Land of eternal mystery
Visiting Jordan is the kind of trip you plan around the sights and return talking about the people. There's no shortage of sights: even in a region full of must-sees, Petra – an entire city carved from reddish sandstone cliffs – is one of the most awe-inspiring archaeological sites in the world. Jordan's desert landscape and strangely familiar names evoke romantic images in the West; here, you can literally walk in the footsteps of Jesus or Lawrence of Arabia (or Indiana Jones, if you prefer). But whatever you tastes, be they the world-class diving in the Red Sea or the healing mud treatments of Dead Sea spas, Jordan's most lasting impression always seems to be its warm, welcoming people.