and at one time was part of Emperor Pompey's Decapolis, a commercial league of ten cities throughout the Middle East. Jerash reached its peak at the beginning of the 3rd century, but went into a decline after a series of Christian and Muslim invasions, followed by earthquakes in 747. Although excavations began in the 1920s, it's estimated that only 10% of the city has been uncovered. The entrance to Jerash was once a Triumphal Arch, but the main entrance now is the South Gate. Inside the city wall you will see a Temple of Zeus and a Forum, unusually oval-shaped. Behind the Temple is the South Theatre, built in the 1st century, which once held 5000 spectators and, running up to the north, a 600m long colonnaded street. The biggest building on the site is the Temple of Artemis, right in the centre.

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Address: 50 km north of Amman
Directions: Take good walking shoes.

On the same day we went to Jerash, we also went to see Ajloun. We saw Qala'at al-Rabadh 'castle'. This castle was built in 1184 by a nephew of Saladin as a defense structure against marauding Crusaders. Regrettably, we didn't actually get to see inside the castle because it was closed for the day. However, there was a fellow there who knew something of the history of the place and who spoke English. He showed us around the hill that the castle is built on and pointed out the many interesting things and locations we could see from there.

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Address: Ajloun