Travel Essentials › Jordan
Travel Essentials
Plugs: Types C, D, F, G and J, 230 V. Emergency: One number for everything 911. Tipping: Around 10% in restaurants is customary, plus small tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water.
Types C, D, F, G and J, 230 V
| One number for everything | 911 |
Around 10% in restaurants is customary, plus small tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff.
Greetings. Men shake hands and often place the other hand on the heart; close friends kiss on the cheeks. Wait for a woman to offer her hand, or use a hand on the heart. Greetings include "as-salamu alaykum" and polite questions about health and family.
Dress modestly. Foreign women are not required to cover their hair, but covering shoulders and knees is expected outside resorts and required at mosques.
Hospitality. Being offered tea or coffee is a sign of hospitality and it's polite to accept at least a small amount; refusing outright can seem rude.
Right hand. Use the right hand for eating, greeting and giving/receiving items; the left hand is considered unclean for these purposes.
Ramadan etiquette. During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight hours out of respect for those fasting.
Jordan is one of the safer and more stable countries in the Middle East for tourists, with a strong tourist-police presence at major sites, though pickpocketing and overcharging occur in busy tourist spots.
"Bedouin" romance/tea scams. Friendly locals, especially around Petra, may invite solo travelers (often women) for tea, a private tour or a desert camp visit that leads to pressure for money or unwanted advances; politely decline unsolicited invitations.
Taxi overcharging. Drivers may quote inflated fares to tourists; agree on a price before the ride or insist on the meter, or book through a hotel/ride app.
Women travelers. Solo women travelers generally report positive experiences, though persistent staring or unwanted attention can occur; dressing modestly and avoiding isolated situations with strangers (especially the Petra "tea invitation" scam) reduces risk.
Legal · Use Caution
Consensual same-sex acts between adults are not criminalized, but society remains socially conservative; LGBTQ+ travelers should avoid public displays of affection, particularly outside Amman, to avoid unwanted attention.
| Coffee (café) | 2 JOD | $2.80 |
| Local bus or metro ride | 0.50 JOD | $0.70 |
| Mid-range restaurant meal | 10 JOD | $14 |
| Hostel bed / budget room (night) | 12 JOD | $17 |
| Mid-range hotel (night) | 50 JOD | $70 |
| Daily budget, mid-range traveler | 80 JOD | $113 |
2026-09
Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) are best, with mild days for sightseeing at Petra, Jerash and Wadi Rum; October is often called the ideal month. Summer is scorching, especially in the desert and Dead Sea area; winter can bring snow to Amman and Petra with freezing desert nights.