Some 30km southwest of Madaba, at the end of one of the steepest, most tortuous roads in the country, the hot springs of HAMMAMAT MA'IN make for one of the best side-trips off the King's Highway. Continuously dousing the precipitous desert cliffs of the Wadi Zarqa Ma'in with steaming water – varying between a languorous 40°C and a scalding 60°C – the springs are very popular with weekend day-trippers. However, the site has been struggling for decades to make it as a viable holiday destination. In 1999 the French Mercure hotel group upgraded all facilities, but visitor numbers stayed low. The hotel was closed in 2005 for long-term renovation while politicians and business brains came up with a new plan.

Bureaucracy aside, the site's natural beauty is exceptional. The waters have been channelled to form two hot waterfalls, there are hot spa pools, natural and artificial saunas, full spa facilities at the hotel – but it's still not too hard to escape the melee and find a quiet, steamy niche in the rock all to yourself. If you're feeling energetic, hiking some or all of the way down the deep gorge to the Dead Sea is an exhilarating counterpoint to lying around in hot water all day. Bear in mind when planning a visit, though, that spring and autumn Fridays see the entire valley crammed with people, from gangs of rambunctious young lads splashing around to respectable family groups, with veiled women ducking fully clothed under the waterfalls.