Business hours. Friday is the weekly holiday. Banks, government offices and most businesses are closed on Saturdays as well. Many businesses, including airline offices, travel agencies and some shops also close on Thursday afternoon, although department stores and supermarkets remain open. A few businesses and shops close for some of Sunday. Banks 08.30-15.00 (some reopen from 15.30-17.30), Business offices 08.30-13.00 & 15.30-18.30, Governmental offices 08.00-15.00, Shops Flexible but typically 09.30-13.30 & 15.30-18.00. Please note that earlier closings apply during the month of Ramadan.

 Credit Cards. Credit cards are accepted at hotels, restaurants and larger shops, including American Express, Visa, Diners Club, and MasterCard. Please note that many smaller shops still prefer cash payment in the Jordanian currency, and it’s essential for shopping in the local souks.

 Language. The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken – especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have traveled or have been educated abroad so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent.

 Electrical current. 220 AC volts, 50 cycles, requiring rounded two-prong wall plugs. Visitors from the US will need a transformer which most hotels can provide.

Shopping. Wherever you go in Jordan you will find plenty of opportunities to shop. For visitors there is a wide range of locally made handicrafts and other goods available at all the popular sites as well as within the boutiques of the leading hotel and at the various visitor centers. There you will find hand-woven rugs and cushions, beautifully embroidered items and clothing, traditional pottery, glassware, silver jewels embedded with semi-precious stones, Bedouin knives, coffee pots, hubble bubble (water pipe), antiques and other artifacts. The list is endless and about as varied as you can imagine. Almost everywhere in Jordan you can find the world-famous Dead Sea spa products. All are of excellent quality and produced under strict clinical conditions.

 Local Time. October – March: Greenwich Mean Time plus 2 hours (G.M.T. + 2) April – September: Greenwich Mean Time plus 3 hours (G.M.T. + 3) Jordan is seven hours ahead of US Eastern Time.

Water. Water is a precious resource in Jordan and visitors are encouraged not to waste it. Hotels rated 3 stars and above have their own water filtering systems and their water is considered safe to drink. Elsewhere, bottled water is cheap and readily available.

 Medical Care Medical services are excellent in the larger cities and towns and most doctors are bilingual in Arabic and English. Larger hotels have a doctor on call and embassies can also suggest doctors and hospitals.

 Communications Telephone services within Jordan are efficient and reliable. Directories in Arabic and English are widely available and international calls can be made from public and private phones. Card-operated phones can be found throughout most of the larger cities, towns and tourist destinations and the cards themselves are easy to purchase locally. Fax services are available at most hotels while telegrams can be sent from post offices. Internet access is widespread via Internet cafes and hotels.

 Currency. The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar, symbol JD, which is often called the “jaydee”. There are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 JD notes. The dinar is divided onto 100 piasters (pronounced “pee-aster”) of 1000 fils (“fills”). The fils is the unit most commonly used and you will usually see prices written as 4,750 (which is 4 JD and 750 fils). Currency can be exchanged at major banks, exchange booths and at most hotels. Street money-changers are best avoided. Exchange rates are set daily by the Jordanian Central Bank.

 Postal Services. As well as post offices, most 4 and 5-star hotels offer postal services. Post office opening hours are: Summer: Sat-Thurs 0700-1900, Fri 0700-1300 Winter: Sat-Thurs 0700-1700, Fri 0700-1300 There are also a number of international courier services, including DHL, FedEx, TNT International, UPS, etc.

Public Holidays. Banks, businesses, government offices and many shops close all day for public holidays. Fixed public holidays include: New Year’s Day 1st January, King Abdullah II’s Birthday30th January Labour Day1st May The late King Hussein’s Birthday14th November Christmas Day25th December A number of public holidays are not fixed. These include Easter and the following Islamic Holidays, which are based on the Lunar calendar: Eid al-Fitr A 4 or 5-day holiday marking the end of Ramadan Eid al-Adha A feast at the end of the Hajj, or month of pilgrimage to Mecca First of Muharam Islamic New Year Eid al-Isra’ wal Mi’raj Celebrating the visit of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) to heaven The Birthday of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)

Climate Hot and dry summers with cool evenings. The Jordan Valley below sea level is warm during winter and extremely hot in summer. Rain falls between November and March, while colder weather conditions occur in December/January.

Required clothing Lightweight cottons and linens are advised between May and September. Warmer clothes are necessary for winter and cool summer evenings. Rainwear is needed from November to April.