It’s a half-hour drive east from the Dead Sea to the Mujib Nature Reserve. Owned by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), this newly popular ecotourist destination is made for adventure lovers: Its five river and dry trails deliver some of the most dramatic hiking in the country. Guides are necessary for all except the Siq Trail and should be booked in advance through the RSCN headquarters in Amman.
Saltier than Utah’s Great Salt Lake or any ocean, the Dead Sea’s salinity makes it difficult to swim, but easy to float.
WHERE: 60 miles/90 km southwest of Amman. MOVENPICK DEAD SEA: Tel 962/5-356-1111; www.movenpick-hotels.com. Cost: from $140 (off-peak), from $220 (peak). EVASON MA’IN HOT SPRINGS: Tel 962/5-324-5500; www.sixsenses.com/evason-ma-in/. Cost: from $175. MUJIB NATURE RESERVE (RSCN): +Tel 962/6-535-0456; www.rscn.org.jo. When: Apr–Oct. BEST TIMES: Mar–May and Sep–Nov for mildest weather.
Red Sea Diving and Desert Canyons
AQABA AND WADI RUM
Jordan
For years, Aqaba, Jordan’s only beach resort, languished in the shadow of its better-known neighbors: Eliat, in Israel, and Egypt’s Sharm al-Sheikh (see p. 379), across the Gulf of Aqaba, both of whose coral-lined shores have lured divers and other vacationers for decades. Now this ancient, sunny port, which has some of the region’s most pristine dive sites, is being developed and groomed as serious competition to those more established beach towns, with brand-new, upscale resorts to tempt potential visitors. For the moment, at least, Aqaba still delivers authentic smalltown Arabian culture, while the best of southern Jordan, including Petra (see p. 459) and Wadi Rum, are an easy day trip away.
So important is Aqaba’s new incarnation that its development is being overseen by King Abdullah himself. Economic incentives have resulted in a flurry of luxe new hotels, like the curvy, Miami-esque Kempinski, set on its own sandy beach and featuring 200 rooms with sea views. But the real reason to come is for Aqaba’s snorkeling and diving options: Along 15 miles of coastline are wide fields of technicolor coral reefs (with more than 300 varieties of coral), considered among the most dazzling and least damaged in all of the Red Sea.
Aqaba is the gateway to the nearby Wadi Rum, a majestic desert moonscape and the largest valley in Jordan. It is mentioned in the Koran for its beauty and is full of massive canyons, nature-sculpted rock formations, granite ridges, and sandstone mountains that reach 2,625 feet above the desert floor, plus the villages of the seminomadic Bedouin. Those who choose to camp out with local outfitters can enjoy the spectacle of light and color on display at dawn and dusk.
Lawrence of Arabia used Wadi Rum, which he described as “vast, echoing and godlike,” as a base camp during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18. Almost 50 years later, David Lean chose the area as the real-life location for his 1962 Oscar-winning film Lawrence of Arabia. Today, you can enjoy an early morning trek (or explore by camel, horse, jeep, or hot-air balloon) and be back in Aqaba by lunchtime at a café overlooking the sea.
WHERE: Aqaba is 200 miles/365 km south of Amman. KEMPINSKI AQABA: Tel 962/3-209-0888; www.kempinski.com. Cost:$215 (off-peak), $425 (peak). HOW: U.S.-based Cultural Crossroads offers a 7-day “Explore Jordan” trip that includes visits to Wadi Rum (but not Aqaba). Tel 877-479-7040 or 802-479-7040; www.culturalcrossroads.com. Cost: from $3,286, all-inclusive. Originates in Amman. When: May, Sep. BEST TIMES: Feb–May and Sep–Dec for mild weather.
Monument to the Power and Brilliance of the Roman Empire
JARASH
Jordan
Jarash is to Jordan what Baalbek is to Lebanon (see p. 460), Leptis Magna to Libya, or Volubilis to Morocco—a sprawling, dazzling, provincial Roman city in the heart of the modern Arab world. It is widely considered one of the largest and best-preserved outside Italy.
Located just beyond the capital city of Amman, in the region known in biblical times as Gilead, the city dates to the 4th century B.C., when it was founded by soldiers serving Alexander the Great. Within 5 centuries, Jarash had become a flourishing part of Rome’s eastern nexus. Known as Gerasa at that time, it was a crucial component of the Decapolis League, a network of ten affluent and cosmopolitan cities that was formed during the 1st century B.C. and anchored the Romans’ regional rule in the Levant.
