During our time in Israel we took a day trip to the Dead Sea. If you’ve never heard of it, the Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. It’s so interesting to visit because it is the saltiest place on Earth (33% salinity) and 431 meters (1,414 ft) below sea level which also makes it the lowest elevation point on Earth. It is 9 times as salty as the ocean and this level of salt makes you float making it almost impossible to swim.
What’s it like?
The area around the Dead Sea is very desert like. It’s amazing to see the landscape and on the way there you see all the beautiful views. The weather at the Dead Sea is mainly hot and humid. Temperatures can go up to 42 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit). We went in August which is one of the hottest months to visit and it was hot! The water temperature is also warm. Due to the salinity of the water it is recommended not to stay more than 20 minutes in the water. The sand was burning hot!! You can’t walk barefoot on the beach, not even to get in the water, you have to wear your flip flops till you reach the water and wear them again once you get out.
As you enter the water you will feel the salt crystals at the bottom which hurt a little bit and at this point you can float instead of trying to walk. When you try to reach for a handful of sand from the bottom you’ll get salt! There is no sand in the Dead Sea so you’ll get salt instead! Pretty cool! You’ll also feel a little bit oily, which is normal from all the salt in the water. When going in the water make sure you don’t have any cuts or those will burn badly. Shaving should be done 2 days prior. Also, try not to get water into your eyes, that will hurt (a lot because it happened to us).
What beach to go to?
There are many beaches you can choose to visit in the Dead Sea. We chose Ein Bokek Beach (also spelled En Boqeq). The beach has all amenities such as bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, even an outdoor gym, and many options for food. There are also many hotels running along the beach if you want to stay a few nights. We enjoyed the day at Ein Bokek Beach and recommend this beach for your visit to the Dead Sea.
How to get there?
Since we try to avoid tours as much as we can we took a bus. From Jerusalem it is a 2 hour bus ride to the Dead Sea. We took bus line number 486 which stops at Ein Bokek Beach. If you prefer a tour, many tours are available for the Dead Sea. We recommend Abraham Tours, they have great tours from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Health Benefits
Dead Sea minerals like magnesium, sodium, and potassium have been found to relieve skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, and acne. The minerals have also been found to reduce skin impurities and respiratory conditions. While at the Dead Sea you can apply Dead Sea mud to yourself for the complete spa treatment after spending some time in the water. The Dead Sea mud has been found to reduce inflammation and relieve back pain among other benefits. Dead Sea products and cosmetics can be purchased along the beach for you to take home or for your use while there. We tried to make our own mud and failed at it so we went to buy some from the store nearby and it felt pretty good! Spa treatments are also available at most hotels.
We really enjoyed this trip to the Dead Sea, it’s a must if you’re in the area. Want to know more? Just ask us, or visit our Instagram/Facebook pages @everywhereabroad for highlights and more on the Dead Sea!