Recently Jordan has surfaced in the news with alarmist reports of a new terrorist al-Qaida cell that were planning a bomb and mortar attack on western diplomats.
News such as this often puts travellers off Jordan holidays but the arrest of these men is in fact a positive sign.
Jordan is the safest country in the Middle East, apart from two or three bombings in recent years and some regular, but usually peaceful protests on Fridays, there is only a minor threat to foreign nationals.
In 2011 over 88,000 British Nationals visited Jordan and only 20 required any consular assistance.
The Jordanian governments is very much on the case, and have so far avoided involvement in the Syrian debacle and foiled several potential terrorist attacks.
Within Jordan itself, there are political protests quite often as the people fight for free voting and elections.
These protests are carefully managed and generally held at university campus, refugee camps and in town centres.
For the traveller then the question is, is it safe to travel Jordan on an adventure holiday? Well yes it is.
In nearly every country in the world now, including the UK, the threat of terrorism is present and attacks could occur at anytime.
The likelihood of any such attack occurring while you're on holiday is slim and by following some simple cautions you will be more than safe.
Avoiding protests and political discussions with locals is an obvious rule.
Avoid the larger cities and take the time to explore Jordan's many natural wonders.
There are a lot of well-run and reputable adventure holiday companies who specialise in tours of Jordan.
If you want a really safe way to travel then join one of these tours.
In a group with a local tour leader who knows where and what to avoid, you should be in safe hands.
Some Jordan's best features lie in the desert among the Bedouin Tribes.
Venturing out into the Wadi is a fantastic experience.
Taking a 4WD across Wadi Rum, bouncing along against a back drop of dramatic sand dunes and rocky slopes, is a great way to get to know your fellow travellers.
From here the hidden gem of Jordan is by far the Dana Nature Reserve.
Here a world heritage village sits among the wooded highlands, sand and rocks complete with traditional Ottoman houses.
A wander round the silver jewellery workshop and local dry fruit jam factory is a peek into another world.
The Dana is stunning and you must take guided walks along old paths through mountains and terraces.
Wadi Dana is 1,500m above sea level but then drops to 100m below sea level to the Dead Sea.
And here you can float.
The Dead Sea has an extremely high salt content meaning you can literally float on the surface, a somewhat unnerving experience.
The mud at the bottom of this salty sea is rich in minerals and said to have healing properties, so cover yourself in it! And of course the crowning glory of Jordan is the famous city of Petra.
The ancient Nabataeans built Petra as a trading city some 2,400 years ago when it became a thriving hub for trade caravans.
The Roman influence later on brought further temples, tombs and an amphitheatre.
No trip to Jordan is complete without a walk up the 900 steps of the Monastery, a vast structure to rival some of the greatest ruins of the Roman world.
Don't let politics ruin your travel plans, without introduction to other cultures and customs, our future generations will become further bigoted.
Jordan is still the safest country in the Middle East and Petra won't last forever.
News such as this often puts travellers off Jordan holidays but the arrest of these men is in fact a positive sign.
Jordan is the safest country in the Middle East, apart from two or three bombings in recent years and some regular, but usually peaceful protests on Fridays, there is only a minor threat to foreign nationals.
In 2011 over 88,000 British Nationals visited Jordan and only 20 required any consular assistance.
The Jordanian governments is very much on the case, and have so far avoided involvement in the Syrian debacle and foiled several potential terrorist attacks.
Within Jordan itself, there are political protests quite often as the people fight for free voting and elections.
These protests are carefully managed and generally held at university campus, refugee camps and in town centres.
For the traveller then the question is, is it safe to travel Jordan on an adventure holiday? Well yes it is.
In nearly every country in the world now, including the UK, the threat of terrorism is present and attacks could occur at anytime.
The likelihood of any such attack occurring while you're on holiday is slim and by following some simple cautions you will be more than safe.
Avoiding protests and political discussions with locals is an obvious rule.
Avoid the larger cities and take the time to explore Jordan's many natural wonders.
There are a lot of well-run and reputable adventure holiday companies who specialise in tours of Jordan.
If you want a really safe way to travel then join one of these tours.
In a group with a local tour leader who knows where and what to avoid, you should be in safe hands.
Some Jordan's best features lie in the desert among the Bedouin Tribes.
Venturing out into the Wadi is a fantastic experience.
Taking a 4WD across Wadi Rum, bouncing along against a back drop of dramatic sand dunes and rocky slopes, is a great way to get to know your fellow travellers.
From here the hidden gem of Jordan is by far the Dana Nature Reserve.
Here a world heritage village sits among the wooded highlands, sand and rocks complete with traditional Ottoman houses.
A wander round the silver jewellery workshop and local dry fruit jam factory is a peek into another world.
The Dana is stunning and you must take guided walks along old paths through mountains and terraces.
Wadi Dana is 1,500m above sea level but then drops to 100m below sea level to the Dead Sea.
And here you can float.
The Dead Sea has an extremely high salt content meaning you can literally float on the surface, a somewhat unnerving experience.
The mud at the bottom of this salty sea is rich in minerals and said to have healing properties, so cover yourself in it! And of course the crowning glory of Jordan is the famous city of Petra.
The ancient Nabataeans built Petra as a trading city some 2,400 years ago when it became a thriving hub for trade caravans.
The Roman influence later on brought further temples, tombs and an amphitheatre.
No trip to Jordan is complete without a walk up the 900 steps of the Monastery, a vast structure to rival some of the greatest ruins of the Roman world.
Don't let politics ruin your travel plans, without introduction to other cultures and customs, our future generations will become further bigoted.
Jordan is still the safest country in the Middle East and Petra won't last forever.
SHARE
