英語ですみません。
Transportation
- From Damascus Airport, use the Airport Bus is good and much cheaper option. It costed only SP 45, comparing to taxi SP 1500. The Bus will arrive at Baramke Garage (not functioning as a station anymore), 15 minutes walk from Hijaz Station.
- From Damascus to Aleppo, using Pullman Bus, Khadmous company, costed SP 250, about 5 hours, departed from Harasta Garage, where the ticket sold. Kadmous company office is the end on the right after we enter from entrance.
- Taxi from Damascus city center to Harasta Garage costed SP 100.
- Taxi from Aleppo new bus station to city center costed SP 175 by meter.
- Taxi to Jabal Kassiun in Damascus at night costed SP 200 to go up and SP 100 to go down. You can find easily taxi to go down on the mountain cause many people there.
- Car to Qalaat Samaan by Tourist Hotel in Aleppo costed SP 1500 (expensive), about one hour one way.
- Car to Afamea, Palmyra, drop to Hama, costed SP 5500 per car (cheap?) in an old wagon car (not comfortable), by Spring Flower Hotel in Aleppo. The driver, Mohammed, stole my sunglasses. Luckily I took it back from the car drawer when he was not around.
- Car to Crac des Chevaliers, Maalula, drop to Damascus (plus Jabal Kassiun), costed SP 7500 per car (comfortable Korean sedan) by Riad Hotel. Started 8am, ended 3pm. The driver, Abdul, was a good driver.
- Car to Bosra, costed SP 6000 (expensive?) per car in a comfortable car by Abdul, the new tour manager of Damascus Hostel. He is not experienced (only 5 days to the job) but very helpful.
- Car to Amman with stop in Bosra and Jerash by Al-Haramain Hotel, SP 6500. I did not do the trip, but two Japanese ladies.
Accommodation
- (Damascus) Ghazal Hotel, stayed on 18 September 2009, triple bed with fan, shared bathroom, SP 1500. 10 minutes walk from the Souq and old city.
- (Aleppo) Tourist Hotel, stayed on 19 September 2009, double bed with AC, private bathroom, SP 1200. Quite, clean, 15 minutes walk from the souq and old city. Recommended.
- (Hama) Riad Hotel (www.syriaphotoguide.com/riadhotel/), stayed on 20 September 2009, single with fan and washing tap, shared bathroom, SP 500. The spring bed was too soft. 5 minutes walk to the nearest Noria. There are Shawarma shop and fruit shops nearby.
- (Damascus) Damascus Hostel (http://www.damascushostel.com/), stayed on 21 September 2009, double with private bathroom and AC, EUR 30 (I paid SP 2000), including breakfast. Overpriced considering the room is like temporary room with plywood. The private bathroom was also made from plywood inside the room. They gave a souvenir, said worth EUR 25, but it was a Turkish doll, made in Turkish. The tour price is also generally more expensive than other backpacker hotels.
- (Aleppo) Spring Flower Hostel (www.springflowerhostel.com), I did not stay here. Double with private bathroom was SP 500, so cheap. Dormitory in the top stairs was SP 200.
- (Damascus) Al-Saada Hotel (Saruja-Bahsa St., tel +963-11-2311722), I did not stay here. Similar type and nearby with other famous backpacker options Al-Rabie (http://alrabiehotel.com/) and Al-Haramain (alharamain_hotel@yahoo.com) hotels, but not mentioned on LP Middle East and Arukikata. Triple with private bathroom was SP 1700.
ATM
- In the airport, there are two machines from two different banks. I could withdraw from my Qatari bank account in one ATM, but not from the other machines. I could not withdraw from my Japanese Citibank account.
- Damascus Souq, in an alley between the Main Souq and the parallel Souq Pasha
- Money Exchange in the Damascus Airport, there is charge about SP 50 per transaction.
