A while ago we did a trip to Jordan and since that moment it became one of our favourite places on earth. Although Jordan is a country that is getting really popular, it´s still just known because of Petra. It´s true that Petra is impressive, but there are many other things why you should visit Jordan. From desertic areas, to impressive ruins or amazing old architectures, and even the cities in Petra are beautiful…There are many reasons why Jordan would surprise you in a good way. But if this still not convince you to travel to Jordan, we have done a list of “What is Jordan famous for” so you can learn all about this country and get ready for your trip to Jordan.
Most famous places in Jordan
On our list of “What is Jordan famous for?” we need to add the incredible places of Jordan. Although you cannot miss Petra and its treasury, there are a lot more things to do in Jordan. It would be a crime just visiting Petra. To make easier your trip to the country we are going to help you choosing the places you need to visit. Here is a list of the top 5 places to visit in Jordan:
Amman, the capital of Jordan
We decided to start with Amman as it´s the capital of Jordan. There are high chances to have Amman as your first stop, as it´s the cheapest city to fly to. The city of Amman is one of the biggest in the country. There are beautiful buildings all over the city, but what we enjoyed the most where the viewpoints. There are many up and downs all over the city and many high buildings where you can enjoy amazing views of Amman. Another great ting you can not miss in Amman are their famous ruins and the Roman theatre.
The famous Jerash Ruins of Jordan
The ruins of Jerash are one of the main reasons to visit Jordan, they are considered or many people one of the best-preserved ruins out of Italy. Some people even compare it with the ones in Pompei… The best news we can give you about Jerash is that it just takes about 30 minutes from Amman. Which means that if you visit the capital you can not miss Jerash, as it is probably one of the best day trips in Jordan.
Visit Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is Probably the second most famous place in Jordan. A visit to Wadi Rum is a must if you want to explore the desert of Jordan. There are many activities like hot air balloon around the area or riding in light aircrafts, but the truth is that the best experience you can have is a Wadi Rum night camp…You will get to see the stars with beautiful landscape views of the desert.
Petra: One of the seven wonders of the world
As we said, Jordan is famous for Petra. Petra known as the “rose-red city” is one of the seven wonders of the world, and the biggest reason why people visit Jordan. Petra is on a desertic area and surrounded by many rocks and architectures done and built by some of the oldest civilizations on earth. If you are taking a lot of pictures, you will need a long time to see Petra, but one day will always be enough to see this wonder. We recommend you do the hike all the way to the top, it can be a little bit hard, but it´s definitely worth to see it all.
If you´re planning on going, you should know, when is the best time of the year to visit Petra, as you may not want to be there with huge crowds.
The Dead sea of Jordan
Although most tourists would visit the Dead sea in Israel, you can also visit it in Jordan. It´s actually better, because there are not many differences but there are way less tourists. The Dead sea is famous because you can float on it. The temperatures and the level of salt are huge, so you need to be careful. It´s one of the most impressive places in the world, so if you have the opportunity, we really recommend you visiting it.
Jordan´s famous hike:
The Jordan trail
For the ones who are hike lovers, there is a perfect challenge for you: The Jordan trail. As many other countries, like Spain with their famous “Camino de Santiago”, Jordan also has a really new but popular hike. It´s a 402 miles walk, but if you have the energy we recommend you doing it. It´s a walk through the whole country, which means you will be able to not just see the famous places like Wadi Rum or Petra, but also discover all the possible hidden gems in the country!! It goes from Um Qais in the north, to Aqaba in the south.
What food is Jordan famous for?
One of the things Jordan is famous for is its food. Due its location, Jordan food has strong influences from the countries around, from areas like North Africa, Middle East, Mediterranean and Persian. Although there are many local dishes that are from Jordan, there are also some that you will find them in neighbour countries (mostly Egypt). One of the most common “street foods” is the Falafel, you can find Falafel in many Arabic countries, but the one from Jordan is a combination of chickpeas and spices and is one of the best. Other famous dishes are: Moutabel, Labneh and Galayet Bandora.
Jordan people and their hospitality
Jordan population is around 10 million, so is not too overcrowded. Although it is said that in the countries of this area, people can be a little bit annoying when they try to sell you things. In Jordan it was so much different than for example countries like Egypt.
One thing that capture our attention, was their hospitality. Every place we visited, locals were very friendly and they would always try to talk to us and ask us about our nationality or maybe about how was our trip going.
But that was just our opinion, one thing we know for sure is that Jordanians are known for being one of the most open-minded societies in the surroundings of Arabia. As an example, women have more rights and they are much closer to equality than many other countries.
Where is Jordan located on the map?
Hopefull most of you already know where is Jordan located. In case you don´t know it, Jordan is situated between the Arabian Region and Levantine, in the Middle East. Jordan country is bordered by 4 different countries: Syria, Irak, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Here you can see where is Jordan on the map:
What´s the oficial language of Jordan?
The first and official language in Jordan is Modern Standard Arabic. The Arabic is spoken by the majority of the population, as it happens with the Media and mosto f the written documens, which are also in Arabic. It is true that there are some dialects influenced by French or English.
You may not know, but Jordan was a British colony. That´s why since 1946 English is the second language in the country. It´s very simple to communicate with the locals, as a big ammount of the people can speak either English or French.
Other fun & Interesting facts about Jordan
Now that you know all about “What is Jordan known for?” it´s time to tell you about other fun and interesting facts about Jordan that we are sure you will enjoy learning!
Indiana Jones was filmed in Petra
Maybe not the most important information about Jordan, but we are sure film lovers would love to know that the last scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed in Jordan, in Petra being more concrete.
Lowest point of dry land in the world!!
This one may be one of the reasons why Jordan is famous. The lowest point of dry land in the world is located in Jordan. You will find it at the Dead Sea and it goes to 420m (1380ft) under the sea level. Impressive right?!
Jordan and its religion history
If you are religious or if you are just curious about it, you should know that Jordan is a country where many biblical sites took part. The best example you will find it in Mount Nebo, where Moses died.
Don´t eat with the left hand!
A very fun fact about Jordan is that all over the country, is considered rude to eat or drink with the left hand. Of course, it´s not a big deal and more if you are a tourist, but we are sure you didn´t know about it right?
Jordan is a country of peace
Last of all, Jordan is known for being one of the most peacefull Arabic countries nowadays. Just so you can have an idea of it, Jordan is one of the two Arab nations that have made peace with Israel.
Enjoy visiting Jordan!!
That´s all about the famous things in Jordan. Hope you enjoyed reading about this country, and if you visit it, have a wonderful time!! Also, if you have any question, let us know!!