Unique experiences in Petra that you’ll never forget!.

Today’s wonderful guest post is brought to us by Miriam Berger, the blogger behind Travelling Starfish.  We were really excited when she said she wanted to write a guest post for BeersandBeans about Petra, Jordan since this is an area I have literally been salivating over for years now. I hope you like this post as much as we do! Thanks for sharing your great ideas Miriam!

I love the Middle East – it’s a place that always feels magical and exciting.  There is so much to do, see and there is just something special in the air.

One of the most visited sites in the Middle East is Petra in Jordan.  This past October, I had the opportunity to visit Petra and trek around the beautiful country that is Jordan.  I can tell you now that Jordan exceeded my expectations.

If you are a traveler who likes to get off the beaten path and visit untouched lands, Jordan is for you.  I entered Jordan via Southern Israel near Eilat (Red Sea) through Aqaba.  A two hour journey from the border was half of the fun in my desert adventure.

Petra is a hot tourist destination so come prepared to expect a lot of buses and high prices but it’s like they say, “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey”. To be honest I adore Petra and I honestly believe it is one of the most beautiful tourist sites I’ve ever visited.  The draw of Petra though also got me acquainted with Jordan itself which will be a place I know I’ll visit again (hopefully soon).

After my trip to Petra, I realized that when I was researching the area, there was a lot of information about Petra but not so much on unique excursions in and around the area.

This is where I come in – I hope these ideas help you out in your travels.

Go at night

One unique thing at the actual Petra site I wish I did was to go to Petra by Night.   This Petra site offers a special tour on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday – you get to experience Petra by the light of 1,800 candles.  These candles are setup from the Siq to the Treasury and music of the Bedouin is setup at the end. The tour begins at 8:30pm and finishes around 10:00pm.

Petra isn’t cheap – to get into the site can cost you anywhere from 50 – 90 Jordanian Dinars – JD (about US$70-125) even just for a day visit.  Hint: the longer you stay in Jordan, the cheaper the costs.  To see Petra by Night, there is an additional fee of 16 JD (US$23) but I figure by that stage, you may as well pay the extra for this amazing experience.

While I was wandering around on my day tour, I overheard a couple talking about their Petra by Night experience.  It sounded truly amazing – one of the pair even explained this experience as something she “would never forget to the day she died”.
Visiting the site by day, there is something special about the surroundings.  All of the narrow pathways and sandstone, you just feel like you are back in time.  At night time surrounded by all the glimmering candles, it must be that much more romantic and lovely.  I’ve definitely taken note of this for my next visit that’s for sure.

Get a local driver and go with the flow

Some may think that this piece of advice is a bit crazy in somewhere like the Middle East.  I actually find that there is no other way to travel.

I found the Jordanian people extremely friendly and if you are clear to them on what you are willing to spend on transit (you shouldn’t be talking 100’s that’s for sure) then it is fair and most of all fun.

The reason why I recommend this is that you will have an off the beaten path excursion like no other by going this route.  As I crossed the border, I saw loads of English-speaking tourists crossing with buses.  Good for some but I knew that on a trip like that, all I would get is what you read in the travel books. I wanted more.

After I crossed into the border, I negotiated a day rate with a local driver, costing me about US$75 for the whole day. He agreed to take me to Petra, to stop in between and to bring me back to the border in the evening.  The journey we had was incredible.

Included in this journey were stops at local shops where I could pick up unique souvenirs for my family and friends, multiple pictures of me with wandering camels and a pit stop for some traditional Arabic coffee that tasted strong and sweet with a hint of cinnamon.  I can tell you that if I was riding that bus, I wouldn’t have gotten to do any of these simple but memorable things.

Sleep under the stars

Like I’ve said before, Jordan is one of the most untouched lands I’ve ever been to.  As we drove from Aqaba to Petra, there was desert as far as the eyes could see.  There aren’t stops along the way to take a photo of a skyscraper or new resort – instead, there are stops to take photos of natural canyons and Bedouin villages.

If you really want to do something unique and special in Jordan, you should consider staying with the Bedouins.  En route to Petra is a town called Wadi Rum.  Wadi Rum is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock.  It is home to many Bedouins and there are villages here, there and everywhere.

Staying in a Bedouin tent in the Wadi Rum area is an experience like no other.  It is a cost efficient way to extend your stay in Jordan (usually under US$70) and includes breakfast, tent and a traditional Bedouin dinner – all under the stars.  Often the Bedouins also offer hikes and a tour of the area so you can understand more about their Bedouin way of life.  Now, I don’t know what could be more unique than that.
Jordan, including Petra, is one of the most special places I’ve ever visited.  Like I said, the next time I go, I plan to stay for a much longer time to truly take in its beauty.

One piece of advice I can give is just that – take your time.  It is so rare in this day & age to find places that aren’t overwhelmed by infrastructure.  So, whether it’s seeing Petra by Night, going off the beaten path with a local or sleeping under the stars with the Bedouins, allow yourself to get lost for a day or two & ENJOY!

Miriam Berger is the blogger behind Travelling Starfish – a travel blog with an expat edge.  She has been a marketer since 2001, working for some of the largest organizations worldwide and now runs her own marketing consulting business, AppleCrisp Marketing Solutions.  A true expat at heart, Miriam is originally from Toronto, Canada and has worked across North America, the UK and now Israel. She has also traveled the world and continues to travel for business and pleasure.

* All Photos in this guest post are courtesy of Miriam Berger.