Jordan from Singapore: Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea on a first trip

Why go: a city carved into a cliff, then a night on Mars

You walk for about twenty minutes through a narrow crack in pink rock. The walls close in, the light goes thin, and then the gap opens and the Treasury is just there, carved straight into the cliff. Photos don't prepare you for it. That one moment is the reason most people fly to Jordan, and it still lands.

The killer insight: Petra is a whole ancient city, not one facade. Give it two days, not a rushed afternoon. Then head south to Wadi Rum, sleep in a desert camp under more stars than you've seen in your life, and finish floating in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on land. Plan everything around those three and the rest falls into place.

Read this first: as of today, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises Singaporeans to defer all travel to the Middle East region, Jordan included. Details are in the safety section below. Treat this guide as planning for when that advice changes. Visa and flight details checked 22 Oct 2026.

Photo: David Bjorgen, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Getting there from Singapore

There is no direct flight from Changi to Amman. Every option is one stop, landing at Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) in Amman. The usual routes run through Gulf or Turkish hubs: Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, Etihad via Abu Dhabi and Turkish Airlines via Istanbul all list Singapore–Amman on their own sites.

Emirates' route page shows total journey times of roughly 15½ to 19 hours including the Dubai connection. Schedules across the region have been disrupted in 2026, so check your airline's own flight status page, not just the booking engine, before you pay and again before you fly.

Visa for Singapore passport holders

Singapore MFA's Jordan page states: "Singaporeans may obtain a visa-on-arrival in Jordan." It adds that immigration rules can change at short notice, so check with the Embassy of Jordan in Singapore or your travel agent before you go.

Here's the hack: the Jordan Pass bundles entry to over 40 attractions, including Petra, Jerash and Wadi Rum, and waives the visa fee for a single-entry visa if you buy it before you arrive and stay at least two consecutive whole nights (three days). Show it at the visa office at the airport. It comes in three versions that differ only in Petra days: Wanderer (one day), Explorer (two consecutive days) and Expert (three consecutive days). Rules are on the Jordan Pass FAQ.

One catch: if you ever enter overland at the King Hussein Bridge, Jordan's tourism board says visas there must be arranged beforehand. Flying into Amman, you don't need to worry about this.

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When to go

Jordan's tourism board says March to May and September to November are the most comfortable months, with daytime temperatures in the low-to-mid twenties. That's cooler than any day in Singapore, and much drier.

Summer afternoons frequently go above 35°C, so you start at opening time and hide at midday. Winter days are often crisp and sunny, but cold snaps, rain and even occasional snow can happen, and heavy rain can briefly close Petra's Siq for flash-flood safety (Visit Jordan seasonal guide). Pack a proper jacket whatever the month: desert nights and early Petra mornings feel nothing like home.

Money, SIM and getting around

Money: the currency is the Jordanian dinar (JD, said "jay-dee"). Per the tourism board, cards work at hotels, restaurants and larger shops, but many smaller shops still prefer cash, and souks are cash territory. Prices are often written in fils, so 4,750 means 4 JD 750 fils. Plugs are round two-pin, 220V, so bring an adaptor.

SIM: Zain Jordan sells visitor lines as a physical SIM collected at its airport shop or as an eSIM, and Orange Jordan sells visitor SIMs at a booth in Queen Alia Airport. Check your phone supports eSIM before relying on it.

Ride-hailing: the tourism board's getting around page lists Careem, Uber and Jeeny. Street taxis have meters, but after 11pm agree the fare before you get in.

Intercity: JETT runs a daily bus from Amman to Petra (Abdali station, then 7th Circle) and between Aqaba and Petra. Many visitors rent a car instead; international rental companies operate at Queen Alia Airport. Amman to Petra is about three hours on the fast Desert Highway, or four to four and a half on the scenic King's Highway through Madaba, Karak and Dana (Visit Jordan). The King's Highway is the pretty one; take it at least one way.

Food: mansaf, knafeh and what's halal

Mansaf is the national dish: lamb and rice with a tangy sauce of jameed (dried fermented yogurt), traditionally eaten by hand from a shared platter. In Wadi Rum, look for zarb, lamb or chicken slow-cooked in a pit dug into the sand (Visit Jordan). Also hunt down maqluba ("upside down" rice, flipped onto the plate) and knafeh, the warm cheese pastry in syrup, which downtown Amman does very well.

Halal: Jordan is a Muslim-majority country (the tourism board puts it at over 92% Muslim, on its religion page), so everyday meat is generally prepared the Muslim way. There's no MUIS-style logo on every stall though, and alcohol is legally served in bars, restaurants and hotels. If it matters to you, ask, especially in hotel restaurants and places with a bar.

Vegetarian: easier than you'd think. Breakfast and mezze lean on hummus, falafel, za'atar bread and salads. The big celebration dishes are meat-heavy, so tell your camp or host early.

Photo: Sana Janakat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A first-trip route: 8 days

Day 1 Amman. Land, sleep, then climb to the Citadel for the view over downtown and the Roman Theatre. Eat knafeh after.

Day 2 Jerash. Easy day trip north to one of the best-preserved Roman cities you'll ever walk through. Included in the Jordan Pass.

Day 3 King's Highway to Petra. Take the slow road via Madaba and Karak if you're driving. Sleep in Wadi Musa, the town at Petra's gate.

Days 4–5 Petra. Day one: the Siq, the Treasury, the Street of Facades. Day two: go early and climb to the Monastery. Petra by Night runs Sunday to Thursday, per Visit Petra; the Siq lit by about 2,000 candles.

Day 6 Wadi Rum. Check in at the visitor centre, jeep out across the red sand, sleep at a desert camp. Bring layers.

Day 7 Aqaba. Jordan's only coastal city, on the Red Sea. Swim, eat seafood, recover.

Day 8 Dead Sea, then fly. Drive back north and float. The tourism board's tips: keep sessions to 15–20 minutes, keep the water out of your eyes and rinse off after (Visit Jordan). The Dead Sea is about an hour from Amman, so it slots in before a late flight. Got 10 days? Add a night at Dana or a second desert night.

Photo: Faris El-Gwely, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Safety and before you go

Singapore MFA's official Jordan travel page (advisory dated 1 March 2026; page last updated 21 October 2026) says: "Due to the escalating security situation in the Middle East, Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to the region." It points to the MFA Spokesperson's comments of 28 February 2026.

For those who still intend to travel to Jordan, MFA advises taking all necessary precautions, including staying vigilant, monitoring local news closely and following local authorities' instructions. It asks travellers to check with their airlines on schedules and restrictions, and to buy travel insurance covering medical emergencies and trip cancellations. Its page also notes that terrorism remains an ongoing concern, that the security situation in areas bordering Syria and Iraq can quickly become volatile, and that travellers should avoid large public gatherings and watch for petty crime in tourist areas.

On local laws, MFA says Jordan is a conservative society: dress and behave modestly. Alcohol is fine in bars, restaurants and hotels but not on the streets, and intoxication is an offence. It also notes that unmarried couples sharing accommodation is generally seen as socially unacceptable.

Practical prep: eRegister your trip with MFA so they can reach you in an emergency. Check insurance wording on conflict-related cancellations before you buy. Save the Singapore Honorary Consulate-General in Amman and the MFA Duty Office contacts from the MFA page. Pack modest clothes covering shoulders and knees, good walking shoes for Petra's steps, sunscreen, a warm layer and a plug adaptor.