Jarash was wealthy thanks to agriculture, mining, and its prime location along key caravan routes, allowing for easy trade with the nearby Nabataeans, who built legendary Petra (see p. 459). Lavish edifices were splendidly realized in Jarash’s Oriental Baroque style. Many of those buildings, which were ecclesiastic in purpose, were completed just centuries after the dawn of Christianity.
Some 15 impressive churches remain, along with a triumphant arch built to welcome the emperor Hadrian in A.D. 129, a massive column-ringed oval forum, a hippodrome large enough for 15,000 spectators (where chariot races are frequently reenacted today), and hot and cold baths. Most splendid of all, however, is the Temple of Artemis, which honors the patron goddess of Jarash and is accessed via a grand, column-lined avenue. The temple and surrounding complex form a magnificent backdrop for Jarash’s annual three-week-long festival that was inaugurated by Queen Noor al Hussein in 1981 and still draws world-class dancers, musicians, and actors from the Middle East and beyond. They all perform in the original Roman-era theater, which provides 32 ascending rows of seats and, even today, pitch-perfect acoustics.
Corinthian columns remain standing at the ruins of the 2nd-century Temple of Artemis, patron goddess of Jarash.
WHERE: 30 miles/48 km north of Amman. HOW: U.S.-based Wilderness Travel offers a 7-day trip that includes Jarash. Tel 800-368-2794 or 510-558-2488; www.wildernesstravel.com. Cost: from $3,095, inclusive. Originates in Amman. When: Oct–Apr. BEST TIMES: Mar–Jun and Sep–Nov for cool, dry weather; Jul–Aug for Jarash Festival.
Connecting the Dots in an Ancient Land
KING’S HIGHWAY
Jordan
The King’s Highway is a 5,000-year-old route first mentioned in the Old Testament. All kinds of travelers have followed this 200-mile trail: Israelites to the Promised Land, Muslims to Mecca, Crusaders on their way to retake the Holy Land. Today’s well-paved road twists and winds through deep ravines, fertile farmland, and red-rock desert, beginning just outside the capital city of Amman and ending at Aqaba, on the Red Sea (see p. 456).
At the head of the highway is Ma’daba, home to a 6th-century map of the Holy Land. The oldest-known map in the world, it is laid in mosaic form on the floor of the 19th-century Greek Orthodox basilica of St. George. Barely 8 miles west of Ma’daba is Mount Nebo (known as Pisgah in the Bible), perched 2,600 feet above sea level. From here, it is said, God gave Moses his fleeting glimpse of the Promised Land that he would never enter. On a clear day you can see the Dead Sea, the West Bank, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. According to biblical legend, this is also the site of Moses’s death at 120 years of age.
Beyond Ma’daba and Mount Nebo is Kerak, the largest Crusader Castle in the Levant outside of Syria (see Krak des Chevaliers, p. 470). Completed in 1142 by Paganus the Butler under orders from King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, the castle looms over the modern city of Kerak and includes impressive Romanesque vaults and porticoes.
History and nature come together at the 124-square-mile Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan’s largest and most important. Set in a deep and isolated valley, it stretches from peaks that rise as high as 4,900 feet to the Wadi Araba some 150 feet below sea level. It is home to a rich, diverse, and unique ecosystem made up of 800 plant varieties, 215 bird species, and 449 different animals, including the sand cat, red fox, and Syrian wolf. Living in the reserve are members of the hospitable Ata’ta tribe, who have made the region their home since 4000 B.C. Traveling through ridged canyons, towering sand dunes, and oasis-like wadis (valleys), hikers can head to ruins that date back more than 12,000 years (there are more than 100 archaeological sites in the area).
Accommodations include camping under the star-studded desert sky, modest guesthouses, and the most romantic option: the Feynan
Ecolodge. The ultimate desert retreat, featuring 26 rooms that are solar-powered and candlelit at night, the lodge was designed in traditional mud-brick style and includes cozy courtyards with relaxing hammocks, hiking trails that crisscross the reserve, and staff and guides from the local Bedouin community. Arrange in advance for one of the latter to lead you on a 3- to 5-day trek to Petra (see next page), the fabled Pink City 35 miles south of the Dana Biosphere.
Ancient Jerusalem is the focal point of the Ma’daba Map.
WHERE: Ma’daba is 20 miles/32 km south of Amman. HOW: U.S.-based R. Crusoe & Son offers 10-day “All Roads Lead to Jordan” tours that include the King’s Highway. Tel 800-585-8555 or 312-980-8000; www.rcrusoe.com. Cost: from $3,980, all-inclusive. Originates in Amman. DANA BIOSPHERE RESERVE: www.rscn.org.jo/rscn. FEYNAN ECOLODGE: Tel 962/6-464-5580; www.feynan.com. Cost: from $120. BEST TIME: Oct–Mar for cooler weather.
