Wadi Musa, Jordan

As a tourist hub, Wadi Musa offers little beyond hotels and restaurants. With a population of just 17,085 as of 2009, this small town in southern Jordan is heavily dependent on the nearby archaeological site of Petra, which draws visitors from around the world. However, the local bureaucracy can be a persistent headache, as evidenced by the forced displacement of the B'doul community in 1985. While the climate is semi-arid, with an average annual temperature of 15.5°C and about 193 mm of precipitation, the town remains almost entirely Muslim, with the Liyathnah tribe dominating the local tourism industry. Wadi Musa is a practical pit-stop for those exploring Petra, but offers little in the way of an authentic Jordanian experience.