Is Jordan a safe destination for solo travel?

Safety is a tricky thing to nail down. When you're travelling solo, it's especially important to spend some time researching the present situation in the region you're planning to visit. 

When did you start thinking about your destination? Can you pinpoint a conversation, an article, or an appearance on screen that sparked your interest? Chances are, if your destination of choice is experiencing "a moment in the spotlight", there aren't going to be major concerns with personal safety.  

But even if your next holiday is to one of Lonely Planet's annual Best in Travel picks, it will make you feel more comfortable to have the facts.  

Government Travel Advisories

Job #1 is to visit your government's travel advisory website. Personally, I routinely check four of them! 

I start by getting the security picture as assessed by my own government. Canada's Travel Advice and Advisories page will give me an overview of the security situation in the country I'm planning to visit as well as alert me to any regional hot spots to avoid. 

Another thing that Canada does well is to highlight instances where local laws differ significantly from what Canadians are used to at home. For each nation they also make specific reference to women's safety, and the situation for LGBTQ travellers. 

For perspective, I'm in the habit of cross-checking the travel advice for my intended destination by visiting the US Department of State and the UK's Foreign Travel Advice site. 

When you do this often enough, you begin to notice that the threat level identified by the UK, for instance, does not necessarily match the American view. Political tension and military entanglement can increase the vulnerability some nationalities face while barely impacting others. 

Though it may seem like overkill, I generally finish off this exercise by reading the travel advice of a neutral nation.

Personal Experiences 

Travel blogs are a great source of research because they share personal experiences of safety. Today, we're spoiled for choice and it's relatively easy to find someone sharing their experiences travelling to Destination X as:

• a solo traveller

• a solo female traveller

• a racialized traveller 

• a queer traveller, and so on. 

While your experience may differ, it can really help to get the lay of the land. 

But is JORDAN safe? 

Beyond the analysis provided by the government sources linked above, what often contributes to a traveller's impression that a destination is safe or unsafe depends on whether they feel "at ease". 

Actually witnessing threatening situations (violence, theft, intimidation, etc) will no doubt lead you to feel at greater risk that you might become the victim of something similar. 

But there are other emotional factors at play. In my personal experience, these are some of the factors that lead to my feeling "at ease" (or not) while travelling abroad:

• Hassles: Everyone reacts different to this, but I absolutely hate touts. Few things get my hackles up more quickly than someone trying to pressure me into guide services, sales, etc. When such a person follows you down the street for a block or so and refuses to take "no" for an answer, it can be really unnerving. (Read: Staying Sane in Morocco: Why I bought darker sunglasses and learned basic Norwegian) Having now travelled to 60 countries, I can say that Morocco and India are at the extreme end of the hassle index. 

• Invisibility: This is an illusion, of course, but a pleasant one! Foreigners are rarely invisible to locals... but the impression of invisibility sets me at ease. My favourite places are those where I feel like no one takes any notice of me.  

• Communication: Is it easy to get a local SIM card? Does my phone have service everywhere that I want to go? 

• Money and Payment: Am I able to use electronic payment easily? (Allowing me to explore while carrying the bare minimum of hard currency.) 

How does Jordan measure up by these metrics?

GREAT!!!

Hassles: I am delighted to report that my visit to Jordan was delightfully hassle-free! At Petra, the ancient Roman city of Jerash, Shobak Castle, and Kerak Castle, local guides politely offered their services. A simple, "no thank you" was all they needed to move on, usually parting with the phrase you'll often hear in these parts "Welcome to Jordan!"  

Invisibility: Maybe it's the beard... Quite a few people spoke to me in Arabic and when I looked at them confused, they would ask, "You're not Arab? Sorry. Never mind." 

Communication: Getting a SIM card in Jordan is simple. You can pick one up in the arrivals hall of Amman airport, or at shops in town. eSIMs are an ever more popular option that you can sort out without any help. I use Airalo to make sure my phone is online from the moment I touch down. Use code JAMES9916 to get USD $3 off your first eSIM purchase!

Money and Payment: Aside from roadside vendors and the clifftop tea tent at Petra, I didn't encounter any barriers to electronic payment. Gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants, tourist attractions, and the local shops I visited all accepted credit cards. My Canadian-issues cards were never a problem. 

Jordanian police are quite visible. On the highways, you'll notice frequent routine check points. Most major tourist sites (Petra, Jerash, Kerak) also have a Tourist Police office or booth. 

At sites along the border with Israel there is a very visible military presence. At the Baptisal Site of Jesus, for instance, visitors must leave their cars a few kilometres away and be driven to the military-controlled site in a minibus. Machine gun-carrying soldiers monitor the tourists eager to dip a toe in to the River Jordan as Israeli soldiers look back at you from across the water.