Eastern Gems: Israel & Jordan

"This is a fabulous city. I would love to go back and just spend more time here. It is very cosmopolitan. Everyone speaks English and they are really friendly. The beaches were fabulous and the water is very salty and hot like a bath so you're comfortable. The water is also clear blue, there are no rocks and you can safely swim here. Another surprise was the quality of the food and wine – both red and white. There are actually wine and culinary tours to the surrounding region to experience the wonderful Mediterranean cuisine and local wines."

"Jerusalem is a beautiful city and very easy to get around. We saw the Wailing Wall, mosques, synagogues, churches, and the Baha'i temple. Actually seeing such important historic and religious landmarks was very moving, even if you are not religious."

"Here we had an amazing boat journey across the lake. The museum was very good as well. It had a really interesting display explaining the recovery of a boat dating from 200 B.C. which was found the mud in the middle of the lake."

"Swimming in the Dead Sea was a unique experience. There are many rules and regulations as the richness of the minerals make the water caustic. It is very warm. Going in you have to walk on mats as the salt is like jagged rocks. It is very soothing, like an extreme spa treatment, but you come out covered in an oily substance."

"Elat is an Israeli resort town the locals enjoy on the Red Sea. It was rather disappointing. The Red Sea was very dirty and the resort was not great except for the shopping."

"It served as the starting point for a trip to Petra, Jordan. Crossing the border from Israel to Jordan was quite a surprise. Immediately you are struck by the different dress of the people and the different architecture. We saw many Bedouin camps and herds of camels. Some tribes are still nomadic. The people were very friendly."

"Petra was phenomenal. This UNESCO World Heritage site is ancient and many tourists visit. Getting around this city carved out of the mountain side is not easy and I would not recommend it for those with mobility issues. It is steep and uneven. It is possible to go on horseback or horse and buggy but there is no insurance so we opted just to walk. It was a guided tour with the history and architecture well explained."

"I'm glad I took this excursion. Petra was definitely worth seeing, but I wouldn't go again."

• Avoid visiting during religious holidays as is it is very busy and many sites are closed. We were there during Ramadan and Jewish New Year. Insight switched some of our travel arrangements so we didn't miss anything we were supposed to see.
• Avoid the mid-summer months. We were there late September, early October and it was still really hot. October-November would be a better time weather-wise.
• In Tel Aviv you pay for everything right down to the beach umbrellas. Cab drivers here also tried to rip us off.
• We never felt unsafe but had to watch our handbags in the markets, just like everywhere else we have travelled.
• For West Coast residents, connections to Tel Aviv are better through Toronto, than London. The Minotel at Terminal 3 of Heathrow Airport really helped. Here we rented a mini room with bunks, toilet, shower and TV - excellent for long stopovers - but a shorter route through Toronto would have been much better.