am planning a backpaking trip to jordan - need help !!

which hotel would you recommend me to stay in amman

I was at Sun Rise Hotel. This place was relatively cheap... but it was also the worst place I ever stayed in my whole lifetime! Heater didn't work, completely rotten, raunchy, dirty,... rooms - just disgusting, especially the bathroom. No breakfast (even it said so when I booked online).

any recommendations of tour operators?

The (fake friendly) owner also sells tours (Tourist Transport Service) - which are really too expensive and dangerous (risky drivers who don't know the way). Every tour operator is probably better than this! (just ask around - there are many of them in Amman (all have different prices and to pay much (what I did) doesn't mean that you get much!)

how much are the rates to petra n back

with JET-Bus: ~7.5JOD oneway (book in advance!); they are leaving near Abdali Station in Amman. In Petra, they leave near the entrance.

is there any place to make student id cards and are hey useful out there?

no discount for students in Petra

what are the entrance fees to the various monuments?

Jerash: ~8JOD
Petra: ~21JOD

If you want to go cheap from the airport to Downtown Amman (where are the most cheap hostels concentrated) you can take the airport bus to the bus station, from there it is a 2 to 3 JOD taxi-ride to Downtown. Perfectly doable.

That the bus to Petra leaves from the Abdali station looks very strange to me, as it was completely washed out the last time I was Amman,

The entrance to Petra depends on how many days you want to visit.

So for cheap accomodation go to Downtown Amman and in Petra to Wadi Musa (town just before Petra, where there are many hostels), I stayed at the very friendly Petra Gate.

Have a nice trip.

That the bus to Petra leaves from the Abdali station looks very strange to me, as it was completely washed out the last time I was Amman

You are right, Abdali isn't used as a bus station anymore (only service taxis). What I'm talking about is the Jet-Bus Station near Abdali Station (~400m road out of town).

The entrance to Petra depends on how many days you want to visit.

Also right. The ~21JOD is for 1 day.

Hi there, are you in Jordan now? I have also just got to Amman and am trying to plan a trip down to Petra also. Have you made it to Petra already? How did you get there?

It seems some of the hostels run trips (such as the Farah Hotel) but they need a minimum of 4 people to do it. I am really hoping that some other people want to do the Petra run.

Hello I am planing to visit Amman on the 18th do you know Jet bus e-mail adress or how can I book a trip to Petra with them in advance?