Levant Lure Journey. Day 6: Wadi Rum Village, Jordan

Staying at least a night for deep silence, bright stars, and rosy sunsets in the stunning desert was on our "Levant Lure" bucket list. We want to taste the authentic Bedouin experience deep in the heart of Wadi Rum Nature Reserve. Then today's itinerary was to drive around 100 kilometers south to the desert after the early hotel checkout.

Nearing the desert village, my wife brought up the idea to go further south to Aqaba, the only coastal city in Jordan and the country's only seaport. It's located at the northeastern tip of the Red Sea, and it's about 50 kilometers from the Wadi Rum Triangle. Since we had plenty of time before the desert camp checked in, I bought into my wife's idea.

I didn't research Aqaba, but I knew it was near Eilat, a city illegally occupied by Israel. Then a scary thing happened. Immediately after crossing the security checkpoint of Aqaba, we lost the GPS signal! Initially, we thought it might be a glitch on my wife's phone. After rebooting both of our phones a few times, we concluded that the Israeli may be blocking the signal. Oh damn!

We had to rely on the real-time indicator from Google Maps. Alhamdulillah, we made our first stop at the Aqaba Gateway. We strolled along the marina and then packed McDonald's light snack. To the south, we spent time relaxing at the AlHafayer Park. Then we walked to the Mamluk Castle of Aqaba, also known as Aqaba Fort.

We enjoyed the breathtaking view from the Plaza Petra Hotel. Picture taken before we left.

The hotel's breakfast	Hiasan yang cantik di lobi
Crossing the district border	Zum ke negara celaka

Belakang tuh bandar Eilat, negara haram Israhell

Air Laut Merah sangat jernih dan sejuk.

Tour of Aqaba Fort.

Bukti hadir.

Kecik je masjid nya.

Kalau perasan, tiang bendera yang tinggi ini mana-mana ada

At noon, we headed back to the Wadi Rum desert to check into the Hassan Zawaideh Camp. Initially, we booked the Hasan Zawaideh Luxury Camp, but we were told that there were so few bookings that the camp management decided to pool everyone in the same camp. However, they gave us the premium Martian tent, which offered an excellent view of the desert and mountain. Alhamdulillah, they also provided us with a decent lunch.

Pada pendapat saya, seeloknya 2, malam kat sini baru puas hati.

Kami memang tak makan lagi...	Bergambar bersama pelajar Malaysia, bercuti di sini.
Boleh tahan panas kat dalam khemah	Journey through 1916

I was searching for things to do in the desert. A train ride called "Journey through 1916" resembles some events of the Great Arab Revolt, and it begins on the authentic Hijaz Railway train. When I checked on the web, the train ride was not offered during our stay. The ride seems to run in the evening, though. We have reserved the Jeep Tour for the evening, which is another activity to consider.

Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, is a must-visit spot for couples seeking a mix of adventure and luxury. So, we took a jeep safari tour to explore this stunning desert landscape. From dramatic rock formations to ancient petroglyphs, every moment felt like stepping into another world. The day ended with a golden sunset, followed by an authentic Bedouin dinner under the stars, making our experience unforgettable.

The first stop was the Lawrence Spring, named for T.E. Lawrence, of Lawrence of Arabia fame, who fought in the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

Then we headed to the Red Dunes.

We apply the red sand onto our faces. :P	Some weird red rock.

The Khazali Canyon was our next stop, where we saw walls covered with Thamudic, Nabatean, and Islamic inscriptions, as well as petroglyphs depicting humans and animals.

The driver later brought us to the scenic spot to view the sunset.

That evening, we simply relaxed at the fire camp and observed the stars in the clear desert sky at their brightest.

Pemandangan kem di waktu malam.

Stargazing at night!