Travel guide to the Middle East: Where to now Middle East?

And those people are ready to welcome tourists into their countries. While problems continue to plague the greater Middle East, there are plenty amazing travel experiences ready to be had in much of this friendly and vastly misunderstood part of the world. Here's Traveller's guide to navigating this volatile though compelling region.

THE DESTINATION Oman

THE UPDATE Oman stands alone for so many reasons. It's an Arab country, but without the insane natural resource wealth of some of its neighbours. It's historic and traditional, although without the rigid rules and discrimination that can be found in the some of the surrounding areas. Oman is approachable and friendly, ancient and beautiful.

"It's slightly more liberal than a lot of countries in the Middle East, so obviously it gets a lot more traction with people wanting to flop and drop for a few days," Thornton says.

Oman has a wealth of attractions for visitors who are new to the Middle East, not least of which is its political stability and safety for foreigners. It also, however, has a host of small, charming Bedouin towns, a beautiful coastline, rugged mountains and sandy deserts. Omanis are also famously hospitable, and you don't have to worry about unwittingly breaking any social rules.

"Most people in the Middle East, in general, will forgive you for whatever faux pas you commit," Ham says. "The understanding is that you won't necessarily comprehend the local culture. One of the best things people can do is to learn a word or two of greetings. Greetings are so important in these places – it's a process of treating other people with respect. If visitors take those little steps, the effort will be repaid in bucketloads."

While Oman can be visited independently, there are also plenty of tour options from operators such as Intrepid, while various major cruise lines call into Muscat.

SHOULD I GO? Oman is stable and safe, with a fascinating history that is unmatched by many of its neighbours.

*SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Exercise normal safety precautions.

MORE INFO www.tourismoman.com.au; www.intrepidtravel.com

THE DESTINATION United Arab Emirates (UAE)

THE UPDATE If there is one country that seems custom-made for first-timers to gain a "soft" introduction to the Middle East, it's the United Arab Emirates. Home to desert megalopolises like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the UAE is welcoming and approachable, safe and easy to navigate. It's a country that relies heavily on the tourist dollar, and the infrastructure is representative of that.

"The Persian Gulf is having a huge boom in tourism," Ham says. "Places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi seem to be in a race with each other to erect these huge, spectacular buildings – that is a very different experience from the other Arab countries. It's probably where most people dip their toe into the Middle East."

Sometimes it doesn't even feel as though the UAE is in the Middle East. Only 13 per cent of the people who live there are Emirati citizens. The rest are a mix of expatriates from around the world, from Iran and Yemen to the US and Britain.

There are tour operators who have products in the UAE – Intrepid, for example, as well as locally based Emirates Airlines-owned Arabian Adventures, plus Royal Caribbean and MSC both call through the major ports – but this is a country that's easily achievable on your own.

SHOULD I GO? The UAE is very much open for business. There are no current security issues to take into account, and no cultural nuances to research.

SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Exercise normal safety precautions.

MORE INFO www.visitdubai.com; www.visitabudhabi.ae; www.arabian-adventures.com; www.royalcaribbean.com.au; www.msccruises.com.au

THE DESTINATION Turkey

THE UPDATE Turkey is a country that suffers by association with its neighbours. While western Turkey is the gateway to Europe, a largely liberal and modern region of seaside resorts and cosmopolitan cities, the eastern part of the country shares a long border with Syria, as well as Iraq and Iran.

Despite sporadic violence, including recent terrorist attacks in which foreign tourists have been killed, Turkey remains firmly on the radar for many Australian travellers, thanks not only to cities like Istanbul, but also the lunar landscapes of Cappadocia, as well as historical sites such as Gallipoli.

"Turkey is incredibly popular," Thornton says. "Last year was huge in Turkey – in fact, Peregrine's largest selling trip last year was in Turkey. I think part of that is the affordability of travelling to the country, and the type of product that we offer there, but obviously last year was the [100th anniversary] Anzac Day celebrations as well."

Turkey abounds with touring and cruising options, from budget backpacker carriers to more immersive brands such as Intrepid, Peregrine and Geckos. Most major cruise lines call into Turkey, while Busabout's Sail Turkey packages are perennially popular among younger travellers. This is a very approachable country to travel in, with great food, a rich culture, and plenty of must-see destinations.

