An open museum

Historical sites, eco-parks, art galleries, pleasant climate round the year… Jordan is sprinkled with surprises

The world tourism map has some prominent locations such as Egypt with its pyramids and hidden treasures and Turkey which is fast becoming a must-see. Cocooned amidst them is the rather unexplored Kingdom of Jordan, promoting itself as a standalone destination. Though young in the tourism market, Jordan with its 7,000-year-old history woven into its present cosmopolitan culture might just entice you.

For a country whose entire expanse can be covered in a matter of hours, Jordan comes with surprises sprinkled almost every 10 kilometres. An open museum, it is home to historical sites such as Anjara Anjara where Jesus Christ, Mother Mary and his disciples are believed to have rested; Mount Nebo from where Moses is said to have viewed the Holy Land. Or, Bethany the place where Jesus Christ is said to have been baptised. These sites can be visited as part of the religious tour package offered by the Jordan Tourism Board. Also available are the high-end leisure and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) packages.

If you want to start your day with a mud-pack from the world's lowest point, the Dead Sea, then take a glimpse at how the ancient Romans lived or see what Byzantine culture meant for yourself, before you got high on some great spirits at the end of the day, a high-end leisure trip to Jordan is all you need.

The Hyatt, the Marriot, the Radisson and the Six Seasons: they are all there to give you that world class feel. Ideal for business visits, the country is a short-haul destination that has some of the best convention centres in all of the Middle East. This, in short, is the MICE package.

Aiming to spread the word about Jordan's cultural and natural beauty, the country's Tourism Board has entered the Asian market with road shows in seven Indian cities. It is a year since the Board began its promotions in India, and with the resolution of the visa problem, they say, there has been a sudden influx of Indians visiting Jordan.

No month of the calendar can be against a trip to Jordan, a place blessed with pleasant climate round the year. The Mediterranean cuisine will

dal chawal make you fall in love with the falafels. If adventure sports, national and eco parks and excavation sites can fill your day, art galleries and boutiques can fill your suitcases. Warm people with a cosmopolitan sense, the Arabs of Jordan have no social restrictions. They widely speak English, apart from Arabic, making getting around easier.

But, all this comes at a cost making Jordan a pricey tourist destination. 80 USD is the minimum you will have to shell out per person per night at Jordan, and the maximum knows no bounds.