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 Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:12 am Post subject: JORDAN TRAVEL TIPS (Traveling to Jordan Essentials) |
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JORDAN TRAVEL TIPS (Traveling to Jordan Essentials)
Language: Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken in the cities. French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken.
Religion: Over 90 per cent Sunni Muslim, with Christian and Shi’i Muslim minorities.
Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from April to September).
Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz. Lamp sockets are screw-type, and there is a wide range of wall sockets.
Communications:
Telephone: IDD service is available within cities, with direct dialling to most countries. Country code: 962 (followed by 6 for Amman). Outgoing international code: 00. There are telephone and facsimile connections to Israel from Jordan.
Mobile telephone: GSM 900 network in use. Network providers include Jordan MTS (website: www.fastlink.com.jo) and MobileCom (website: www.mobilecom.jo).
Fax: The use of fax is increasing. Most good hotels have facilities and the main post office in Amman also provides a fax service.
Telegram: The overseas telegram service is reasonably good. Telegrams may be sent from the Central Telegraph Office; Post Office, First Circle, Jebel Amman; Post Office, Jordan Intercontinental, Jebel Amman; or from major hotels and post offices.
Internet: There are Internet cafes in Amman, Aqabam Jerash and Jordan. The main ISP is Jordan Data Communications (website: www.wanadoo.jo).
Post: Packages should be left opened for customs officials. Airmail to Western Europe takes three to five days. For a higher charge, there is a rapid service guaranteeing delivery within 24 hours to around 22 countries. Post office hours: Sat-Thurs 0800-1800, closed Friday (except for the downtown post office on Prince Mohammed Street in Amman which is open on Fridays).
Press: The English-language newspapers are Arab Daily, The Jordan Times (daily) and The Star (weekly).
Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.
Official Fixed Public Holidays
1 January : New Year's Day
1 May : Labour Day
25 May : Independence Day
10 June : Army Day
11 August : Accession of HM King Hussein
14 November : Birthday of HM King Hussein
25 December : Christmas (Christians only)
31 December : New Year's Eve
Jordan Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Jordan by people 18 years of age and older without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 200g of tobacco (a charge of JD3.75 for each additional 200 cigarettes, up to a maximum of 2000); 1l of alcohol (a charge of JD2.91 for each additional litre, up to a maximum of 4l); one or two opened bottles of perfume and reasonable amount of eau-de-cologne or lotion in opened bottles for personal use only; gifts up to the value of JD50 or the equivalent of US$150.
Prohibited items: Narcotics.
Restricted items: Firearms, sporting guns and other weapons require prior approval from both country of origin and destination. They may be carried as checked baggage only.
Jordan Travel International
AIR: The national airline is Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) (website: www.rja.com.jo). British Mediterranean (a franchise partner of British Airways) operates daily services from London to Amman. Other airlines serving Jordan include Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Air Canada, Air France, Arkia Israeli Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Gulf Air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa and United Airlines.
Approximate flight times: From London to Amman is five hours.
International airports: Queen Alia International (AMM) is 35km (22 miles) southeast of the capital, to which it is connected by a good highway (travel time – approximately 40 minutes). There is a regular bus service to Amman every 30 minutes (travel time – approximately 50 minutes), and taxis are also available. Facilities include duty free shops, bank/bureau de change, eating and shopping facilities, and car hire (Avis and Hertz).
Departure tax: JD5 for individual tourists, JD25 for Jordanian nationals on international departures. Transit passengers are exempt.
SEA: The only port is Aqaba, which is on the cruise itineraries for Cunard, P&O and Swan Hellenic. Car and passenger ferries from Aqaba to Cairo and Aqaba to Nuweiba operate twice-daily and there is also a high-speed hydrofoil service. There is a weekly passenger service to Suez and Jeddah. Contact Telstar Maritime Agencies (tel: (6) 464 0168; e-mail: amman@telstarmaritime.com; website: www.telstarmaritime.com).
Departure tax: JD6.
RAIL: The Hijaz Railway operates on the old Ottoman track between Amman and Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic).
ROAD: There are roads into the Syrian Arab Republic via Ramtha or Jaber. The route to/from the Syrian Arab Republic to Western Europe is through Turkey. Driving time from Amman to Damascus is four hours. From Egypt, there is a ferry connection from Nuweiba to Aqaba (visa should be obtained in advance). Multiple-entry visas may be needed. A coach service runs from Damascus to Irbid or Amman. There is a share-taxi service from Amman to Damascus. Public buses and coaches run from Amman to Damascus and Baghdad daily, as well as to Allenby Bridge for the crossing to the Palestinian National Authority Region. To cross, a visa is required, and it should be obtained in advance. Further border crossings to Israel are at Sheikh Hussein Bridge (Jordan River Crossing) near Lake Tiberias in the north and Wadi Arabah (Arava Crossing) in the south, the latter linking Jordan to the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat. Most nationalities can obtain a visa at the border; for information on which nationals require a visa, contact a travel agent in Jordan. Some cars are permitted to cross these two borders, subject to various rules and regulations; for further details, contact the Jordanian authorities.
