Absolutely amazing...Petra, Jordan

The ancient city of Petra was everything we expected it to be--pure magic. In fact, we cannot wait to get back to the Middle East one day.

It was so magical that my emotions went wild. Once we finally set our eyes on the Treasury peeking out at the end of the Sikh, tears gushed down my face.

Yes it was crowded so if you can peel yourself our of bed at 5AM to beat the crowds and daytrippers it is well worth it. However, sleeping in a bit and exploring Petra in the late afternoon also means cooler temperatures and less tourists.

Travel Tips

*Take the strenuous hike up to the viewpoint over the Treasury. The tricky part is that the map on the grounds doesn't point this out!! (Best to ask a local). We met a Bedouin guy who had a small camp overlooking a cliff towards the Treasury. It was so cool to have this exclusive view! It's a tough uphill climb but definitely worth it.

*We stayed at Saba'a Hotel and it was great! For 25 JOD per night we got our own room, a roof terrace, free breakfast and for a few JOD's they will pack a big lunch for you to take into Petra.

*Entrance fees are pretty expensive and Petra is HUGE. We did the full on 3 day pass and it's worth your while because 1 Day = 50 JOD, 2 Days = 55 JOD and 3 Days = 60 JOD.

Jordan!! The Dead Sea & Petra By Night

After our fun, wet days in Bangkok for Songkran, soon we were off to the airport to catch our flight to JORDAN! We had plans to visit Jordan 2 years ago but had to cancel 4 days before our trip due to a family emergency. Ever since then we knew that we had to re-plan our trip and Jordan was almost automatically tacked on to the end of our SE Asian backpacking trip.

And before we knew it, we had landed in the Middle East and were way too excited to see a place we had always always wanted to see: PETRA. 

Because we were strapped for time in Jordan, we arranged a taxi to pick us up from the airport at 6AM and deliver us to Wadi Musa, the main town near the ancient city of Petra. 

But first...floating in the Dead Sea :) with a view of Israel just across the water.

After a little dip (and floating in the Dead Sea was the most bizarre feeling ever!) we made it to Wadi Musa in time to rest, walk around the town and get our first glimpse of Petra by candlelight at Petra By Night.

It was a perfect first day in Jordan and the days that followed were even more incredible. Will be back with more info on Petra soon...but here's a little confession: Jordan became one of our favorite countries we've ever visited.