SHOULD I GO? Despite the slight chance of being caught up in trouble in Turkey – though it's rarely targeted at tourists – this is still a welcoming country that will reward travellers time and again.

SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Exercise a high degree of caution.

MORE INFO www.goturkey.com; www.peregrineadventures.com; www.geckosadventures.com

THE DESTINATION Jordan

THE UPDATE "Jordan is probably the most stable country we visit," says Sujata Raman, the Australia-based managing director of Abercrombie & Kent. "As [one of our managers] in Jordan said, 'We're a peaceful country; we just live in a bad neighbourhood.' "

That's essentially the problem for Jordan: nice place, dodgy neighbours. The country has been free from trouble for a long time, but it's sometimes difficult for potential visitors to separate the peace of Jordan from the goings-on in Syria and Iraq. Even so, many companies, including Intrepid, Peregrine, Bunnik Tours, Abercrombie & Kent, Geckos, G Adventures and APT, run tours in the country, with travellers attracted by the famed rock-hewn city of Petra, as well as the relative safety and ease of travel throughout the country.

"Jordan is a fairly easy country to add on to other things," Raman says. "It's usually a couple of nights in Amman, then Petra, and if people have a few more nights they'll go into Wadi Rum. Essentially, you can see the country in under a week."

Those are the key things to consider when tossing up a trip to Jordan: it's easy to get to, relatively safe to travel in, and it boasts a few bucket-list destinations that all travellers should have on their list.

"Most people are now doing Jordan as an add-on to a trip to Egypt, and everybody is coming back raving about it," says Dennis Bunnik, managing director of Bunnik Tours. "Petra is the main drawcard, but Wadi Rum, Jerash, the Dead Sea, Mount Nebo… All this stuff blows people away. The locals are extremely friendly too."

SHOULD I GO? While it's always best to check current advice and to constantly monitor the situation, Jordan is a stable, affordable and welcoming country that many travellers will enjoy.

SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Exercise a high degree of caution.

MORE INFO www.visitjordan.com; www.bunniktours.com.au; www.abercrombiekent.com.au; www.gadventures.com.au; www.aptouring.com.au

THE DESTINATION Iran

THE UPDATE Iran is fast becoming a hotspot. If you'd heard that even a year ago you'd assume we were referring to conflict – but no. Iran is fast becoming a hotspot for tourism. This is, after all, one of the most misunderstood countries on the planet, a beautiful, culturally rich nation where the genuine, warm greetings you receive become almost overwhelming. Iranians are a lovely people who've been the victim of political circumstance, though as relations with the US improve that will hopefully become a thing of the past.

"Iranian people are literally the friendliest people you'll meet anywhere," Ham says. "The hospitality that I've experienced there is quite extraordinary. People are genuinely pleased to see you, and they genuinely go out of their way for you.

"The first time I did the Iran guidebook a few years ago it was actually very difficult to research restaurants, because people kept inviting me into their homes. It was very hard to actually go to a restaurant. Iran is a fabulous country, and at the moment it's largely safe."

Female travellers may find it more comfortable to travel through Iran as part of a tour group – though women are free to move independently in the country, being part of a group helps avoid any unwanted attention – and there are plenty of companies offering products there, the likes of Intrepid, Peregrine, World Expeditions and G Adventures taking travellers through the country's highlights.

"You've got Persepolis, which is an ancient Persian city near Shiraz," Ham says. "There's Esfahan, which is quite possibly the most beautiful city I've ever seen, with its blue-tiled mosques and arched bridges. There's also Tabriz, with its heritage-listed souk, and Yazd is another beautiful old city."

SHOULD I GO? In a word: yes. "Iran is still one of the last frontiers of travel, in the sense that it changes the way you think about the world when you're there," Ham says. "You think you know about the Middle East, but then you go to Iran and people are just knocking you over with their hospitality."

SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Exercise a high degree of caution.

MORE INFO www.tourismiran.ir/en/; www.worldexpeditions.com/au/

THE DESTINATION Israel

THE UPDATE Israel is consistently being caught up in conflict and controversy, and yet it remains a popular travel destination, both for tourists on religious pilgrimages, as well as those just keen to see the place for themselves.

