Shopping · Petra · Jordan
Shopping in Petra
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Shopping in Petra centres on Bedouin crafts: stalls inside the site and shops in Wadi Musa sell jewellery, sand bottles, textiles and Dead Sea products. Best souvenirs: Sand bottles, Bedouin silver jewellery and Dead Sea products.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 0
- Top souvenir
- Sand bottles
Where to shop
Stalls inside Petra
Bedouin families sell jewellery, coins, stones and scarves along the main trail and at viewpoints.
Visitor Centre street
Craft and souvenir shops line the short road outside the gate, including fair-trade and women's cooperative outlets.
Wadi Musa town centre
Everyday shops and souvenir stores around the main roundabout, with lower prices than at the gate.
What to buy
Sand bottles
Glass bottles filled with layered, coloured sand in desert and camel designs, made in front of you.
Bedouin silver jewellery
Necklaces, bracelets and rings with traditional patterns, sold at stalls and craft shops.
Dead Sea products
Mud masks, salts and creams from the Dead Sea, sold in sealed packs.
Embroidered textiles
Cushion covers, bags and scarves with cross-stitch patterns from women's cooperatives.
Spices and sage tea
Za'atar, sumac and dried wild sage for Bedouin-style tea.
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Bedouin tea, Arabic coffee, Shrak bread and Kunafa. Tea stalls inside Petra, at viewpoints such as the Al-Khubtha trail and at Bedouin camps. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor Centre area | $$$$ | Hotels right at the entrance gate at the bottom of Wadi Musa |
| Wadi Musa town centre | $ | Budget hotels, shawarma shops and the central roundabout |
| Upper Wadi Musa | $$$ | Hillside hotels with views over the Petra mountains |
| Umm Sayhoun | $ | The Bdul Bedouin village on the rim above Petra |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in JOD. About 10% in restaurants is customary if no service charge is added. Guides and drivers are usually tipped at the end, and horse handlers at the gate expect a small tip.
- A friendly 'La, shukran' (no, thank you) is enough to decline rides, souvenirs and offers inside the site.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in July–August and December–February; the busiest months are April and October.
Staying near the shops
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Petra?
Sand bottles, Bedouin silver jewellery, Dead Sea products and Embroidered textiles.
+Where is the best shopping in Petra?
Stalls inside Petra: Bedouin families sell jewellery, coins, stones and scarves along the main trail and at viewpoints.