Iordania – Tot ce trebuie sa stii inainte sa vizitezi Iordania

In recent years, Jordan has become one of the most sought-after vacation destinations: here you can find a rich and diverse culture, world-famous tourist attractions, spectacular images, impressive monuments and delicious traditional food.

We also visited Jordan, and it is definitely one of the locations we recommend further. It is a small country, but with very friendly and welcoming people, with many beautiful places to visit and with a history that must be discovered.

I have prepared a list of things you need to know before going to Jordan: how to get to Jordan, what are the conditions for entering the country, how safe is Jordan, costs, tourist attractions, accommodation and food.

If you want to know more about all the places worth visiting in Jordan, I invite you to read this article: Jordan - The 11 Most Beautiful Places You Must Visit.

What you need to know before coming to Jordan

1. About Jordan

Jordan (officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan)is an Arab country in the Middle East, bordering Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, Israel (and Palestine) to the west.

It has an exit to the Dead Sea (together with Israel) and the Red Sea in the south of the country, and the Jordan River serves as the border between Jordan and Israel. Jordan is a predominantly desert country.

Jordan has a rich history, dating back more than 4000 years ago. Currently, approximately 10 million people live in Jordan, the official language is Arabic, and Islam is the main religion.

The capital of the country is Amman, the largest city of the country (over 4 million inhabitants) and the economic, political and cultural center.

The official currency is the Jordanian Dinar. At the time of writing this article (April 2023), 1 JOD = 1.30 euro (6.43 RON).

Tourism is an important industry in Jordan, being one of the country's main sources of income. This can also be seen in the way Jordanians receive their guests in the country, tourism has developed a lot and everything is well organized.

2. Religion in Jordan

Jordan is a predominantly Muslim Arab country, so you must know that you will arrive in an area where there are certain rules of conduct that you should respect, just like in any other Arab country.

However, Jordan is a modern and tolerant Muslim country, less conservative than other countries in the region. For example, for the women is not mandatory to wear Hijab on the street and they have the same rights as men. Female tourists are encouraged to dress decently, but they are not required to wear long dresses or have their shoulders covered, at least not in the tourist areas.

Besides Muslims, there is also a Christian minority in Jordan. There are no conflicts in the country due to religious diversity.

3. Safety in Jordan

Jordan is considered one of the safest countries in the Middle East. Although located in a tense region (war in Syria, problems in Iraq), Jordan is not a dangerous holiday destination, the authorities have established security measures in tourist areas.

Although there is a fear for many people to travel to an Arab Muslim country, Jordan is generally a quiet country in terms of crime.

Women tourists in Jordan

As a woman, many times in an Arab country I felt like all the attention was on me and was approached by several locals. Although not necessarily in an aggressive way, there were looks, whistles or various remarks. In Jordan, on the other hand, I did not feel the same level of attention from the Arabs. For women, however, try to avoid going to less-populated areas, especially at night.

4. How do you get to Jordan?

You can flight into Jordan in Amman or Aqaba airports. If you land in Aqaba, it is good to know that through Aqaba you do not need to pay the entry visa.

Another solution might be taking the ferry from Egypt to Jordan.

5. Conditions for entering Jordan - visa

To enter Jordan, you need a passport valid for at least 6 months and a visa, which can be obtained directly at the Amman airport, on arrival, for a fee of 40 Jordananian dinars.

There are cases when you can avoid paying this visa:

You bought a Jordan Pass online (I will explain what a Jordan Pass is immediately).
You enter the country through the airport or port of Aqaba. Aqaba is the free economic zone, where the entry visa to Jordan is not requested

6. Jordan Pass

Do you want to visit Jordan, need a visa and stay at least 3 nights? Jordan Pass is the best solution. It is a pass that you have to purchase before you go on vacation, you have a secured visa and free entrance or discounts to the main tourist attractions in Jordan (over 40 attractions).

The Jordan Pass is of 3 types, depending on how many days you want to spend visiting Petra:

Jordan Wanderer – 70 JD with one entry
Jordan Explorer – 75 JD, with entry in 2 consecutive days
Jordan Expert – 80 JD, with entry in 3 consecutive days

The Jordan Pass is advantageous because you save on the purchase of entrance tickets, even if you only visit Petra from that list of tourist attractions. A one-day ticket to Petra costs 50 JOD, a visa 40 JOD, and the Jordan Pass with a one-day entrance to Petra is 70 JOD (compared to 90 JOD, which is how much the visa and entrance to Petra would cost separately).