Pink Palaces Half as Old as Time
PETRA
Jordan
Petra is lovingly known as the “Pink City” because of the red-hued sandstone used by the ancient Nabataeans to create its splendid palaces, tombs, and treasury. One of the unofficial wonders of the ancient world, Petra was declared one of the New Seven Wonders in 2007, an acknowledgment of its enduring allure.
Although it dates back to 1200 B.C.—and was built in an area first inhabited nearly 6 millennia earlier—Petra has only been known to the Western world since 1812, when it was “discovered” by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who unearthed a complex, ancient settlement. Poet John William Burgon later described it as “a rose-red city half as old as time.” Petra is reached via the narrow, mile-long Siq gorge, a winding footpath at times barely 10 feet wide and flanked by towering rock face up to four stories high. It’s the only way in and out of the city, and during peak season it is crowded with tourists, guides, vendors, and donkeys.
At the end of this slim passageway is Petra’s iconic Khaznah, which is known as the Treasury, though it may actually have been used as either a temple or a tomb. Elaborately and symmetrically columned, this elegant Greek-style building is hewn from the face of a sheer 130-foot cliff and dates to 56 B.C., the time of the Nabataean heyday. Sheltered from wind-blown sand, it is Petra’s best-preserved monument, one immortalized for modern-day visitors by its appearance in the 1989 film classic Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Beyond the Khaznah, Petra opens up to reveal a once-thriving city and trading center that, until the mid–first century A.D., controlled the ancient trade routes linking Arabia to Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. The Nabataeans’ wealth and power can be seen in the hundreds of homes, temples, storerooms, and tombs carved into the canyon walls. It’s an 800-step climb along a winding path (donkey rides are available) to El Deir, Petra’s grand monastery high atop a plateau with views over the entire Petra basin.
A smooth 3-hour drive on good roads from Amman, Jordan’s star attraction can be (superficially) conquered in a day. But book a hotel in order to be there at sunrise or at dusk, when visitors arrive to candlelight, Bedouin music, and mint tea. The Mövenpick Resort is located directly across from Petra’s entrance gates; with a blend of contemporary and traditional Middle Eastern décor, it is the best option in town. Another good choice is the clifftop Taybet Zaman, 5 miles from town. The tasteful transformation of this 19th-century Bedouin village was the brainchild of Queen Noor. Its 105 rustic yet modernized stonewalled rooms line bougainvillea-filled alleyways that lead to a pool, hammam spa, and a street souk reborn as a gift shop.
Unlike its decorative façade, the interior of the Khaznah (Treasury) is very plain.
WHERE: 140 miles/225 km south of Amman. MÖVENPICK PETRA: Tel 962/3-215-7111; www.movenpick-hotels.com. Cost: $220 (off-peak), $550 (peak). HOTEL TAYBET ZAMAN: Tel 962/3-215-0111; www.jordantourismresorts.com. Cost: from $100 (off-peak), from $210 (peak). HOW: U.S.-based Caravan Serai offers a 7-day “Historic Jordan” tour that includes Petra. Tel 800-451-8097 or 206-545-1735; www.caravan-serai.com. Cost: from $1,070. Originates in Amman. BEST TIMES: Mar–May and Sep–Nov for best weather; late afternoon when the sun turns the city a deep pink.
One of Rome’s Greatest Achievements
BAALBEK
Lebanon
The ancient city of Baalbek—aka Heliopolis, “City of the Sun”—is where the Romans displayed the power of the Empire, a place where even hyperbole fails. It’s the largest Roman temple complex ever constructed—supported by the tallest columns attempted by ancient builders and hewn from the biggest stones quarried by human hands. Throw in a stunning setting on a high plateau in the verdant Bekáa Valley, with a backdrop of low, snow-capped mountains, and Baalbek can easily lay claim to being the Middle East’s most impressive ancient ruins. As Mark Twain wrote, “Such grandeur of design, and such grace of execution, as one sees in the temples of Baalbek, have not been equaled . . . in any work of men’s hands.”
Baalbek dates back at least to the Greek empire in the 3rd century B.C., and it reached its true zenith under the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. Temples built to the Roman triad of Heliopolis—Bacchus, Jupiter, and Venus—helped maintain the town’s prominence until the establishment of Christianity in the 4th century spelled the end of its importance. Some 17 centuries later, the Temple of Bacchus remains Baalbek’s unrivaled highlight, a majestic site (named the best-preserved Roman temple in the world) surrounded by 42 Corinthian columns each rising 62 feet high. They’re smaller than the 65.5-foot tall columns at the nearby Temple of Jupiter, the largest Roman temple ever built, but a mere 6 of Jupiter’s original 54 remain intact.
