JORDAN |
In this article, you will read about Aqaba. |
Situated at the heart of the Middle East, bordered by Israel, Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west, Syria to the north, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Red Sea in its south-west, and Iraq to the north-east; the Kingdom of Jordan has been far from conflict and turmoil of the region. It is very surprising that this country and its people have remained peaceful and joyful over years.
Sudden decisions are sometimes the best. My journey to Jordan, too, began with one of these sudden decisions. When one of my good friends and I were on our routine ‘Skyscanner search sessions’, we found out an unmissable opportunity: flights from Istanbul to Aqaba for €80 (around 240 Turkish Liras at that time)! And for a round-trip!
Of course we wouldn’t have missed that ☺ We bought the tickets in April 2016, made our booking at the hotel: Off we go! To the place of ‘Desert Rose’, the song by Sting and Cheb Mami…
What was really shocking was the weather! We were aware that the weather was going to be hot, but we didn’t take into account that we were going to a place surrounded by deserts! It was windy as usual, but even the wind was blowing hot 😎
What was really heartwarming for me was the hospitality of the locals. In my article about India, I wrote that Indian people were also staring at us, but the way they look was something very irritating ☹ However, here in Jordan, they were also looking at us, but not in a bad way! They were shaking their hands, having a gentle smile when looking at us, or some restaurant owners were inviting us to their restaurants.
In addition, the locals were extremely helpful. If you know how to bargain, you could convince them to make discounts for you ☺ For example, we were able to get a discount for about 50 JOD for our trip to the Dead Sea! And we were not alone on our journey: We were accompanied by a driver who was going to take us to the Dead Sea. The driver’s attitude towards us was incredibly sincere! When we were trying to take some photos of camels and a desert on our way, he stopped the car and helped us to capture the very best moments of our Jordan experience. Therefore, our insight of me and my friend about the Jordanian people was that their level of emotional intelligence is very high ☺
My first impression about Jordan was that the people love their leader. Images of the King Abdullah II of Jordan can be seen anywhere in the country: in restaurants, bars, and even hanged on the barracks in the villages by the highways. Locals post his pictures on the streets, and they keep playing songs for him at their shops or in their cars!
Sudden decisions are sometimes the best. My journey to Jordan, too, began with one of these sudden decisions. When one of my good friends and I were on our routine ‘Skyscanner search sessions’, we found out an unmissable opportunity: flights from Istanbul to Aqaba for €80 (around 240 Turkish Liras at that time)! And for a round-trip!
Of course we wouldn’t have missed that ☺ We bought the tickets in April 2016, made our booking at the hotel: Off we go! To the place of ‘Desert Rose’, the song by Sting and Cheb Mami…
What was really shocking was the weather! We were aware that the weather was going to be hot, but we didn’t take into account that we were going to a place surrounded by deserts! It was windy as usual, but even the wind was blowing hot 😎
What was really heartwarming for me was the hospitality of the locals. In my article about India, I wrote that Indian people were also staring at us, but the way they look was something very irritating ☹ However, here in Jordan, they were also looking at us, but not in a bad way! They were shaking their hands, having a gentle smile when looking at us, or some restaurant owners were inviting us to their restaurants.
In addition, the locals were extremely helpful. If you know how to bargain, you could convince them to make discounts for you ☺ For example, we were able to get a discount for about 50 JOD for our trip to the Dead Sea! And we were not alone on our journey: We were accompanied by a driver who was going to take us to the Dead Sea. The driver’s attitude towards us was incredibly sincere! When we were trying to take some photos of camels and a desert on our way, he stopped the car and helped us to capture the very best moments of our Jordan experience. Therefore, our insight of me and my friend about the Jordanian people was that their level of emotional intelligence is very high ☺
My first impression about Jordan was that the people love their leader. Images of the King Abdullah II of Jordan can be seen anywhere in the country: in restaurants, bars, and even hanged on the barracks in the villages by the highways. Locals post his pictures on the streets, and they keep playing songs for him at their shops or in their cars!
Aqaba
Mini Info about the City
Located in southernmost Jordan, Aqaba is the only coastal city of the country. The city has seen a lot of development in the last few years, through the vibrant trade and tourism sectors. The infrastructure and facilities have also improved in the last couple of years.
Aqaba’s location next to Wadi Rum, Dead Sea and Petra has placed it in Jordan’s heart of tourism. From there, you can easily visit Wadi Rum and the ancient city of Petra. However, you should take into account that entrance fees are very expensive ☹ But there are also night options for cheaper prices for the entrance.