"We had a big drop-off in passengers from 2014 to 2015 [after the recent conflict in Gaza], but we're starting to see interest coming back into it," Thornton says. "The DFAT advice is 'exercise a high degree of caution'. Safety is always at the forefront of what we do, and we're confident that we'll do well with our trips there."

Israel is geographically and historically Middle Eastern, though its modern culture reflects the wide range of immigrants who now call the country home. In Tel Aviv you have one of the world's great cities for dining and nightlife, while Jerusalem is still a traditional centre, important for both Muslims and Jews.

"For the vast majority of travellers, Israel is almost an outpost of Europe," Ham says. "It's modern, it's safe, and in some ways it has less of that Middle Eastern feel to it."

While Israel's history is always going to be a drawcard for visitors, the country also has great food, excellent nightlife, and natural attractions such as the Dead Sea. Tours are offered by Intrepid, Trafalgar, Peregrine and Abercrombie & Kent, while various major cruise lines visit Israeli ports.

SHOULD I GO? While there are areas of Israel and the surrounding territories that should be avoided – including the West Bank and Gaza Strip – the vast percentage is safe and welcoming for foreign travellers. It does pay, however, to keep a close eye on the situation on the ground.

SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Exercise a high degree of caution.

MORE INFO www.goisrael.com; www.trafalgar.com/aus

THE DESTINATION Egypt

THE UPDATE The one-time poster boy of the Arab Spring has had a tumultuous few years, with each new surge in confidence among travellers countered by incidents such as the bombing of the Russian Metrojet flight over the Sinai Desert last year, and sporadic protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Still, the country receives more than 10 million visitors a year, and is very much open.

"Reading the Smart Traveller advice, it doesn't make pretty reading," says Bunnik, whose Bunnik Tours has been sending travellers to the area for more than 20 years. "But the experiences our clients are having, and I'm there at least once if not twice a year, is that all the tourist sites are open along the Nile, people are able to visit them, and there are quite a number of tourists in Egypt. But security is very tight, and people are vigilant."

There are plenty of operators still active in Egypt, including Bunnik Tours, Abercrombie & Kent, Intrepid, Peregrine, Geckos, APT, Top Deck and Contiki. Group tours in the region are proving far more popular than solo travel, with operators able to pay more attention to security.

"We've got people on the ground, which makes all of the difference," says Raman, managing director for Australia and New Zealand of Abercrombie & Kent. "We work very closely with the tourism police: we lodge everyone's itineraries, we talk to them about guest movements, and often they will even shadow our itineraries. The office is also constantly in touch with the major embassies to see what their insider information is."

SHOULD I GO? This is a case of assessing the level of risk that's acceptable. Although, as Bunnik says, "The thing about the Egyptian people, they have been welcoming tourists for well over 1000 years. It's built into their DNA, how to look after people."

SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Reconsider your need to travel.

MORE INFO www.egypt.travel; www.bunniktours.com.au; www.abercrombiekent.com.au; www.topdeck.travel; www.contiki.com

THE DESTINATION Tunisia

THE UPDATE It all seemed like it was going so well for Tunisia. In 2011 this small north African nation was the birthplace of the Arab Spring, a shining ray of democracy amid the political darkness of its neighbours. Since that heady time, however, things have rapidly deteriorated. Two major terrorist attacks – one in the Bardo Museum in Tunis, the other on a beach in Sousse – directly targeting tourists has the hit the country hard, to the point where many cruise lines and tour operators have pulled out.

Peregrine has cut its offering to three departures a year. Its 10-day "Highlights of Tunisia" package still takes passengers through Tunis, Sousse, and archaeological sites such as El Jem and Dougga, though numbers are inevitably down on previous years. Many cruise lines such as Princess, MSC and Costa have cancelled their calls into Tunis. It is still possible to visit Tunisia – however, certain precautions should be taken.

"Research advice that is talking about specifics rather than general concerns," says Ham. "If you look at a lot of the government advisories, they'll warn against travel to a particular country, but if you read a bit closer they're only warning you against specific places. It's very important to find out as much as you can about the situation on the ground. Forums like Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree are great for that."