Road transport:
Jordan has an expanding network of roads and highways which is constantly being upgraded. It is now possible to reach every major tourist destination by a modern, hard-surfaced road. Signposts to tourist sites and urban areas are in both Arabic and English.
Taxis are readily available in the urban areas. Most are equipped with a meter and most drivers speak English. All taxis are yellow. It is advisable to agree with your driver on a price before you begin your journey, especially if your taxi does not have a meter.
Most urban areas also have white "services" (pronounced "serveeces"), which follow a set route and pick up additional passengers as they go, until the vehicle is full. These are usually Peugeot station wagons seating seven and are a good, cheap way to get around, but can be fairly time-consuming, as the route is often circuitous. Drivers of these vehicles are less likely to speak English.
A good, inexpensive bus service connects all areas of the country. Bus stations are located in Amman and other urban areas. Buses stop at designated places throughout the countryside.
If you need to hire a car, there are a large number of rental companies, mostly situated in Amman or Aqaba. See your travel agent or hotel for details of these.
Food & Drink: The cuisine varies, although most restaurants have a mixed menu which includes both Arabic and European dishes. Dishes include meze (small starters such as fool, humus, kube and tabouleh); a variety of kebabs; Mahshi Waraq ’inab (vine leaves stuffed with rice, minced meat and spices); musakhan (chicken in olive oil and onion sauce roasted on Arab bread); and the Jordanian speciality mensaf (stewed lamb in a yogurt sauce served on a bed of rice), a dish which is normally eaten with the hand. Sweets are very popular and include: baklava (pastry filled with nuts or honey); kanafa (pastry filled with nuts or goats cheese); ataif (small fried pancakes filled with nuts or cheese and traditionally eaten during Ramadan); and mohallabiya (milk-based pudding perfumed with rose water or orange). Drinking Arabic coffee is a ritual. Coffee tends to be very strong and is served in small cups (with plenty of coffee grounds at the bottom). Local beer, wine and other types of alcohol are served in most restaurants and bars, except during the fasting month of Ramadan (non-Arabic nationals can drink alcohol only in hotels during Ramadan).
Nightlife: There are nightclubs, theatres and cinemas in Amman, while some other major towns have cinemas. Often clubs will only admit couples or mixed groups. Many of the 4- and 5-star hotels have popular clubs and bars.
Shopping: Every town will have a souk (market), and there are also many good craft and jewellery shops. There is a particularly good gold and jewellery market in Amman. Special items include: Hebron glass; mother-of-pearl boxes; pottery; backgammon sets; embroidered tablecloths; jewelled rosaries and worry beads; nativity sets made of olive wood; leather hassocks; old and new brass and copper items; and caftans hand-embroidered with silver and gold thread. Jordan is famous for its gold and silver; the centre of Amman has a gold souk with over 50 shops. Necklaces with a small golden coffee pot (dalleh) – a national symbol – are popular and widely available. Shopping hours: Sat-Thurs 0900-1300 and 1500-2000 (closed Friday).
Special Events: For a complete list, consult the Jordan Tourism Office (see Contact Addresses). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Jordan in 2005:
Apr 3-7 Amman International Motor Show. Apr 8-15 Amman International Theatre Festival. Apr 15 Dead Sea Ultra Marathon. Jul 24-26 Jordan International Rally.
Social Conventions: Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Jordanians are proud of their Arab culture, and hospitality here is a matter of great importance. Visitors are made to feel very welcome and Jordanians are happy to act as hosts and guides, and are keen to inform tourists about their traditions and culture. Islam always plays an important role in society and it is essential that Muslim beliefs are respected (see the World of Islam appendix). Arabic coffee will normally be served continuously during social occasions. To signal that no more is wanted, slightly tilt the cup when handing it back, otherwise it will be refilled. A small gift is quite acceptable in return for hospitality. Women are expected to dress modestly and beachwear must only be worn at the beach or poolside. Photography: It is polite to ask permission to take photographs of people and livestock; in some places photography is forbidden. Tipping: 10 to 12 per cent service charge is generally added in hotels and restaurants, and extra tips are discretionary. Porters’ and drivers’ tips are about 8 per cent.
Citizens of the following countries are required to obtain a visa 2-4 weeks in advance:
A. Africa:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d'lviore, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia.
B. Asia:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Iran, Laos, Lebanon, Mangolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam.
C.Europe:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia.
D. South America:
Belize, Colombia, Cuba.
Citizens from all other countries except for those from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (exempt from visa to Jordan), are required to obtain a visa from the Jordanian missions, consulates abroad or border points upon their arrival to kingdom.
Applicants for a visa should attach a recent colored photo with the passport (minimum validity of six months) and fees.
Source: southtravels.com, arab.net |
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