Located in southernmost Jordan, Aqaba is the only coastal city of the country. The city has seen a lot of development in the last few years, through the vibrant trade and tourism sectors. The infrastructure and facilities have also improved in the last couple of years.
Aqaba’s location next to Wadi Rum, Dead Sea and Petra has placed it in Jordan’s heart of tourism. From there, you can easily visit Wadi Rum and the ancient city of Petra. However, you should take into account that entrance fees are very expensive ☹ But there are also night options for cheaper prices for the entrance.
Must-See Places
- Aqaba Fort is a castle which was built by the Mamluk Sultan in the 14th century, and is situated close to the Aqaba Flagpole. To Jordanian people, the castle has a symbolic and historic significance as the Lawrence of Arabia rode from here to Cairo after they defeated Ottomans during the Great Arab Revolt of World War I.
- Aqaba Flagpole carries the flag of the Arab revolt against the Ottomans (now it is the flag of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan). With a height of 130 meters, it is the sixth tallest freestanding flagpole in the world, and can be seen from Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
- Sheik Zayed Mosque is a beautifully designed mosque surrounded by palm trees, and located by the sea. The mosque was built in 1975, and was remodeled in 2010 after the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Before entering the mosque, you must cover your head. If you don’t have one, you can ask the warden at the gate.
- Local Bazaars in Aqaba have diverse type of products: from vegetables and fruits to clothes, from meat products to sweets, and from jewellery to tobacco and hookah… It is also great to observe what locals purchase, how they interact with the sellers, and what interesting stuff are sold in bazaars.
Must-Do
- Read Sea touring with a boat can be tried during your stay in Aqaba. As the boats have a glass panel at the bottom, you will be able to see the sea: fish swimming under your feet, and a great diversity of marine plants! You can get on the boats on the beaches. If you’re good at bargaining, you can even have a generous discount ☺
What Can You Taste (*heavy breathing*)
Jordanian cuisine is influenced by historical connections to the cuisine of Ottoman Empire, and shares many similarities with the Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian cuisine. Vegetables, herbs, meat and poultry are the main ingredients that can be tasted in Jordanian dishes.
Besides main courses, there is a wide range of side dishes (‘mezze’) in Jordanian cuisine such as falafel, humus, baba ghanoush, and kibbeh.
Some of the Jordanian dishes and beverages are listed below:
Jordanian cuisine is influenced by historical connections to the cuisine of Ottoman Empire, and shares many similarities with the Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian cuisine. Vegetables, herbs, meat and poultry are the main ingredients that can be tasted in Jordanian dishes.
Besides main courses, there is a wide range of side dishes (‘mezze’) in Jordanian cuisine such as falafel, humus, baba ghanoush, and kibbeh.
Some of the Jordanian dishes and beverages are listed below:
- Maqluba is a dish made of meat, rice, and vegetables, and cooked in a casserole. Before serving, the casserole is made upside down in a tray.
- Kebab is a mixed grill consisting of white and red meats. So unlike in Europe, kebab does not only refer to ‘shawarma’, it is totally different dish ☺
- Jordanian beer has existed long ago since the ancient times. Today there are several brewery companies in the country such as Philadelphia and Petra.
Where to Stay
- There is a great number of options for accommodation ranging from budget to luxury hotels in Aqaba. Throughout our journey in Aqaba, we stayed in Al Qidra Hotel which had a reasonable price for 3 nights.
Go Next: Dead Sea.
Dead Sea is the lowest point and the most saline sea in the world. As it is that much dense, the water allows you to float on top such that makes you unable to swim stomach-down!
On our third day in Aqaba, we made a day-trip to the beautiful and serene Dead Sea. You can rent a car or book a private tour with a driver. We preferred the tour with a driver, as there wasn’t much difference in terms of the price than the other. From Aqaba, it takes around 3-3.5 hours to get to the Dead Sea.
Dead Sea is the lowest point and the most saline sea in the world. As it is that much dense, the water allows you to float on top such that makes you unable to swim stomach-down!
On our third day in Aqaba, we made a day-trip to the beautiful and serene Dead Sea. You can rent a car or book a private tour with a driver. We preferred the tour with a driver, as there wasn’t much difference in terms of the price than the other. From Aqaba, it takes around 3-3.5 hours to get to the Dead Sea.
Highlights