Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE DESERT HIGHWAY
The Desert Highway, which follows the legendary tracks of the Hejaz Railway and a new
water pipeline, connects Aqaba in the south of Jordan with Damascus in Syria. The section
between Amman and Aqaba is a road of very limited interest, poorly maintained and usu-
ally bearing heavy traffic. As such, it hardly ranks as one of Jordan's highlights. It is,
however, the shortest route between Amman and southern Jordan and it's likely that you'll
end up using the highway in one direction or another. This is the only road in Jordan that
actually looks like a highway, with dual carriageway for most of its length and lighting at
main intersections.
There are very few places to sleep or eat along the Desert Highway and if you make it to
Ma'an, you may as well continue on to Wadi Musa, Wadi Rum or Aqaba.
Ma'an
03 / POP 116,000 / ELEV 1100M
Ma'an has been a transport junction and trading centre for many centuries, and is now one
of the larger towns and administrative centres in southern Jordan. There's little of specific
interest here, but the centre of town is pleasant enough and some travellers may have to
stay overnight while waiting for transport to Wadi Rum, Wadi Musa (for Petra) or Aqaba.
The town is particularly busy during hajj as it lies on the main pilgrimage route from
Jordan and Syria to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The main north-south thoroughfare is King
Hussein St, centred somewhere around the mosque and the communication tower. Here
you'll find restaurants and several banks with ATMs. To get here from the bus station head
two blocks west then one block north (a five-minute walk) to the southern end of King
Hussein St, where it meets Palestine St. The Hotel Kreashan is a further five minutes' walk
north of here.
Sleeping & Eating
Grill and chicken restaurants abound along King Hussein St, including
Alroz-Al Bokhary
(King Hussein St; mains JD3-5)
. There's a tempting sweet shop diagonally opposite the
corner of King Hussein and Palestine Sts, and fruit shops nearby.
Hotel Kreashan$
HOTEL
