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Is it safe to visit Jordan?

What is the truth about this country in the Middle East? Is it safe to travel to Jordan right now? Find out the answer in this article.

⚡ Don’t miss my Travel Guide to Jordan.

amman skyline in jordan

After a long trip, about 20 hours with three flights via Bangkok and Hong Kong to Taiwan, I’m finally home… Tired but happy.

Before traveling to a new place, I usually try to find as much info as possible about the country I’m visiting and the people’s culture. I do this because I want to experience life in the country, and all this info is also very useful for me as a photographer. They help me to get into the right mood, so to speak.

But in the case of Jordan, things were a bit different. These days, there are a lot of different opinions about this country in the heart of the Middle East. Close to Syria and Israel, we all imagine this place to be dangerous.

Most of my friends were concerned for me. Some of them thought that I was going to die.

flight to jordan

In the last few hours before my flight, I was a bit afraid, too, even though I usually don’t let other people affect my point of view about other countries. Don’t get me wrong: I’m happy my friends were so concerned because they care for me.

I knew that the mass media usually exaggerates problems, and they have a very powerful influence on the minds of those who rely only on TV and the News to get an idea of what is happening around them. The question is: How much of what is happening in the Middle East also affects Jordan? Is it safe to visit Jordan?

For these reasons, I didn’t know what to expect from my trip: I had many questions while flying from Taiwan to Amman. And the closer I got to Jordan, the more concerned I was. I wondered if I was doing the right thing…

Is it safe to visit Jordan?

feynan sunset in jordan

I strongly believe it is important to have a personal opinion about any matter in life based on our own experience, not only because someone told us something. This is particularly true about traveling. After more than one week spent visiting Jordan, I can honestly say: YES, IT IS SAFE TO VISIT JORDAN!

Of course, you have the right to question this sentence (or the whole article), but before you say anything, let’s consider some facts based on my REAL experience.

Let’s compare what we IMAGINE with REALITY. The truth is that I felt safer visiting the market in downtown Amman than walking in most Italian cities (where I come from).

Despite what the mass media says, Jordan is a safe country with a low crime rate. According to the latest dates, the rate is 50 crimes per 10000 citizens, and these 50 “crimes” include people who didn’t pay the rent. If you count only the real crimes, the rate is even lower. How many other European countries can claim the same rate?

the treasury of petra in jordan
The only real danger in Jordan is falling in love with the amazing places you will see

Our tour guide told us some real stories to convince us that it is safe to visit Jordan. One of these was about a tourist who was supposed to pay about 3€ to the taxi driver, but she didn’t have any change (she only had a big banknote). The driver said: “Never mind,” and he let her go. Taxi ride for free. Have you ever experienced something like this in any European capital? Most probably not…

Another thing happened to me on my very first evening in Amman. I was walking in the market when a boy approached me and asked if he could treat me to a coffee. He did this because I’m a foreigner. I don’t know if this is normal where you live, but I can assure you that this will NEVER happen in Italy. This is what you can expect if you visit Jordan with an open mind.

petra in jordan

Jordan comprises hard-working people who struggle to make enough money to support their families, and tourism is most Jordanians’ main source of income.

The places I visited will be forever in my mind, and I will never forget the amazing food I tasted (Jordanian and Lebanese food are now on my top list of favorite cuisines). But to be honest, the people deeply touched me. I spent some time with the Bedouins in the desert and with other people who work hard and live thanks to the tourism industry, and I realized how powerful mass media are.

They can have a deep impact on the lives of these people, and every time we read sensationalist news about the Middle East, the lives of thousands of people are affected. People who rely on tourism to make some money.

Just to let you know what kind of people the Jordanians are, keep in mind that since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, about 1 million refugees moved to Jordan. The total population of Jordan is about 8 million people. To compare what happened in Jordan, it is as if in Italy, we would have about 8,5 million refugees just in 2/3 years. We will probably have a civil war by then. Remember that Jordan is not as rich as Italy (or any other Western country).

is it safe to visit jordan

The most important thing I want the world to know is that there is no reason to be afraid of visiting Jordan. Jordan is safe, and the people are great, but the more you watch the TV or read the news, the more you will fear everything around you. This trip confirmed my philosophy of life: turn off the TV and start exploring the world by yourself!!

If you agree with what I wrote in this article, please share it on your social media. It doesn’t cost anything, but it can do a lot to help many people in Jordan’s tourism industry.

Still not convinced? Ask Jessica Wright, the American blogger of Bon Traveler, and Prasad, the Indian blogger behind Desitraveler, who has visited Jordan with me.

If you are ready to organize your trip to Jordan, check out my travel guide.

dead sea in jordan at sunset

If you want great deals for hotels in Jordan, don’t forget to check Booking.com. If you use Trip.com, check out this page. Also, don’t forget to get a VPN before connecting to any Wi-Fi, whether at home or in a foreign country.

Here, you can see more pictures from Jordan, and here are 10 reasons to visit Jordan.

12 thoughts on “Is it safe to visit Jordan?”

  1. Fabio,

    Thanks for sharing such a great report! I agree with you and as an American living in Jordan I feel extremely safe. I have the great privilege to experience the same generous hospitality on a daily basis by Jordanians that you experienced on your trip.

    Keep sharing your experiences!

    All the best,

    Daniel

  2. Margo Inman

    Yes it’s true the news media likes to hype things up. When we flew to Europe a few day’s after 911 people tried to warn us about going and if we had listened to the news media we would have had 2nd thoughts about going. We had a great time. I really enjoy your posts and re confirming my view of how people are kind wherever and whenever you travel.

    1. Thank you Margo, I totally agree with you and I’m happy they you visited Europe despite what most of the people would say. Sadly not all enjoy such free will and most succumb to mass media disinformation…

  3. Sergio e Margo

    Very beautiful country, we hope one day to visit it together…. you were able to open our eyes to the reality of Jordan people…Thanks

  4. Fatimah

    Hello Fabio! I am half Italian and half Jordanian and I am very proud to belong to the two most beautiful countries in the world 🙂 Thank you for talking so nicely about Jordan 🙂

    1. Hi Fatimah!! Thanks for passing by… I love everything about Jordan but what I love the most is the food… I miss Lemom manana and the hummus.

  5. Absolutely, I never felt more welcome in any other place than in Jordan…

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