Check the official page to see the benefits of this pass: The Jordan Pass.

7. When to go to Jordan

The peak season in Jordan takes place between the months of March - May and September - November. During these months, the weather is good, suitable for visiting, but also for the beach and swimming at the Dead Sea and the Red Sea.

In the summer months, the temperatures are much too high, even unbearable in the middle of the desert. Winters are cold, with low temperatures and even snow.

8. How to visit Jordan? On your own, with a local guide or with an agency

Only you have this answer, depending on your way of traveling and how comfortable you feel going alone in a destination with a different culture. And obviously, what budget do you have.

We were in an organized tour, and the reason was mainly safety. We had the experience of other Arab countries, where we did not always feel safe (for example in Egypt, the sellers became quite aggressive with tourists sometimes), and we went there with the idea that the same would happen in Jordan. But no, Jordan is a much peaceful country. There are more and more tourists who have started traveling on their own in Jordan, without having any bad experiences.

The advantage of traveling with an organized group is that of safety and relaxation, for a week you don't have to think about anything, everything is planned and you don't have any stress. The disadvantage is that of the final cost, in general a trip with an agency costs more. And maybe the lack of freedom and flexibility you have when you travel alone. But you get explanations from the guide, so that can compensate. As I said, it's up to everyone how they think it's more appropriate and pleasant to discover a country.

If you want to travel on your own, you must inform yourself in advance about everything you want to visit and make an itinerary. You have the possibility of renting a car or you can contact a local guide to take you by car to the sights you want to visit. I don't necessarily recommend using buses, they don't have a very well-developed public transport infrastructure.

9. What to visit in Jordan

Jordan has some absolutely spectacular places to visit, Petra and Wadi Rum being two of the world-famous destinations I wanted to visit for years.

Besides these, if you come to Jordan you must not miss a taking a bath in the Dead Sea, going to the Red Sea, visiting the site of Jerash, the capital Amman, The Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ, Mount Nebo or Wadi Mujib.

About all these, and other beautiful places in Jordan, I wrote here: Jordan - The 11 Most Beautiful Places You Must Visit.

10. Jordan Dinar - What are the prices in Jordan, how do you pay?

You must know that Jordan is not a cheap destination. Their official currency, the Jordanian dinar, is stronger than the euro, and this is felt also in the prices of accommodation, food, shops or tourist attractions.

In april 2023 1 JOD = 1.30 euro / 6.43 RON.

As an example of prices, on the highway we stopped at various rest stops where we served meals, and a menu cost 10 JOD (approximately 13 euro).

In Jordan we were able to pay in many places with the card, especially at large stores or restaurants.

We also exchanged dinars, and the best exchange rate we found was the dollar - dinar exchange rate. Euros can also be exchanged. As in any tourist destination, I do not recommend exchanging money at the airport. Here the currency exchange offices charge an additional commission.

11. How to dress in Jordan - what to take with you

Jordan is a Muslim country, so you should be careful about your clothes, especially when you are among the locals. If you're walking around Aqaba or Amman, dress decently (no shorts or low-cut clothes). We are guests in their country and it is a sign of respect to take into account these unwritten clothing rules. On the other hand, in tourist areas, tourists have more freedom in terms of how to dress.

If you end up on a public beach, don't stand naked in a bathing suit! The locals have their specific bathing suits, the women are fully clothed. If you are only in a bathing suit, I assure you that someone will draw your attention! I recommend the private beaches, where you will be able to fully enjoy the experience of a day at the beach.

In Jordan, the sun is very strong, so always be prepared with sunscreen and a cap or scarf for the sun and dust.

If you go to Petra, wear comfortable shoes. You will have a lot of walking to do, especially if you want to go up to the monastery.

Bring water shoes if you want to swim in the Red Sea or cross the Wadi Mujib canyon. It is known that there are sea hedgehogs in the Red Sea, so it is better to prevent an unwanted accident.

