The Big Moments
Jordan's headline is Petra, the ancient Nabataean city spread over miles of canyon, with tombs and temples carved into cliffs that change color through the day. Give it at least two full days for the Monastery climb, the Royal Tombs and Little Petra. Catch Petra by Night if it runs. The Roman ruins at Jerash are among the best preserved in the region.
Oman's highlights are natural. Wadi Shab's turquoise pools reward a morning hike. Ras al Jinz has green turtles crawling up the beach before dawn. The Sharqiya Sands, formerly the Wahiba, deliver the desert night couples remember longest. Musandam in the far north is all fjords, dhow cruises and dolphins.
If you want one jaw-dropping, world-famous sight, Jordan has it. If you want a string of quieter wonders you may have largely to yourselves, Oman is the better fit.
Desert Nights Compared
Both countries do a memorable desert camp, with different flavors.
Wadi Rum, about 90 minutes south of Petra, is the Jordanian version: red sandstone towers and canyons where films such as Dune and The Martian were shot. Jeep tours, camel rides and a sky full of stars fill a night or two. SunCity Camp offers glass-fronted domes facing the sand. Camps range from about $80 for a simple tent to $300 or more for a luxury dome with dinner, approximately.
Oman's Sharqiya Sands are tall orange dunes rather than rock. Camps range from simple tents to tented suites with private terraces and Desert Nights Camp offers air-conditioned tents with a camel ride at sunset. Wadi Bani Khalid's swimming holes are nearby.
Check ahead if a sunset toast matters, since many camps in both countries do not serve alcohol.
Rest and Romance
This is where Oman pulls ahead for many honeymooners. It has some of the region's best resort hotels, many set on empty coves south of Muscat or on cliff edges on Jebel Akhdar, with spa afternoons, canyon-view lunches and nights cool enough for a fire. Musandam adds secluded resorts by the sea.
Jordan's rest stop is the Dead Sea, under an hour from Amman. Resorts there let you float in salty water, cover yourselves in mud and recover in a spa. Aqaba gives you an afternoon of Red Sea snorkeling. Otherwise, Jordan's days are active: early entries at Petra, long walks, the King's Highway with stops at Kerak Castle and the Wadi Mujib viewpoint.
Plan one or two slow days in Jordan to avoid a honeymoon that feels like a marathon. In Oman, the slow days build themselves.
When to Travel
Jordan is best in spring, March to May, when wildflowers bloom in the north and Petra is comfortable for long walks. Fall, September to November, is almost as good. Summer passes 100°F in Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea basin and Aqaba. Winter splits the country: Amman, Petra and Wadi Rum can be cold and rainy with occasional snow, while the Dead Sea and Aqaba stay mild.
Oman's season runs October through April, with the sweet spot from November to March. Muscat's January highs average about 77°F, desert nights dip into the 50s and Jebel Akhdar gets properly cold in winter. From May through September the north is brutally hot and many desert camps close.
That makes Oman the better winter honeymoon and Jordan the better spring or fall one. Both shift with Ramadan, which moves about 11 days earlier each year.
Getting There and Driving
Jordan is the easier flight. Royal Jordanian flies nonstop to Queen Alia International (AMM) from New York and Chicago, with Detroit, Washington Dulles and Dallas also on its schedule at times. The New York flight takes about 11 hours. Roads are generally good and distances are short, though Amman's traffic is aggressive and the King's Highway is best avoided after dark.
Oman has no nonstops from the US. Couples connect through Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul or a European hub to Muscat (MCT), with roughly 17 to 22 hours of travel from the East Coast. Highways are wide and well signed. A 4x4 is required on the road up Jebel Akhdar, where police turn back ordinary cars. It also helps on the last stretch into the dunes.
In both countries, a private driver is an option if neither of you wants to drive.
Budget Notes
All figures are approximate high-season ranges for two.
Jordan is moderately priced. Mid-range hotels in Amman or Wadi Musa run about $80 to $200 a night, Dead Sea resorts roughly $200 to $500. In Petra, the Mövenpick sits across the road from the gate, Old Village Resort is a stone village of terraces and the Petra Marriott faces west over the mountains. Car rental runs around $40 to $80 a day. Buy the Jordan Pass before you fly; at roughly 70 to 80 dinars it pays for itself, since a single day at Petra costs about 50.
Oman costs more. Comfortable hotels and good desert camps run about $150 to $300 a night, while top resorts in Muscat, on Jebel Akhdar or in Musandam reach roughly $500 to $1,500. A 4x4 runs about $70 to $150 a day. Alcohol is heavily taxed in both.
Safety and Customs
Check the current US State Department advisory for Jordan before you book. Oman is rated Level 3, reconsider travel, because of regional armed conflict and terrorism. Its Do Not Travel area is the Yemen border in the far southwest, hundreds of miles from honeymoon routes, but missile and drone threats in the Gulf can disrupt flights with little notice.
In Oman, the real hazards are natural: wadis can flood within minutes after mountain rain, so never swim or camp in a wadi bed when storms are forecast.
Customs are similar. Cover shoulders and knees away from resorts, keep affection to holding hands and accept offered coffee or tea. Jordan is a little more relaxed, especially in Amman and makes its own wine.