SHOULD I GO? While Tunisia is an amazing country filled with pristine Roman ruins and Mediterranean beach resorts, this is one to keep a very close eye on.

SMART TRAVELLER ADVICE Reconsider your need to travel.

MORE INFO www.beintunisia.com/en; www.peregrineadventures.com; www.princess.com; www.costacruise.com

THE MIDDLE EAST'S BIG FIVE EXPERIENCES

PETRA, JORDAN

One of the Middle East's most famous sights is the rock-hewn city of Petra in Jordan. "Walking through the Siq into the Treasury for the first time – just talking about it, it still raises the hairs on the back of my neck," Bunnik says. See www.visitjordan.com; www.bunniktours.com.au

NAQSH-E JAHAN SQUARE, IRAN

The main square in Esfahan, Iran, is a meeting place for an entire city, a walled area surrounded by mosques and bazaars, teahouses and restaurants, that's abuzz with activity every evening. See www.tourismiran.ir/en/

KARNAK TEMPLE, EGYPT

There's little that can prepare you for the sheer scale of Karnak Temple, with its 134 pillars, each at least 10 metres high, 2.5 metres in diameter, and covered in ancient hieroglyphics. It's still the largest religious building ever made. See www.egypt.travel

TEMPLE MOUNT, ISRAEL

Temple Mount in Jerusalem defines the Middle East and its complexities. It's a religious site that's sacred to both Muslims and Jews, being the third most important site in Islam, and the most important in Judaism. See www.goisrael.com

BARDO MUSEUM, TUNISIA

Some of the most stunning artworks produced by the Roman Empire aren't housed in Rome, but in the Bardo Museum in Tunis, which has a huge collection of Roman mosaics discovered in the country's former mansions. The museum was subject to a serious terrorist attack on tourists a year ago. But security in Tunisia has since been significantly increased. See www.bardomuseum.tn

DON'T EVEN THINK OF GOING HERE

LEPTIS MAGNA, LIBYA

This is one of the best preserved and most spectacular Roman ruins on the planet, an extensive network of ancient buildings on the Mediterranean shore. Unfortunately, it's also in Libya.

QASR AL-ASHIQ, IRAQ

There are hundreds of important archaeological sites in Iraq, and one of the most impressive is Qasr al-Ashiq, a former palace occupied by a ninth-century caliph. The site, near the city of Samarra, was heritage listed by UNESCO in 2007.

PALMYRA, SYRIA

It's difficult to know what, if anything, is left of Palmyra, the ancient Semitic city in Syria. Since being seized by Islamic State forces, it's thought many of the major sites have been destroyed. We can only hope some parts have been spared.

SHIBAM, YEMEN

The mud-brick, high-rise buildings in this Yemeni town have earned it a UNESCO world heritage listing. Unfortunately, with civil war rife in Yemen, it could be a long while before tourists are safe to go back and enjoy it.

MT SINAI, EGYPT

While the greater part of Egypt is still relatively safe to visit, the Mt Sinai area, with its proximity to Israel and the Gaza Strip, is a different story. It's a pity – this is a major pilgrimage site for religious tourists from around the world.

FEMALE TRAVELLERS AND THE MIDDLE EAST SURVIVAL ADVICE

DO YOUR RESEARCH

It's important to remember that there is no "typical" Middle Eastern country. Each one, from the UAE to Oman, Iran to Jordan, has different cultural rules and expectations of female travellers. Do your research beforehand.

DRESS MODESTLY

While this varies wildly – the UAE has fairly lax laws, while in Iran you'll have to observe the laws of hijab – it's advisable to always dress modestly in the Middle East, choosing long, loose-fitting clothing.

BEFRIEND ANOTHER FEMALE TRAVELLER

Women are largely free to move around most Middle Eastern countries on their own. However, travelling with a friend, or as part of a tour group, will help avoid any unwanted attention from local men.

TALK TO OTHER WOMEN

In the same way that male travellers are expected to refrain from striking up conversations with local women, female travellers should also confine their initial interactions with strangers to people of the same gender.

AVOID PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

This is true for men and women. PDA is frowned upon in most Middle Eastern countries, and it will gain you nothing but unwanted attention.