Petra — Jordan’s rose-red city carved into sandstone cliffs — one of the world’s Seven Wonders
Wadi Rum — Jordan’s desert valley used as film location for The Martian, Lawrence of Arabia, and Dune
Oman — Most underrated Middle East destination — fjords, deserts, ancient souks without mass tourism
Dead Sea — World’s lowest point at 430m below sea level — salt concentration makes swimming impossible
Nabataean — The ancient Arab civilisation that built Petra — its engineering remains extraordinary 2,000 years on
The Middle East Offers the World’s Most Underestimated Travel Experiences
Media representations of the Middle East rarely capture what international travellers discover when they arrive: extraordinary ancient civilisations carved into dramatic desert landscapes, warmth and hospitality among the world’s most genuine, extraordinary food culture, and a natural beauty — from Oman’s fjords to Jordan’s Wadi Rum desert — that matches and often exceeds the world’s most celebrated natural destinations. This guide covers the region’s greatest travel experiences and the practical information needed to explore them.
Jordan: Petra and the Desert Kingdom
Jordan is the Middle East’s most universally recommended destination for first-time regional visitors — genuinely welcoming to international tourists, politically stable, and home to two of the world’s most extraordinary travel experiences in a country small enough to explore thoroughly in 10-12 days.
Petra: The ancient Nabataean city carved into rose-red sandstone cliffs in southern Jordan is genuinely one of the world’s most extraordinary archaeological sites. The main approach — the 1.2km Siq gorge, where canyon walls narrow to three metres before suddenly opening to reveal the Treasury’s towering facade — is a travel experience with no equivalent. Beyond the Treasury, the site extends across 264 square kilometres containing more than 800 carved tombs, temples, and civic structures. Arrive at opening (6am) to experience the Treasury in the specific pink morning light that makes it one of the most photogenic structures on Earth, before the day’s visitors arrive.
Wadi Rum: The vast, otherworldly sandstone desert valley that served as the filming location for Lawrence of Arabia, The Martian, and Dune is equally extraordinary in person. Bedouin camp stays in traditional black goat-hair tents with a guide for jeep and camel tours, and the most extraordinary stargazing available within the Middle East.
Dead Sea: The world’s lowest point, with salt concentration ten times the ocean’s, allows effortless floating on the surface — an experience that needs to be tried to be believed. The buoyancy is so complete that reading a newspaper while floating is genuinely possible, and the thick black mud from the lake bed has genuine skincare properties that have attracted visitors since antiquity.
Oman: The Middle East’s Best Kept Secret
Oman is consistently cited by experienced travellers as the most underrated destination in the Middle East — a country of extraordinary natural diversity (fjords in the north, Empty Quarter desert in the south, dramatic wadis and mountain villages in the interior) with a warmth and authenticity of hospitality that feels genuinely unaffected by mass tourism. Muscat’s old souk district, the Muttrah Corniche, and the extraordinary Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi (a day trip from Dubai but technically in Oman’s neighbour UAE) are among the most beautiful built environments in the region. The Musandam peninsula’s fjord-like khors, only accessible by boat or seaplane, are among the Middle East’s most dramatic natural landscapes.
Ancient Ruins: The Middle East’s Archaeological Wealth
The Middle East is home to some of the oldest continuous human civilisations on Earth — and the architectural legacy visible today in Jordan’s Jerash (a remarkably preserved Roman city), Lebanon’s Baalbek (the world’s largest surviving Roman temple complex), Israel’s Masada (a Herodian fortress on a desert mesa above the Dead Sea), and Egypt’s pharaonic monuments represents humanity’s architectural ambition at its most ancient and most enduring. For travellers with an interest in history, the Middle East’s density of extraordinary archaeological sites is unmatched anywhere in the world.
For packing for Middle East travel, see our Dubai dress guide and our complete packing list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Middle East safe to travel?
Jordan, Oman, UAE, and Qatar are among the safest countries in the world for international tourists — the Gulf states in particular have extremely low crime rates. Israel is safe for tourists though the regional political situation requires monitoring before and during travel. Lebanon and some other regional countries have conditions that require current research before planning travel. Always check your government’s travel advisory for specific countries before booking.
Do women need to cover up throughout the Middle East?
Requirements vary significantly by country. In Saudi Arabia, conservative dress including abaya is required. In Jordan and Oman, modest dress (covered shoulders and knees) is expected in traditional areas, mosques, and non-tourist local spaces — less enforced in tourist and urban areas. In UAE, the same modest public dress standard as discussed in our Dubai guide applies. Israel has no general public dress code.
How many days do I need for Petra?
Two full days minimum to see Petra meaningfully — one day for the main Treasury-to-Royal Tombs circuit and Little Petra, a second for the Monastery (Al-Deir) hike which requires a full day to reach and experience properly. The site is genuinely enormous and rewards slower exploration; three days allows time for the back country trails and less-visited northern areas.
What is the best time to visit Jordan?
March-May and September-November are optimal — warm enough for comfortable outdoor exploration without the extreme summer heat of June-August (Petra in 40°C is significantly less pleasant than in 25°C). Wadi Rum gets genuinely cold at night in winter months (December-February), but daytime temperatures are mild and the landscape is extraordinary in clear winter light.
Can I visit both Israel and Arab countries on the same trip?
Technically possible now for most countries — the Abraham Accords normalised Israel’s relationships with UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, allowing visitors to have both Israeli stamps and entry to those countries in the same passport. Jordan and Egypt have had peace agreements with Israel for decades and their stamps coexist. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait still have more complex entry requirements for those with Israeli stamps — research your specific itinerary before booking.
The Ancient World Is Still Here
The Middle East is where human civilisation began its long experiment with cities, writing, trade, and organised religion — and the physical evidence of that beginning is still there, carved into sandstone cliffs in Jordan, buried under Mesopotamian plains in Iraq, and rising from Egyptian desert floors in stone structures so massive they defy easy comprehension of the effort that created them. Travel here to see where it all started.
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