![]() ![]() Wherever you go in Jordan however you are in safe hands, as the country is both stable and more liberal in its LGBT laws. Though an influx of Palestinian, Iraqi and Syrian refugees – as well as increased tourism – means modernity and diversity are thrust upon Jordan’s cities, rural life is still well preserved and traditional styles adhered to (including more conservative ways of thinking). While the southeast is firmly Laurence of Arabia meets The Martian territory, journey across the nation to glimpse other points of interest, like the lowest point on earth – the salt sea – as well as various seasonal canyons and oases quenching arid land. ![]() Petra, in particular, is the crowning glory of Jordan, protected within sandstone cliffs and offering an unrivalled collection of monuments, including the defining Siq to the Treasury on an ethereal desert site of red rock and dunes known as Wadi Rum. Now you, avid explorer of gay Arab worlds, get to see these antiquities in all their majesty, moving from Roman Amphitheatre to Crusader castle with a sampling of early Christian art along the way. Roman legions, Crusaders, Islamic armies and Nabataean merchants have all passed through the land, leaving behind many rich artefacts in their wake. In reality, the laws are rarely upheld except in high-profile cases, however, and gay Oman remains a perfectly safe place to visit.Ī beacon of hope in a region otherwise ensconced in conflict, Jordan is also much renowned as a centre of ancient hospitality, welcoming all sorts throughout history. Much in the way of the Sultan, gay life here is to be led underground, due to the heavy penalties for homosexuality. One of the slightly more tolerant countries in the region, Oman is said to have once had its own gay sultan – Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said – although the state press is quick to deny this as a capricious rumour! Nevertheless, the unofficial gossip is that the former sultan leads a lavish gay lifestyle within his palace, divorced from his wife and enjoying the occasional English lover. With so much do see and do, Muscat is best seen by tour bus, allowing you to hop off at countless museums, the Sultan’s Palace and the Mutrah Corniche waterfront, before venturing further afield on day trips to the beaches and turtle-filled lagoons for diving and leisure. Rich in both cultural customs and oil money, Oman rolls out the finest patterned carpets (including the second-largest rug in the world within Muscat’s Grand Mosque!), leading visitors towards heritage architecture, frankincense marketplaces and traditional towns where humble living coincides with pristine landscapes of mountain, desert and coastline entwined. ![]() Less foreboding than its name might suggest, Oman is a hidden gem of the Gulf, home to one of the region’s most important ports, within the picturesque city of Muscat. ![]()
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