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Changing Money

The local currency in Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar (JD) which is broken down into 100 piasters or 1,000 fills. So when you see a price of 3,250 that’s 3 JD and 25 piaster. Many international currencies can be exchanged at banks, hotels and exchange bureaus throughout Jordan, namely US dollars, British pounds, Euro and Canadian and Australian dollars. Street money-changers should be avoided wherever possible. Credit cards can also be used in most hotels, restaurants and larger shops, although cash payments in the local currency is essential for shopping in the local Souks and smaller shops.

Although you can exchange traveller’s cheques in Jordan, we don’t recommend doing so as they often charge a commission of 5%.

Health and Vaccination

Although no immunisations or vaccinations are needed to enter Jordan, it is a good idea to make sure you’re up to date with the following: typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies and influenza. Malaria is not present in Jordan.

Perhaps the biggest threat to your health in Jordan is the heat, especially when travelling in the desert. For this reason you should really do everything you can to avoid expose to the sun, and head protection is vital. Adversely, if travelling during December and February, be aware that desert temperatures will plummet during the night, so make sure you have warm blankets or hyperthermia is a legitimate risk.

Also, we highly recommend that visitors take medication for travellers’ diarrhoea.

Tap water

While the tap water is actually safe to drink, we suggest buying bottled water which is available everywhere. When staying in the south of Jordan, especially Wadi Rum, the tap water comes directly from natural springs and so is very pure. And of course it goes without saying that you should always have plenty of water with you on your travels, especially in the desert.

Electricity

A strange (albeit somewhat annoying) quirk of Jordan is that you can never be sure what kind of electrical socket you’ll need to use. You can find plug types C, D, F, G and J in a haphazard mishmash from hotel to hotel, so be sure to take plenty of adapters.

Plug type C has two round pins.

Plug type D has three round pins in a triangle.

Plug type F two round pins with two earth clips on the side.

Plug type G has three rectangular pins in a triangle.

Plug type J has three round pins.

Food and Drink

Dining in Jordan is an experience in itself, with a whole world of aromatic spices and delicious flavours to explore. Succulent meat dishes, cheeses, yoghurts, exotic fruit and dried vegetables… as an honoured guest, prepare to be served large portions of them all. If you’d like to experiment in the kitchen back home, there’s even more great news – most of the spices are sold in the streets of the cities, so you can even bring a taste of the country back home to enjoy with family and friends. Za’atar, a mix of thyme, sesame seeds and salt, is perhaps the most popular and definitely a favourite with most visitors.

Jordan is fairly liberal and westernised, so most of the hotels and restaurants you visit during your stay will have alcohol available, including excellent local wines and beers. Tipping is considered part of the culture of Jordan, as many places pay lower wages to the employees. 10% is considered standard, more if the service was particularly amazing. Remember that some restaurants will add a small surcharge for service to your bill, in which case you might want to consider giving the worker a small tip anyway, as it’s unlikely this service charge will make its way into their hands.

Shopping

The cities of Jordan are busy, vibrant places that are buzzing with activity and life, and perhaps none more so than its capital Amman. As you wander it’s streets you’ll be immersed in the city’s culture, finding everything from designer clothes to locally produced items. These include handmade mosaics, which Jordan is famous for, as well as rugs, pottery, all manner of beauty products from the rich muds of the Dea Sea, salts, spices, handmade jewellery, and gold and silver items galore. The perfect place to give your haggling skills a run for their money!

 

 

Amman
If you're looking to immerse yourself in a labyrinth of souks and bazaars, where all kinds of colourful and exotic fruits, clothes and jewellery spill out from their stalls onto the streets, then look no further than Amman. What really makes the city unique, however, is how it has managed to combine both the ancient and the modern like no other city in the region. As you wander the bustling interwoven streets that flow through the valleys of Downtown you're forever in the shadow of Jabal Al Qal'a - the highest hill in the city, and home to the sprawling ruins of the Roman citadel. In fact, wherever you go in Amman you'll find ancient history around every corner, such as the spectacular Temple of Hercules and the magisterial Umayyad Palace. When visiting Jordan, Amman is one of the must-see places on your visit.
Jerash
The Roman ruins of Jerash are among the most well-preserved in the world; so well in fact that it's very easy to lose yourself in its history and imagine how it was back in its day. There's the hippodrome, where chariot races were once held, Hadrian's arch, built purposely for a visit from the emperor Adrian, and the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis. If you love history make sure it's on your itinerary.
Petra
Jordan is famously home to one of the seven modern wonders of the world - the ancient, rose red city of Petra - which is so utterly captivating that it's reason alone to travel there. You arrive at Petra through the Siq, a long narrow canyon formed over many years, which gradually opens out onto the most elaborate of Petra's facades - the treasury. Carved out of sandstone onto the face of the rock itself, the size and grandeur of this sight will simply take your breath away, making it the perfect introduction to this awe-inspiring city. If you have the time, don't miss the chance to wander Petra by night - the magical, candlelit facades make for the experience of a lifetime.
Wadi Rum
The deserts of the Wadi Rum are simply packed with things to see and do. Whether you fancy camping and stargazing under a perfect night sky, rolling down immense sand dunes, riding in 4x4s with experienced guides, or simply pretending to be Lawrence of Arabia - here at FleeWinter we can help you do them all. You'll discover Bedouin tented camps, fantastic natural rock bridges, ancient drawings carved into the stones thousands of years ago, all set against the gorgeous red and yellow backdrop of the desert itself. An absolute must.
Dead Sea
What trip to Jordan would be complete without a visit to the Dead Sea? It's impossible not to be amazed at the salinity and viscosity of the water as you wade in, desperately trying to make your foot touch the floor - something which catches all first-timers by surprise. Be sure to take a newspaper with you for the customary floating and reading pic, and be sure to treat your skin to a good soak in the rich, black, mineral-infused mud you'll find along the shore. The most beautiful health spa you'll ever visit.
Aqaba
The waters of Aqaba are among the most colourful in the world, so be sure to take the time to try a little snorkelling. Even right by the coast you can float over vast, sloping coral gardens but go a little further to the King Abdullah Reef in the middle of the Red Sea and you can share the water with turtles, rays, and huge shoals of brightly coloured neon fish. Be sure to take an underwater camera.
Dana Nature Reserve
Dana is Jordan’s largest nature reserve, covering spectacular mountains and wadis along the face of the Great Rift Valley. From scorching sand dunes in the west to cool mountain tops in the east, the Dana Biosphere Reserve is home to a great variety of wildlife. There are plants and animals characteristic of true desert, of Mediterranean forests and of the dry plains of Russia. In fact, Dana is really a melting pot of species from three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia.
Madaba
Madaba, known as the “City of Mosaics" is best known for its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics. Madaba is home to the famous 6th century Mosaic Map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. With two million pieces of vividly coloured local stone, it depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns as far as the Nile Delta.

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