The temples’ longevity lies in their expert craftsmanship and sturdy construction from Egyptian rose-pink granite—also used to build the 128 columns lining the Great Court, most of which no longer stand. Massive stones appear throughout the Baalbek complex, some weighing 1,200 tons, including the massive foundation stones and blocks supporting the Temple of Jupiter. Scholars are still unsure how stones of such immense size and weight reached Baalbek and were hoisted into place.
Touring the complex can take hours: Recharge from the day’s heat with a post-visit drink from the rooftop bar at the Hotel Palmyra, a shabby-genteel relic of another era with views of the ruins, one of the few untouched old-time hotels left in the Middle East.
WHERE: 52 miles/85 km northeast of Beirut. HOTEL PALMYRA: Tel 961/8-370-230. BEST TIMES: Nov–Feb for cooler weather; Jun–Aug for Baalbek International Festival, which features opera, classical, and jazz performances against the backdrop of the ruins.
Born-Again Glamour in the Land of the Cedars
BEIRUT’S CORNICHE
Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut was once known as the “Paris of the Middle East”—a Levantine Left Bank with the warm Mediterranean as its Seine. Then came Lebanon’s 20-year civil war, which divided the nation and destroyed its thriving tourism scene. With the war long past, Lebanon is enjoying a period of (relative) calm and the Beurutis are once again giving Parisians a run for their money.
Like the cosmopolitan cities of Tel Aviv and Alexandria (see pp. 454 and 375), Beirut lies directly on the shores of the eastern Mediterranean—an azure backdrop that informs nearly every element of its low-key and generally alfresco lifestyle. Fronting the sea is the Corniche, a palm-fringed promenade stretching for 2.5 miles with the striking Pigeon Rocks in front and towering Mount Lebanon visible to the east. The Corniche could rightly be considered Beirut’s backyard: rich and poor, pious and secular, Christian and Muslim come every evening to enjoy the cool breeze and picture-perfect sunsets. Some of the most enjoyable views are from the many open-air restaurants, such as Casablanca, popular for its East-West menu featuring fish, lobster, and organic vegetables from the owner’s farm, and the Palace Café, a mainstay of local writers who come to linger over an arak, the potent local anise-flavored liqueur.
Lebanon’s famed cuisine, like its people, is a surprisingly refined cultural hodgepodge. Arab, Armenian, and Turkish influences show u
p in dishes that are often served in mezze (small-dish) style during long, languorous meals. Classic restaurants such as the stylish Abd el Wahab are perennial favorites, serving feasts of Lebanese specialties, including hummus, tabouleh, and moutabala (a spicy eggplant dip), followed by fiery kebabs and minced-meat kibbeh. For decades, the old-school, home-style Le Chef has been serving hearty portions of traditional Lebanese fare such as the spinach-rich stew called moulakhiyeh, succulent roasted lamb, and rose-water-doused rice pudding for dessert. Regional specialties from all over Lebanon prevail at Tawlet (“kitchen table” in Arabic), a casual and popular lunch spot in the vibrant Souk el-Tayeb farmers market.
Beirut’s hotel scene is also flourishing with unprecedented vigor. The Hotel Le Gray, opened in 2009 by British hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray, flaunts a rooftop infinity pool and bar with 360-degree views, as well as art-filled rooms, some facing the Al Amin Mosque. The rooms in the more classic Hotel Albergo, a former 1930s home, are designed with either Ottoman-era or classic French décor, and there’s a chic rooftop lounge. One of the more modest and welcoming hotels for everyday budgets is the Orient Queen Homes, which features contemporary décor.
CASABLANCA: Tel 961/1-369-334. Cost: dinner $30. PALACE CAFÉ: Tel 961/1-364-949. Cost: lunch $15. ABD EL WAHAB: Tel 961/1-200-550. Cost: dinner $65. LE CHEF: Tel 961/1-445-373. Cost: dinner $20. TAWLET: Tel 961/1-448-129; www.tawlet.com. Cost: lunch $15. HOTEL LE GRAY: Tel 961/1-971-111; www.campbellgrayhotels.com. Cost: $375 (off-peak), $660 (peak). HOTEL ALBERGO: Tel 961/1-339-797; www.hotelalbergobeirut.com. Cost: $375 (off-peak), $430 (peak). ORIENT QUEEN HOMES: Tel 961/1-361-140; www.orientqueenhomes.com. Cost: from $150. BEST TIMES: Mar–May for pleasant weather; Oct for the Beirut International Film Festival.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die Page 73
