Escape the winter chill and hitch a ride on Arabia’s bandwagon
With spectacular archaeological treasures such as Petra and natural phenomena including the Dead Sea and Wadi Rum, Jordan has been a popular cultural destination for years.
But like other Middle Eastern destinations, it saw visitor numbers plunge during the turmoil of the Arab Spring, the rise of Islamic State and the Syrian war.
Now the country is reclaiming its tourism crown and enjoying a new lease of life as a winter-sun destination.
Aqaba, in the far south of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is an important commercial port and cruise-ship stop, and the transformation into full-on sunshine playground, which started about 10 years ago, is in full swing. Okay, yes, it is a bit of a building site in parts, but it’s all very exciting.
Take, for example, the extraordinary Ayla development (ayla.com.jo), just 200ft from the border with Israel and overlooking Eilat.
A third of the size of Aqaba city itself, with man-made lagoons and beaches, phase one includes a Greg Norman-designed golf course – Jordan’s first – that is already open. There’s a great beach club and wakeboard park, too.
The first of five new hotels, the 286-room Hyatt Regency, is due to open next month. Plans also include a marina and 87 shops.
Ayla is not the only new opening. Saraya and Tala Bay resorts are well under way, and in the old city, established hotels are being spruced up ready for the hoped-for influx of visitors.
Aqaba’s King Hussein International Airport is small, so no hanging around for your luggage, and it’s a 20-minute drive to the city centre. It is also easier to reach two of the country’s main highlights – the old city of Petra carved out of the rock, and the extraordinary mountainous desert called Wadi Rum – from Aqaba than Amman. It’s also sunny in our winter, with temperatures of 21C to 28C and little rain.
There is, of course, an ever-present terror risk in the Middle East these days, but good hotels in Jordan all have strict security and most trips are trouble-free.
WHERE TO STAY
The three main tourist areas in Aqaba are the old city, north beach, and south beach/Tala Bay. You’ll pay about €170 to €250 per room per night for five-star, €115 for four-star and €90 to €100 for three-star.
Kempinski Hotel: Five-star chic, close to the old city and souks, with a kids’ club and an imported sand beach. kempinski.com Mövenpick Tala Bay: Five-star with a great range of pools and facilities, but, as with much of Aqaba, a gritty
beach. movenpick.com Al Manara: Elegant, palatial fivestar hotel that opened this June in Saraya. marriott.com
Captain’s Hotel: Popular three-star among the shops and souks, with a swimming pool; there’s a sister camp at Wadi Rum, too. captains-jo.com
My Hotel: Informal three-star with a rooftop pool and access to a nearby hotel’s beach for a fee. myhotel-jordan.com
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
The old city has the usual KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s. There’s a surprising number of liquor stores, with the booze very cheap. Also in the old city there’s… Fish Inn at the Kempinski: Treat yourself to the lobster dinner from €75pp. Jordanian wine is good – try Mount Nebo or Santa George.
Captain’s Restaurant: Clean and stylish, a hearty mezze meal with mixed grill, chicken or fish, plus starters and drink, costs €17pp.
Al Saada Street: Road with inexpensive eateries.
At Ayla: Round up some friends for zarb, a succulent Bedouin-style lamb dinner baked underground; minimum 10 people, from €63pp including drinks.
TIP: Enjoy a sunset from the terrace bar at the Movenpick Tala Bay.
WHAT TO SEE
Petra : The stunning Rose Red City of Petra carved out of the rock is about two hours’ drive away. Book a private guided excursion for three people. It will cost €63pp for entrance to the city, the all-day guide costs €125, and the car and driver €115 for a total of about €137pp. Or make friends with some other holidaymakers and plan a group day-excursion in a shared minibus for six, which works out at about €110 each.
TIP: Lunch in Petra will cost around €20 – so swing by a falafel shop before you head off. Wadi Rum: An hour’s drive from Aqaba, the spectacular mountainous and multicoloured desert was used as the location for the movie The Martian starring Matt Damon, who stayed at the Kempinski, Aqaba.
You can camel-trek for €18 per hour; climb or hike with a Bedouin guide (€45 an hour); take a sand buggy (€62 per hour); go on a sunrise hot-air balloon flight €162pp for one hour; or take a Bedouin Jeep
tour (€45 per Jeep) for two hours. It is worth overnighting at a camp for stupendous star-gazing, with dinner and breakfast thrown in. Depending on how plush the accommodation is, it will cost between:€45 and €630.
Lawrence of Arabia The story of TE Lawrence – aka Lawrence of Arabia – and his part in the Arab Revolt against the Turks can be found in and around Aqaba. Unfortunately, key sites such as Aqaba Museum, the house where Lawrence and Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, the Arab leader, met in 1917 and Aqaba Fort are closed for renovation.
WHAT TO DO
Beaches and water sports: Aqaba has several free public beaches, but expect to be stared at. All five-star hotels have a private beach and water sports. Alternatively, pay to use a private beach club – Berenice Beach Club in Aqaba Marine Park has a handful of pools, a restaurant and all the trimmings. Its Sindbad Diving Club, sindbadjo.com, offers tuition and excursions.
The Red Sea offers coral reefs teeming with marine life, including sea turtles, and Aqaba also has a sunken Hercules aircraft to explore. You can also book snorkelling, yachting, water-skiing, windsurfing, parasailing and glass-bottom boat trips (berenice.com.jo).
TIP: Seen one aquarium, seen them all, so don’t bother with Aqaba’s – go snorkelling instead, or walk on any pier and you’ll see fish galore.
Golf: Jordan’s first course is at the Ayla development. It’s all so green thanks to grass genetically modified to like the sunshine. Eighteen-hole green fees start at €95.
Spa: Movenpick Tala Bay and the Kempinski have lovely spas, but they are pricey. A Winter Clear-Out Scrub at the Kempinski costs €63 for 45 minutes. The local hammam, Bab Al Hara costs €35. Men only.
AFTER DARK
Many hotels put on music and even a belly-dancer once a week. Berenice offers a new excursion which includes a trip on the wooden boat Aladdin, dinner of fish grilled over an open fire, and loud music, for €46. Then you sail back to central Aqaba in the moonlight…
GETTING AROUND
Base yourself in the old city area and you can walk to the souks. Aqaba has plenty of taxis and they’re not too expensive – about €23 from the centre to the airport.
WHAT TO BUY
Bring back: Spices and incense from Al Baba, next to the fruit and vegetable market in Zahran Street in the old city; Dead Sea products from Mina Bazaar, Al-Nahda Street; perfume from Abu Khaff near the Sharif Hussein bin Ali Mosque. It can mix a fragrance for you from €11 for a small bottle – any similarity to Chanel Bleu, Black Opium or Miss Dior is purely coincidental.
TIPS & ADVICE
Is Jordan safe? At no time did I feel threatened or uncomfortable. As mentioned, all good hotels have double security. However, with reports of harassment and sexual assault, female visitors should take care travelling alone. The Department of Foreign Affairs recommends that you only travel in pre-booked taxis known to be safe and avoid hailing a taxi in the street or accepting a lift from someone you do not know. .
What about money? Jordanian dinar, dollars, euros and credit cards are widely accepted. Any health precautions? Avoid tap water. Is it Okay to drive? Yes, the main roads are good. You can drive in Jordan using an International Driving Permit. Make sure you have third party insurance as, in Jordan, a driver is always considered guilty if they hit a pedestrian. How do I keep in touch? Wi-fi is everywhere and free.
Anything else? You can drink alcohol in bars, clubs, hotels and private homes but not on the street.