Travel to Jordan with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Jordan with single trip travel insurance from Essential Travel

The Hasemite Kingdom of Jordan is home to vast ranges of forlorn desert lands with a handful of spectacular sites. This welcoming country is safe and easy to travel in; it boasts a modern infrastructure with good accommodation and excellent restaurants, and is pleasantly free from hordes of tourists. Jordan is also one of the easiest Middle Eastern countries to travel in.

The capital, Amman, is chaotic and busy in areas, but also has some quiet, hidden spots to explore. The city dates back 5,000 years and there are several ancient Roman sites sprinkled around the city, including a restored Roman theatre, Odeon amphitheatre and Roman citadel. Amman also has many excellent museums.

You’ll find most of the tourists several hours south of Amman, in the ancient city of Petra, which was built in the 3rd century AD by wealthy Nabatean merchants. Petra is cut out of the rocky valleys and canyons of the region, with entry via a long passageway in the rock. The entire experience is both unique and breathtaking. Another incredible archaeological site, Jerash lies 50kms north of Amman. This well preserved Roman city boasts sites such as the Temple of Zeus and the Forum, the 5000-seat South Theatre, and the massive Temple of Artemis.

While in the area, you should not miss an excursion to the Dead Sea, less than an hour by road from Amman. The water has a high concentration of salt, making it easy to float on the surface. This is also the lowest point on the planet. Sweimeh is a rapidly expanding resort area on the Dead Sea; here you can enjoy the tranquillity of the desert and surrounding wilderness, and it is much more appealing than the busy Israeli side of the Dead Sea. The area’s spa hotels provide a good selection of health, therapeutic, and beauty treatment packages.

On the Gulf of Aqaba, the charming resort town of Aqaba is also worth a visit for its sparkling waters and beautiful reefs, popular with divers and snorkellers. About 40kms north of Aqaba is the stunning desert landscape of Wadi Rum, where Lawrence of Arabia was based. From here, you can arrange camps in the desert with Bedouins.

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