travel in jordan

[sereia 0]

Jen you planning a trip?

Jackie

(cuz me and dawn will need to arrange time off work. heck we better take amal too. )

Yes, I am probably 80% going to Jordan around the beginning of July at this point...if you guys are serious about going, it would be awesomeeeeeeeeee to have any or all of you ladies who want to go!

I'll know exactly if I'm going within the next two weeks or less. If I go, it will because I received a scholarship to study in a nearby country for one month so I would take a bus into Jordan on my own because well... I've always wanted to go there!

I've traveled to many countries (some alone) so I'm not necessarily worried about having a partner, but if its really just unsafe. Although I usually do prefer to have someone to share the fun with! hehe

Its true that Jordan is signed well in english, and lots of jordanians have at least rough english....There's no reason you couldn't get in and out safely but I wouldn't if I didn't have to. Let somebody show you Jordan. Seriously, if Jordanians are anything, they are hospitable and proud of Jordan. I know my husband and his family enjoyed showing me things that they were super proud of and I would have never found on my own, and if I did, I wouldn't have seen it the same way.

Another consideration (would be for me anyway) is to consider how conservative your guy and his family are because theres lots of people that would not see your traveling alone as independent or adventurous....they would see a girl alone and think "if she were a good girl, her father or husband wouldn't let her run all wild like that". I don't think I would want his family to know you did that if you do go, but I don't know him or them. I think there are travel sites about groups you could go with.

(On a side note, I wanna go too)

edited to add that I am not sharing that "bad girl' view, I think you are cool as can be, Julianna.

I totally know what you're saying here. My husband can't believe I've traveled all around without my family before we met. I was in Morocco for months before I even met him...but once I did, he (and his family) wouldn't even let me get in a five minute taxi ride by myself around their city. It was quite frustrating at times trying to explain I'm OKAY and have done it before...but they didn't want to hear it!

Edited April 30, 2008 by sereia

[Nasturtium 500]

Yes, I am probably 80% going to Jordan around the beginning of July at this point...if you guys are serious about going, it would be awesomeeeeeeeeee to have any or all of you ladies who want to go!

I'll know exactly if I'm going within the next two weeks or less. If I go, it will because I received a scholarship to study in a nearby country for one month so I would take a bus into Jordan on my own because well... I've always wanted to go there!

I've traveled to many countries (some alone) so I'm not necessarily worried about having a partner, but if its really just unsafe. Although I usually do prefer to have someone to share the fun with! hehe

It's safer than Egypt or Morrocco which just have higher populations and a stricter segment of the population in certain places. Jordan is probably one if not THE most westernized MENA country as a whole, not counting Turkey. FYI you'll need to arrange your visitor's visa in advance because you cannot get one at the crossing-point from that particular neighbor. They also run busses straight from that neighbor to the touristy spots like Petra. There's only like 6-7 million people in Jordan, and about 5-6 million are in Amman. So it's not like a throng in Cairo

[sereia 0]

really? i thought i read on the thorn tree forum you could get a visa on the border. i'll check again to be sure. if not, can i get a visa here in the US quickly?

[Nasturtium 500]

really? i thought i read on the thorn tree forum you could get a visa on the border. i'll check again to be sure. if not, can i get a visa here in the US quickly?

Probably can get one from the US, yes. You can get a visa at ANY border except the one in question. You have to arrange in advance for that one. I sent you a link with that in it, and I think if you jsut talked ot the embassy (jordanian) you could figure out a fast way to get a visa from the ministry of teh interior. You actually could probably do it from where you'd be staying.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

really? i thought i read on the thorn tree forum you could get a visa on the border. i'll check again to be sure. if not, can i get a visa here in the US quickly?

You can get a one-time entry visa good for 14 days at the border or at the airport -- no problem. It was 10JD last time I was there -- not sure if that has gone up. Departure fee (by land) was 5JD. If the "neighboring country" is the one I'm thinking of, you will not have any problems.

If you want to extend that for a longer visit, or for multiple entries, just go to the main police station in Amman -- they will give you a 3-month extension at no extra fee. If you get your visa at a consulate in a bordering country, it's good for 3 months, but the fee can be considerably higher.

A woman traveling in Jordan alone can be ok, or not ok -- depends on a lot of variables. Personally, I have done it many times, without any real problems.

[Nasturtium 500]

"ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport and a visa are required. Jordan issues visas for a fee at most international ports of entry upon arrival, and at most international border crossings, except at the crossing known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge (this same crossing is known in Israel as the Allenby Bridge ). To cross into Jordan at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge, U.S. citizens must already have either a visa for Jordan in their passports or have an entry permit from the Ministry of Interior."

Source

This is why I'm saying it could be difficult, but just check ahead of time. I'd figure out what you're doing and then call the Embassy in DC and ask what you need to do. Jordan isn't interested in keeping oyu out, so the process is going to be really quick. It was 10JD last time I checked too, which is $14-16 depending on exchange flux. I think it's back down to 14, but recently it went all the way up to 16. The JD is pegged to the dollar.

