Middle East - Anthony Ham [302]
If you’ve had enough of a splash for one day and feel like gaining the high ground, hop in a taxi (JD5) from Amman Beach to the Dead Sea Panorama Complex (admission JD2; 8am-midnight). This lookout, museum (8am-4.30pm) and restaurant complex is a great way to contextualise the Dead Sea and admire the panoramic view.
Sleeping & Eating
About 5km south of Suweimeh is a strip of opulent pleasure palaces that offer the latest in spa luxury.
Dead Sea Spa Hotel ( 3561000; www.jordandeadsea.com; s/d JD71/85, ste from JD156; ) About 200m south of the Kempinski, this complex is not as refined as its luxury neighbours but is quality nonetheless. There’s a medical/dermatological spa, private beach access, a big pool and separate kids’ pool with slides.
Dead Sea Marriott ( 3560400; www.mariotthotels.com; s/d from JD175/190; ) A grand resort with a poolside bar, good spa, lots of restaurants and facilities for children, cinemas, high-speed internet access and a jungle playground.
Mövenpick Resort & Spa ( 3561111; www.moevenpick-deadsea.com; standard/superior/premium JD215/250/285; ) The resort to beat, with Moroccan kasbah-style luxury accommodation, tennis courts, the gorgeous Zara spa (see boxed text, below), a fantastic assortment of bars and restaurants and a poolside bar.
Kempinski Hotel Ishtar ( 3568888; www.kempinski.com; from s/d JD200/220; ) A Sumerian-style middle-level lobby overlooking the spectacular, circular infinity pool, together with a series of water features tumbling down to the Dead Sea, make this a palace among hotels.
Getting There & Away
The budget hotels in Amman sometimes organise day trips to Madaba, Mt Nebo and the Dead Sea if there are enough people. Buses from Amman direct to Amman Beach leave on a demand-only basis from Muhajireen bus station between 7am and 9am; the journey takes an hour and a half, and the last bus returns to Amman around 5pm (4pm in winter). JETT buses from Amman leave twice a week at 8am, returning at 6pm; in July, there is a daily service.
Minibuses usually run only as far as Suweimeh, but it may be possible to persuade them to take you the extra distance to the Dead Sea resorts for a few fils more. Some budget hotels in Amman organise day trips to the Dead Sea so ask around. For details of getting to/from the Dead Sea by public transport from the capital, Click here.
The Mariam Hotel (Click here) in Madaba can often organise a day trip by taxi, taking in Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan, Amman Beach and Hammamat Ma’in for around JD50, with an hour’s stop at each site.
WADI MUJIB NATURE RESERVE
Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve (215 sq km) was established by the RSCN for the captive breeding of the Nubian ibex, but it also forms the heart of an ambitious ecotourism project.
First stop is the visitor centre ( 077 7422125), by the Dead Sea Hwy. The easiest hike on offer is the wet Siq Trail (JD12 per person); described by the guides as ‘Petra with Water’, this is an exciting 2km wade and scramble into the gorge, ending at a dramatic waterfall. Bring a swimming costume, towel and shoes that can get wet, and a watertight bag for valuables.
The most exciting option is the Malaqi Trail (per person JD53; 1 Apr-31 Oct), a guided half-day trip that involves a hike up into the wadi, a visit to some lovely swimming pools and then a descent (often swimming) through the siq, finally rappelling down the 18m waterfall (not appropriate for nonswimmers or those with a fear of heights). It’s not exactly cheap, and you need a minimum of five people, but it’s definitely one of the most exhilarating things you can do in a day in Jordan.
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IT’S A TOUGH JOB – BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT JENNY WALKER
As a die-hard traveller who felt that succumbing to a bed with a soft mattress was a sign of weakness, I was deeply suspicious of the whole spa circus. But if they were good enough for Herod the Great and Cleopatra, they ought to be good enough for a Lonely Planet author, so in the spirit of in-depth