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A brief account about the ancient city of Petra

Petra

Si_lad
2004-03-26 21:00:27

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Petra, the ancient city carved from rock, is hidden away in the canyons of southern Jordan. Popularised by the Hollywood film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", this once lost city is one of the highlights of the Middle East.

The journey to Wadi Musa - the town that has developed around the ruins of Petra to serve the tourist trade, takes about five hours by bus from Amman, the Jordanian capital, or two hours from the southern port of Aqaba. Most buses take the Desert Highway, which skirts along the vast desert to the east of the country. Travel is fairly comfortable, but be prepared for delays. We only got two punctures along the way ("very good journey", as one local later told me). The buses in Jordan are basic and inexpensive, but it's a relatively safe and enjoyable way to travel. Hire cars and long distance taxis are also widely available.

Wadi Musa is a sprawling town brimming with places to stay and eat, along with all the other establishments one would expect in a town which has been thrown together for the increasing amount of tourists who are flocking to this region. Accommodation varies from the budget backpacker type places to new 5 star "palaces" with air-con, swimming pools and buffet breakfasts. Wadi Musa even boasts an Internet Café and a Pizza Hut !

Local touts offer their business cards and will try to entice people to stay at their lodgings. On my last visit I took the recommendation of someone I’d met earlier in my trip and stayed at the Twassi Inn - one of the budget options in town. It's well run by an American woman and her local team and it commands an impressive position overlooking Wadi Musa. Many of the hotels offer an "all you can eat" evening buffet, which is usually very good value. I paid JD3 for a bed in a four-bed room with a nice view and a shared bathroom. Other sleeping options were available, such as a mattress on the roof, or more expensive private rooms. Lots ...