[Nasturtium 500]

You can get a one-time entry visa good for 14 days at the border or at the airport -- no problem. It was 10JD last time I was there -- not sure if that has gone up. Departure fee (by land) was 5JD. If the "neighboring country" is the one I'm thinking of, you will not have any problems.

Yes, that country is the main source of tourism in many of the sites and Jordan wants those people to come in

Departure fee from the airport is now included in the ticket and will be 20JD for both Jordanians and non-jordanains as of July 16. That doesn't apply though if you're just crossing a border.

[Nasturtium 500]

A woman traveling in Jordan alone can be ok, or not ok -- depends on a lot of variables. Personally, I have done it many times, without any real problems.

When you did it, out of curiosity, were you "blending"? I've noticed those who had the most problems I have heard of were usually my students who tended to be loud, boisterous, and wearing capri pants and showing their chest (not necessarily cleavage) and arms. Obviously heads uncovered too, but covering or uncovering the head as the only variable doesn't seem to affect much from my informal polling process.

[amal 4]

Hubster said it would be so so safe for u alone but I would personally rather have someone with me just in case... well.. u never know whats gonna happen.

[sereia 0]

okay so book your tickets, amal, jackie, and dawn!

WoM thank you for the advice! I feel confident I'll be okay if I end up going alone. I'd love travel advice from you and others if I do decide to go!

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

Hubster said it would be so so safe for u alone but I would personally rather have someone with me just in case... well.. u never know whats gonna happen.

i recommend my favorite two traveling companions...smith and wesson.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

"ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport and a visa are required. Jordan issues visas for a fee at most international ports of entry upon arrival, and at most international border crossings, except at the crossing known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge (this same crossing is known in Israel as the Allenby Bridge ). To cross into Jordan at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge, U.S. citizens must already have either a visa for Jordan in their passports or have an entry permit from the Ministry of Interior."

Source

This is why I'm saying it could be difficult, but just check ahead of time. I'd figure out what you're doing and then call the Embassy in DC and ask what you need to do. Jordan isn't interested in keeping oyu out, so the process is going to be really quick. It was 10JD last time I checked too, which is $14-16 depending on exchange flux. I think it's back down to 14, but recently it went all the way up to 16. The JD is pegged to the dollar.

This is true -- you cannot get a Jordanian visa at King Hussein Bridge. But you can cross from Israel at the northern (Sheikh Hussein) or southern (Arava) border crossings -- and Jordan *will* issue the 14-day visa there. For Israelis or American citizens, this is an easy detour.

Last time I got a Jordanian visa in Tel Aviv, it cost a hefty chunk of change -- about $30, if I remember correctly -- this was for the 90-day visa. And it has likely gone up since then.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

A woman traveling in Jordan alone can be ok, or not ok -- depends on a lot of variables. Personally, I have done it many times, without any real problems.

When you did it, out of curiosity, were you "blending"? I've noticed those who had the most problems I have heard of were usually my students who tended to be loud, boisterous, and wearing capri pants and showing their chest (not necessarily cleavage) and arms. Obviously heads uncovered too, but covering or uncovering the head as the only variable doesn't seem to affect much from my informal polling process.

LOL no.... just being my usual self, wearing Western-style clothing (but of course not dressed like a Western "tart.") Attire, demeanor and body language count for a lot... and being able to speak some Arabic helps, too. I never had any real problems. In fact I love to see the looks on taxi drivers' faces when I say something like "Rayha men 'abbil wal ujra khamza dinar bs." Crestfallen would probably be the word.

[Nasturtium 500]

LOL no.... just being my usual self, wearing Western-style clothing (but of course not dressed like a Western "tart.") Attire, demeanor and body language count for a lot... and being able to speak some Arabic helps, too. I never had any real problems. In fact I love to see the looks on taxi drivers' faces when I say something like "Rayha men 'abbil wal ujra khamza dinar bs." Crestfallen would probably be the word.

LOL! Same here. I remember in Irbed a taxi driver trying to charge me like 1JD for the ride, when anywhere in Irbed was a flat rate-- .5JD. We had a little argument over that I offered to ask the policeman who was probably 20ft away and amazingly, the price became .5JD as it should. I usually gave my directions in Arabic since I was going back and forth to the same place. I was wearing western clothing 99% of the time, I'd say, in my travels there. I just had on long-sleeves, nothing body-paint tight, usually crew-necked-high or close to it, and pants. I also walked around like I knew where in the h!ll I was and where I wanted to go lol. It may not have actually been true, but it worked. I probably had my "determination" look on my face. Somehow my natural expression gets mistaken for a "I want to rip your head off" look when my face is totally relaxed.

[♥JP♥ 5]

To be honest, I wouldn't reccomend that you travel alone. Not because Jordan isn't safe but more so because the whole world today isn't safe. Going to a middle eastern country is no joke. Even if others have managed to do it safely on their own, I don't really see that as any kind of guarantee. I would definitly find a travel buddy.