The family destination

Jordan is made up of a number of nationalities - Jordanians, Palestinians, Iraqis, Circassian (Caucasian), Chechens, Armenians and Kurds - all living in harmony. The national religion is Islam and, like Bahrain, other religions are much in evidence.

Arriving in Amman after a two-and-a-half hour flight, we had been briefed in advance by friends that the weather was a little cool, therefore a light jacket/sweatshirt would be needed. Much to our delight, the temperature was pleasant without any signs of humidity!

Taxis were readily available at the airport - standard rates - and a 40 minute drive took us to the centre of Amman. The scene from the window reflected orange/red soil - a fertile and hilly landscape with wild spring flowers in full bloom, comparable to the Mediterranean.

Amman itself has a variety of things to do - a bus sightseeing tour, Roman amphitheatre, modern shopping centre and malls. However, we opted to spend the following morning at the Children's Museum.

Opened in May 2007 by Queen Rania, it is situated in the northwest part of the city, adjacent to the Royal Automobile Museum, a short walk up a hill from Carrefour.

When you step into the Children's Museum anything can happen - from milking a virtual cow, flying an aeroplane, digging for dinosaur remains to role playing at the supermarket (trolley included).

There were also a few science and technology exhibits that were quite fascinating to our children Faris, six, and four-year-old Maya and also to us adults. The museum really is a special place so we hope it remains in tip top shape for maximum enjoyment. A stroll back down the hill enabled us to hail a taxi and off we went Downtown or 'Balad' as it is called.

After two nights spent in Amman, it was time to fly to Aqaba, situated on the Red Sea and our long awaited exploration of Petra and Wadi Rum.

Our hotel was in the new development of Tala Bay, 20 minutes from the centre of Aqaba. Our coastal drive gave us a view of the azure blue crystal waters and across the bay to Eilat, Israel.

Easter holiday time meant on arrival at our hotel we were greeted by several Europeans, of all ages with the same goals in mind. First impressions count a lot ... This was going to be a superb holiday!

The hotel was on the beach, with a marina adjacent which included a beach club. We were spoilt for things to do, however, Faris and Maya led the way to the pool and instantly made new friends. My husband Hussain was also able to polish his table tennis skills. In the afternoon, we took a glass-bottom boat ride to explore the beautiful coral reefs of Aqaba.

These are reportedly among the best diving sites in the world. The deliberate sinking of a freight ship and an armoured tank has created two incredibly rich dive sites. Marine life includes brilliantly coloured angelfish, parrot and damsel fish and there are many operators who will get you down in the coral reefs to see them.

In the evening, we ventured out to the centre of Aqaba, the familiar sights of the Old Souq beckoned. Pavement cafes serving tea and coffee and a variety of local mezze were in abundance. Antique shop windows displaying their wares gave this the aura of an Arabic country. We felt quite at home.

One of our aims was to find a local agent through whom we could organise a tour to Petra the next day and Wadi Rum the day after. After covering most of the souq without any luck, we finally got chatting with the owner of the shop we had entered. He advised that it was better to deal with a local taxi driver, then came the challenge of finding one! Abou Faiz came to our rescue, and became our new friend/companion for the next two days.

The ancient city of Petra is one of Jordan's national treasures and by far its best known tourist attraction. Located approximately four hours south of Amman or two-and-a-half hours from Aqaba, Petra is the legacy of the Nabataens, an industrious Arab people who settled in Southern Jordan over 2,000 years ago. The Nabataens were clever and practical people who did not believe in national exclusiveness and were therefore open to outside cultural influences. A short walk into Petra is evidence of this.

Our official guide escorted us through the streets of Petra, stopping en-route to divulge the history of each important landmark. You do not have to be a specialist in any field to appreciate such surroundings because once inside you become awe struck - and that included us all!

We made it to the vast impressive 'Treasury', without any cries of objection from little feet. In fact, the objection came when we insisted on hiring two donkeys for the remaining walk to the 'Monastery' for the children. After some bargaining with Maya, both children happily rode their donkeys the rest of the way. Kudos to both, they coped well with the long walk back to the entrance even climbing hills and steps to view the sites on offer. For those weary few, camels, horses, donkeys or horse and cart are all available to hire from the Bedouins who still inhabit the surrounding area.

On leaving this ancient city, we decided to stop at a restaurant in main street Petra. There are several places available ranging from five star hotels to local cuisine to Pizza Hut. Our selection was a small buffet in a local restaurant. After some refreshments, we commenced our drive back to Aqaba, very weary but filled with awe from the sights of Petra.

The next morning was spent relaxing by the pool, ready to leave at 1pm for the drive to Wadi Rum.

Wadi Rum is a must see for any visitor to Jordan. From Aqaba, the drive took a little over an hour via a direct highway. Reaching the entrance we were amazed by the outstanding desert landscape with mountains of sandstone and granite. This land is also known for its association with Lawrence of Arabia.

From the information centre, several options are available to explore the area - camel or horse tours, hiking, rock climbing and even staying out overnight. We decided on a three hour jeep tour, and were directed to choose our vehicle and driver.

The next few hours we spent bumping through the desert sands visiting canyons, Lawrence's spring, rock climbing, and sliding down sand dunes. This was topped only by a camel trek to a nearby temple. What an experience for us all!

Soon it was time for our flight back to Amman for the near end of our holiday.

The final planned day visit to the Dead Sea was abandoned due to the annual Dead Sea Marathon. Instead we decided on a visit to nearby Jerash, one of the largest and most well-preserved Roman sites outside of Italy. An array of colours surrounded the area with the spring bloom of wild flowers.

And before too long it was time for our departure from this wonderful country, but we couldn't leave without first indulging in a box or two of delicious Jordanian sweets.

So if the opportunity arises for a short break to Jordan, grab it! It offers a great way to combine some of the best spectacular natural and historical sites of the Middle East with a beach. We'll definitely be heading back as a family, and the next trip will include a visit to the Dead Sea for a spot of floating.

Hussain Al Khalo is the proprietor of Harmony and Watch by Harmony in the Gold Souq and Gold Art in Gold City. "Watch by Harmony" - Gold Souq.

l If you would like to tell us about your holiday, please email editor@gulfweekly.com with details and pictures.