Aqaba, Jordan

 

Aqaba on Jordan's southern tip sits on the Red Sea. You can look across the water to see Israel and Egypt. A few miles down the coast is Saudi Arabia. It is Jordan's only coastal city and major attraction for tourists.

 

The desert heat will take your breathe away, the many Five-Star resorts will cater to all your desires and the gay culture alongside Arab women wearing full hijab (i.e. covering all their body & face) will confuse any western tourist. You can watch a belly dancer in bar, but probably shouldn't venture onto the street with shorts. Men can pick up a prostitute, women can disco, but the Muslim call to prayers will still happen on schedule five times daily.

 

The Movenpick and the Intercontinental are two of many beautiful hotels along the sea. In the daytime, bring the kids and enjoy the water -- boating, snorkeling, exquisite resort swimming pools, and jet skies are popular. Its rich marine life makes the sea a bastion for diving.  In the evening, leave the children with babysitters to enjoy the many downtown pubs and restaurants.

Petra, Jordan - the Rose City

Petra, meaning stone, is an ancient city in Jordan chiseled of stone. Don't bring the children until they are old enough to appreciate it and hike it on their own. Established as early as 312 BC, today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its called the Rose City after its reddish mountains. The buildings are half-built, half-carved into the mountains' sides. The city was lost until the mid-1800s when archaeologists re-discovered its splendor. You'll recognize it from the Indiana Jones movies.

 

At its pinnacle is a Monastery, 804 uneven steps straight up, it will take you more than hour to climb, but from there you'll have one of the best views in the world.