Eilat - Petra accommo tips

September, Israel...

When will you be arriving in Israel? Have you read FAQ 52?

Not only is the second half of September and first week of October peak time in Israel, accommodation will be extremely hard to come by, and expensive however you do it. You must book in advance if you don't want to end up sleeping in the street. Winging it is never a good idea in Israel, and especially during this period. That is the best and most relevant advice I can give you for Israel in September. Everything else depends on that.

And other advice of course depends on your interests. History, religion, nature, hiking, beach, nightlife, museums, food...? How will you be travelling? Car or public transport?

Hi Shuffaluff,

Thanks for the response. We're sorted for Israel (we have family dotted around the country thankfully) - was more worried about Petra. I got such terrific responses on the Israel thread for Petra last time, that I was just trying my luck! Was wondering though about Arkia airlines - are they reliable?

Thanks,

Glad you have family in Israel. You should be in for a very good time!

Arkia is a well-established Israeli airline (since 1949!).

Hi Sammij: For what it's worth I don't know the Peace Way Hotel and Rocky Mountain Hotel and Orient Gate Hotel etc. But if you chose to arrive in Wadi Musa without having made a reservation and walk into any of those hotels, if you liked a room and liked the price or thought they will reduce the price (which they would almost certainly do) you will get a better deal. Otherwise there are loads of empty hotel rooms available in Wadi Musa (which is the name of the town that services the Petra site. So wing it.
Another popular backpackers in Wadi Musa is Cleopetra.

Thanks so much.... Yup I think we're going to wing it!

Hi Sammi
Jumping in here to ask you how are you travelling from Eliat to Petra? Would like to hear how others are doing it. We're hoping to do Petra and Wadi Rum in two days from Eliat.
Thanks
K

Edited by: kaaffit

Welcome kaaffit to Thorn Tree.
The Israeli border-crossing fee was ILS101 =US$26.50 - for this border crossing. You only need to pay on exiting this land border, (unless you are exempt).
The Jordanian departure tax was JOD8.00 =US$11.25
We didn't have any paperwork to fill out either on the Israeli side, or on the Jordanian's side.
http://www.iaa.gov.il/RASHAT/en-US/Borders/Arava
Incidentally at this border no Jordanian visa is required.
From Eilat’s bus station pay the bus driver for the journey to the junction for the border, which is only five minutes by bus up the road, and then walk the two km to the border, or negotiate a price for an Israeli taxi to the border. Walk through the border come out on the Jordanian side, depending how rich you are or how fast you need to get to Wadi Musa. Now is the time for you to immerse yourself in the culture of the Levant, to find the right fare for you, spend 10 minutes asking 10 taxi drivers their fare. What's reasonable to you, and reasonable to them are usually poles apart.
If you are on a budget, only take the taxi to Aqaba’s bus station and wait for the bus to Wadi Rum. Or pay a lot of money and surrender to the Aqaba taxi mafia at the Aqaba border, and pay what you have to to Wadi Musa.
In Wadi Musa try the El-Rashid Hotel (generous breakfasts) is up near the ‘’Shahid’’ roundabout is well worth a look, the Cleopetra is another favourite. Both of which are aneasy walk from Wadi Musa bus station. Check out Ruth's web site Ruth’s Jordan Jubilee, [www.jordanjubilee.com].

Taxi touts at Aqaba: It’s a poor, but well documented introduction to Jordan.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g298101-i6819-k4387577-Aqaba_Border_Taxi_Scam-Aqaba_Al_Aqabah_Governorate.html
http://wikitravel.org/en/Aqaba#b, (Border Taxi Mafia / By taxi)
http://www.recklesswonder.com/2011/12/taxi-mafia/