I recommend that you also bring a plug adapter, in Jordan the plugs have 3 pins

12. Where to stay in Jordan

Where to stay depends mainly on what you want to do or visit in Jordan. The main rule is to look for accommodations with good ratings on Booking or Google. A large number of stars does not necessarily mean extraordinary conditions. I recommend that you take half-board accommodation.

In Petra look for accommodation in Wadi Musarecommended with breakfast included, to be as close as possible to the entrance of the site. My advice is to arrive in Petra as early as possible in the morning, to avoid the crowds and the strong sun during the day.

In Wadi Rum you can book an accommodation where you can have amazing experiences, with traditional food and thematic shows. You can sleep in tents, directly in the desert, under the open sky. These accommodations can be more or less luxurious, depending on the budget. We stayed here: Luxury Rum Magic.

At The Dead Sea you can find only resorts, where you can use the private beach, preferably with direct access to the sea.

In Amman or Aqaba look for a hotel with high rating.

Where we stayed in Jordan

Amman: MENA Tyche Hotel Amman
Marea Moarta: Dead Sea Spa Hotel
Wadi Musa (Petra): Petra Panorama Hotel
Aqaba: Jordan Seasons Hotel
Wadi Rum: Luxury Rum Magic

13. What to eat in Jordan

Jordanian gastronomy is extraordinary, like any other oriental cuisine: spices, aromas, special tastes.

We were impressed by how healthy the Jordanian people eat, at every table they served countless kinds of salads, falafel, hummus, and the beef and chicken were very tasty. The highlight is lamb - Mansaf is a traditional dish, prepared from rice, lamb and fermented yogurt. I'm not a fan of lamb, so that's the only dish I missed here.

Otherwise, everything I ate was delicious. Different from European cuisine, with different tastes and aromas, Jordanian food is a culinary experience.

Oh, and I didn't even say anything about sweets. Which yes, they are also extraordinarily delicious. My favorite is Kunefe, an oriental dessert recipe based on noodles, unsalted cheese and sugar syrup.

For drinks, don't miss the pomegranate juice and coffee with cardamom.

It is good to know that the water in Jordan is not potable, I recommend you to drink only bottled water!

Where we ate in Jordan

Every day we had half board accommodation, so we always had breakfast and dinner covered.

For lunch, we generally stopped at rest stops on the highway, where you paid for the Swedish buffet. For 10 dinars, you could eat as much as you want.

14. Can you drink alcohol in Jordan?

Being a Muslim country, the majority of the population does not consume alcohol, for religious reasons, and the consumption and sale of alcoholic beverages are regulated in Jordan.

There are specialized stores that are allowed to sell alcoholic beverages, but expect quite high prices. In Aqaba, being the free economic zone, the prices of these drinks are lower than in the rest of the country.

Daca vreti sa aduceti alcool din Romania, aveti dreptul la 1 litru de persoana.

Keep in mind that in Jordan it is strictly forbidden to consume alcohol in public spaces.

Can you smoke in Jordan?

Jordan does not have strict restrictions regarding smoking in public places and is more permissive than in European countries: they smoke indoors, in cafes and restaurants.

15. How is the internet in Jordan?

In Jordan, you can find wireless internet in different locations (restaurants, tourist attractions, buses). The internet speed is generally good, but there are places where there is no signal, and so you have no access to the internet at all.

You can buy an internet SIM card at the airport, from one of the following networks: Orange, Zain or Umniah (the last network has lower prices, but has weaker coverage than the first two networks). Internet card prices differ depending on the options and period: for example, you can find the 15 GB Orange card for 10 JOD.

16. Negotiate

When you want to buy something, try to negotiate.

Negotiation is an art in the Oriental countries, and many times you could be surprised by its result. Even if it is not a practice used in your country, try it! You certainly have nothing to lose!

17. Enjoy the sunset and sunrise

The last point I will mention is to enjoy every sunrise and sunset you will see here: in the desert, in Petra, at the Dead Sea, at the Red Sea. The landscapes are absolutely spectacular, the colors are unique and the emotions felt are supreme!

If you are getting ready to go to Jordan, or you are just curious and interested in a possible holiday in this country, take into account the things pointed out here. Jordan is a beautiful country, although with a slightly different culture from the European one. But if you go prepared, I assure you that you will have a successful vacation.