Petra remains one of those places that hasn't made it onto everyone's bucket list. Not sure why this is since it is absolutely breathtaking. It probably has to do with how it's surrounded by a whole lot of nothing, there is very little nearby for many miles, and it's in the middle east (although that doesn't hurt Dubai!) Going to Petra, I felt like I was in Indiana Jones or Transformers - minus magic goblets and talking trucks! Both of those movies featured Petra.
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| Stunning, approaching the monastery. Taken around 11 am. |
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| The Jordanian guide to hitchhiking |
I decided towards the end of my time in Tel Aviv that it would be a huge loss if I didn't visit Petra, being so close by. So I took a bus from the main bus station to Eilat, crossed the border into Aqaba. And shared a taxi with other travelers to Petra which is 1-2 hour long ride if I remember correctly. They charged us double what the going rate was. It helped to network with other people to break up that cost. I would highly recommend this, as many people come to vacation in Eilat with a trip to Petra in mind. Most everyone at the border was heading that way.
A customs tip for all travelers heading back to Israel. There's no point in requesting they stamp your passport rather than the removal slip of paper. I thought that maybe I would spend less time at the border because I have the Israeli stamp on my passport, not true. Now whenever I travel to muslim countries, which happens often enough, I will be scrutinized over this stamp. Furthermore, there are certain countries that don't allow entry. I don't think I can perform Hajj in Saudi Arabia until I get a new passport, because the Saudis make no exception. This is funny because you can actually see Saudi Arabia from the beach in Eilat. Also plan to waste several hours at border checkpoints in and out of Israel. Finally have your receipts handy at the Israeli border from Petra to prove your "vacation." Many of you won't have to pull out your social security card and ROTH IRA statement, but alas, my father's name is Mohammed so I have learned to live under this kind of scrutiny at unfriendly borders.
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| Woah! Treasury in all of its glory! |
I didn't have hotel reservations, and booked one easily walking down the one commercial street they have. I met another traveler there had purchased a 2 day pass to Petra, and he didn't want to use the second day, so he sold it to me. Saved some money this way. This was easy enough to do, however, for single female travelers I would advise you to be cautious in regards to walking around commercial Petra alone. I definitely got some weird stares, and atrocious vulgarities uttered at me. I still rate this 5 stars.
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| me and camel |
American dollars are pretty weak here. Be prepared to have every single dollar haggeled out of you, from customs at the border to the horse rides in the park. Horse rides really suck. I would advise that you get there to the park before it opens at 6 am to enjoy it in it's full glory all alone. I got there at 6 am, paid it to the Monastary by like 9. Walked the whole way, only took a horse from gate to the canyon, not very far. When I was turning around it was getting close to midday and getting very packed, especially near the monastery. The other benefit of going so early is that all the bedoins aren't awake yet to haggle the s*&^ out of you!
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| I made a friend! Rabies free! I didn't pet him though! |
Food and water in the park is ridiculously overpriced. And if you do want to buy something from the locals, walk away - and they'll drop the price.
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| me for scale, I am 5 feet tall |
Got a cab back, rode it solo. It was half the price than the first one.
Would've loved to have spent more time there. 5-6 hours of the park is definitely not enough. But I came, I saw, I conquered...more or less. I ended up missing my department flight from Ben Gurion Airport to Istanbul. All the money I saved roughing to Petra I lost in buying a SECOND ticket to Istanbul. Would I do it over again, hell yes. YOLO.
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