News
Petra: Stepping back in time in the Rose City
Scubaverse blogger Sean Chinn continues his travels in Jordan with a trip to iconic Petra.
It’s no great secret that Petra is Jordan’s most famous and most visited tourist attraction. Classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, it is the perfect addition to any dive trip. Take a day off from diving and step back in time to around 300 B.C. visiting the ancient carvings in the pink sandstone cliffs. Be blown away by the intricate details in the architecture and the sheer size of the cliffs that tower above.
It takes around two hours to drive from Aqaba to Petra, but after an early rise to make the most of a full days tour, it’s enough time to rest your eyes and re-energise. As you get closer to Petra, the journey through the desert becomes more scenic and there is a chance to stop for refreshments at a roadside tourist shop with panoramic views over the canyon – Wadi Araba View. It was a breathtaking sight, reminiscent of when I stood and looked over the Grand Canyon five years ago. From there it was a short journey down the mountain to the entrance to Petra.
Unfortunately, I have to admit we hit a big crowd on our trip due to a cruise ship mooring that morning and a number of guests opting to visit Petra on their stay. I was a little worried that this could put a dampener on the day but luckily it’s quite a long walk through Al-Siq (a narrow canyon carved through the sandstone cliffs) of around 1.2km. This meant that the crowds had chance to spread out the more you ventured inside. We took our time to allow more chance to really get a feel for the beauty that surrounded us on our walk. The Siq is a natural geological fault split apart by tectonic forces. It was only later that it was worn smooth by water that flowed into Wadi Musa. The textures created in the sandstone gorge from this are an absolute marvel to behold.
Al-Siq serves as the gateway to Al-Khazneh (The Treasury), one of the most elaborate temples carved out of a sandstone rock face in Petra. No words can truly describe the feeling that you get when your eyes first witness the carvings through the narrow canyon walls. The phrase ‘it takes your breath away’ is used far too easily but in this instance I did take a little gasp as I composed myself to take a photo.
It’s a lot bigger than you imagine and towers high in the cliff face. The craftsmanship that went into building it beggars belief, especially in a time without the modern technology we take for granted today. You can tell it’s the site in Petra that most go to see and the crowds that seemed to disperse as we walked through Al-Siq had now gathered under this amazing sight.
I’d love to visit again at a quieter time and plan my trip to see Petra by night lit up with thousands of candles. I also didn’t get the chance to take the longer walk to The Monastery, which is around an hour’s climb north of Petra’s city centre. Certainly something I would have liked to have done given more time on my trip.
Petra truly is an amazing wonder of the world and well worth a visit as part of your dive holiday. If historical, cultural attractions and sheer, beautiful landscapes are of major interest to you, then I would even recommend staying overnight in Petra and taking your time over a two day tour. That way, you really get chance to explore everything and immerse yourself in the magic. Something I may consider on my next visit to Jordan.
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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